Grants

Grant Opportunities

We know there's a lot of information on this page, but if you are applying for a grant, try to read it all! The more you know about what we can offer, the better your application will be.

What grants can cover

  • Travel to the community in need
  • Materials
  • Housing (in some cases)
  • Food that facilitates the service
  • Training that supports the service initiative (for example, conference registration fees)

Individual or Group Work?

The PSC supports both! The choice is up to you and will depend on the nature of your project.

Priorities

We'll consider funding for any project that serves communities, but here are some types of work that our donors enable us to prioritize. You don't have to apply for a specific type of grant, but if your application is accepted we'll tell you where the money's coming from.

Local Communities:
Develop service projects that support communities in Cambridge, Boston, and Lawrence, Massachusetts! For project ideas in Lawrence, check out web.mit.edu/golawrence.

Science Education:
Share your love for science by developing new curricula and ways of teaching, or by spreading access to education.

Projects Related to Coursework:
Students, be a social innovator! Get funding to pursue service projects in any of your classes. Grants can help pay for expenses related to project development and delivery including travel costs, equipment, and materials.
Faculty, develop a service component for your courses! Grants can support the same costs that are listed above, as well as the payment of a student assistant for developing the new project.

International Development:
Help communities anywhere in the world! Create projects that encourage sustainable development in any country. The PSC places a special focus on poverty alleviation, so you many want to think in that direction.

Other PSC Opportunities

Fellowships:
Apply for an MIT Public Service Fellowship and work on capacity-building projects in underserved communities. Visit the fellowships page to learn more.

Service UROPs:
Interested in research? Consider Service UROPs! Service UROPs support research that benefits communities around the world. You can start by talking to faculty who do community-focused research or by emailing the Service Learning Coordinator at servicelearning@mit.edu.

Sources Outside the PSC:
You might also consider applying for grants from other sources, such as as the Community Service Fund, Kelly-Douglas Traveling Fellowship, Carroll Wilson award, and others.