Jewett Center for Community Partnerships

222 Church Street, 3rd Floor
Middletown, CT 06459
engage@wesleyan.edu
860-685-2861

Spring & Summer 2026 Political Engagement Fund grant cycles now open: Apply today! 

About the Political Engagement Fund

Wesleyan University has a long history of supporting student civic engagement and recognizes this moment’s unique opportunity for liberal learning through engagement with the public sphere. 

We are pleased to welcome applications for two Political Engagement Fund cycles:

Projects and Proposal

The Political Engagement Fund (PEF) offers funding support to students interested in engaging in the electoral process. Wesleyan undergraduate students can apply to the fund for project support in one of the following areas:

  • Voter registration 
  • Issues advocacy
  • Local or national campaigns

See examples of previously funded projects at our Engage Blog and in the Wesleyan Connection!

Budgeting and Expenses

Fall, Winter, and Spring cycle Political Engagement Fund awards are capped at $500 per cycle per applicant, for a maximum of $1,500 for the academic year. Summer cycle PEF awards are capped at $5,000 per applicant.

PEF grants provide funding to help alleviate costs in the following areas:

  • Lodging Expenses
  • Food Expenses (related to engagement)
  • Travel Expenses: Airfare, Train Tickets, Bus Fare/Tickets, Subway/Metro Fare, Mileage (72.5 cents per mile)
  • Program Expenses: Tuition (non-Wesleyan), Conference Fees, Supplies (i.e. notebooks, books, pens)

Political Engagement Fund grants may not be used for any of the following: 

  • Payment/wages to applicant 
  • Payment/wages to others
  • Personal expenses deemed non essential to the project 
  • Other discretionary expenses deemed unrelated to the proposed project  
  • Tuition at Wesleyan University 
  • Purchasing or leasing a vehicle 
  • Equipment that will be retained by student or host organization (i.e. cameras, lighting equipment, laptops, etc.)

All applicants are required to submit a budget sheet, detailing the funding request. All items included in your budget must be directly related to your proposal. An amount may be awarded to you equal to or less than your request based on the information you provide and available funds.


Additional Political Engagement Fund requirements

Award recipients are required to:

  • Attend an orientation
  • Enroll in CSPL 494 (Elections Internship)
  • Submit a final report 
  • Share their experience at select Allbritton Center events

Timeline:

Spring 2026 application cycle

  • Submission deadline: Sunday, February 15 (11:59pm)
  • Decisions announced: Friday, February 27
  • Orientation: Wednesday, March 4 (tentative, subject to change)

Summer 2026 application cycle

  • Submission deadline: Sunday, April 5 (11:59pm)
  • Decisions announced: Friday, April 24
  • Orientation: Friday, May 1 (tentative, subject to change)

How to access the Political Engagement Fund application

The application is hosted on Submittable, a social impact platform being used by Wesleyan's Gordon Career Center. 

Resources

For more information, read through the PEF application and refer to our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). 

If you have questions or want to further workshop your ideas, please contact Sonya Hadley at shadley@wesleyan.edu.