Grants offered by the Patricelli Center
- New Venture Awards (NVA)
The Patricelli Center New Venture Awards (NVA), formerly known as the Seed Grants, are three $6,000 awards that aim to recognize and support impactful student projects, organizations, and companies across sectors and communities. As of Spring 2024, NVA finalists will each receive a $3,000 grant.
NVA applicants and recipients join a vibrant community of Wesleyan student and alumni ventures, and receive the following:
- Advising and coaching support.
- Special invitations to fully-funded engagements (conferences, speaking opportunities, etc.) at leading institutions across government, academia, media, and the arts.
- Access to Patricelli Center community and venture directory.
2024 details, eligibility, and application information (2025 details coming soon)
Read about past winners: 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022
| 2023
- Microgrants
$200-$1000 grants for makers, artists, freelancers, and other entrepreneurs to create, test, and commercialize. These grants are intended to incentivize "learning by doing" and may be used for prototyping, customer discovery, purchasing supplies, paying staff, e-commerce platform fees, and more.
Grants will be awarded on a rolling basis until the fund is depleted each academic year. Students are encouraged to meet with a PCSE advisor before submitting an application.
Grantees will be required to submit a public report reflecting on how they used the grant and offering advice for other student entrepreneurs. You can read about past grantees here.
- Davis Projects for Peace
$10,000 grants for grassroots summer projects anywhere in the world which promote peace and address the root causes of conflict among parties.
2024 details, eligibility, and application
Read about past Wesleyan grantees: 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022| 2023
- Experience Fund
Up to $1000 to attend social impact or entrepreneurship conferences, gatherings, and other related events. Intended to support students who seek to build their skills and networks by attending off-campus gatherings.
Applications will be reviewed within 10 business days and may receive partial funding. Grants will be awarded on a rolling basis until the fund is depleted each academic year. Applicants are encouraged to read our primer and meet with a PCSE advisor to talk about ways to get the most out of attending a conference. Grantees must submit a public report reflecting on the conference experience and offering advice for students who may want to attend in the future. You can read reports from past grantees here.
- Follow-On Fund
The Patricelli Center Follow-On Fund will award up to $5,000 in additional funding per academic year to previous grantees with demonstrated and significant progress in their projects or ventures.
Applications will be reviewed within 5 business days. Students should meet with a PCSE advisor before submitting an application (http://calendly.com/ahmedmbadr). If meeting times are unavailable, reach out to abadr@wesleyan.edu.
All applications may be featured in Patricelli Center media, and grantees will be required to a public report, with photos or other media, reflecting on how they used the grant and offering advice for other student entrepreneurs. Reporting guidelines are here. - Map The System
Map the System challenges students to think differently about social and environmental change -- starting with understanding a problem and its wider context, rather than jumping straight into a business plan or an idea for a quick fix. One finalist/team from Wesleyan will receive funding to attend the Global Finals at the University of Oxford and compete for cash prizes to continue their work.
Contact abadr@wesleyan.edu to learn more.
- PCSE Summer Experience/Internship Grant
Up to $5,000 for rising juniors and seniors receiving need-based financial aid who plan to do social impact or entrepreneurship work during summer break.
Other Social Impact and Entrepreneurship Grants for Wesleyan Students
- On Campus
There are a number of grants and awards offered by other offices at Wesleyan for students pursuing ventures, internships, and projects related to social justice, activism, sustainability, education, health, international development, and other fields of impact. You can find out about some of these funding sources through the Jewett Center for Community Partnerships, Gordon Career Center, and the Fellowships Office.
- Off Campus
We share links to external funding sources in our weekly newsletter, Wesleyan ENGAGE. Subscribe here.