Faculty Community Service Learning Grant

This grant supports medical school faculty in designing innovative, specialty-aligned service-learning projects that intentionally integrate community partnership with medical education. Unlike traditional volunteering which often focuses on providing service to others; service-learning is a structured educational experience that combines meaningful community involvement with reflection and academic learning objectives. The goal is mutually beneficial. Trainees deepen their clinical and professional development while also addressing real-world health challenges alongside community partners.

National example of some service learning initiatives can be found here.

Projects should aim to enhance trainee and/or faculty learning outcomes by actively engaging with various populations affected by complex health and social issues. These may include, but are not limited to, individuals experiencing homelessness, people living with dementia or mental illness, older adults with complex care needs, children affected by abuse or neglect, individuals with substance use disorders etc. Proposals should focus on addressing the structural factors influencing health outcomes in these populations through collaborative, reflective, and educational service initiatives.

For a list of organizations McGovern has worked with in the past, please visit here.

Funding Amount: Up to $5,000 per project (one-time award)

Eligible Applicants:

  • Full-time faculty at McGovern Medical School
  • Clinical, basic science, or administrative faculty with instructional roles
  • Faculty across all specialties are encouraged to apply

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit the following materials:

  1. Project Proposal (max 3 pages):
    • Project Title
    • Project Summary (150 words)
    • Specialty Area and Educational Rationale: How does this align with your specialty and medical education goals?
    • Community Partnership Plan: Identify potential community partners or populations to be engaged
    • Service-Learning Objectives: At least two measurable learning objectives for trainees or faculty
    • Project Activities: Outline of activities, timeline, and any student roles
    • Expected Outcomes: Both educational and community impact
    • Sustainability or scalability plan (if applicable)
  2. Budget (1 page):
    • Clear breakdown of how funds will be used (e.g., supplies, transportation, training materials, stipends for community partners, etc.)
    • Budget must total no more than $5,000
  3. Faculty CV or Biosketch (2 pages max)
  4. Letter of Support:
    From a community partner indicating support for the initiative.

Timeline for application submissions:

  • Call for Applications: Released at the start of the new year (no later than January 5)

  • Submission Deadline: End of the fourth week of February

  • Winner Announcement: March

Review Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on:

  • Alignment with service-learning principles
  • Relevance to medical education and specialty
  • Potential community impact
  • Clarity and feasibility of implementation
  • Student learning outcomes
  • Appropriate and justified use of funds