Teagle Foundation: Education in American Civic Life

The mission of the Teagle Foundation is to support and strengthen liberal arts education, which it sees as fundamental to meaningful work, effective citizenship, and a fulfilling life. To that end, the foundation's Education in American Civic Life initiative supports faculty-led efforts to prepare graduates to become informed and engaged participants in the civic life of their local, national, and global communities. Through the initiative, the foundation seeks ambitious projects that address gaps in the civic knowledge of undergraduates and prepares them for the intellectual demands of democratic participation. Successful proposals will seek to promote learning about the formation of the American republic, the crafting of its Constitution, the history of contention over the meanings of the Constitution, the development of representative political structures, and the principles of democracy. The foundation encourages a comparative approach to studying these principles that will deepen students' understanding of what is unique about American institutions by placing them in contrast to the principles and institutions of other societies. Grants of up to $400,000 over three years will be awarded to projects participating in the initiative, with the size of the grant determined by the number of institutions involved and the scope of the project. Planning grants in the range of $25,000 over six to twelve months will also be considered, especially for projects that involve multiple campus partners. The foundation welcomes the participation of a diverse array of institutions, including community colleges, liberal arts colleges, comprehensive, and research universities. Requests from both single institutions and multiple institutions partnering together will be considered. Concept papers are accepted on a rolling basis. Upon review, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal.