Harvard Culture Lab Innovation Fund

Harvard Culture Lab Innovation Fund is a grant from Harvard Community and Campus Life that funds bold ideas to spark innovation and collaboration across the Harvard community. Known as CLIF, the program empowers faculty, staff, and students to pursue community-building projects over a one-year period, with awards ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 per project.

Funded activities may include technology, equipment, professional services, marketing, and accessibility initiatives aimed at creating a more inclusive campus. Eligible applicants include all benefits-eligible Harvard staff and faculty, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers with full-time Harvard appointments lasting the duration of the funding period.

Harvard Culture Lab Innovation Fund | Harvard Community and Campus Life Skip to main site navigation Harvard Culture Lab Innovation Fund Funding bold ideas that spark innovation and collaboration. Fund Your Community-Building Idea CLIF grants empower members of the Harvard community to actively pursue one idea over a year to create a more accessible and respectful campus where everyone has a chance to participate.

Email culturelab@harvard. edu with questions. Application Deadline is March 27, 2026 Apply today to receive up to $15,000 of funding for your idea.

Join our virtual Open House on Wed. February 25, 11 a. m.

ET. to learn tips on strengthening your application and meeting grant recipients. Help drive the best innovations forward.

Have a bold idea to build community? Apply today! The deadline is Friday, March 27, 2026, at 11:59 p.

m. US Eastern Time. All Harvard University benefits-eligible staff and faculty.

All primary team members must have a primary affiliation with Harvard University. Harvard-affiliated hospitals and non-profit, independent corporations are not eligible as primary applicants and require teaming with a primary applicant at a Harvard University school or unit to apply. All benefits-eligible Harvard administrative/professional, support, or service and trades staff members.

Primary, secondary, and adjunct faculty. Students, Postdoctoral Researchers, and Fellows: All full-time, degree-seeking Harvard undergraduate and graduate students. All primary team members must have primary affiliation with Harvard University.

Postdoctoral researchers and fellows are eligible to apply. A full-time appointment at Harvard University is required. The appointment must last the duration of the funding period if awarded.

Funds may be used for direct project-related costs, including technology, software, equipment, professional services, accessibility services, catering, marketing, postage, temporary help (staff or students), back-filling for staff working on the project, and overtime for nonexempt staff. Funds may not be used to pay staff salaries unless agreed upon with CLIF in advance.

You and others who work on the project are subject to Harvard University’s Intellectual Property Policy . Grant funds cannot be used to pay extra compensation or add pay to exempt staff, or for work by nonexempt staff who perform their project-related work within the scope of their typical work week. Staff members must receive prior consent from their manager to work on a project funded by this award.

Funds may not be used to cover student tuition or generate income for personal businesses or individual salaries. Grant funding must have a direct impact on Harvard University and cannot be used for the operational costs or business activities of a nonprofit organization or business outside of Harvard, including other independent 501(c)(3) entities.

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria: Alignment - Aligns with the Harvard University Community Values and advances a campus culture where every member can thrive in their academic, professional, and research pursuits.

Accessibility - Applies inclusive principles recommended by Harvard University Disability Resources so that the proposed product, resource, or service is usable by as many different people as possible. Adherence to the Digital Accessibility Policy is required. Connection to Campus - Directly impacts the Harvard University community.

Data - Has measurable outcomes and attainable goals once implemented. Innovation - Offers a novel or creative approach to strengthening a culture of mutual respect and full participation for all on campus. Non-Discrimination - All events organized as part of the project implementation should be open and welcoming to all members of the Harvard community.

One Harvard - Project teams include a combination of faculty, students, staff, and/or postdoctoral fellows, or demonstrate cross-School or cross-disciplinary collaboration. Promising Practice - Has potential for University-wide impact and/or designs resources to be shared and replicable across offices, departments, Schools, and Units. The first round of application evaluations is from March to April.

The final round is from May to June. Top-rated proposals will advance to the final round of judging, where teams will pitch their projects to the review committee on a live event platform. If you have been selected to move forward to the final round, you will receive instructions on how to prepare your presentation for the pitch competition.

By late April or early May, you will receive a notification about the status of your application. Award recipients are notified by Tuesday, June 30. submitted by students, staff, postdocs, and faculty from across the University.

These grants support the work of faculty, staff, students, postdoctoral researchers, and fellows from different backgrounds and belief systems from across campus who are working together to achieve our shared goal of building community. Chief Community and Campus Life Officer Frequently Asked Questions I have questions about my application, where can I go? Join our virtual Open House on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, from 11 a.

m. to noon ET to learn tips about applying. You may email culturelab@harvard.

edu with any questions related to your proposal. Live virtual Office Hours are available for 30 minutes in February and March to provide customized support for your project questions and ideation. How much funding is available?

Selected projects can receive between $5,000–$15,000. In addition to funding, recipients will join a cohort of innovative peers and gain support on how to improve and scale their initiatives. The requested amount is not guaranteed.

Funds are prioritized for ideas with the broadest impact. What is expected of our project team? What support will I have access to?

If you receive funding, you will join a cohort of fellow fund recipients. For the duration of your funding term, you will have access to office hours, training, and an invitation to special events. Other resources will be made available upon request.

Select Culture Lab Past Projects First-Generation/Low Income Visibility Week First-Generation/Low Income Visibility Week, a scaling grant awardee, recognizes students who are the first in their family to pursue a degree in US higher education.

A 4-day art event celebrating the December 3rd International Day of Persons with Disabilities, featuring a design talk, a global movement installation, a choral performance, and interactive sculptures. Nunchi Health delivers peer-led mental health programs for students worldwide that are free, accessible, and culturally grounded.

Harvard University Peer Coaching Initiative A semester-long professional development opportunity for Harvard students and researchers who want to develop their leadership skills and experience the benefits of high-quality listening while meeting peers from across the University. Graduate Career Capsule empowers graduate students by providing professional attire and equipment for job interviews to support their career development.