Wabash Center Grants for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion

Wabash Center Grants for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion is sponsored by Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion. The Wabash Center provides funds for projects that enhance teaching and learning in the fields of religion and theological studies as taught in colleges, universities, and theological schools.

Small Project Grants | Wabash Center Home » Grants » Small Project Grants Big impact, small scale -- funding for bold, short-term teaching projects. Our Small Grants are designed to be accessible, flexible opportunities for faculty to strengthen their teaching lives. These grants provide space for creativity, renewal, and experimentation.

Whether you are piloting a new classroom idea, convening colleagues in conversation, or cultivating habits of rest and balance, Small Grants are a supportive entry point into grant-funded work that sustains both faculty and students. Start small. Think big.

Transform your classroom. Small Project Grants provide up to $5,000 to support innovative, short-term projects that improve teaching and learning in theology and religion. These grants are ideal for piloting new ideas, convening conversations, or experimenting with practices that foster reflective pedagogy.

With a streamlined application process and flexible use of funds, Small Project Grants offer faculty a supportive entry point into grant-funded work. The Grant Information Form requests information necessary for the consideration of your proposal (including contact information, grant project dates, amount of the grant, and 150 word proposal abstract).

The Grant Type to select is “Small Project” This form requires contact information and signature for: The Project Director(s) (the person(s) responsible for providing narrative report on grants, typically the person(s) overseeing the administration of the grant and writing the project proposal to apply for the grant).

The Financial Contact (the person responsible for receiving the check and providing financial reports of expenditures for the institution). This should be a different person than the project director. The Authorization Contact (the person authorized to sign grant requests for the institution).

When you submit your application, each of the aforementioned people will receive emails from admin@wabashcenter. info requesting their digital signature. You may check on the progress of signatures by logging into your account and viewing your application.

The Wabash Center does not receive your application until all parties have signed.

Proposal Narrative and Budget In 1,000 words or fewer, please address: The pedagogical question or problem that the small grant project will specifically address A set of goals for the project A description of the challenges and opportunities for teaching and learning that this grant would address A description and timeline of the proposed activities during the grant period A statement about how teaching and student learning will be impacted by the work of this grant project A plan for evaluation of the project both during and at the conclusion of the grant period A list of everyone directly involved with the project A plan for dissemination of what you discover through the grant project On final page: Provide a line item and narrative budget that indicates the main expense categories for the project and how the costs for each item were determined.

Institutional indirect costs are not permitted for small grant project grants. Institutional Letter of Support A letter of support from the applicant’s dean or department chair indicating their support of the project and what they hope will happen at the school or within the department as a consequence of the grant. The letter should be signed on the institution’s letterhead.

It can be scanned and attached to the online application. A CV for the project director. The Wabash Center gives grants to accredited universities, colleges, or seminaries in the United States and Canada and occasionally to non-profit organizations providing services to improve teaching and learning at institutions of higher education.

The project director will ordinarily be a full-time faculty member in religion or theology. In colleges or universities without a department of religion or theology, we will consider, on a case-by-case basis, project directors from other departments whose primary teaching responsibility is in the area of religion. These grants are not scholarships and may not be used for tuition or degree-related work (e.g., M.

Div. , D. Min.)

Ph. D. and Th.

D. students are not eligible. These are not research grants intended to support book writing or field-specific research.

Applicants must have completed and submitted the final report for any previous Wabash Center grant before reapplying. All proposals are reviewed and adjudicated by the Wabash Center’s staff. Applications are considered on a rolling basis.

What Grants Fund Can(not) Support Grant funds can be spent on items and activities such as: Childcare, elder care, house sitting to support attendance to group gatherings Meals or groceries for gatherings Travel, meals, lodging (retreat center, hotel, conference center, rented house) Stipends (meager) for participation in the group Equipment, supplies, and materials to support group meetings and discussions Honorariums for guest resource persons with the group Entrance fees or tickets for cultural events, museums, concerts, etc. Germane services (e.g., coaching, gym memberships, spa, spiritual direction, workshop registrations, etc.) The Wabash Center generally does not fund: Travel for attendance to disciplinary conferences The preparation of textbooks Research focused primarily on field content and only secondarily on teaching Publication of conference papers or books, or production costs of other media Stipends for writing the grant proposal or making application for the grant Home utilities should group convene online Items designated as gifts, presents, offerings or donations Travel, meals, lodging expenses should family or friends accompany participant on an extended conversation Please note that the grants of the Wabash Center are not intended for the use of underwriting the ordinary, ongoing work of the professorate, much of which is already supported by the home institution or department.

The grant funds are meant to be used to support and strengthen teaching and the teaching life. The above lists are not exhaustive. All projects and budget expenditures must be aligned with the Wabash Center mission .

Proposal Writing Resource Hub The Proposal Writing Resource Hub supports faculty in crafting strong, mission-aligned proposals for Wabash grants. Whether you're new to proposal writing or refining an existing idea, this hub offers practical tools, step-by-step guidance, and examples to help shape your vision into a compelling proposal. From articulating project goals to budgeting and evaluation, we’re here to help you succeed.

20 Key Questions to Answer Before Writing a Grant Proposal Budget and Expense Guidelines Dissemination Planning Worksheet Examples of Wabash Center Grant Projects Grant Management Resource Hub The Grant Management Resource Hub guides faculty through the effective stewardship of funded projects. This includes managing budgets, timelines, and reporting requirements with clarity and confidence.

Designed to foster responsible grant leadership, the hub offers tools, templates, and best practices to ensure projects stay on track and aligned with the goals of your grant proposal.

Dissemination Planning Worksheet Examples of Wabash Center Grant Projects Faculty Transferring Institutions Instructions Instructions for Requesting a Grant Extension Sample Budget Revision Request Sample Letter Requesting Budget Revision Grant Reporting Guidelines We encourage you to seek grant coaching well in advance of the deadline. We recommend reaching out at least 30 days before submission.

Coaching and feedback on the grant proposal are not available after an application is submitted. Review the Grant Worksheet Contact Sarah Farmer at farmers@wabash. edu .

*Note: Because we receive many requests for feedback, responses may take up to four weeks for a response. Proposal Writing Worksheet The Wabash Center understands our grants program as a part of our overall teaching and learning mission. We are interested in not only awarding grants to excellent proposals, but also in enabling faculty members to develop and hone their skills as grant writers.

Therefore we offer grant coaching for all faculty interested in submitting a Wabash Center Project Grant proposal. Associate Director, Wabash Center