Student Research Support:

Research and Applications for Social Change Grant: Students

Please click on the application button in the Grant Application Process section below to apply. 

Walden realizes that the scholars and social change practitioners within the university community may be engaged in social change activities or have a desire to develop research and applied projects that directly relate to social change. The Research and Applications for Social Change Grant was established to enable members of the Walden community to make a significant and meaningful change in academic and social communities, both locally and globally.

The grant will be awarded to the applicants who submit outstanding proposals that reflect the university’s mission to foster social change through research and the education of scholar-practitioners as well as Walden’s determination to uniquely effect positive social change worldwide.

Past recipients of the Social Change Grant.

Application deadline: February 1, 2023

Grant recipients announced: March 20, 2023

Research or project must be completed: June 30, 2024

• Must be a student currently enrolled in a Walden PhD or professional doctorate program.
• Must be a Walden student in good academic standing.
• Must have a dissertation or doctoral study proposal that has been approved by the student’s committee.
• Must have University Research Reviewer (URR) approval for proposed research.
• Must have research ethics (IRB) approval for proposed research.

This request for proposals (RFP) is for one-time, short-term (1 year, maximum) projects. Projects must be completed within 1 calendar year from the date the grant was awarded as specified in the grant proposal. In order for any grant monies to be disbursed to the recipient, proof of compliance with Walden University regulations regarding the protection of human subjects in research and Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval is required.

The availability of grant funds varies depending upon the type of candidate (faculty, student, staff, alumni, or external candidate) as well as the structure of the proposed research or applied project team. While only research proposals or applied social change projects that are determined to be of exceptional scholarly merit will be funded, proposals submitted by students will be considered for funding from a separate pool in an effort to recognize newly emerging scholar-practitioners. The grant funds cannot be used for tuition at Walden or another institution.

Total Funding

• $2,500 grant ceiling for project conducted by a single student investigator on research and applications for social change.
• Social change research proposed by students must be based upon their doctoral capstone research.
• Up to four grants may be awarded, depending upon availability of program funds. 

The overall merit of the proposed social change research or applied project will be considered and evaluated by Walden’s Chief Academic Officer, working with a review committee. The final selection will be made based upon the following general criteria:

• Intrinsic scientific and technical merit of the work.
• Generation of new knowledge and/or innovative solutions to improve social, economic, or environmental conditions.
• Potential impact of the proposed activity on the academic field of study (publishability).
• Demonstration of potential for long-term application of knowledge or practices that can lead to significant positive change for people, organizations, communities, or society.
• Demonstration of efficient and effective use of resources.
• Likelihood that the proposed work would be completed during the award period.

This grant opportunity uses an online submission process.  The link below will take you to an online grant application that will allow you to select relevant fields from drop-down menus, enter individualized text responses, and upload supporting documentation.   

Each applicant may submit or be included as part of only one grant proposal. 

Apply for the Research & Application for Social Change Grant

Since this grant opportunity is intended to support capstone research, students must have a dissertation or doctoral study proposal that has been approved by their committee as well as the Walden University Institutional Review Board (IRB). In light of this, the content of the grant application draws heavily from the approved proposal rather than requiring the applicant to write a new proposal.

Instructions about how to complete the online grant application are provided in the form itself; however, to make the process smoother, following are materials/information you might want to have ready to complete the online application:

• Student ID#
• Copy of your approved dissertation/doctoral study from which you will be able to cut and paste relevant information (such as the abstract, problem statement, research question, etc.).
• Anticipated date of graduation
• Dollar amount you plan to request (maximum is $2,500 but you are not required to request the full amount).
• A copy of the Walden IRB approval letter for your dissertation/doctoral study (to be uploaded as an attachment to the online application form).
• A copy of your resume or curriculum vitae (to be uploaded as an attachment to the online application form).

Once the online application form has been submitted you will receive an automatic reply confirming receipt of your grant application, which will include the tracking number for your application (RASCG-2023-S-XX).

Although student applications for the RASCG program are not accepted by email you are welcome to contact grants@mail.waldenu.edu with questions about your grant application, and the RASCG program in general. If inquiring about a specific grant application that has already been submitted online, please reference your grant application tracking number in your email.

The students who are awarded a Research and Applications for Social Change Grant automatically become Walden University Social Change Fellows; they agree to meet the following responsibilities (in addition to those that are included in the grant proposal): 

Walden University Social Change Fellows are among the most committed and knowledgeable agents for social change. They are scholars, administrators, authors, artists, nurses, social workers, teachers, engineers, lawyers, historians, scientists, and community leaders, ready to share their knowledge and skills for the greater global good. They continue to learn and grow as they give. They are Walden University Social Change Fellows. 

Responsibilities 

• Under the auspices of the Walden University Chief Academic Officer (or designee), Social Change Fellows will meet periodically, to provide progress reports, which will be shared with Walden University stakeholders. 

• Social Change Fellows are required to present their work to the Walden Community in a transparent, accessible, inter- or transdisciplinary manner. Examples include recorded lectures, presentations, webinars, publications, etc. 

• Walden University Social Change Fellows’ projects will be archived by the appropriate Walden University Center as a resource for the Walden University community and Walden University family. 

While links to the following documents are embedded within the RASCG application, the stand-alone documents are provided below for your reference.    

Examples

Templates

The guidelines and application information on this page is drawn from the RASCG program Request for Proposals (RFP), which details the grant program in its entirety for all grant applicants. The RFP is available below, and can be downloaded, for your reference.