Community Perspectives Program
Deadline: March 21, 2026
Questions: Public and Community Faculty Fellow for Rural Community-Engaged Scholarship Gregor MacGregor (Gregor.MacGregor@colorado.edu) or Graduate Fellow for Rural Community-Engaged Scholarship Kaila Red Bow (Kaila.RedBow@colorado.edu)
The Office for Public and Community-Engaged Scholarship’s (PACES) Community Perspectives program was created to bring faculty to rural regions of Colorado to listen, learn and build relationships with local leaders. Across two tours of Southeast Colorado in 2022 and 2024, PACES staff and faculty participants heard directly from communities about their priorities, challenges and visions for the future.
The new Community Perspectives Grant Program is rooted in what we learned during those tours. Grants up to $5,000 will support community-led projects that respond to locally identified needs and opportunities through partnership with CU Boulder.
Projects should be designed to create shared learning and practical outcomes that matter to the community, while also offering opportunities for research, teaching and learning, or creative work. Projects should prioritize reciprocity, shared leadership and clear community benefit.
Community Perspectives Stories
- Water access, education, and policy
- Youth development and civic engagement
- Inclusion and belonging
- Outdoor recreation and economic development
- Community stories, culture, and creative expression: Projects that use art, storytelling, and other creative approaches to document community history, share lived experience and support learning, dialogue, and connection.
- Feb. 2026 - Call for proposals announced
- March 21, 2026 – Proposals due
- April 2026 – Decision notifications sent
- April 2026 - Funding made available (once funding requirements have been completed)
- May 2026 to May 2027 – Grant implementation
- May 2027 – Closing celebration
Projects must include CU Boulder as a partner. Community organizations lead the work and define project priorities, with CU Boulder faculty, staff and/or students participating as collaborators and learners who contribute skills, knowledge and resources in support of community goals.
In addition to the community grant, PACES will provide up to $2,000 to support the time and participation of CU Boulder faculty, staff or students in the project.
Projects should be designed to create mutual benefit: addressing community priorities while also offering faculty and students opportunities to apply scholarly expertise and learn from and with local leaders.
CU Boulder-sponsored programs and projects are open to all people and do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, creed, religion, veteran status, marital status, political affiliation, political philosophy, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression in accordance with state, federal, and Regent law.
The Community Perspectives Grants program provides one-time funding and partnership support for community-led projects in Southeast Colorado. Community Grant maximums are $5,000.
Projects should respond to local priorities identified during the 2022 and 2024 Community Perspectives tours and create opportunities for communities and CU Boulder to work together toward shared goals. Priority areas include:
- Water access, education, and policy
- Youth development and civic engagement
- Inclusion and belonging
- Outdoor recreation and economic development
- Community stories, culture, and creative expression: Projects that use art, storytelling, and other creative approaches to document community history, share lived experience and support learning, dialogue, and connection.
Projects must include CU Boulder as a partner. Community organizations lead the work and define project priorities, with CU Boulder faculty, staff and/or students participating as collaborators and learners who contribute skills, knowledge and resources in support of community goals.
In addition to the community grant, PACES will provide up to $2,000 to support the time and participation of CU Boulder faculty, staff or students in the project.
Projects should be designed to create mutual benefit: addressing community priorities while also offering faculty and students opportunities to apply scholarly expertise and learn from and with local leaders.
CU Boulder-sponsored programs and projects are open to all people and do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, creed, religion, veteran status, marital status, political affiliation, political philosophy, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression in accordance with state, federal, and Regent law.
Applications must be submitted through this Google Form. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
- The deadline to apply is March 21, 2026.
- Selected projects will begin in Spring 2026 and run through May 2027.
- We encourage potential applicants to connect with PACES Faculty Fellow for Rural Community-Engaged Scholarship Gregor MacGregor and Graduate Fellow for Rural Community-Engaged Scholarship Kaila Red Bow while developing their proposals. Gregor and Kaila are available to answer questions, talk through project ideas, or offer feedback on draft applications. Applicants do not need a prior partnership with CU Boulder or a fully formed project idea to set up an appointment. These conversations are intended to be supportive and are not part of the review process. Email Gregor and Kaila at gregor.macgregor@colorado.edu and kaila.redbow@colorado.edu to set up a time to talk.
The online application form consists of the following information:
Project Information:
- Project Title
- Organization/Community Group Name
- Contact Person (Name, Phone, Email)
- Location (city/county)
Project Summary (250 words or less)
- Give us a quick snapshot of your project. What do you want to do, and who will it serve?
Community Priority Area (applicant selects all that apply):
- Water access, education, or policy
- Youth development and civic engagement
- Inclusion and belonging
- Outdoor recreation and economic development
- Community stories, culture, and creative expression
Project Description (250 words or less):
- What community need or opportunity will your project address?
- What specific activities will you carry out?
- Who will lead the project?
- How will partnering with CU Boulder faculty, staff, or students contribute to the project’s success?
Budget Request:
- Total amount requested ($5,000 max.)
- Please give a simple breakdown of how you plan to use the funds (for example: supplies, stipends, transportation, printing, space rental, honoraria, etc.)
Community–University Partnership:
- What kinds of support from CU Boulder would be most helpful for your project? You don’t need to know for sure—just share your ideas, and we’ll work with you to find the right fit.
- Possible areas of support (check all that apply):
- Background research
- Curriculum or workshop design
- Program evaluation
- Documentation and storytelling (including the reporting and celebration below)
- GIS or data support
- Event planning
- Something else: ____________________________
Community Impact (150 words or less):
- How will this project make a difference in your community? What positive changes do you hope to see?
Water access, education, and policy: A local acequia association leads a project to document irrigation practices, water-sharing agreements, and challenges facing local growers. Community members guide interviews and site visits, while CU Boulder faculty and students support data collection, mapping, and analysis. Together, partners produce educational materials and a brief report that helps the community better understand water access issues and informs local decision-making.
Youth development and civic engagement: A school district or community group partners with CU Boulder to study how local policies, schedules, and spaces shape young people’s ability to participate in civic life. Adults and youth co-design listening sessions and surveys, analyze responses together, and develop a short report or toolkit that helps local leaders create more accessible and meaningful opportunities for youth voice.
Inclusion and belonging: A community center hosts intergenerational storytelling circles focused on experiences of inclusion and belonging in rural communities. The circles bring together youth, elders, and community members interested in this topic, and are open to all. CU Boulder graduate students help document the stories and facilitatereflective conversations, while faculty from psychology or education share research-informed insights on creating affirming and inclusive spaces.
Outdoor recreation and economic development: A small town partners with local businesses and residents to study how outdoor recreation affects the local economy and community life. Community leaders guide data collection through interviews and site visits, while CU Boulder students and faculty help analyze economic and social impacts. The project produces a community report and planning tools that support sustainable recreation and long-term economic development.
Community stories, culture, and wellness: A cultural or community group leads a project to document local history and lived experience through storytelling, visual art, or performance. Community members shape the questions, themes, and creative process, while CU Boulder partners support documentation, reflection, and synthesis of what is learned. The project results in a public sharing—such as an exhibit, performance, or digital collection—paired with a written or recorded reflection that captures insights about community identity, change, and resilience.
- Prepare a draft of your proposal to cut and paste into the online submission form so that you have a copy for your records .
- Check your word count. The online form will cut off any information that exceeds the maximum word count.
- Be sure to spell out acronyms and provide definitions for technical terms.
- For proposals to be considered, please keep the following in mind:
- Activities, events, projects and programs funded by the University of Colorado’s Office for Public and Community-Engaged Scholarship should not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, creed, religion, veteran status, marital status, political affiliation, political philosophy, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression in accordance with state, federal and Regent law.
- Funded activities, events, projects or programs may recruit participants and conduct work based on specific, neutral qualifications such as professional credentials, GPA requirements or any other non-protected identity qualifications that apply.
- It is legally compliant to have activities, events, projects and programs that focus on lived and individual experiences and achievements; celebrate, explore or observe community practices and cultures; but activities, events, projects and programs must be open to all, and therefore, align with an all-comers standard.
Applications will be reviewed by a community–university advisory committee, made up primarily of regional leaders along with CU Boulder faculty alumni from the Community Perspectives program.
In reviewing applications, the committee will consider:
Criteria | What We’re Looking For | Weight* |
Community Leadership | The project is led by a local organization or group and responds to a documented community priority. | 30% |
Alignment with Priority Areas | The project connects clearly to one or more of the priorityareas. | 20% |
Partnership with CU Boulder | The project includes a meaningful role for CU Boulder faculty, students, or staff as collaborators. | 20% |
Potential Community Impact | The project shows promise to make a positive difference. | 20% |
Feasibility | The project seems realistic to complete with the available funding and timeline. | 10% |
*Weights are approximate to guide the review process, not rigid formulas.
Awards will be announced in April 2026, with projects beginning in the spring and running through May 2027.
Grantees will submit a short final report (2–3 pages) that documents their project and reflects on its impact.
Each report should include:
- A reflection on the project: what you set out to do, what you accomplished, and what you learned.
- At least two quotes from participants, community members, or project leaders.
- At least three photos (or equivalent visuals) that show your project in action.
Optional additions (choose what works best for you):
- A short video clip (1–3 minutes).
- A story or case example (one narrative highlighting the experience of a participant or the community).
- Creative outputs like artwork, maps, or other materials that help tell your story.
These materials will be featured at the closing celebration in May 2027 and in CU Boulder’s final Community Perspectives report. All products will be shared publicly with full recognition of your organization’s leadership.
Allowable Budget Items:
- Program materials and supplies, including printing costs and informational materials
- Equipment necessary to the project – please include justification for its use and a plan for what will happen to the equipment once the project is complete
- Food or beverage integral to the project (cannot be used for reception/social events)
- Student stipends or hourly pay for currently enrolled CU Boulder undergraduate or graduate students (include pay rate and all costs associated with position including benefits, IT connectivity fees, etc.)
- Stipends or honoraria for K-12 teachers or community partners
- Travel expenses for CU Boulder faculty, staff, and students for engagement work taking place in the community
- Expenses for community partners or participants to travel to campus
- Expenses to host or create community-facing conferences, workshops and meetings
- Other direct costs needed for the project
Non-allowable Budget Items:
- Pay, honoraria or release time for faculty, including postdoctoral researchers
- Pay for undergraduate students enrolled in course tied to the project
- Fees and travel expenses for outside consulting, speakers, or professional/specialized services. However, fees and expenses for professional services will be considered if they are essential to the success of the project and are justified as to why they are needed instead of using any available talents or expertiseof CU Boulder faculty, staff or students.
- Expenses to attend a conference
- Costs not essential to the community engagement activity
- Capital expenses or overhead costs (e.g., rent, personal computers, office equipment)
- Catering expenses for receptions or other social events. Funds cannot be used to purchase alcohol.