Join the Rutgers Democracy Lab in Solving Grand Challenges 

Who can apply:
Faculty (tenured, non-tenured, and lecturers) and staff from all Rutgers campuses — New Brunswick, Camden, Newark, and Rutgers Health.
Collaborative and cross-campus teams are strongly encouraged.

Funding: 
Awards up to $5,000 (exceptions considered for demonstrated need)

• Indirect costs, salaries, and fringe benefits are not allowable
• Applicants must use the provided budget template and secure their own event venues
• Multiple proposals from the same unit are welcome
• Disclose any additional funding sources in your application. External funding will not affect proposal evaluation

Special consideration will be given to proposals that:

• Involve multiple disciplines or campuses
• Meaningfully engage students and the Rutgers community
• Encourage public participation and partnerships

Each proposal should include:

• Title and abstract
• Proposed date, time, and location
• Target audience(s)
• Implementation plan
• Deliverables and anticipated outcomes
• Impact statement
• Outreach or social media plan
• Budget (use budget template)

 Submit Your Proposal Here
 

File naming convention:

LastName-EventTitle-SGC-Proposal  
LastName-EventTitle-SGC-Budget
 

Deadlines:

• Proposal deadline: December 1, 2025

• Event materials due: February 1, 2026  (flyers and event details for inclusion on RDL’s website and marketing materials)
  Questions?

   Contact 

Proposals should align with Inspiring Democratic Engagement and promote civic participation across Rutgers.

Example focus areas include:

• Voter education and engagement
• Youth civic leadership
• Participatory policy-making
• Media literacy and combating mis/ disinformation
• Inclusive dialogue and deliberation

Programs may take many forms, such as:

• Deliberative Democracy Dialogues – Cross-partisan conversations bridging ideological divides
• Digital Democracy & Civic Tech Events – Hackathons, app/tool development, ethical tech governance roundtables
• Policy Summits – Reforming democratic institutions like campaign finance or electoral systems
• Arts & Culture for Democracy – Exhibits, performances, or film screenings
• Scenario Planning Workshops – Addressing future civic or governance challenges, such as AI in elections, climate governance
• Civic Simulation Games – Modeling democratic decision-making

Approved programs will receive an RDL Media Kit with promotional tools. Participants are encouraged to share:

• Digital or social media content
• Research or other project outputs
• Event stories and highlights

Selected participants may also be featured in RDL storytelling campaigns to highlight their work. 

Selected programs will be required to distribute a short RDL survey to participants at the end of their event. Organizers can provide 1-3 event-specific questions (if interested) to include in the RDL survey.

Proposals will be reviewed based on:

1. Alignment with RDL Theme

• Does the proposal clearly reflect the 2026 theme: Inspiring Democratic Engagement?
• Does it address current or emerging democratic challenges?

2. Civic Impact

• Does the program aim to develop solutions to address civic participation, democratic literacy, or public engagement?
• Will it foster meaningful innovation in democratic practice?

3. Interdisciplinary Collaboration

• Does the proposal involve cross-functional or cross-campus collaboration?
• Are diverse academic disciplines or community perspectives represented?

4. Student and Community Engagement

• Does the program actively involve students?
• Will it cultivate partnerships with local organizations or civic groups?

5. Innovation and Creativity

• Is the program concept original, creative, or experimental in its approach to solving democratic challenges?
• Does it introduce new formats, tools, or methods for civic engagement?

6. Feasibility and Planning

• Is the implementation plan clear, realistic, and well-structured?
• Are logistics (venue, timeline, staffing) thoughtfully considered?

7. Deliverables and Outcomes

• Are the expected deliverables (e.g., white papers, prototypes, media content) clearly defined?
• Will the program produce tangible outcomes or insights that can be shared or scaled?

8. Budget and Resource Use

• Is the budget reasonable and aligned with the program’s scope?
• Does it follow RDL’s funding guidelines (e.g., no indirect costs, salaries, or fringe benefits)?

9. Outreach and Visibility

• Does the proposal include a plan for outreach, promotion, and/or media engagement?
• Will it contribute to RDL’s broader visibility and storytelling efforts?

10. Inclusion

• Does the program promote inclusive participation and represent diverse voices?
   

Compliance Notice:
The Rutgers Democracy Lab supports open, respectful dialogue and diverse perspectives. Funds may not be used to influence elections or political campaigns. Funding does not imply endorsement of viewpoints. Noncompliance may result in revocation of funds and disqualification from future opportunities.

Submit your proposal by December 8, 2025, and help shape RDL's vision for a stronger, more inclusive democracy.
 

Apply Now