Political Engagement Fund (Fall 2026)
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About the Political Engagement Fund
Wesleyan University’s Political Engagement Fund (PEF) offers funding support to students interested in engaging in the electoral process. Wesleyan undergraduate students can apply for support for projects in one of the following areas:
- Voter registration
- Issues advocacy
- Local or national campaigns
Wesleyan University has a long history of supporting student civic engagement and recognizes this moment’s unique opportunity for learning through engagement with the public sphere. We are pleased to welcome applications for the Fall 2026 PEF cycle on a rolling basis through Sunday, October 4 (11:59pm).
Fall 2026 cycle at a glance:
- Grants of up to $1,000 to support proposals taking place in Fall 2026
- Rolling awards
- Final deadline: Sunday, October 4 (11:59pm)
Projects and Proposal
To be awarded, proposed projects must fall substantially within at least one of the three outlined funding areas: Voter registration, Issues advocacy, and/or Local or national campaigns. Students are responsible for finding and securing their own opportunities. Please note that proposals will not be evaluated on the political nature of specific causes, which are chosen and pursued wholly according to the interests of individual participants. For reference, you can refer to the application evaluation rubric here.
Please note that if you are organizing a project with a group, that each participating student needs to submit an application on their own behalf.
See examples of previously funded projects at our Engage Blog and in the Wesleyan Connection (Recent cycles include: Summer 2026, Fall 2025, Summer 2025, Summer 2024).
If you have questions or want to further workshop your ideas, please contact Sonya Hadley at shadley@wesleyan.edu.
Budgeting and Expenses
Fall 2026 Political Engagement Fund grants are capped at $1,000 per applicant. PEF grants provide funding to help alleviate costs in the following areas:
- Lodging expenses
- Food expenses (related to engagement)
- Travel expenses: Airfare, Train Tickets, Bus Fare/Tickets, Subway/Metro Fare, Mileage (72.5 cents per mile)
- Program Expenses: Tuition (non-Wesleyan), Supplies (i.e. notebooks, books, pens)
Political Engagement Fund grants may not be used for any of the following:
- Payment/wages to applicant or others
- Personal expenses deemed non essential to the project
- Other discretionary expenses deemed unrelated to the proposed project
- Tuition at Wesleyan University
- Purchasing or leasing a vehicle
- Equipment that will be retained by student or host organization (i.e. cameras, lighting equipment, laptops, etc.)
All applicants are required to submit a budget sheet, detailing the funding request. All items included in your budget must be directly related to your proposal. Based on the information you provide and available funds, an amount may be awarded to you that is equal to or less than your request. Please note that you are expected to communicate if you are accepting funding from another university source for a project and/or opportunity that is the same or similar, and/or within the same or overlapping time period(s). This may impact your eligibility for the fund and/or the amount awarded.
Additional Political Engagement Fund requirements
Award recipients are required to:
- Attend an orientation
- Enroll in CSPL 494 (Elections Internship)
- Submit a final report
- Share their experience at select Allbritton Center events and in select university communications
Fall 2026 application timeline
- Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Please note that due to the rolling deadline, projects may be waitlisted until all applications are reviewed depending on the relative strength of the application.
- Sunday, October 4 (11:59pm): Final submission deadline
- Tuesday, October 20: PEF Orientation (tentative, subject to change)
How to access the Political Engagement Fund application
The application is hosted on Submittable, a social impact platform being used by Wesleyan's Gordon Career Center. Please follow the directions below to begin.
- Create a free Submittable account or sign in (see below)
- You can save a draft of your work if you would like to finish filling out the application at a later date.
- If anything changes with the information you submitted, please request to edit the submission. Edits can only be made prior to the deadline.
- We will follow-up with you about your submission by email. Please be sure to safelist notification emails from Submittable and check the email you used to sign up for your Submittable account regularly. Check out the Submitter Resource Center or reach out to Submittable's customer support team with any technical questions here.
Ready to Apply?
You may save your progress by clicking "Save Draft" at the end of the application. Once you are ready to submit your application, please click "Submit Form." Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Failure to meet application or program requirements will result in your application being withdrawn. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Additional Information
Please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for more information.
If you have questions or want to further workshop your ideas, please contact Sonya Hadley at shadley@wesleyan.edu.