Funding for Community-Engaged Learning and Community-Engaged Research
Community-Engaged Learning Funding
Centre for Community Partnerships (CCP) Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) Course Fund
The Centre for Community Partnerships (CCP) offers small grants of up to $500 per course to support instructors teaching community-engaged learning (CEL) courses at the University of Toronto. This funding can be used for CEL courses to 1) recognize community partner engagement, 2) address barriers to student participation, and 3) support innovation in CEL
Eligibility
Instructors whose courses meet the definition of CEL below are eligible to apply. At the University of Toronto, a course is considered CEL if it meets the following four criteria:
It takes place in partnership with community, and/or grassroots, nonprofit, or public organizations, and
It responds to community-defined priorities, and
It is reciprocal so that both community partners and students benefit from the engagement, and
It asks students to undertake reflection that connects their community engagement to the learning outcomes of the initiative.
Providing honoraria or a meal for community partners who consult on CEL course development
Recognizing contributions provided by Indigenous Traditional Teachers in the development or delivery of a CEL course
Providing honoraria for guest speakers from community organizations that are hosting CEL students
Hosting a community partner meal as part of a CEL course
Providing honoraria for community partner attendance at events that are part of a CEL course
*Applications to support under-resourced grassroots or volunteer-run community organizations will be prioritized.
Addressing barriers to student participation
Reimbursing student transit, entrance fees or other costs for CEL-related field trips (e.g., tour of a community partner’s space)
Covering costs associated with student projects (e.g., printing costs)
Costs for any training, testing or documentation required by community partners for student participation in placement activities (eg. immunization record, TB test, Vulnerable Sector Police Check, food handling)
Developing innovations in CEL courses
Developing resources for a course (e.g., creating an online module or other learning asset)
Supporting faculty, students or community partners who attend or present at conferences related to CEL
Covering costs associated with TA and/or RA support hours
Hosting a talk or conference related to CEL
Please note: The Fund does not support one-off workshops or guest presentations in courses that do not meet the criteria of CEL, nor one-off workshops or guest presentations by presenters or facilitators who are not from CEL partner organizations in the CEL course.
Application Process & Award Dissemination
The 2025-2026 CEL Course Fund opens on Friday August 15, 2025 and must be for an initiative that takes place before April 30, 2026. CEL course instructors may apply for funding up to a maximum of $500 per CEL course. The fund is first-come, first-served.
If a grant is awarded, funds will be transferred to your department. You will then liaise with your department’s business officer regarding expense reimbursements and payments to community partners.
Application Deadlines
Wednesday, October 8, 2025 (for Fall term and full-year courses)
Friday, January 30, 2026 (for Winter term courses)
Selected examples of how past recipients have used their CEL Course Fund grants:
Honoraria for community partners to speak on a panel on the first day of a CEL class
Honoraria for a meeting with community partners to collectively share feedback with the instructor for future course development
Childcare expenses to enable community partner participants to join an undergraduate co-learning course with CEL students
Catering expenses for an end-of-course student poster exhibition bringing together community partners, students who conducted research with them, and faculty who served as mentors
Catering expenses and an honorarium to support a community partner’s exhibition event, which brought together the organization’s community and students in the course
Stipend for a graduate student assistant to develop processes and tools for CEL students in a large undergraduate science course, in which students worked collaboratively on projects with community partners
Subsidizing transportation costs for students travelling to community organizations for placement activities
Software purchase for the development of animated teaching tools on topics relevant to CEL in a health sciences course
Covering the conference fee for a graduate student TA to attend a CEL conference with the CEL course instructor
Subsidizing the cost of students’ Vulnerable Sector Police Record Checks
