2024 Political Engagement Fund Launch

Wesleyan University has a long history of supporting student engagement in the public sphere. 

We are pleased to announce the continuation of the Political Engagement Fund in 2024, which will continue this tradition by offering funding to students interested in engaging in politically oriented work. See our Democracy 2024 Initiative to learn more about how we will encourage and support political engagement across campus throughout 2024!

Wesleyan students can apply to the Political Engagement Fund for costs associated with voter registration efforts, issues advocacy initiatives, and local and national campaigns.

The politics of tomorrow will be directly influenced by student participation today. We urge you to use this fund as an opportunity for brave and radical experimentation and discovery. Be creative in your proposals!

Funding Support and Proposal Form

Participants can apply to the fund for costs associated with engagement and advocacy work.  This can include transportation, living costs, and supplies. Applications will be assessed based on the degree to which they address the educational value inherent in civic engagement, as well as the feasibility of proposed budgets. 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.

  • Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, through May 13, 2024
  • Expect updates on the status of your proposal within two weeks of submission.

Please submit your proposals through the following form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YOjpYwCxr9T1FVQe3EzISBRpIUFru-U_q_FEV9tr1vs/edit

Political Engagement Ideas

  • Canvassing & Phone Banking
  • Staffing Campaigns or Organizations (administrative clerk, communications, data management, etc.)
  • Publicity/Awareness/Outreach Campaigns
  • Hosting Workshops
  • Conducting Relevant Research (systems mapping)
  • Coalition/Community Building (cross-university collaborations, building partnerships with local organizations)

For some examples of past projects, see the Wesleyan Connection’s coverage of some student work done during E2020 in the Summer, Fall and Winter.

If you seek additional information or want to further workshop your ideas, please contact Clifton Watson (cnwatson@wesleyan.edu) or Marcus Khoo (mkhoo@wesleyan.edu).