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Hartford Environmental Justice Teaching and Research Grants

As part of the Hartford Environmental Justice Research Partnership, faculty are invited to apply for one of three curriculum development grants, one of three co-instruction-with-community-partner grants, and one community engaged faculty research grant. 

Read on for details about each grant and the application processes. All proposals for these grants will be due by email to [email protected] by May 29, 2026. 

A committee consisting of Garth Myers, Abigail Fisher Williamson, Amanda Guzmán, and Gabby Nelson will review applications and select grantees for these grants in June 2026. Faculty are eligible to apply for more than one grant concurrently. Questions can be directed to Garth Myers, [email protected]. 

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Curriculum development grants 

Up to three $1,500 stipends are available for faculty to develop new classes with a focus on environmental justice. Preference will be given for courses that incorporate humanities and arts approaches or methodologies. The stipend can be used for course expenses and/or faculty income. To apply, please submit the following to Gabby Nelson, Associate Director of the Center for Urban and Global Studies, by May 29, 2026: 

  • CV 
  • Cover letter describing your past research and/or teaching interest or in environmental justice and your ideas for a new environmental justice course. 

As part of the overall grant project, a team of faculty are partnering with the Center for Leadership and Justice/Greater Hartford Interfaith Action Alliance to collect oral history interviews and conduct PhotoVoice projects about urban and suburban understandings of environmental justice in Greater Hartford. These materials will feed into exhibits and dialogues at the Stowe Center for Literary Activism and other sites in the region. If you would be interested in incorporating a piece of this project in your own course, please reach out to co-PI [email protected] to discuss your thoughts as you’re preparing your application. 

To help us document the outcomes of our grant, when your course concludes, we will ask for you to fill out a form with the following information: 

  • Your syllabus and any sample assignments or other relevant course materials you’re willing to share on the project website.  
  • A 1-paragraph post-grant reflection on how the funds were used and how it shaped your course/research in relation to environmental justice. 
  • 2-3 recommended readings or class activities that may be useful to others planning related courses. 

Co-teaching with community co-educators grants: Up to three grants for co-teaching with community co-educators are available for AY 2026-27. The Trinity faculty member and community partner will co-teach a class related to environmental justice. Each award will include funds for a $6,000 stipend for the community co-educator and $500 course assistance funds for class-related activities. Faculty and partners will receive guidance on co-instruction and course design support. 

To apply, please submit the following to Gabby Nelson, Associate Director of the Center for Urban and Global Studies, by May 29, 2026: 

  • CV 
  • Cover letter describing  1) your teaching interest in environmental justice, 2)  a description of the new or revised course you plan to teach with a community learning component, and when you plan to teach it, 3) name of a community partner you would like to bring on as a co-educator, or a request to be matched with a community partner. 

Faculty applying for either the Curriculum Development or Co-Teaching grants who intend to design a course with a community learning component are also eligible for an additional $1,500 stipend. This stipend is for participation in the Community Learning Faculty Fellowship (CLiFF), which includes six meetings during the 2026–27 academic year focused on training and development in community engagement pedagogy.

To help us document the outcomes of our grant, when your course concludes, we will ask for you to fill out a form with the following information: 

  • Your syllabus and any sample assignments or other relevant course materials you’re willing to share on the project website.  
  • A 1-paragraph post-grant reflection on how the funds were used and how it shaped your course/research in relation to environmental justice. 
  • 2-3 recommended readings or class activities that may be useful to others planning related courses. 

Community Engaged Faculty Research Grant 

One $6,500 grant is available for faculty conducting community engaged environmental justice research. Funds may be used for faculty income, research materials, supplies, or other related costs identified by the researcher and community partner. The recipient will receive a $6,500 stipend, with $5,000 paid in July 2026 and $1,500 paid upon presentation of the intended research or creative product. To apply, please submit the following to Gabby Nelson, Associate Director of the Center for Urban and Global Studies, by May 29, 2026: 

  • CV 
  • Cover letter explaining the goals of the environmental justice research, the intended product, and the ways in which the project engages a community partner(s).
  • A brief letter or email from one or more community partners affirming their participation in the project as described in the cover letter.