Civil, nonpartisan, rigorous scholarship on democracy is a part of our institutional DNA here at Notre Dame. We boast dozens of programs, centers, and faculty working on issues related to democratic culture, democratic institutions, or religion and democracy, truly making Notre Dame distinct in higher education.
At this moment in global democratic backsliding, skepticism of democratic pluralism, and fragile checks on executive powers, the Notre Dame Democracy Initiative is a profound investment in practical solutions to restore faith in self-government. We will accomplish this through investing in the most advanced research programs, recruiting world-leading faculty, developing students for public service, and elevating Notre Dame as the premier location for convenings and policy conversations.
To that end, the Democracy Initiative seeks to support new research, formation, and convening projects on campus that further the study and strengthening of democracy. The Democracy Catalyst Fund is explicitly aimed at catalyzing new areas of inquiry or programming. The application deadline is October 18.
Examples of the types of projects funded include:
Research
- Data gathering and fieldwork (all levels of scholarship)
- Research assistants (both graduate and undergraduate)
- Surveys and experiments
- Graduate research projects (e.g. dissertation grants, thesis fieldwork)
- Seed funding for larger grant-funded projects
Education and Formation
- Course development (limited to $5,000)
- Student club or residence hall support for events/speakers/programming
- Graduate student stipend enhancements for newly admitted students (department applicants only)
- Graduate student research cohorts/reading/writing groups around themes related to democracy studies
Convenings
- Workshops
- Conferences
- Speaker honoraria
Democracy Catalyst Funds are available to support any recognized unit within the Notre Dame community, creating new projects that closely align with the mission of the Democracy Initiative. Fund terms can be for one to three years beginning in AY 2024–2025. Project funding requests can range from $5,000 to $50,000 and can be for up to three years. Read more about this funding opportunity, eligibility, and instructions for applying. Please contact Joel Day with any questions. Proposals are due by October 18.