The Center for Democracy and Civic Life's BreakingGround initiative is seeking applications! You are all welcome to submit applications, and we would also appreciate your sharing this with students and staff colleagues who may be interested.

The BreakingGround initiative provides grants of up to $2,500 to UMBC faculty, staff, and students who want to launch or strengthen educational and community-building projects. These projects should, as a part of their work, foster civic agency: the ability to initiate and make meaningful contributions to social change. 

Funding can be used flexibly. Past awardees have supported:

• Experiential learning opportunities that immerse learners in real-world problem solving.

• Collaborative research projects with students and community partners.

• Major redesigns of existing courses to center civic agency and engagement.

• Connections with social changemakers and local communities.

You can explore examples of previous projects [here].

How to apply: Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis, and applicants are notified within four weeks. Visit the BreakingGround website for details: https://civiclife.umbc.edu/breakingground/

Info session: We are hosting two information sessions, one for faculty/staff and one for students:

• Faculty/Staff: Join us virtually on October 29, 2025 at noon to learn more about the program and ask questions. Visit the myUMBC event page (click here) and select "Going Virtually" to RSVP.

• Students: Join us virtually on November 5, 2025 at noon to learn more about the program and ask questions. Visit the myUMBC event page (click here) and select "Going Virtually" to RSVP.