Community Leadership Development Program and Grow Your Community Fund Applications Opening Soon

Community Engaged Learning (CEL) is excited to launch the 2025-26 Community Leadership Development Program and Grow Your Community Fund. The Community Leadership Development Program (CLDP) supports marginalized, minoritized, and underrepresented students in taking on community leadership roles through experiential training and opportunities to engage, organize, and facilitate events for their communities. There will be two application periods for the 2025-26 academic year: Summer 2025 and Fall 2025.

What is it like to participate in CLDP?  

“CLDP is a really good program for people who are looking at being more involved in their community,” shared Sofiyyah Kelani, 2023-24 program alumna. “It’s a very easy way to get started – you get support, mentorship, and a space to explore what community means to you and how to make a difference, no matter how small you think it is.”

As part of CLDP, Sofiyyah’s team hosted the International Health Hub Huddle, which helped international students learn more about their health care coverage and gain confidence in accessing their benefits. In leading her team, Sofiyyah was able to grow in her leadership and planning skills, begin thinking in a more community-oriented way, and become a better communicator on both personal and professional levels, all while getting to know more about herself.

Meet the CLDP facilitator

The Community Leadership Development Program is facilitated by Maddi Reed, a queer and neurodivergent staff member whose intersectional identity led them to a passion for women’s rights, reproductive justice, and queer rights. Maddi brings experience in planning and implementing events, and hopes to address the significant gap in supports on-campus for students who want to hold student-led events.

“This upcoming year, I am most excited to see idea generation and implementation come directly from students for students,” shared Maddi. “I look forward to learning alongside the student teams to discover what the best version of their events looks like.”

What does it entail?

Applications for the summer intake will open on June 2, 2025, at 9:30am. Student teams of three or more will apply for the Grow Your Community Fund, proposing a project that meets an identified need in their community. Successful student teams will receive funding, mentorship, and training in community-building for marginalized, minoritized, and underrepresented student communities on campus through weekly meetings.

Program Timeline

For student teams applying for the summer intake, keep the following dates in mind:

• June 2 – applications open
• June 5, June 8, June 17 – optional GYCF Idea Generation and Grant Writing workshops
• June 22 – applications close
• July 7 – student teams are notified
• July 17 – August 21 – required weekly Thursday evening training sessions
• September – proposal implementation starts!

For more information on the eligibility criteria, the selection process and how to apply visit the Grow Your Community Fund webpage.

Community Engaged Learning