Student Action Grants

College students around the country are working to end extreme poverty and achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. They are undertaking their own development projects, partnering with communities on the ground, designing new and innovative solutions to major development challenges, advocating for political and legislative change, fundraising for larger organizations, and raising awareness in the general public.

The MCN's Student Action Grants program seeks to expand and improve these efforts by awarding grants to the best overseas development projects and domestic advocacy and awareness-raising events that students can think of. The MCN has already awarded more than $40,000 to date, and we've already raised more than $20,000 for the best projects we can find in Spring 2012.

So if you're a student leader, and you have a big idea, check out the requirements below, fill out an application, and be sure to submit it before the deadline.

The MCN Difference

Student Action Grant applications are evaluated by a special advisory committee composed of leading advocates, experts, and professionals in international development.  Many are also MCN Mentors, who advise, inspire, and challenge our Member Organizations throughout the semester.

After the first round of grant applications is due, committee members will provide feedback, questions, and advice to as many applicants as possible.  While not required to re-submit their application, applicants who receive feedback are encouraged to submit an updated application that responds to the committees' feedback and questions, helping to distinguish the best projects from the merely great projects, while improving every application regardless of who ultimately is awarded a grant.

Deadlines, Guidelines, & Requirements

To be eligible for a grant from the MCN, your student group must be an MCN Member Organization in good standing, and must commit to sharing data, multimedia, and other information in a detailed write-up which will be posted on the MCN's web site.  The full grant requirements can be found here.

The MCN makes two types of grants: Domestic and International.