The University of Minnesota’s Office for Equity and Diversity (OED) provides funding opportunities for campus-centered projects through Campus Climate Micro-Grants.
Individuals and groups can apply and receive a range of $500 to $1,200 of financial assistance for new or existing projects that contribute to the campus environment and help foster belonging and inclusion, according to the OED website. Applications for 2025-26 school year are currently being accepted until the end of March, with funding outcomes set to be announced May 15, 2025.
Micro-grants were awarded to 25 recipients in 2023-24. The initiatives funded ranged from programs centered around student and community engagement to addressing accessibility issues and mental health needs.
Marina Aleixo, director of International Initiatives in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), said applying for the micro-grant was about supporting existing programs for international students in CEHD and creating more opportunities outside of the classroom for community building.
“The micro-grants fund events and projects that otherwise would not get any money anywhere else,” Aleixo said. “This opportunity through OED is one of the very few on campus that allows us to have funding to create these unique experiences and opportunities for students and faculty.”
Aleixo said an important goal was also to create more visibility for international students and provide ways to help them integrate with the broader campus community through events and outreach.
During International Education Week in November, the funding allowed CEHD to expand and grow its International Café, a traditionally smaller event that features tea and coffee from different countries. Aleixo said the grant allowed them to fund a variety of booths and ultimately expand their reach on campus.
“We had over 100 people attend that event,” Aleixo said. “It was really successful and we were able to advertise and bring a lot of people together.”
Satomi Mitani, a graduate assistant for the International Student Advisory Group said the grant also helped fund a gingerbread house-making event meant to provide a way for international students and faculty to share in new experiences and support each other on campus during the holidays.
“I think when you think about international students, you might kind of picture one international student body, but international students are very diverse,” Mitani said. “This grant is really creating additional space.”
Both Aleixo and Mitani said the grant application process was long and comprehensive. The office was required to submit a detailed budget and extensively detail how they would use the funding.
“When you think about the amount of money and the effort it takes to apply, it was a lot,” Aleixo said. “We had some experience but if you’re trying to do this for the first time and you’ve never run an event before, then I think it would be even harder.”
Micro-grants are awarded to projects that meet one or more of the funding priorities, according to the application. Projects must focus on providing educational experiences such as training or workshops, encourage broader campus participation or prioritize improving the campus climate assessment.
The micro-grants were a response to feedback from the first Systemwide Campus Climate Survey led by OED in collaboration with the Office of the President and the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost in February 2023. Students, faculty and staff provided input on diversity, equity and inclusion at the University.
“The data from this survey guide us in identifying areas where we can make a difference, and the Campus Climate Micro-Grants offer resources to turn ideas into impactful projects,” the OED website states.
Jessica Arend, a clinical psychology doctorate student at the University and a micro-grant recipient received funding for Accessibility for Neurodiversity, Disability, and Chronic Illness (ANDI), a project aimed at providing community and learning opportunities to neurodiverse graduate students on campus.
Arend said the grant provided financial assistance for ANDI in its second year when other funding did not cover its needs.
“I think there can be an assumption, especially for graduate students, because of the level of training they’re at, that they can just keep up with whatever demand is given to them,” Arend said. “There actually can be some ableism hidden in that assumption.”
Arend said during ANDI’s first year, six to eight graduate students across three different psychology departments helped form the group. Collectively they worked to bring in speakers, guest lecturers and host focus and discussion groups to learn what was working for students within their department from an accessibility standpoint.
With the grant funding in its second year, ANDI was able to analyze the anonymous focus group results from the year prior and begin assembling additional resources for graduate students with disabilities.
Arend said while the application process was extensive, it was also rewarding.
“A word of encouragement to people who are working towards funding is that if you’ve applied for funding once, when you reapply, you have something to build upon the next time,” Arend said.
Jaydon Antoine, a former international student who received funding for a single event, Unity in Diversity Bowling Night, said applying for the grant was a valuable learning experience while he interned with International Student Scholarship Services last year.
“A lot of international students don’t have bowling alleys where they come from, so it’s a first-time experience for a lot of international students,” Antoine said.
Antoine said the uniqueness of the event elevated attendance and the funds provided an opportunity for international students to network and find a sense of community on such a big campus.
“As an international student, when you graduate, for someone who is trying to do things the right way, there are so many hurdles and barriers and adversities in your way,” Antoine said. “Having events like these to bring people who have the same struggles together and brainstorm ways they can be the most effective in the spaces that they are in, I think it offers a lot of value.”
Recent executive orders aim to dismantle DEI in the federal government and higher education. The University of Minnesota is one of more than 50 universities currently being investigated for DEI policies and efforts, according to NPR.
University President Rebecca Cunningham said in a statement on Feb. 3 that as new federal policy changes occur concerning diversity, equity and inclusion the University remains committed to supporting a diverse and equitable environment.
“We have not rolled back diversity, equity and inclusion at the University of Minnesota, and we are not making any preemptive changes to our existing programs,” Cunningham said in the statement.
The University’s Law School paused its search for a new assistant dean of DEI on Jan. 31. Dean William McGeveran said in an email to students that this change comes as the University is reassessing many programs, including those related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
OED Communications Director Lisa Marshall said the micro-grant program remains unimpacted by broader DEI policy changes currently taking place.
“The University has not made preemptive changes to existing programs and remains committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment,” Marshall said in an email.
OED reaffirmed this in a statement.
“We want to assure everyone in our community that we value the activities that support diversity and inclusion, which strengthen our teaching and research. We are not rolling back diversity, equity and inclusion at the University, and we are not making preemptive changes to our existing programs,” the statement said.
The University’s latest statement on diversity, equity and inclusion, released on March 18, 2025, clarified that it will continue to monitor changing federal policies.
