The Institute provides resources to our BLI members through grant possibilities that reinforce our beliefs in student initiative, the importance of learning from real-world experience, and the integral roles of reflection, collaboration, and active engagement with communities.
Leadership Grants:
Leadership grants allow BLI members to receive up to $4,000 to support short-term projects, events, or leadership development opportunities. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
- Amount:
- up to $500 for members
- up to $4,000 for members who complete any BLI LEARN experience
- Application Dates:
- Winter 2025 grant application will open in January.
- Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the semester
Examples of initiatives supported by the BLI Grants:
- UMSO Invitational Competition: High school Science Olympiad competition at UM
- Building a Movement: Climate Action on Campus, a climate change panel
- Dinners in the Dark: dinners where participants are blindfolded to avoid biases during the dialogue
- The Ezili Project: Provide beauty products to women and non-binary individuals in local homeless shelters
- Search Inside Yourself: Program fee to support student leadership professional development
Social Transformation Fellowship Grants:
Members who complete the ALA Social Transformation Course in the Fall semester are eligible to receive up to $7,500 in project funding and receive ongoing coaching & mentorship during the following Winter semester.
- Amount: up to $7,500 for members
- Application: Open in the second half of Fall 2025 for Winter 2026 funding
- Questions: haque@umich.edu
Other Funding Opportunities:
If none of these apply to you, the University of Michigan provides other grants and funding opportunities. For more information, check out the UM Library's Funding Opportunities for Students!
