STLIF Frequently Asked Questions

Grants are offered to current Washington University undergraduate and graduate students. Many of the grants require partnership with an organization in St. Louis.  

The St. Louis Impact Fund provides funding and support for a diversity of initiatives. To gain a better understanding, read through our St. Louis Impact Fund page and make sure your project proposal aligns with the mission, vision, and goals of the Gephardt Institute. 

To learn more, attend an info session or email the stlimpactfund@wustl.edu to set up an informational meeting. 

Email the Associate Director for Community Engagement, Sam Babb at sbabb@wustl.edu if you are unclear about which grant to apply for, or stop by the Gephardt Institute office at Stix House (6470 Forsyth Blvd).  

A proposal review meeting is required before submitting an application. 

The meeting will serve as a workshop for individuals who have drafted a proposal, have created a budget, and have met with possible community partners. To schedule a proposal review meeting, reach out to the St. Louis Impact Fund Assistant at stlimpactfund@wustl.edu. 

Informational meetings are meant to address any overarching questions you might have about a grant, related to, but not limited to creating a budget, reaching out to community partners, etc. To schedule an informational meeting, reach out to the St. Louis Impact Fund Assistant at stlimpactfund@wustl.edu. 

The Mini Grant and Engage STL Grants are reviewed on a rolling basis, applicants can expect to hear back about their submitted overview within two weeks. After initial review, successful applicants will be invited to submit a final application, decisions on Engage STL and Mini Grant applications will be released within two weeks of final application.  

Applicants to the Transform Grant can expect to hear back about their Letter of Intent (LOI) by November 10. Successful applicants will be invited to attend three grant workshops, upon completion of the workshops and a final application, decisions for the Transform Grant will be announced in late December/early January.

If you went through the application process and did not receive funding, we encourage individuals to review their application and resubmit during the following grant cycle. 

Yes. However, you must have a new project idea or be expanding on a previous project. Please note that we do not typically fund the same projects. 

The Gephardt Institute does not offer retroactive funding. We provide funding to individuals in the form of reimbursement. 

Student-Led Health Screenings, Clinics, and Fairs: Requests related to community health require an elevated sense of care during the review process which includes input and regular active involvement of experts in public health and medicine. Based on consultation with the School of Medicine, we will not support undergraduate students in conducting or leading health screenings, clinics and/or fairs. In some cases, we will evaluate graduate student proposals when they involve a) a dedicated physician faculty lead committed to full oversight of the program; b) a physician faculty approved protocol for handling referrals and care for abnormal results; and c) community-driven requests. 
 
Proposals Without a WashU Affiliation: Our funds are designed to support both student learning and community needs. All grant proposals must illustrate clear connection between students and community.  
 
Campaign Work, Partnerships with Political Candidates, and Lobbying: Washington University is non-partisan, tax-exempt institution, and we are unable to fund any campaign work, partnerships with political candidates, and/or lobbying to influence legislation.  

Salary Payment or Re-Granting of Funds: The St. Louis Impact Fund is designed to foster active project partnerships between Washington University students and community partners. While payment for services and stipends in lieu of student earnings may be considered, we are not able to support direct salary payments or re-granting of funds.  

Other Requests We Cannot Fund:
We are unable to fund grants or budget lines for any of the following: 

• Internships or practica 
• Retroactive funding 
• Research 
• Funds and goods intended for philanthropic donation unless they are coupled with other community-centered work  

Sign and submit your acceptance form within 7 days of receiving your award 

Read Information for Grant Recipients 

We encourage individuals to submit one proposal per cycle.