Application

Faculty and staff from all departments, colleges, and campuses can apply for up to $1000 in funding for their project. Junior faculty, faculty teaching GER courses, and faculty in underrepresented disciplines are especially encouraged to apply. 

Applications open before each Fall and Spring semester on InfoReady. Be the first to hear when these applications open by subscribing to the CCEL newsletter and Google Calendar. 

Past Projects

Check out the Mini-Grants ePortfolio to see past projects funded by this program. 

Mini-Grants ePortfolio

• 2025-26

  Anne Ouwerkerk, Early Childhood Education

  Growing Together: Early Childhood and Teacher Preparation Rooted in Indigenous Knowledge Systems
  Community partner: Yupiit School District

  Steffi Kim, Psychology

  Well-Being Through Our Eyes: Images from the Congolese Wellness Circle
  Community partners: Congolese Refugee Women's Wellness Circle, Alaska State Refugee Mental Health Program

  Jennifer Bernard, General Business

  The Mission Meet-Up: A Nonprofit Community Partner Roundtable
  Community partner: Credit Union 1

  Eduardo Piqueiras, Population Health Sciences

  Coloring Anchorage: Urban Health, Mental Well-Being, and the Built Environment
  Community partners: Anchorage Museum, Anchorage Planning Department

  Deborah Tobin, Biology

  Redesigning Biology Curriculum through Community-Engaged Marine Mammal Research
  Community partners: Alaska Wildlife Alliance, NOAA Alaska Beluga Monitoring Program, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, City of Homer Port & Harbor

  Orca Jimmy Peniston, Biology

  A Community Science Approach to Investigating Beluga Whale Behavior in the Kenai River
  Community partners: NOAA, Alaska Beluga Monitoring Program

  Gregory Hartley, Writing

  Alaskan Authors and the Pathway to Publication
  Community partners: Alaskan Authors, Consortium Library

  Josh Ostraff, Art

  Mapping Your Happy Place: A Community Art Exhibition with Homeschool Students
  Community partners: Kenai Peninsula Homeschool Community, Kenai Peninsula College Art Education Program

  Julie Wrigley, April Alvarez, Cassie Benedict-Monnens, and Rylee Doan, College of Business and Public Policy

  Connection Café: Building Community and Belonging Through Shared Space
  Community partners: The Bridge, CBPP Advisory Board, Anchorage Chamber of Commerce

  Deborah Tobin, Biology

  Using Drone Technology to Study Human–Wildlife Interactions in Coastal Alaska
  Community partners: Homer Soil & Water Conservation District, Homer Port & Harbor, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, NOAA Fisheries

  Rei Shimizu, Social Work

  From Tension to Repair: Navigating Conflict in Research Teams
  Community partner: NYU Center on Violence and Recovery

  Yong Cao, Management, Marketing, Logistics, and Business Analytics

  Social Media Dependence and Well-Being Among Alaska Chinese Communities
  Community partner: Alaska Chinese Association

  Katie O'Loughlin, Theatre and Dance

  Community Collaboration in Dance: Emerging Voices (Year Two)
  Community partner: Alaska Dance Theatre, East High School, West High School

  Joel Potter, Philosophy

  2026 Alaska Young Philosopher Awards
  Community partner: Anchorage School District

  Pradeeban Kathiravelu, Computer Science & Engineering

  VolunteerAnchorage.org: Strengthening Civic Engagement Through a Community Volunteer Platform
  Community partner: Anchorage Young Cancer Coalition

• 2024-2025

  Brett Watson, ISER

  Addressing Housing Challenges in Anchorage Through Community-Engaged Research and Design Collaboration
  Community partners: Cook Inlet Housing Authority, Anchorage Municipality Planning Department

  Mychal Machado, Psychology

  Addressing the Gap: Understanding the Impact of School Resource Officers (SROs) in Alaska
  Community partner: Anchorage Police Department

  Christopher Jung, Biological Sciences, and Gwen Lupfer, Psychology

  Alaska Brain Bee
  Community partner: Anchorage School District

  Steffi Kim, Psychology

  AN CARE Connect: Enhancing Dementia Support for Alaska Native Caregivers
  Community partner: Native Village of Unalakleet

  Katie O’Loughlin, Theatre and Dance

  Community Collaboration in Dance: Student Choreography Showcase with Alaska Dance Theatre, East High, West High, and UAA Dance
  Community partners: Alaska Dance Theatre, West High School, and East High School

  Sarah Kirk, Writing

  Community English Speaking Group: Development, Start-up, and Delivery
  Community partner: Alaska Literacy Program

  Lisa Schwarzburg, Div. of Population Health Sciences

  Completion of MOUD for Perinatal Patient Clinic Survey and Analysis
  Community partner: Alaska Department of Health Division of Behavioral Health 

  Susan Meskis, School of Nursing

  The End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) Tokens
  Community partner: City of Hope Supervisor, Division of Nursing Research & Education 

  Wei Hsiao, Early Learning and Teaching

  Engaging Students and Community in the Alaska Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC) Conference: Collaborative Leadership in Early Childhood Education
  Community partner: Anchorage AEYC

  Gabriel Garcia, Div. of Population Health Sciences; E.J.R. David, Psychology; and Joy Chavez Mapaye, Journalism and Public Communications

  Isang Bagsak: Strengthening Ethnic Identity of Filipino American Youth in Alaska and Building Solidarity and Consciousness About the Filipino American Experience
  Community partner: Filipino American National Historical Society-Alaska

  Heidi Biskeborn, Learning Center Director

  Kenai Peninsula Food Bank Partnership
  Community partners: Kenai Peninsula Food Bank, Kenai Peninsula Job Center

  Zachary Redman, Chemistry

  Laboratory Validation of Gluten Reduction Techniques in Locally Brewed Craft Beers
  Community partner: Turnagain Brewing Company 

  Laura Stoddard, Dental Hygiene

  Lifelong Smiles Initiative
  Community partner: Healthy Smiles Forever

  Spencer Heston, Millwright

  Strengthening Local Workforce Development through Community-Engaged Curriculum Enhancement
  Community partner: Local small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)/Certified National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER)

  Kristin Riall, Psychology

  Using Video Modeling to Improve Swimming in Athletes with Intellectual Disability
  Community partner: Special Olympics USA

  Shane Castle, Writing

  We Are Who We Are: An Arts and Literary Program for Incarcerated Youth at McLaughlin Youth Center
  Community partner: McLaughlin Youth Center

• 2023-2024

  Mari Hahn, Music

  Opera collaboration
  Community Partner: Anchorage Opera

  Ingrid Johnson, Justice

  Good for business, good for the community: Exploring the range of sexual violence prevention efforts in nightlife settings
  Community Partner: CHARR

  Pradeeban Kathiravelu, Computer Science and Engineering

  A data federation approach to analyze behavioral health and supplement healthcare practice with community health metrics in Alaska
  Community Partner: CHOICES, Inc. 

  Joel Potter, Philosophy

  Alaska Young Philosopher Awards
  Community Partner: South Anchorage High School, Romig Middle School

  Steffi Kim, Psychology

  Alaska Native focused dementia care
  Community Partner: Alaska Native dementia caregivers

  Michelle Mishaan, Fine Art

  Connecting Communities through Fine Arts and Ceramics
  Community Partner: Palmer Middle School, Palmer High School

  Jessica Ross, Human Services

  Nughejagh - "To become healed"
  Community Partner: Native Village of Eklutna

  David Moxley, Social Work and Human Services

  Advancing Personalized Health Care through Photovoice Methodology and the Arts
  Community Partner: CHOICES

  Chris Jung, Biological Sciences

  The Alaska Brain Bee
  Community Partner: Alaska High Schools

  Amanda Walch & Emily Faerber, Dietetics & Nutrition

  Development of a Best Practice Intervention Design to Address the Mental Health and Nutrition- Related Needs of Student-Athletes at UAA
  Community Partner: UAA Athletics

  Heidi Biskborn Graves, Learning Center

  KPC - Kenai Peninsula Food Bank Partnership
  Community Partner: Kenai Peninsula Food Bank

  Katie O-Loughlin, Theater and Dance

  UAA Dance - Pulse Dance Partnership
  Community Partner: Pulse Dance Company

  Kristin Riall, Psychology

  Increasing Representation of Alaska Native People in Teaching Materials
  Community Partner: Cook Inlet Native Head Start

• 2022-2023

  Vanessa Hiratsuka, Center for Human Development

  Alaska Disability Self-Advocate Meaning, Inclusion and Training Development
  Community Partner: Peer Power Alaska

  Christopher Jung and Rachael Hannah, Biological Sciences; Gwen Lupfer, Psychology

  2023 Alaska Brain Bee
  Community Partner: Alaska High Schools

  Libby Eufemio, Alaska Native Studies Program & Alutiiq Studies Program

  Edible Landscaping & Student Food Gardens at Kodiak College
  Community Partner: Rooted

  Sarah Kirk, Writing

  Building a Partnership for English Language Teaching
  Community Partner: Alaska Literacy Program

  Ingrid Johnson, Justice Center, and Rei Shimizu, School of Social Work

  Voice! Acknowledgement! Power! Victims’ Rights and Restorative Justice Symposium 
  Community Partner: Alaska Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA)

  Dorn Van Dommelen, Anthropology and Geography

  Denali National Park Navigational Mapping
  Community Partner: Denali National Park Backcountry Information Center

• 2021-2022

  There were no available funds for faculty minigrants this year, unfortunately. 

• 2020-2021

  Joy Chavez Mapaye, Journalism and Public Communications

  Managing Health Misinformation in the Infodemic Era
  Community Partner: Alaska Public Health Association

  Hattie Harvey, Psychology

  Alaska Cultural Standards for Birth to Five Early Learning Settings
  Community Partner: Cook Inlet Tribal Council

  Ashley O'Connor, Social Work

  Evaluation of the "Responder's Promise" Equine Therapy Program
  Community Partner: Aurora Equine Therapy Program

  Sarah Prielipp, Writing

  Community Story Walk
  Community Partner: MOA Parks and Recreation

  Leslie Redmond, Dietetics & Nutrition

  Promoting the use of herbs and spices to improve dietary quality and intake among food pantry clients in Alaska
  Community Partner: Saint Francis House Food Pantry

  Amanda Walch, Dietetics & Nutrition

  Phase 2: Promoting the use of herbs and spices to improve dietary quality and intake among food pantry clients in Alaska
  Community Partner: Saint Francis House Food Pantry

• 2019-2020

  Martha Amore, Writing

  Story Works WRTG 111 Collaboration
  Community Partner: Story Works Alaska

  Sara Buckingham, Psychology

  Untapped Talent: Inclusion and Integration in Anchorage, Alaska
  Community Partner: Mayor's Office

  Joy Chavez Mapaye, Journalism & Public Communication

  Brand U: A Strategic Communications Project to Help Local Businesses and Non-Profits
  Community Partner: Several Anchorage small businesses and non-profit organizations

  Herminia Din, Art

  Raising Awareness of Plastic Pollution in the Arctic
  Community Partner: Aleut Community of St. Paul Island

  Ruby Fried, Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies

  Traditional Food Security on St. Paul Island
  Community Partner: Aleut Community of St. Paul Tribal Government

  Alison Gardell, Biological Sciences, KPC

  Monitoring Beluga Habitat Use in the Kenai
  Community Partner: Alaska Beluga Monitoring Partnership

  Micah Hahn, Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies

  Development of a Food Security Index for the Municipality of Anchorage
  Community Partner: Municipality of Anchorage

  Rachel Hannah, Biological Sciences

  Alaska Brain Bee
  Community Partner: Anchorage High School Educators

  Britteny Howell, Population Health Sciences

  Barriers and Opportunities to Healthy Aging Using Concept Mapping: Phase II
  Community Partner: Anchorage Senior Center

  Amana Mbise, Social Work

  Asset Mapping to Inform FCC-UAA After-School Program
  Community Partner: First Congregational Church Anchorage

  Lauren Lessard, Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies

  Adolescent Mental Health Pilot Project
  Community Partner: NAMI, Story Works

  Lauren Lessard, Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies

  Adolescent Reproductive Life Planning
  Community Partner: State of Alaska Division of Public Health

  Nancy Nix, Population Health Sciences

  Healthy Food-Related Themes and Resources Across the Curriculum for Early Education
  Community Partner: Department of Health & Social Services

  Kathi Trawver & Heidi Brocious, Social Work

  Office of Children’s Services Mentoring Program Evaluation Project
  Community Partner: Office of Children's Services

• 2018-2019

  Daniel Anteau, Theatre

  "New Kid"
  Community Partner: Anchorage School District

  Gabe Garcia, Health Sciences

  Evaluating the Anchorage School Based Health Centers
  Community Partner: Anchorage School Based Health Centers

  Rachael Hannah, Biological Sciences

  Anchorage Brain Bee
  Community Partner: Multiple High School Science Teachers

  Ian Hartman, History

  Black Life in the Last Frontier: A History of African Americans in Urban Alaska
  Community Partner:  Cook Inlet Historical Society and National Park Service

  Hattie Harvey, Early Childhood Education

  Blend Practices: Supporting Diverse Learners in Pre-K Classrooms
  Community Partner: Anchorage School District Preschool Program

  Agatha John-Shields, Indigenous Education

  Future Indigenous Educators Group
  Community Partner: First Alaskans Institute

  Toby Long, Chemistry

  Remote, On-Site Testing for Arsenic on the Kenai Peninsula
  Community Partner: Love INC

  Mike Mueller, Teaching & Learning

  Creating Birding Kits for Youth Citizen Science in Alaska's Public Schools
  Community Partner: Campbell STEM Elementary, National Park Service, Anchorage Museum

  Terry Nelson, Management & Marketing

  Tom Case Leadership Program
  Community Partner: Clark Middle School

  Marsha Olson, Communication

  Campus Vote Project
  Community Partner: League of Women Voters

  Riva Symko, Art

  Stories from Santa Fe to Anchorage
  International Gallery of Contemporary Art

  Kathi Trawver, Social Work

  Evaluation of Mentoring of New OCS 
  Line Workers
  Community Partner: Office of Children's Services