Guidance for Summer Fellows: Supplemental Funding

Introduction

Dwight Hall Summer Fellows was created in the summer of 1968 with a singular challenge: establish the environment for students to create social change through full-time, paid engagement in coordination with community partners. In its current form, Dwight Hall has expanded the number of opportunities to receive summer funding.

Find an overview of Summer Opportunities, including financial compensation and program details, use this link:

Overview of Summer Opportunities

Dwight Hall at Yale staff is available to work with each student that has questions throughout the entire process. Please reach out to Director of Programming and Evaluation, mark.fopeano@yale.edu, or programming fellow sevi.burget-foster@yale.edu.

In its Second Year: Supplemental Funding

We are enthusiastic about creating pathways to careers in the social sector for as many students as possible. As we’ve refined our programming and worked with students, we have learned that some students are left out of the funding process, while other students with financial needs are often left with incomplete funding sources. In 2024, we expanded our thinking to include more students.

Full funding applications are due on March 3rd, but supplemental funding applications are due on May 15th, intentionally AFTER all other funding deadlines. We anticipate this funding to be more popular for students that are working in comparably expensive cities like New York City, Washington, DC, San Francisco, Chicago, and Boston. Additionally, we also anticipate this funding to be a popular option for students that are working only part-time on a summer project in addition to other work they have committed to. The maximum amount of funding is $2,000, which we have increased from $1,500 last year.

Acceptable Forms of Summer Activity

Summer Fellows may request funding to support a project, internship, or research proposal. Typically, summer activities will be accomplished within eight weeks, and must be fully supported by a supervisor/mentor. Further definition and examples:

Project – Carefully planned and designed to achieve a particular aim, projects build the capacity of an organization to fulfill its mission statement. Projects have a clear, demonstrative end. Example: developing and testing the social media strategy of partner organization.
Internship – Covering a specific period of time, internships are professional experiences written and guided by the host organization. Example: “2025 Summer Intern” with partner organization.
Research Proposal – Research proposals describe what will be investigated, why it is important to do now, and exactly how you will do the research. Research may prove the efficacy of a program model, investigate social sector questions, or be more academic by nature. Example: developing and analyzing carbon emissions data in New Haven with xyz partner researcher.

Deadlines

The supplemental funding application deadline is May 8th at 1pm.

The supplemental funding application is not yet live. You can preview the questions below.

The application is comprised of several short answer (100-200 word) questions. Applicants will be asked to share information about themselves, the summer activity they hope to take on, and the nature of their relationship with their guiding community partner.

Before completing the form, students should consider their answers to these questions:

Upon submission, a copy of your responses will be sent to your email address and to staff at Dwight Hall at Yale. Your supervisor/mentor will also be notified that an application has been submitted.

Proof of Opportunity

All applicants must include a file that proves their relationship with their supervisor and the legitimacy of the opportunity for which students are requesting funding. This may be a letter of support from the supervisor, a pdf email thread between student and supervisor, or a job offer, among others.

Selection

Each applicant is screened to ensure that the student and summer activity meet basic eligibility requirements: The student is an undergraduate, the organization and experience is based in the USA, and the summer activity has a public service/social justice cause. Then the application is blindly reviewed by a committee of Dwight Hall professional staff, students, and other stakeholders with these evaluative questions:

• Does this student show a commitment to social change?
• Is the proposed summer activity feasible?
• Does this summer activity value the knowledge and guidance of community experts? Is there adequate proof of opportunity?
• Does this summer activity have a meaningful impact on the student’s academic and professional aspirations?

Scores are compiled centrally and the highest scoring applicants will receive funding.

Additional Summer Funding Resources

President’s Public Service Fellowship

Domestic Summer Award

Yale Fellowships and Funding

Office of Career Strategy – Common Good & Creative Careers