Since 1952, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations have awarded over $300 million in grants to more than 3,800 organizations in the United States. They give in five different program areas, two of which – Interfaith Leadership and Religious Literacy and Private Higher Education – accept funding requests.
Letters of Intent are due by 5:00 PM ET on August 25, 2023. Invitations to submit a full proposal will be issued on October 6 and full proposals will be due November 9. Funding is typically for a 1-2 year time period, but longer grant periods may also be approved.
Eligibility
This grant is open to
- 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations
- Institutions of higher education
Allowable Expenses
Funding is generally for specific projects and not general operating support. Grant money may not be used for:
- Scholarships
- Endowments
- Direct service
- Capital projects
- Indirect costs more than 5% of request
Program Areas
Interfaith Leadership and Religious Literacy
The United States is one of the most religiously diverse countries in history, which can be seen as a challenge or an opportunity. This program area funds projects that promote religious literacy as well as conversations and collaborations across different faiths. Awards are typically $100,000-$300,000, but there is no cap on requests.
Applicants may submit proposals for any project that advances these goals. However, they are particularly interested in the following topic areas.
Interfaith Leadership and Religious Literacy on Faith-Based Campuses
Projects under this topic should focus on increasing religious literacy, which the Harvard Divinity School defines as:
- A basic understanding of the history, central texts (where applicable), beliefs, practices, and contemporary manifestations of several of the world’s religious traditions as they arose out of and continue to be shaped by particular social, historical, and cultural contexts.
- The ability to discern and explore the religious dimensions of political, social and cultural expressions across time and place.
They should also encourage interfaith engagement with the goal of producing future leaders who pursue such partnerships during their careers.
Collaborations between Campus Student Groups
Partisanship and polarization are an unfortunate fact of life in the United States. The college years are among the most important for learning about other points of view, because students are naturally surrounded by a diverse group of people. Projects under this topic should promote bringing diverse members of the student population to engage with and learn from each other.
Religious Inter-Group Dialogue on Campus
Projects under this topic should bring students of different and/or no religious affiliations together for moderated, face-to-face dialogues. These can be curricular or extracurricular.
Private Higher Education
Arthur Davis’s time at Amherst College taught him the importance of a liberal arts education. The breadth of his learning there helped him succeed in many different roles in life and to support organizations that make a liberal arts education possible for more students. Awards are typically $25,000-$300,000, but there is no cap on requests.
Applicants may submit proposals for any project that advances these goals. However, they are particularly interested in the following topic areas.
Advocacy for the Liberal Arts
The PVD Foundations welcome projects that present opportunities for more students to participate in the liberal arts, regardless of their major. They also encourage programs for educating on the benefits of the liberal arts.
Civil Discourse on Campus
Projects under this topic should create opportunities for respectful conversations across social, political, and religious groups. These can be curricular or extracurricular.
Purpose-Oriented Education
Projects under this topic should develop programs and courses that help students develop a sense of purpose. This purpose may be related to their future job, but can also focus on social roles, such as their place in the community.
