Through the Barfield Fund for Community-Engaged Independent Work and other sources, ProCES funds senior thesis research that applies community-based research methods or that is designed to directly benefit a community partner. While the student's home department may serve as the primary funder for independent research, ProCES can provide additional funding support. Typically, funding supports work carried out between the Fall and Spring semesters of the senior year or over the summer prior to senior year. 

If you plan to conduct community-engaged research, you may apply for funding to cover research-related expenses like housing, transportation, food, or participant incentives. Students can identify funding opportunities and submit applications through the Student Activities Funding Engine (SAFE).

Successful applications will describe the community partner’s participation in the design and/or implementation of the research project. The partner organization should be more than a site for research: the project should be informed by or inform the organization's work, support its goals, and center the experiences of communities impacted by the issue(s) under examination. Visit Fund Independent Work for more information about ProCES funding guidelines and what constitutes community-based research.