The Office of the Provost invites full-time faculty to apply for Mission Integration grants. Faculty are central to how LMU lives its mission in the world. Through research and creative practice, faculty animate the University’s commitments to knowledge, justice, and the education of the whole person. These internal grants are designed to invest in faculty scholarship and creative work as a core expression of faculty vocation and institutional purpose.   

These grants support projects whose topics, methods, and/or impacts center diverse communities of Los Angeles. They are intended to actualize LMU’s dedication to the cultures and communities of the Los Angeles region and to honor those in the university’s past and present who laid the foundations for the recognitions the university has earned for its service to minoritized communities, including as a Black Serving Institution (BSI), an Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI).  

Stipends of up to $5,000 per project are available. An additional $1,000 is available for projects that integrate aspects of the scholarship or creative practice into a course, curriculum, academic program, or experiential learning for mission opportunity. One course release may be requested in lieu of a stipend if the proposal demonstrates unique need. A faculty member may submit multiple project applications but can only receive one grant per annual award cycle.  

Eligibility - All continuing, full‑time LMU faculty.

II. Supported Project Types - Funded projects may include, but are not limited to: 

These categories reflect LMU’s recognition of diverse forms of scholarship and creative activity and are consistent with Boyer’s expanded model of scholarship. 

III. Proposal Components - Proposals must include: 

IV. Allowable Use of Funds - Grant funds may be used for: 

All expenditures must comply with LMU policies and applicable regulations. 

V. Review Criteria - Proposals will be evaluated based on: 

Review processes will respect disciplinary differences and LMU’s commitment to equity‑minded evaluation of scholarship and creative work. 

VI. Reporting and Dissemination 
Awardees will submit a brief (2-3 page) final report to the Associate Provost for Faculty Excellence and Mission Integration summarizing outcomes and impacts. Awardees are also expected to propose a dissemination strategy (1 page) that considers accessibility and community/cultural relevance. 

VII. Additional Commitments 
Grantees will meet monthly from June 2026-May 2027 as a faculty community of practice, giving awardees the opportunity to develop as a cohort of thought leaders. Awardees are expected to serve on the Spring 2027 selection committee for next year’s awards.  

VIII. Timeline for reviewing proposals 

IX. Project Timeline 

X. Funding Opportunities 

Affirming the Black Serving Institution (BSI) Designation of LMU in Los Angeles 
Consistent with LMU’s mission and our designation as a Black Serving Institution, this funding opportunity supports faculty scholarship and creative work that contributes to racial equity, belonging, and justice‑oriented knowledge production particularly within the social, cultural, and historical contexts of Los Angeles. Grants will be awarded in honor of John Davis (Sociology, founding Chair of African-American Studies), Robert Singleton (Economics), and Rae Linda Brown (Musicology, former Associate Provost).   

Faculty from any discipline are encouraged to apply. Proposal components should be submitted as one PDF to Teacher.Scholar@lmu.edu with subject line “Applicant First Name_Last Name_BSI CFP”. 

Affirming the Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Designation of LMU in Los Angeles 
Consistent with LMU’s mission and our designation as an Hispanic-Serving Institution, this funding opportunity supports faculty scholarship and creative activity that contributes to educational equity, community well-being, and culturally responsive knowledge production that advances LMU’s commitment to serving Latine communities within the social, cultural, and historical contexts of Los Angeles. Grants will be awarded in honor of Graciela Limón (Chicano Studies/Modern Languages), Herbert Medina (Mathematics, former Associate Dean), and Teresita Venegas (Chicano Studies/Modern Languages).  

Faculty from any discipline are encouraged to apply. Proposal components should be submitted as one PDF to Teacher.Scholar@lmu.edu with subject line “Applicant First Name_Last Name_HSI CFP”. 

Affirming the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) Designation of LMU in Los Angeles 
Consistent with LMU’s mission and our designation as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander–Serving Institution, this funding opportunity supports faculty scholarship and creative activity that contributes to understanding, supporting, and advancing the educational experiences, histories, cultures, and communities of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) populations, particularly within the social, cultural, and historical contexts of Los Angeles. Grants will be awarded in honor of Art Nomura (Production), Kenyon Chan (former Dean of BCLA), and Jennifer Abe (Psychological Science).  

Faculty from any discipline are encouraged to apply. Proposal components should be submitted as one PDF to Teacher.Scholar@lmu.edu with subject line “Applicant First Name_Last Name_AANAPISI CFP”. 

Engaging with the Lived LGBTQ+ Experience in Los Angeles  
Consistent with LMU’s mission, this funding opportunity supports faculty scholarship and creative activity that advances understanding, visibility, equity, and justice for LGBTQ+ communities, with particular attention to the diverse experiences of LGBTQ+ people in Los Angeles. Consistent with LMU’s commitment to the promotion of justice, this opportunity prioritizes faculty output that contributes to inclusive knowledge production, community well‑being, and institutional learning. Grants will be awarded in honor of Deena Gonzalez (Chicana/o Studies, former Associate Provost) and Charles Erven (Theatre Arts).  

Faculty from any discipline are encouraged to apply. Proposal components should be submitted as one PDF to Teacher.Scholar@lmu.edu with subject line “Applicant First Name_Last Name_LGBTQ+ CFP”. 

Advancing Disability Justice in Los Angeles  
Consistent with LMU’s mission, this funding opportunity supports faculty scholarship and creative activity that advances accessibility, disability justice, and inclusive design, with particular attention to the lived experiences of disabled people and communities in Los Angeles. Consistent with LMU’s mission and recognition of diverse forms of scholarship and creative work, this opportunity prioritizes faculty output that challenges ableism, advances equity, and contributes to institutional, community, and public understanding of disability and access.  

Faculty from any discipline are encouraged to apply. Proposal components should be submitted as one PDF to Teacher.Scholar@lmu.edu with subject line “Applicant First Name_Last Name_Disability Justice CFP”. 

Engaging with Equity, Inclusion and Justice for International Communities in Los Angeles 
Consistent with LMU’s mission, this funding opportunity supports faculty scholarship and creative activity that advances engagement with international, immigrant, refugee, diasporic, and transnational communities in Los Angeles. Consistent with LMU’s mission and commitment to global citizenship and justice, this program prioritizes faculty output that deepens understanding of global interconnections as they are lived locally, and that contributes to the well‑being, visibility, and cultural vitality of internationally rooted communities in Los Angeles.  

Faculty from any discipline are encouraged to apply. Proposal components should be submitted as one PDF to Teacher.Scholar@lmu.edu with subject line “Applicant First Name_Last Name_International Community CFP”. 

We encourage faculty at all stages to apply and to see this opportunity as an invitation to extend the reach and resonance of their work in alignment with our mission.

Heather P. Tarleton, PhD, MS, MPAP

Associate Provost for Faculty Excellence and Mission Integration

Professor of Health & Human Sciences

Produced by LMU Office of Faculty Development and Engagement

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