May 5, 2025

Funding for free speech and civic engagement

The Current Staff

Interested in exploring the intersection of expression, engagement and democratic learning? Current UC students, faculty and staff are welcome to apply for a unique opportunity to do just that with funding from the UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement.

The Valuing Open and Inclusive Conversation and Engagement (VOICE) Initiative provides up to $5,000 to support those who want to conduct research or coordinate programs and activities that further the center’s mission. Recipients may consider what can be done to restore trust in the value of free speech on college campuses and within society at large.

VOICE applications are open now through Monday, June 2. Recipients become part of a larger UC-wide and national community of scholars, educators and activists, and are provided opportunities for leadership guidance and support from previous VOICE recipients.

Interested parties are welcome to attend an information session on Wednesday, May 21, at 3 p.m., to hear from previous VOICE recipients. More information about grant eligibility, project requirements and the application process is available at the VOICE Initiative website.

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The University of California, Santa Barbara is a leading research institution that also provides a comprehensive liberal arts learning experience. Our academic community of faculty, students, and staff is characterized by a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration that is responsive to the needs of our multicultural and global society. All of this takes place within a living and learning environment like no other, as we draw inspiration from the beauty and resources of our extraordinary location at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.