The NEW Mary Gates Endowment Community Investment (CI) Scholarships support community-engaged UW undergraduates and recent graduates with up to $10,000 to propose and execute ambitious community-based projects that meet community-identified needs over a 3-8 month period.
Community Investment Scholars can be in any discipline (see complete eligibility details below), and projects can include a wide range of interests including public service projects, community-based research and/or arts projects, small community-based social impact businesses, and any other innovative and creative idea with a clear and rigorous goal of working with communities to address a community-defined need. Please read the FAQs for more details.
- Community-identified needs are the priorities and challenges identified by a community based on its own experiences, values, and context. Community needs are determined through local input and participation, ensuring that solutions are culturally relevant and responsive to the community’s realities. In other words, the need and project are endorsed by community members.
2026 Application Cycle
| Application Opens: | February 17, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. |
| Application Deadline: | May 1, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. |
| Community Partner and Recommender Deadline: | May 1, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. |
Eligibility Requirements
For the 2026 application cycle (year one of the program), applications will be accepted only from students/recent graduates who are either:
- MGE Leadership Scholarship awardees (past or present)
- Community Engagement & Leadership Education Center program participants, currently or before graduation (for alumni)
- Enrolled in UW’s Leadership Minor, or graduated with a minor in Leadership
Additional eligibility requirements:
- Applicants for the current winter/spring 2026 application cycle must be current matriculated UW undergraduate students (2025-2026) or alumni who have earned their bachelor’s degree within the previous academic year (2024-2025). Note: UW alum who are currently enrolled in a graduate school program are not eligible.
- Individuals or small teams are eligible to apply. However, only one primary applicant representative will apply for the scholarship and funding. Please see FAQs for more details about teams.
- Applicants must have at least one collaborator(s) within the community in which their project is centered (even if not physically located). Community partners should be external to UW, though you are also encouraged to leverage UW resources to support your project and yourself.
- Applicants must have at least one mentor who is able to agree to meeting regularly with you to support your learning and project efforts.
- Proposed projects must be at least three-eight months in duration and include a clear plan for working within and among communities to meet community-defined needs and for continuation of the impact beyond the award period.
If you are a current student and receive need-based financial aid, learn more about how receiving a Mary Gates scholarship may affect your financial aid package.
How to Apply
To apply for a Mary Gates Community Investment Scholarship, please begin by carefully reviewing all the materials on the website pertaining to the Community Investment Scholarship, particularly the selection criteria.
Due to the unique and ambitious nature of Community Investment Scholarships, the application process consists of two phases:
Phase 1: Pre-application advising with Mary Gates Endowment Staff. Develop a short draft project proposal and contact the Mary Gates Endowment at mgates@uw.edu to schedule an appointment to review and discuss your project plan.
- At this stage, our goal is to help you consider options for the type of project you have in mind. Does it align with the Community Investment Scholarship, or would it be a stronger Mary Gates Leadership application? We’ll talk through options, questions, things to think about and work on to continue developing your project.
Phase 2: After you have met with Mary Gates Endowment staff and are ready to prepare your application, review again the Application Guidelines and Selection Criteria, continuing to reference those as you develop your application materials. Submit your application through our online portal.
