Apply Today!

Questions? Register for our upcoming VOICE Initiative Information Session on Wednesday, May 20 from 12 – 1 p.m. PST

The UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement is pleased to share the application for the 2026-2027 Valuing Open and Inclusive Conversation and Engagement (VOICE) Initiative. VOICE provides funding for UC students, staff and faculty who are interested in conducting research or coordinating programs and activities that further the Center’s mission of exploring the intersection of expression, engagement and democratic learning and considering what can be done to restore trust in the value of free speech on college campuses and within society at large.

Below are some examples of how that might be done.

• Engage in research and/or activities that promote open discourse among members of communities or participation in democracy;
• Deliver programming that addresses challenges in our current national life or discourse around past and upcoming elections; or that examines how we might strengthen and rebuild – or even reimagine – community;
• Enable conversations about peoples’ experiences and perspectives of vital social and political issues;
• Create forums for discussion about democratic processes, such as legislative advocacy or voting rights, as they relate to our social and political community;
• Offer workshops and/or symposia that focus on furthering democratic literacy and engagement.

Creativity and originality are encouraged. For inspiration, take a look at the terrific ongoing work of the 2025-26 and 2024-25 VOICE Initiative recipients.

Who is Eligible?
All current UC students, staff and faculty are eligible to receive VOICE funding as individuals or as members of a group, team, office or department. All project contributors must be UC students, faculty or staff members for the entirety of the 2026-2027 academic year.

Current or former recipients are welcome to apply, but no project can be funded for more than three years. There is no limit to the number of individuals that can be included in a single proposal. The primary contact or author of the proposal must partner with a department on their campus or have a recharge account to receive funds.

Funding Policies
VOICE awards can be up to $5,000 and will be granted on a competitive basis. Funding is intended to cover the costs of a VOICE project, which may include supplies, advertising, room rentals, refreshments, software, stipends for speakers or research assistance. The Center will fund the VOICE awards. Recipients must administer awarded projects in compliance with both UC policies and campus-specific guidance on the campus(es) where the projects take place. Funding cannot be used for:

• Tuition;
• Conference registration fees if you are not presenting or if your proposal has not yet been accepted;
• Capital equipment (anything with a shelf life of over one year, such as computers, microphones, printers);
• A stipend for oneself.

Project Requirements

• Quarterly Zoom Cohort Meetings: At least one person representing each selected project must be available to attend mandatory quarterly VOICE cohort (virtual) meetings. Participation in these events serves to further community-building, knowledge-sharing and network development both within and across cohorts of VOICE awardees.
• Deliverables: Each project is expected to submit deliverables throughout the duration of the year to keep the Center updated on their project activities, which can include a final budget and photos/videos documenting the project. More details will be provided.

Application Information
Applications must be received by 11:59 pm PT on Tuesday, June 9, 2026. Awardees will be notified by late August. Funding is one-time only and must be used by July 1, 2027. Funds must be transferable to a department recharge account. If you are not part of a department or registered student organization, you will need to identify an on-campus sponsor through which funds can be disbursed.

If anyone has questions, they should reach out to freespeechcenter@uci.edu.

About VOICE

As a VOICE awardee, you will be welcomed into a community of passionate individuals who share a common purpose of advancing the principles of the Center on their own campuses. VOICE recipients also become part of a larger UC-wide and national community of scholars, educators and activists. There are opportunities to receive leadership guidance and support from previous VOICE recipients as a new awardee.

Learn more about the VOICE Initiative by watching this brief video: