What are Legacy Grants?
Legacy Grants award up to $5,000 to Boston College students to support the development and execution of sustainable and innovative projects that help others. All undergraduate students are eligible to apply once a year during the Spring semester when the application process begins. These funds are made possible through previous Senior Class Gift donations together with the generosity of a University Trustee. Projects that are funded by Legacy Grants inspire change and exemplify the Jesuit ideal of men and women for others.
2024 applications are now closed
An ideal Legacy Grant project…
May be locally or globally minded
Embodies BC's ideals of social justice
Is service-oriented in scope
Demonstrates creativity and out-of-the box thinking
Engages multiple members of the BC community
Is sustainable (i.e. uses the funds to establish a volunteer program or create a project that will self-sustain long after its inception, such as a community library.)
Tackles initiatives including but not limited to education, health care, environmental sustainability, the arts, youth leadership, women's issues, racial and social justice issues, technological advances, and mental health awareness
Questions? Contact legacygrants@bc.edu
What could you do with your Legacy Grant?
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CREATE A TECHNOLOGY LIBRARY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GILBERT ALBERT COMMUNITY CENTER
While volunteering with the BC BIGS program, Matthew Yan ’21 witnessed how the lack of access to technology impeded his Little’s ability to attend school online during the pandemic. Mathew developed a Legacy Grant project to help address this education inequality. Partnering with The Gilbert Albert Community Center, Mathew created a technology library for the Dorchester/Franklin Field community. Updated technology provides local students with access to their online classes and ensures the longevity the Center’s educational programs (especially ESL) in this new era of digital learning.
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INVESTIGATE CAUSES OF UNDERREPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN POLITICS: Political Rights of Women in Pakistan
Growing up, Urwa Hameed ‘22 observed a gender gap in the political and governmental sphere in her native Pakistan. With the help of a Legacy Grant, Urwa researched the cultural dynamics underpinning the absence of women in political leadership, and published her findings to help improve the lives of girls and women in Pakistan, and beyond.
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THE BOSTON COLLEGE FOOD PROJECT: BUILD AN URBAN GARDEN AND PLANT A SEED OF ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
Helen Befekadu ‘23 and Lydia Wilcox ’23 combined their passions for social justice and the environment when they designed an urban garden project in partnership with the Franklin Hill Boys & Girls Club. Helen and Lydia oversaw the construction of a raised bed garden and at the same time, created weekly lessons on topics including Climate Change, Recycling and Reusing, Carbon Footprints, Urban Agriculture, and Sustainability. Their dual goal was to shed light on the topic of food insecurity and food deserts in a city so close to BC while also introducing ideas about the environment and climate change to a younger generation.
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STARTING FROM SCRATCH: DEVELOP A SUMMER STEM AND PROGRAMMING CLASS FOR INNER CITY YOUTH
Ivan Ip ’21 saw an opportunity to give back to United East Athletics Association, a community organization that had served him as a youth. Located in Chinatown, Manhattan, UEAA offers enrichment classes to help children cultivate intellectual curiosity and social-emotional growth as well as leadership, responsibility and teamwork. Ivan developed an eight-week summer online coding class that introduced students to the concept of programming, utilizing the visual programming language Scratch.
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BUILD AN IOS APPLICATION TO HELP R.O.T.C CADETS AT
BOSTON COLLEGERobert Smithers ’22, wanted to modernize the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Program’s approach to training and help fellow Boston College cadets balance their demanding schedules more effectively. Robert developed an iOS Application to track inspection records, and manage training data, documents, and other cadet tasks. The ability to streamline their record keeping and consolidate data frees up valuable time for cadets to more fully pursue their academic, extracurricular, and service activities as part of the BC community.
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Bringing Books and Hope to Children in Eldoret
Children are flocking to the first public library in a Kenyan slum, thanks to a Legacy Grant project by Daniel Moverman ’18.
- Grants are awarded to current undergraduate Eagles once per year during the Spring semester. Applications will open in February, will close in March, and final decisions will be shared with grant recipients in April.
- The maximum available funding per project is $5,000
- We want to see your biggest, brightest, and most unique ideas brought to the table. However, there are some funding limitations. Legacy Grants may not be used for:
- Wages or stipends for individuals providing services for projects
- Donations to nonprofit or third-party organizations
- Rent, lodging, or living expenses, including local transportation
- Transportation for individuals other than yourself
- Snacks or meals for yourself or grant beneficiaries
- Real estate
- Construction costs
- Invasive medical supplies
- Animals for research purposes
- Internship Stipends
- Conference Fees
- Certification, patent, or application fees of any kind
- Domestic and international travel will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
- Transportation, if possible as conditions evolve and if approved, is funded via reimbursement. Please keep in mind that transportation will be funded only if travel is essential to the mission of a project and will not be considered if there is an underlying personal or social reason for the trip. All Legacy Grant funding comes from the philanthropy of fellow Eagles, with the intention to serve others. There are limitations on other travel expenses as detailed above.
- Answer each question with clear, concise, and complete sentences. Make sure that your responses address the mission of your project and why your project aligns with the Legacy Grant program.
- Make certain to proofread and edit your application. We encourage you to have a friend look over your application. It is important that the review board can clearly understand the intent, timeline, and goals of your project.
- Identify any partnerships with students, faculty, organizations, or groups that will be essential to your project's success. If such a collaborative relationship is necessary to complete your project, make sure you reach out to those involved before submitting your proposal and indicate your relationship on your application.
- Include a detailed budget that identifies the price and description of each item needed. It is important to explain why each item is needed in order to successfully complete your project.
- Prepare a clear timeline/project plan for your project. Outline the steps you will take (week by week, month by month) to achieve your goals. A strong plan of execution is an important component of your application.
- Speak to the sustainability of your project. Applications that do not identify how and why they are sustainable will not be funded.
- Applications will be reviewed by a board of administrators and students. The Legacy Grant Review Board will conduct a short interview with each finalist.
- Grant notifications will take place in mid-December and late April.
- Following completion of your project, you must submit a report with photos and/or video. We ask you to reflect upon and document your work: Record your experience; what you were able to achieve; the legacy you leave in place; and how the project serves as an example of men and women for others.
Questions? Contact legacygrants@bc.edu