As part of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Initiative, Goat Yoga on the Quad is offered to Harvard Medical School students. Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer
Do you have an idea for an initiative that will embrace and promote the importance of mental health and well-being for students? Consider applying to the Wellbeing Project Fund.
The Wellbeing Project Fund came out of the University’s Student Mental Health Initiative, which kicked off last year to share resources and support a Harvard culture that embraces the importance of mental health and well-being. The initiative’s Student Wellbeing at Harvard website acts as a landing page for students seeking mental health and well-being resources, as well as for the other members of our community — including faculty, staff, postdocs, and fellows — who play an essential role in student well-being.
The Wellbeing Project Fund is a new initiative this year, spearheaded by the University’s Wellbeing Steering Committee and administered by the Office of the Associate Provost for Student Affairs. It offers grants of up to $2,000 to Harvard students, faculty, or staff to lead initiatives that support well-being at Harvard.
A person’s well-being can be shaped by many factors, so the fund takes a broad approach to defining it. Eligible projects will support any aspect of the Center for Wellness and Health Promotion’s Wellbeing Framework, which includes emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, physical, relational, spiritual, and vocational well-being.
Project grants will be awarded on a one-time basis. In order to be considered, applicants must describe how their initiative would benefit well-being and mental health among the student community. The ideal initiative would leverage existing student well-being programs and resources, building off of existing initiatives across the University to improve overall student well-being.
“There are so many things that factor into a person’s mental health, and we can all make a difference in supporting an environment that promotes well-being,” said Robin Glover, associate provost for Student Affairs. “The Wellbeing Project Fund offers anyone in our community the opportunity to make a measurably positive difference in the lives of students here on campus. We can’t wait to see what ideas are put forth for the coming year.”
Applicants are encouraged to submit their ideas for the 2023-2024 academic year. Applications will be reviewed by a subcommittee of the University’s Wellbeing Steering Committee, and decisions will be made on a rolling basis.
For more information about the fund and instructions on how to apply, visit the Wellbeing Project Fund website.