The School of Science is pleased to offer the Science Quality of Life (SQoL) program designed to build community within the school, promote inclusiveness for students, staff, and faculty, and support the well-being of our community members. The program’s goals are to:

  • Build community and foster a sense of inclusion.
  • Provide faculty, staff and students opportunities to interact and socialize outside of the current research-driven activities and events.
  • Integrate academic and social aspects of life within the school.
  • Improve communications and outreach.
  • Build collaborations and connections with other community groups.

Projects need not be ambitious in scope, so long as they encourage positive connections within the community. Proposals can be submitted under three broad categories – it is possible for a proposal to be applicable to more than one category. These are:

  • Community building
  • Inclusion and belonging
  • Mentoring

Examples of activities could include: workshops, seminars, wellness programs, book clubs, team building activities, and others.

Due to the overwhelming response we received for previous cycles, and in the spirit of maximizing inclusion and approving as many applications as possible, the following should be noted:

  • The funding cap for this cycle will remain at $1,500 – as opposed to $3,000 in previous years;
  • Proposals that have matching funds from departmental and/or other sources will be viewed favorably by the selection committee;
  • In the event that we need to prioritize between multiple similar eligible proposals, preference will be given to proposals that have not received QOL funding in the past.

Please contact the Dean’s Office at sos-dean-sqol@mit.edu for additional information.

Proposal process and guidelines

Proposals are reviewed and funded twice per a year with notifications made within 30 days of the submission deadlines noted below:

The submission deadline for this cycle is September 19, 2025.

Apply at: https://mitfunding.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1989633

Eligibility: • Eligibility: Applicant’s and co-applicant’s primary appointment must be in the School of Science and have the means (outside of funding needs) to execute their proposal. Funds are meant to be used for School of Science activities. Funds will be distributed only to DLCIs within the School of Science for administration.

Please be sure to include the following information in your proposal:

  • Detailed description of the event or activity
  • Rationale for how this will build community within the School
  • Clarify that the effort is achievable within the proposed time frame and budget
  • Explain how your proposal makes a difference in the quality of life of participants.
  • A list of the types of people who you expect to attend the event (faculty, staff, students, with their affiliated units)
  • A detailed budget.
    • Please note: In general, funding will not cover equipment (cameras, computers, furniture). Proposals for house parties or research will not be considered. In addition, these funds cannot support charities. Proposal authors are expected to volunteer their time; stipends for the organizing team will not be considered.

Please note that when picking your primary department, you must select the DLC that will be managing the award (PILM, MIBR, BCS).

After funding

The lead applicant is expected to work with their School of Science unit to utilize funds. Using the form below, grant recipients will be asked to submit a summary report at the end of the semester describing their planning, activities, schedule, budget, and community participation and impact. We would also appreciate any photos of your events or activities, if available.

Name
Please enter the names of any co-organizers, their affiliated units, and contact information including email.
Please describe the activities, including your planning and communications efforts.
In addition to start and end dates, please list particular event dates (such as kickoff, seminar series, final presentations) as well.
Please state the total number of participants as well as the number of participants by MIT affiliation (staff, undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, alumni, and/or other) for each event. Estimates are acceptable if exact numbers are not available.
Please describe how your activities improved quality of life for your community. Please include quotes of direct community feedback, if possible.
Please explain if you are planning or would like to repeat or build on your activities in the future and your goals for these follow-up activities.
Please tell us anything you would like us to know about your events or feedback for the Quality of Life Program.
Click or drag a file to this area to upload.
Please submit an itemized budget as an attachment with this report. Include the orignal estimate of the overall cost as well as the amount and source of any cost sharing.

Supplemental Material

Please use the fields below for any additional material, including any images from your activities or events, if available.

If you do not receive confirmation from this submission within 48 hours, please contact us at scncinfo@mit.edu. Thank you!