In Lumine Tuo Request for Proposals

Today’s students see college as their ticket to a career, leaving little time to think about the intellectual virtues that enrich their lives. Meanwhile, professors make advances in their subfields but reflect little on human flourishing more broadly. These symptoms reflect a deeper crisis: a loss of a common language across the university. Without a shared vocabulary transcending the disciplines, both students and faculty lack the tools to grasp the big questions about human purpose. How can professors foster a sense of wonder beyond the confines of their classrooms? How can students acquire intellectual virtues? How can they discern purpose beyond the corporate rat race or the culture of publish or perish needed to flourish? 

In Lumine Network grants support initiatives, centers, and institutes working to advance the Catholic intellectual tradition on non-Catholic college and university campuses. Successful grant programs will provide a rich vocabulary to students and faculty – Catholic and non-Catholic alike – to explore life’s fundamental questions while fostering intellectual friendships, the integration of faith and reason, and dialogue in an atmosphere of humble exchange. 

Programs will advance in public engagement programming on non-Catholic colleges and universities in three domains:  1.) Science as a Gateway to Wonder, 2.) Intellectual Virtues, and 3.) Noble Purpose for Flourishing. 

The RFP aims to:

• Catalyze programming on campuses through direct funding that advances activity around  three domains:  1.) Science as a Gateway to Wonder, 2.) Intellectual Virtues, and 3.) Noble Purpose for Flourishing
• Support these institutes through learning opportunities focused on leadership and fostering collaboration, as well as innovative best practices, essential operational skills, and program evaluation 
• Elevate these institutes’ exposure through in-person and online collaborations, communication opportunities based on their project activities, and promotion through regular publicity campaigns.

This grant is made possible through the support of ‘In Lumine Tuo: Expanding and Sustaining the Catholic Intellectual Tradition Nationwide (Grant #63614) from the John Templeton Foundation.

Who Should Apply

• Institutes or initiatives for Catholic thought who are currently part of the In Lumine Network that work to advance public engagement programming around the Catholic intellectual tradition at non-Catholic Universities with project proposals that engage in any of three broad domains

○  1.) Science as a Gateway to Wonder

○  2.) Intellectual Virtues

○  3.) Noble Purpose for Flourishing. 

• Two tiers of funding will be available. Grants up to $45,000 per year who previously received funding from the In Lumine Network (Grant #62372) and grants of up to $20,000 per year who were not previously funded by  Grant #62372.
• Projects must be planned for one to two years. A second grant cycle for one year grants (renewal or new grants) will take place in 2027.
• All projects must conclude by June 30, 2028. 

Priority will be given to projects that aim to do one or more of the following:

• Projects that have clear college/university audience (students, faculty, staff). 
• Demonstrate clear plan for collaborations/engagement with campus institutional partners (schools, divisions, departments, centers) or non-university institutional partners who operate on host campus (e.g. Christian study centers, institutes for jewish or muslim thought, thomistic institute, society of Catholic Scientists, Catholic Research Economist Discussion Organization, etc.).
• Projects that clearly engage multiple domains
• Projects that demonstrate plan for engagement/formation of students in intellectual virtues (e.g. curiosity, humility, critical thinking) in contrast to programs that merely discuss virtues. 

Benefits

• Receive up to $45,000 USD per year (Tier 1) or up to $20,000 (Tier 2) to implement the project within one to two years of receipt of funding, as well as 10% indirect to be distributed to subgrantees.
• As In Lumine Network Members, grant recipients are eligible for future learning, capacity building, and networking opportunities.

Applications

All candidates must submit an application through the grant portal by the deadline of August 1, 2025, 11:59 p.m. EDT. All candidates will receive a decision on their pre-application at the end of August 2025.

You may submit only one proposal for which you are the project leader. We only accept applications that are submitted through our online portal. 

If you have questions, please email us at inlumine@lumenchristi.org with “In Lumine Network RFP” in the subject line.

Today’s students see college as their ticket to a career, leaving little time to think about the intellectual virtues that enrich their lives. Meanwhile, professors make advances in their subfields but reflect little on human flourishing more broadly. These symptoms reflect a deeper crisis: a loss of a common language across the university. Without a shared vocabulary transcending the disciplines, both students and faculty lack the tools to grasp the big questions about human purpose. How can professors foster a sense of wonder beyond the confines of their classrooms? How can students acquire the intellectual virtues? How can they discern purpose beyond the corporate rat race or the culture of publish or perish needed to flourish? 

Ex Umbris Grants support organizations and initiatives to advance the Catholic intellectual tradition on non-Catholic college and university campuses. Successful grant programs will provide a rich vocabulary to students and faculty – Catholic and non-Catholic alike – to explore life’s fundamental questions while fostering intellectual friendships, the integration of faith and reason, and dialogue in an atmosphere of humble exchange. 

Programs will advance in public engagement programming at non-Catholic colleges and  universities in three domains:  1.) Science as a Gateway to Wonder, 2.) Intellectual Virtues, and 3.) Noble Purpose for Flourishing. 

The RFP aims to:

•  Identify organizations and initiatives outside of the In Lumine Network working to advance the Catholic intellectual tradition on non-Catholic campuses of higher education.
• Catalyze Catholic programming on campuses through direct funding that advances activity around  three domains:  1.) Science as a Gateway to Wonder, 2.) Intellectual Virtues, and 3.) Noble Purpose for Flourishing
• Support these initiatives through learning opportunities focused on leadership and fostering collaboration, as well as innovative best practices, essential operational skills, and program evaluation 

This grant is made possible through the support of ‘In Lumine Tuo: Expanding and Sustaining the Catholic Intellectual Tradition Nationwide (Grant #63614) from the John Templeton Foundation.

Who Should Apply

• Organizations who are not yet a part of the In Lumine Network or who are new to the Network (not previously funded through Grant #62372)  that work to advance public engagement programming around the Catholic intellectual tradition at non-Catholic Universities with project proposals that engage in any of three broad domains

○  1.) Science as a Gateway to Wonder

○  2.) Intellectual Virtues

○  3.) Noble Purpose for Flourishing. 

• Grants between $2,000 and  $6,000 
• All projects must comprise of a leadership team that includes at least one faculty member from the institution where programming is taking place. 
• Projects must be planned for one-two years. Two grant cycles will occur between July, 2025 and June, 2028.
• All projects must conclude by June 30, 2028. 

Priority will be given to projects that aim to do one or more of the following:

• Projects that have clear college/university audiences (students, faculty, staff) and emulate academic excellence. 
• Demonstrate clear plan for collaborations/engagement with individual campus partners (Faculty) and campus institutional partners (schools, divisions, departments, centers) or non-university institutional partners who operate on host campus (e.g. Christian study centers, institutes for Jewish or Muslim thought, the Thomistic institute, the Society of Catholic Scientists, Catholic Research Economist Discussion Organization, etc.).
• Designed with a broad audience in mind, including Catholics and non-Catholics. 
• When focusing on intellectual virtues, projects will be prioritized that demonstrate a plan for engagement/formation of students in intellectual virtues (e.g. curiosity, humility, critical thinking) in contrast to programs that merely discuss virtues. 

Benefits

• Receive between $2,000 and 6,000 USD to implement the project within one year of receipt of funding.
• Grant recipients become affiliate In Lumine Network Members, join the ILN Community, and are eligible for future learning, capacity building, and networking opportunities.

Applications

To be eligible, all candidates must submit a pre-application through the grant portal by the deadline of August 1, 2025, 11:59 p.m. EDT. Applicants whose pre-applications are successful will be invited to submit a full application. All candidates will receive a decision on their pre-application at the end of August 2025.

You may submit only one proposal for which you are the project leader. We only accept applications that are submitted through our online portal. If you have questions, please email us at inlumine@lumnetchristi.org with “In Lumine Network RFP” in the subject line.