The Paul Frederick Sheffer Fund for Roman Catholic Studies

2026-2027 DEADLINES

Students who take the time to thoroughly develop their proposals are more likely to have both more successful grant proposal and meaningful projects. These proposals typically demonstrate thoughtful, detailed, well-planned projects. In this light, the Sheffer Committee strongly encourages students to start planning their projects as far in advance as possible. This includes working a semester ahead. Applying before the deadline can be helpful, as proposals often require additional work before approval. 

The Sheffer Committee accepts proposals on Summit the 1^st Monday of Blocks 2-7. You are welcome to submit a proposal at any time, but if it falls during winter, spring or summer breaks, there are specific deadlines. Submitting your proposal early is always welcome. If your proposal is for a specific block, you are highly encouraged to apply a few blocks ahead of time.

THESE ARE SPECIFIC DEADLINES for projects during the following breaks:  

• Winter Break Projects: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026 [Block 2]
• Spring Break Projects: Monday, Jan. 8, 2027 [Half-Block]
• Summer Break Projects: Monday, February 22, 2027 [Block 6]

*Project proposals that take place during Breaks, and are submitted after the deadlines above,will not be considered. 

The Sheffer Committee is looking for thoughtful, well-developed proposals that have been intentionally thought through and put together. Many students find that their proposal development is strengthened by reaching out to campus and local Catholic resources as thought partners, information experts, and for supportive feedback.

Proposals should include:

• Clear articulation of the project’s direct connection to the exploration of Roman Catholicism.
• Demonstration of intentional preparation in the project’s proposal, and plan for preparation before leaving.
• Demonstration of proactive engagement. If the proposal includes connecting with individuals at a specific location, the project should demonstrate the effort that has already been made to schedule and secure interviews in advance.
• Articulation of how this project connects to your academic and/or personal growth
• Articulation of the plan to integrate and share learning from the Sheffer Grant upon return to Colorado College. Detailed budget and itinerary.

Students can apply for a maximum of $3,000 for their individual project. Groups can apply for up to $3,000 per person.

Typically, proposals budget for: Travel (if applicable), lodging, food, and other costs such as admission fees to archives and other relevant project sites.

The following will costs are not able to be supported by a grant:

• Electronics [please check with ITS to borrow equipment] 
• Personal Books [encourage checking out books from the library]
• Personal Items [defined as items you might keep or use personally]
• Contingency funding [funding for possible incidentals that you do not know]
• SIM cards and/or phone plans
• Alcohol, tobacco, and drugs
• Admissions to non-relevant project sites
• General entertainment
• Economy Plus, First Class, and specific seat assignments for airfare
• Taxes
• Car, boat, motorcycle, or other forms of vehicle rental
• Missed income or rent accrued during the duration of the project
• Luxury accommodations
• Health Insurance and Accrued Medical Expenses
  
  *Please note that all students awarded a Sheffer Fund Grant will be responsible for all applicable taxes, and international taxes will be deducted before dispersal.

WHEN THE SHEFFER FUND GRANT MIGHT NOT BE A GOOD FIT 

Projects that do not directly focus on Roman Catholicism and/or whose primary interest is travel are not a good fit for the Sheffer Fund. Colorado College has a series of other funding opportunities that might align better with their goals.

CAN GRADUATING SENIORS APPLY?

Seniors are welcome to apply for a Sheffer Grant for projects completed before the end of Block 8. Seniors are NOT eligible for projects proposed to occur after graduation.

CAN A GROUP APPLY FOR A SHEFFER FUND GRANT?

Multiple students can apply for the same project proposal. It is important that all parties are involved in developing the project. If a grant is awarded, each person receives a specific amount for the project.

I HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED A SHEFFER FUND GRANT, CAN I APPLY FOR ANOTHER ONE?

It is possible to apply for a second grant, though the Sheffer Committee prioritizes first-time proposals. If you submit a second proposal during your time at CC, please include in your proposal an explanation of why pursuing another project is significant. Additionally, it is helpful to be aware that repeat applicants are more likely to receive less funding if approved.

CAN I DO A SHEFFER FUND PROJECT WHILE ON A LEAVE OF ABSENCE OR MEDICAL LEAVE?

All Sheffer Fund projects must take place while a student is currently enrolled in classes at CC. As such, Sheffer Fund projects cannot occur while a student is on leave.

1. Proposals will be accepted first Monday of Blocks 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.
2. There are specific deadlines for projects taking place during Winter, Spring, and Summer Breaks. You are welcome to submit the proposals earlier then the deadlines below.

• Winter Break Projects: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026 [Block 2]
• Spring Break Projects: Monday, Jan. 8, 2027 [Half-Block]
• Summer Break Projects: Monday, February 22, 2027 [Block 6]

1. All proposals sent back to applicants for revision will be given a deadline for resubmission.
2. Applications are accepted via the Summit Sheffer Grant Application Form.
3. If the grant application has multiple authors, one primary applicant will submit the project narrative, and budget, and initiate IACUC/IRB review. Both the primary applicant and the co-applicant will need to include the names of the faculty and/or staff reference for the project. The primary applicant will upload their own transcript and student account printout in the main application form.
   
   Each co-applicant (i.e., not the person who is uploading the proposal and the budget) should go to the Co-Applicant Form to upload their personal confidential documents (transcript, student account printout).
4. The application will ask for:
   • A clear description of the project, indicating its direct relation to Roman Catholic Studies and its relevance to the applicant's educational program and personal development.
   • The applicant's relevant academic preparation for the proposed project.
   • A bibliography of research materials used for preparing the proposal.
   • Detailed budget, listing all costs and an explanation of the costs, and all other sources of funding sought and/or received. There is an excel budget template in the Summit application that student applicants can download and use.
   • Recommender name and email. The recommender will get an email from Summit to submit their recommendation.
     
     
     • If you are submitting a proposal for a student project, you will need to enter the name and email of a Colorado College faculty member who will provide a recommendation for you. The faculty member must be knowledgeable about your proposed project because they have worked with you as you developed your proposal. If the faculty only knows you enough to say "so and so was a student in my classes and had been a great student" and knows little about your proposal, it would be considered a weak letter of support.
     • If you are submitting a proposal for an internship, you will need to enter the name and email of your internship supervisor.
   • How do you plan to share the results of the project with the campus community?
   • If your project involves research with human participants or vertebrate animals, you will need to review IRB and/or IACUC approval prior to submission.
   • If your project involves international travel, questions regarding safety are embedded within the application for review from Global Education. If you have questions prior to submission, please reach out to their office. 
5. For students interested in proposals related to pilgrimages, you must work with a member of the Sheffer Committee and review resources before submitting a proposal. There are specific questions designed to help you plan an intentional and reflective pilgrimage, and for the committee to review the seriousness of the proposed pilgrimage. Please see the Summit application for pilgrimage application questions.

All funded student projects must be completed (including the presentation to the campus community) according to the timeline presented in the proposal.

After the Sheffer Committee reviews proposals, they may be returned with suggestions for clarification or refinement. The proposal may be resubmitted after revision. Proposals will be evaluated on the value of the project as a contribution to Roman Catholic studies, the design of the research or internship, the preparation of the applicant, and the quality of writing.

• Legacy of the Knights of Saint John on Rhodes Island (Greece)
• Exploration of the history of Medieval Catholic pilgrimage and saint reliquaries in Conques, Figeac, and Rocamadour
• Understanding Catholic Identity in the Current Political Ecosystem
• The Intersecting History of Italian Catholicism and Fascism
• Catholicism's Impact on Society in Germany - A Social, Religious, and Economic Exploration
• Poetic Imagination
• Puentes de Fe: Pope Francis' Bridge Between Argentina and the Catholic Church
• Faith, Policy, and Health: The Crossroads of Catholicism and Healthcare in Peru
• Catholicism Across Ireland's Coasts: Exploring the Preservation of Churches and Parishes
• Exploring the Cultural and Anthropological Significance of Roman Catholic Churches of Southern Baja California
• The Cusco School: Indigenous Iconography meets the Roman Catholic Church
• Harmony in Symbolism: A Cross-Cultural Exploration of Martyrs and Saints in Religious Art
• The Social Impact of Catholic Communities on the East Coast
• The Renaissance landscape: How religious art reshaped our relationship to nature
• Exploring Spain’s Camino de Santiago: Motivations and the Role of Tourism and Nonprofits in Modern-Day Pilgrimage
• Deciphering the Resonance between Architecture and and Religion: The Ebb and Flow of Catholicism in the British Isle
• Photographic Essay: Indigenous Identity within Catholicism
• Understanding the Catechism's Social Teaching Through Slovakian Catholic Perceptions
• Catholicism In The Caribbean: A Story of Decline and Rebirth
• The Tradition of Roman Catholic Tattoos of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Mary's Shadows Throughout Europe
• Urban Women and Activists in Slovakia: Perception of the Catholic Church and the “Gender Ideology” Campaign
• Motivation, Ritual, and Spirituality on the Camino de Santiago
• Giving Back: The Catholic Church's Social Activism in the Philippines
• The 2018 Eighth Amendment Referendum and the Political Sway of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland
• Catholicism vs. The State
• The Localization of Catholicism in Yunnan and Guizhou, China
• The effect of Catholicism on Hungarian ethnic communities in Slovakia in retaining their national identity as Hungarians after the Treaty of Trianon in 1921 to the present day
• Religion and National Identity: How Race and Nationality Influence Catholic Activism
• A New World, a New Vision: Studying the Life of Jorge Mario Bergoglio and the Papacy of Pope Francis in Argentina
• Saints and Martyrs of East Africa: How They are Celebrated
• The life and work of artist Corita Kent
• The Catholic Church’s Involvement in the Immigration Struggle in France
• Religious syncretism of pagan and Christian beliefs in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christmas celebrations in Poland
• The Catholic Church’s Involvement in the Immigration Struggle in France
• A Visual Exploration of the Resilience of Catholicism in Havana, Cuba during and after the Castro Regime
• An investigation into the Catholic Church in Modern Cuba
• The Life and work of Oscar Wilde: Examining the Relationship Between Homosexuality and the Roman Catholic Church
• Irish monasticism in Ireland
• Antoni Gaudí: Redefining Catholicism through Architecture
• Interaction of Jews and the Catholic Church from the Reformation through Vatican II
• Gays in the Catholic Church in England
• Christians, Vikings, and Trolls: A Brief History of Roman Catholicism in Norway
• Comparing 21st-Century Pilgrimages in the Buddhist and Catholic Traditions
• Veneration of Saints in Italian Villages: Following the Festivals
• Research at Sacre Coeur Hospital in Beirut on service during the Lebanese Civil War
• Reinventing the Catholic Faith: Investigating Ecclesial Base Communities in Post-revolution Nicaragua
• Volunteer work in St. Mary's Mission Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya
• Photographic Essay on Catholic Community and Ancient Churches in Azerbaijan
• Volunteer work with the No More Deaths Campaign on U.S.-Mexican Border
• La Saleth Festival in South India: A Study of Hindu-Catholic Syncretism
• Research on Catherine of Siena in Italy
• Archives Preservation for Sister of Perpetual Adoration at Mount Saint Francis
• Ethnobotanical Investigation of Catholic-Bwiti Crossroads: Bantu Ritual Use of Hallucinogens
• Faculty-Student retreat at a Benedictine monastery in North Dakota
• St. John's Bible Exhibition, with featured speakers and workshops (with Benet Hill Monastery)
• Roman Catholic Patronage in Baroque Ceiling Paintings (Farnese Gallery in Rome)
• Catholic Values in the Peacebuilding Process (Sanski Most, Bosnia-Herzegovina)
• An archival study of Los Hermanos Penitentes in New Mexico and Colorado in the late 1600s
• Roman Catholic Epistolary Tradition in France and Spain
• In the Wake of the Water Wars: Catholicism and Socialism in Cochabamba
• Colorado College Symposium on "Religion and Public Life"