The Catawba Impact Award Program

Individual Application    Group Application
(Student-only access)

Applications must include the following:  

• A 250-word proposal that includes a detailed description of the intended project, travel, conference, or internship.
• A clear and detailed budget for ALL associated costs of your project, travel, internship, conference.
• Name of the advisor(s) associated with the Impact Award activity.  

View general access copies of the applications and an example of a  detailed budget below:

View Details of Individual Application	View Details of Group Application	View Details of Approver Form

Applications are accepted in three cycles:  

• Cycle 1:  Sept 15–Oct 3, 2025 (for activities taking place during the Fall 2025* & Spring 2026 Semester, before Mar 30, 2026)  – funds disbursed Jan 2026  

• Cycle 2:  Oct 20–Nov 3, 2025 (for activities taking place during the Spring Semester, after Apr 1, 2026) – funds disbursed Mar 2026  

• Cycle 3: March 23–Apr 10, 2026 (for Summer or Fall 2026 activities) — funds disbursed May 2026

NOTES:

• *Important: as we revise the Impact Award policy and processes, we are making a one-time exception during Cycle 1 to accept applications for experiences occurring during Fall 2025 in addition to those taking place in Spring 2026. This adjustment is intended to ensure that students receive support during the transition period.
• Disbursement timing: we are unable to guarantee an exact disbursement date for Fall 2025 awards. However, approved awards supporting Fall 2025 activities will be processed and issued at some point during the fall semester.
• Processing schedule: the specific timing of reimbursements will depend on administrative processing schedules.
• Urgent needs: unfortunately, we cannot accommodate urgent requests for immediate payment. If you require upfront payments for your Fall 2025 experience, we strongly recommend using other funding sources. Approved Impact Awards will be issued retroactively as reimbursements.

Project/Travel/Internship proposal should be 250 words or less.  When writing the proposal, ask yourself:

• What are the goals for your proposed project?​
• What makes this project important?​
• What do you need to make this project happen?​
• Why should this application be funded?​
• What is the timeline of your project?

For area specific guidelines, please reach out to the advisor of your Impact Award project, Study-Abroad leader, or one of our Impact Award area experts:

• Research: Dr. Carmony Hartwig
• Creative: Dr. Philip Burgess
• Service: Rev. Kendra Joyner Miller
• Internships: Michael Frederick

Each undergraduate Catawba student is eligible to receive UP to $3,000 Total during their time at Catawba College, with the following yearly break-down:  

• First-Year: $1,000 maximum 
  
• Sophomore: $2,000 cumulative 
  
• Junior: $3,000 cumulative 
  
• Senior: $3,000 cumulative  

As long as the student does not exceed their $3,000 Impact Award limit, they can apply as many times as they wish. 

Catawba College is part of the South Atlantic Athletic (NCAA) Conference.  According to the conference bylaws, Catawba College is not allowed to award financial aid that exceeds the total cost of a student’s direct charges (tuition, fees, room, and board). This means:

• Student-athletes who already receive a full grant-in-aid package during the Fall and Spring semesters are not eligible for Impact Awards during those semesters, because their aid is already at the maximum allowed.
• Summer aid is treated differently. Since summer financial aid is not included in these restrictions, student-athletes on a full grant-in-aid package during the academic year may still apply for Impact Awards for summer opportunities such as study abroad, internships, or other approved programs.  Please reach out to Mr. Michael Frederick  for more information about summer internships. 
• Federal Title IV financial aid requirements will still apply. Please check with the Financial Aid office on how an Impact Award may be affected by other summer funding.

• Study abroad/away
• Internships
• Research
• Creative projects
• Service-learning projects
• Conference presentations

• Travel costs
• Registration fees
• Project or research materials
• Modest housing and transportation expenses
• Basic needs directly connected to the approved activity 

Pre-Certification 

Applications will automatically be checked for eligibility and routed for pre-certification. Students will receive notifications detailing how to resolve any holds or provide missing information.   

Before funding is awarded, proposals are reviewed by a faculty/staff expert in the relevant field: 

• Internships: Michael Frederick, Director of Internships and Career Planning 
  
• Research, Conferences: Dr. Carmony Hartwig 
  
• Study Abroad/ International Travel: Jessica Alfaro, Director of the Ketner Center for International Studies 
  
• Service Learning: Rev. Kendra Joyner-Miller 
• Creative Projects: Dr. Phillip Burgess  
• Domestic Travel: Dr. Erin Daugherty 

• All Academic and Registrar holds must be cleared for an Impact Award application to be considered complete.  
• If there is an account hold, students will be directed to contact the appropriate office to address it.  
• IMPORTANT: All Academic and Registrar Holds must be cleared before Impact Award funds can be disbursed. 

Most of the Impact Awards will be disbursed as scholarship funds, via direct deposit through the Financial Aid Office.

Students will be asked to complete a Reflection form sent at the end of the semester when their Impact Award projects/travel took place. We hope that these reflections will help the students connect the IA-supported experiences to their academic and career goals.

View the most frequently asked questions about the Impact Award Program: