The Parents Council Grant Awards Program

Applications for 2026 are open and close December 1 at 11:59 p.m. ET. See below for details and requirements. The Council receives between 20 – 40 applications every year.

Applications are reviewed, scored, and voted on by Carolina Parents Council members. To be eligible to apply, applicants must be a current student-led organization or department/office at UNC Chapel Hill. Applications must be submitted by the stated deadline. Once Council scoring concludes, selected applicants will be invited for an in-person interview with the Council Executive Committee on Friday, February 20, 2026. Selected programs will be notified in April with funding made available in July.

For your consideration, Council members value applications that express:

• Sustainability. Show that the initiative can be sustained and repeated for the future.
• Broad Reach. Show an ability to impact many students.
• Diverse Reach. Show an ability to reach diverse groups of students.
• Scalability. Show that it is possible to scale the initiative up and grow it over time.
• Alignment with Council and University values. Show that the initiative supports the University’s mission.

View an example of a completed application below.

Members of the Carolina Parents Council score each application based on the rubric below. We recommend reviewing while working on your application.

For your consideration, the Carolina Parents Council values initiatives that:

• Offer a positive impact to Carolina students.
• Support student safety.
• Create opportunities for social engagement and building community.
• Are led by students or student organizations.
• Support community wellness and well-being.

All awards are funded directly by Council members who make an annual $1,250 contribution. This year, members will allocate up to $50,000 for overall funding to eligible and successful applicants. In 2025, individual award amounts ranged from $1,000 to $7,000.

The Carolina Parents Council will fund:

• Typical costs associated with initiatives, including but not limited to supplies/materials, printing, and travel costs.
• Food purchases, but only with specific parameters or spending limits decided on in the interview process by the Council.
• Venue costs or space rental costs that contribute to hosting the initiative.

The Carolina Parents Council will not fund:

• Tangible giveaways with no educational purpose.
• Capital expenses.
• Funding flow-through for other non-profit organizations.
• Salaries or stipends.

Need assistance with your application? The Carolina Parents Council is excited to host two virtual workshops for on-demand guidance. Please join us on either of the following dates:

• Thursday, November 6 from 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• Thursday, November 13 from 4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Both workshops are “drop-in” opportunities.

Access the Zoom link HERE. Please reach out to New Student and Family Programs at [email protected] for questions or concerns.

Please view below for the 2026 award timeline. Please reach out to New Student and Family Programs at [email protected] for questions or concerns.

• Monday, November 3 | Noon | Applications Open
• Thursday, November 6 | 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | Zoom | Application Workshop
• Thursday, November 13 | 4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Zoom | Application Workshop
• Monday, December 1 | 11:59 p.m. | Applications Close
• Tuesday, Dec. 2 – Friday, Jan. 23, 2026 | Council Members Scoring Process
• Monday, February 2, 2026 | Applicants Notified If They Were Selected for In-Person Interviews
• Friday, February 13, 2026 | Interview Materials Due to New Student and Family Programs
• Friday, February 20, 2026 | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Location TBA | In-Person Interviews
• Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Council Members Vote
• Friday, April 3, 2026 | Award Decisions Sent to Applicants
• May – June 2026 | Required Spending Workshop with New Student and Family Programs
• Wednesday, July 15, 2026 | Funding Available to Awardees (Date subject to change)
• Monday, May 3, 2027 | Final Day to Spend Award Amount (Date subject to change)

For your consideration, please view award recipients from the last three years.

• 2025
• 2024
• 2023