Funding Community Research
Overview
The RPIRG Community Action Project (CAP) supports grassroots, community-engaged research that advances social and environmental justice. The program funds research led by University of Regina faculty members in collaboration with students and community partners.
Research projects must:
- be community-driven or rooted in lived experience;
- create pathways for applied research to impact real-world change;
- build reciprocal relationships between researchers and communities; and
- contribute to public knowledge sharing and justice-oriented action.
Additionally, all funded research projects are also expected to:
- align with RPIRG’s principles of anti-oppression, social justice, environmental justice, equity, decolonization, and inclusive knowledge-building;
- prioritize creating paid, meaningful student research roles; and
- provide opportunity to students, wherever possible, to participate in advisory committees, or take part in the planning, development, or execution of the research.
Each research project receives up to $3,000
Eligibility
Project lead must be:
- a faculty member or instructor at the University of Regina.
- involved in or planning research that includes:
- at least one student research assistant.
- A community partner— if applicable (e.g., nonprofit, collective, or grassroots group).
Collaborative, multi-disciplinary, and cross-cultural research is highly encouraged
Additionally, the research project must:
- hire at least one current U of R student (undergrad or graduate);
- pay the student a minimum of $22/hour;
- engage the student researcher in meaningful, skill-building work; and
- provide clear mentorship and supervision.
Examples of student tasks:
- Data collection and analysis
- Literature reviews
- Organizing workshops or focus groups
- Producing public materials (e.g., videos, reports)
- Participating in community meetings and advisory work
RPIRG can support inclusive student recruitment and employment using its resources
How to Apply
Funding is awarded on a rolling basis until annual funds are depleted
A faculty member must submit an application to info@rpirg.org with the subject: CAP Funding Application – [Project Title]
Applications must include:
Proposal
- (2–3 pages) Objectives, timeline, and community relevance
- Anticipated student role and outcomes
- Description of community collaboration (if applicable)
- Proposed public-facing deliverables
Budget
- Detailed breakdown of expenses
- Total amount requested from RPIRG (generally upto $3000 per project, but we will review each application holistically)
Letter of Support
- From a participating community group (if applicable)
Faculty CV or Short Bio
Reporting
All funded projects must submit a report within 2 months of project completion. The report should include:
- Activities completed and student contributions
- Community involvement and feedback
- Summary of key findings or outcomes
- Budget reconciliation
- Copy or link to any public-facing deliverables
Deliverables must:
- Be accessible to non-academic audiences
- Credit RPIRG support in materials and acknowledgments
Current Projects
Employment Integration among International Student— A Pilot Study
- Researcher: Dr. Yu (Jade) Han and Dr. Andrew Stevens
- Community Partner: UR International
International students navigate the Canadian labour market with limited support. They are not eligible for settlement services funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and are often unaware of other available resources; therefore, international students primarily rely on postsecondary institutions for immigration and career support (Dennler, 2022).
In this research, we propose to explore how post-secondary school practices and support contribute to the development of career competencies among international students. Specifically, the research aims to achieve the following:
1. Investigate the influence of various components of post-secondary school support on the career competencies (i.e., career adaptability and resilience) of international students.
2. Investigate the experience of international students with post-secondary school career support; Identity the challenges that international students encounter in accessing and benefiting from available career support within post-secondary schools.
Strengthening Disability Advocacy in Saskatchewan
- Researcher: Dr. Lynn Gidluck
- Community Partner: Disability Income Support Coalition & Saskatchewan Mental Health Association
The project aims to:
- Synthesize student research from the Fall 2025 NSLI 240 course into a single, community-ready report summarizing the most promising ideas and recommendations for DISC’s renewal.
- Mobilize knowledge by translating the best academic and applied insights from student work into accessible language for DISC’s member organizations.
- Support implementation by helping DISC act on key recommendations if project time allows.
- Provide meaningful paid research experience for a University of Regina student in applied disability advocacy and community-engaged research.
