The Educating Character Initiative
What’s New at the ECI
- 💸 Our 2026 Request for Proposals and Invitation to Community is now available. The ECI will award grants from $50K to $1M to help institutions across the U.S. integrate character education into the heart of their offerings.
- ℹ️ Register for the next Grant Information Session on Dec. 12 to learn more about Institutional Impact Grants.
- 🤝 Join the ECI Community for connection to peers educating character in higher education, plus resources, training, and intentional mentorship.
Learn about the 2026 Request for Proposals
The Educating Character Initiative equips institutions of higher education with the resources, funding, and support necessary to integrate character education into their distinctive institutional contexts, curricula, and cultures. We foster a robust network that recognizes the value of educating character within higher education.
Learn about Our Programs
Community Building
Join our community of educators, learn from other educators, and engage with us about your resources and your ideas.
Grantmaking
Learn about our grantmaking, which supports institutions engaged in efforts to strengthen the understanding, integration, and education of character at U.S. colleges and universities.
Collective Learning
Join our webinars, book club, and trainings to learn how to integrate character education into your unique academic contexts and curricula.
Work with Our ECI Team
Connect with our Educating Character Initiative staff for individualized support.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to help others plant the seeds of character education, and we all benefit as those efforts continue to grow.”
Jennifer Rothschild, Executive Director of the Educating Character Initiative
A project of the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University, the ECI was founded in 2023 through the generous support of Lilly Endowment Inc.