What We Do

We share what we know from both research and practice to support the whole institution—providing our members with the knowledge, skills, and capacity needed for effective community and civic engagement. Our coalition is focused on teaching, research, and institutional action in service of the public good.

Responsive Programming & Capacity Building

We focus on supporting members when they need it most. From student community engagement and engaged pedagogy strategies, to re-imagining partnerships with a focus on equity, we build capacity for positive impact on students and communities.

  • Customized technical assistance—access expert staff and learn from the experience of similar institutions nationwide
  • Institutional planning support—align institutional and community assets to achieve shared goals for positive change
  • Mini-grants—funding to pilot new and emerging programs and initiatives
  • Webinars and Coalition Conversations—collaborative learning and action on topics that meet the needs of the moment
  • AmeriCorps at Campus Compact—Campus Compact members can harness the power of national service to address critical needs both on and off campus with Campus Compact AmeriCorps programs. AmeriCorps members engage in capacity building and direct service work that mobilizes students, faculty, and staff to tackle pressing challenges. Our AmeriCorps members advance education attainment and social cohesion, health equity, economic mobility, and environmental stewardship in a variety of organizational settings.
  • Events & conferencesOur Compact22 national conference recently brought over 650 Compact members together to advance equity through civic and community engagement

Resources you can count on

For decades, we’ve offered practical tools for community-based teaching, campus-community partnership development, and more with ways to exchange resources and ideas. We lift up new voices to bring leading-edge resources to drive your work.

  • Publications—discounts on everything from foundational knowledge to of-the-moment topics published by Campus Compact
    (Coming in 2023: Anti-Racist Community Engagement:
    Principles and Practices)
  • Civic Action Planning—establish goals for aligning institutional practices and value
  • Our online Resource Library holds a wide variety of current and archival materials that can assist in your civic and community engagement work. Find recorded trainings, syllabi, curated collections on key topics, and much more.

Communities and Networks

We intentionally convene and build member communities and networks that create deep connections and capacity for impact.

Relationship-centered professional development

Our programs and initiatives support faculty, staff, and administrators across institutions to build skills, capacity for change, and leadership. We offer a wide diversity of programs that foster connections and growth.

  • Community Engagement Professional Credentialing Program—earn recogntion of competency in higher education community engagement and find a framework for continuous learning about developing effective, inclusive, and equity-based partnerships and practices. Earning credentials also offers a great opportunity for whole-team professional development.
  • Engaged Scholars Initiative—join engaged faculty and staff in a year-long cohort experience designed to strengthen community-engaged scholarship and leadership on equity-focused change
  • National conference—build community and learn from members across the country
  • Communities of Practice—join cohorts for shared learning and exchange around key areas of civic and community engagement practice (e.g., community partnership, engaged teaching and learning, assessment and evaluation, place-based strategies, engaged research, equity and inclusion, etc.)

Transformational student experiences

Educating students to be active and informed community members is central to all of our programming. We support students as they develop leadership skills, strategies for engagement, public applications of academic knowledge, and increased civic participation.

  • Student summer programs—experiences like the Tyson Summer Community Internship help students develop skills and partner with communities
  • The Newman Civic Fellowship recognizes outstanding students who are already contributing to the health and strength of communities. We take their leadership to the next level through cohort-based student professional development.
  • Student Certificate in Community Engagement (coming soon)j

Recognition and visibility

We are a professional home for community-engaged institutions, professionals, and faculty. We recognize excellence and advocate for the critical role in higher education in building democracy, the economy, and society.

  • Partnerships—leverage resources from local and national organizations through established Campus Compact partnerships
  • Advocacy for the critical role of higher education in enabling full participation in the economy, society, and democracy
  • Summits for presidents and chancellors—cultivate shared goals and collective voice around the public purposes of higher education.
  • Impact Awards—earn recognition for outstanding community engagement work for faculty, community engagement professionals, and institutions

We are a coalition for a reason; together, we can enable collective action for the public good in ways no one institution can do alone.