MLA Pathways Step Grants

About this program

The Modern Language Association, with support from the Mellon Foundation, offers Pathways Step Grants of up to $10,000 for twelve-month projects that improve undergraduate recruitment, retention, and career readiness in languages, literature, writing, culture, area studies, and related humanities disciplines. Grants may support curricular innovation, advising and departmental partnerships, internships, research, community-based learning, outreach, transfer pipelines, and career development. Applications must be submitted institutionally by accredited higher education institutions in the United States or Canada, including community colleges and minority-serving institutions; proposals should demonstrate feasibility, potential impact, and attention to underserved students. Applications open August 12 and are due October 30, 2026; awardees must send a representative to the January 2028 MLA Convention and produce a public-facing project brief.