MindHandHeart

MindHandHeart is a coalition of students, faculty, and staff with fresh insights, new ideas, and diverse perspectives working collaboratively and strategically to strengthen the fabric of our MIT community.

Chancellor’s Innovation Fund

Founded and funded by the Office of the Chancellor, the Chancellor’s Innovation Fund supports a biannual call for proposals from the MIT community to leverage the creativity and problem-solving skills of everyone at the Institute to strengthen the fabric of our institution. Every year, the Chancellor’s Innovation Fund adopts a theme to address the most pressing issues within the MIT community.

To learn more about the Chancellor’s Innovation Fund, please visit MindHandHeart (MIT login required).

Community Building Seed Grant Fund

Founded to support creative new ideas and opportunities for MIT faculty and instructors to address community building and new initiatives, the fund encourages collaboration among faculty and instructional staff.

To learn more about the Community Building Seed Grant Fund, please visit MindHandHeart (MIT login required).

Department Support Program

The Department Support Program (DSP) provides tools and support to enhance the culture and climate of MIT’s academic departments. The DSP supports departments across five key dimensions: (1) connecting faculty, staff, and student leaders to existing MIT support resources; (2) interrogating data to assist departments in determining appropriate interventions when necessary (3) sharing promising practices regarding belonging, achievement, and composition across departments; (4) reducing silos by strengthening and streamlining internal communications; and (5) provides guidance and support so that academic departments’ internal values align with the MIT Values.

Random Acts of Kindness (RAK)

RAK Week is an opportunity for the MIT community to come together through spontaneous acts of generosity—”RAK Hacks”—and loosely planned events. It creates “random” opportunities for strangers to practice being thoughtful and kind so they can carry forward what they learn through the rest of the year.

RAK Mini Grants provide funding for members of the MIT community to come together through kindness. Small grants are awarded throughout the year to support new ideas that can have an impact at the local level. To learn more and apply visit MindHandHeart (MIT login required).