Beginning in 1998, the Pluralism and Unity program has invited applications from predominately Caucasian institutions, and last year's grant recipients have ranged from highly diverse institutions to some of the least demographically varied of the traditional liberal arts colleges. The Foundation leaves to institutions a wide band in which to frame projects that speak with wisdom and strategic insight to the relationship between pluralism and unity. Because institutions share a common ethos as well as unique circumstances and aspirations, the Foundation encourages both experimenting with new ideas and drawing on what has been learned by those who have worked with these many-sided issues. The pluralism or diversity the Foundation has in mind emphasizes issues of race and ethnicity but includes social class, gender, sexual orientation, religious conviction, physical differences, and such other distinctions as well. The breadth of this list reflects the many faces of diversity and the goal of openness to all of them while acknowledging the particular contemporary salience of race and ethnicity.
Unity is defined as whatever enlarges affiliation, loyalty, and commitment.
We make no sharp distinctions among terms like community, the common good, shared values, inclusion, etc. The Foundation particularly encourages projects whose design and implementation involve a broad range of members of the college or university. Larger grants would normally extend over three years. Institutional overhead does not qualify as matching. Up to fifteen grants may be made in any calendar year.