Nine projects at UVA have received $84,854 in Jefferson Trust Flash Grants this fall, supporting initiatives in health and safety, research, mentorship and hands-on learning.
“This semester we removed all flash grant deadlines to truly address needs “in a flash,” and help teams get to work more quickly. We’re excited to see the impact this impressive cohort of awardees will have on students across UVA and beyond,” shared Amy Bonner, Director of Grants for the Jefferson Trust.
Flash Grants provide up to $10,000 per project, offering UVA students, faculty and staff a way to bring innovative ideas to life. Unlike the Trust’s Major Cycle grants, which support requests exceeding $10,000, Flash Grant applications are accepted year-round and reviewed on a rolling basis, as funding allows.
2026 Fall Flash Grants:
Block the Burn: UVA Sunscreen Access: $9,300
This project launches a sustainable skin cancer prevention initiative by installing publicly accessible sunscreen dispensers, increasing access to free sunscreen, and expanding sun-safety education across Grounds.
Rescue Reach: $9,681
This student initiative will expand Basic Life Support (BLS), CPR, AED, and First Aid training and certification across the University and within the local community by certifying additional student instructors and scaling free workshops.
Engineering Kinesiology Tape: $10,000
Students aim to research, prototype, and validate a new type of kinesiology tape what will improve skin health and reduce tape-removal discomfort.
Eye-Level Dynamic Lighting in Office Environments: $10,000
In collaboration with Supporting Transformative Autism Research (STAR) Center, funding helps purchase materials and expand participation in a study to research how dynamic lighting exposure measured at eye level relates to occupants’ alertness, sleepiness, and agitation in real-world environments.
La Uva Magazine: $10,000
This project aims to develop sustainable structures for training, mentorship, and publication management, while increasing visibility, for La UVA Magazine, a digital magazine of Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese at UVA.
Project Management Simulator: $9,828
Funding will support the development and launch of an interactive, scenario-based simulator as the capstone experience of UVA’s new Transportation Project Management Certificate.
Graduate Research Mentoring Program: $10,000
Pairing graduate student mentors with undergraduate Cognitive Science students, this program expands research and mentoring opportunities in the Cognitive Sciences Program, in collaboration with the Department of Psychology.
Introducing CAD Design through the Medium of LEGO Bricks: $9,795
Using Computer-Assisted Design (CAD), students in the School of Education will partner with middle schoolers to design and build a LEGO mosaic and figurine, exposing students to design, the prototyping process, and a manufacturing career pathway.
Student Technology Council: $6,250
Funding helps run the pilot year of the Student Technology Council, to address technology and data policy questions.