Plan a project

What Makes a Strong Lumos Project?

Lumos Travel Awards support immersive, self-directed international projects that allow you to:

  • Expand your experience of the world and other cultures
  • Develop confidence, resilience, and resourcefulness
  • Step out of your comfort zone and test your adaptability
  • Apply your education and skills in a new setting while also learning new ones
  • Build relationships and understanding across cultures
  • Gain a deeper perspective on an issue that matters to you

While each project is unique, strong projects share one key feature: they’re rooted in a personal vision, and shaped through a meaningful partnership with an organization doing work on the ground.

Project Guidelines

Your project should begin with your vision—but it also needs to serve real needs and take shape in a real-world setting.

To be eligible for funding, your project must:

  • Be a minimum of four months long
  • Take place outside of the United States
  • Involve ongoing participation in a local community
  • Align with the mission and needs of a sponsoring organization (not just your personal goals)

Tip: Start with your passion, then work with your partner organization to help shape the details.

What Can Be Funded?

Your Lumos Travel Award can cover:

  • Program or placement fees from a sponsoring organization
  • International and in-country transportation
  • Housing and daily living expenses not included in the sponsoring organization fees
  • Training directly related to your project (e.g., language courses)
  • Pre-approved personal expenses
  • Pre-approved project-specific equipment

Awards vary depending on the number of applicants, the duration and scope of your project, and available funding. Not all proposals will be funded.

What Lumos Does Not Fund

Lumos will not fund projects that are:

  • Primarily for vacation or tourism
  • Academic programs that count toward degree requirements
  • Study abroad focused only on classroom learning
  • Group travel programs unless primarily focused on direct service to a community
  • Religious evangelism, though service projects or community development through organizations with a religious identity may be considered

Project Vision + Partnership: A Dynamic Process

Designing a Lumos project isn’t just Step 1 followed by Step 2. Your project vision and your chosen organization shape each other.

  • Your purpose guides what kind of organization you look for
  • The organization helps define what’s possible on the ground
  • Together, they form a clear, grounded project that reflects both your intentions and real community needs

Think of this as a conversation—not a checklist.

Need to adjust your project plan after talking with an organization? That’s expected—and encouraged.