Each year the Weatherhead Center awards a limited number of small grants for faculty research projects of up to $10,000 to individual scholars to conduct research relating to the core interests of the Center. This research focuses on international, transnational, global, and comparative national issues and may address contemporary or historical topics, including rigorous policy analysis, as well as the study of specific countries and regions outside the United States.
Proposals for small research grants may include requests for Harvard graduate student research assistance, research-related travel (only when no other funding is available), and other project-related expenses. Direct support for course preparation cannot be funded, but proposals that link courses and research activities can be considered. Requests for the purchase of computers cannot be funded and equipment requests of other kinds are usually not considered. Funding for book purchases, subscriptions, or photocopying is also generally not approved.
Who Is Eligible
All Faculty Associates of the Weatherhead Center are eligible for these small grants for faculty research projects. Please note that only current ladder faculty are eligible to receive faculty funding from the Weatherhead Center.
How to Apply
Applicants for small grants for faculty research should submit a brief, but detailed proposal narrative in addition to a budget, a two-page curriculum vitae, and a short literature review.
Applicants are eligible for a small grant for faculty research once every three years, though unsuccessful candidates may apply again.
Please direct all requests for substantive advice and all proposals to the executive director, Erin Goodman.
Proposal Evaluation
The Weatherhead Steering Committee evaluates research project proposals and makes recommendations to the Center's director and the executive director.
Deadline
Proposals for small grants for faculty research projects are considered three times a year. The deadlines every year are October 2, February 1, and April 1. Funding will be available after July 1 for grants that are awarded in April.
Terms
Faculty who receive these research grants will be expected to contribute actively to the collective intellectual life of the Center. Faculty who receive support from the Center should acknowledge it in future publications of their research. All grant recipients must submit a one- to two-page memo at the end of the academic year reporting on the use of Weatherhead Center grant funds. This report should focus on the intellectual and scholarly results of the project. Funding is available in the year it is awarded, or it may be deferred for one academic year. Reporting memos are due June 30.
Funding Available
Small grants for faculty research projects are normally for no more than $10,000. The funding available is limited; awards will be made through a competitive process, and not all proposals can be funded in an academic year. Faculty Associates are eligible for these research grants once every three years. Faculty should be aware of other sources for research funds including the Provost's Fund for Interfaculty Collaboration (PFIC).