Annual Research Theme
Request for Proposals: The Public
Max Award: $5,000
Restrictions
This competition is open to students enrolled in Ph.D., DMA, and MFA programs as well as all regular faculty members with a primary appointment in the College of Arts and Letters. Students must be in good standing with The Graduate School.
It is generally expected that projects can be completed within 12-18 months.
Purpose
The Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts conducts yearly grant competitions that focus on particular research themes of timely importance to society. We are pleased to announce that the theme for Academic Year 2024-25 is The Public.
With this year’s theme, ISLA aims to foster scholarly engagement with “the public,” as both a constituency and a concept. In recent decades, political polarization, fragmentary media, and economic inequality have been blamed for hastening the dissolution of society, calling into question the coherence or meaningfulness of “the public” as an object of study or target of intervention. Still, a wide range of scholarship purports to measure and inform public health, public policy, and the public good. Many within the academy have further sought to produce publicly engaged scholarship, authored with and for communities who have been historically excluded from the university and denied access to its resources. Given that Notre Dame’s mission and Strategic Framework make clear that scholars have a role to play in analyzing and addressing issues facing the public, ISLA aims to support proposals that shed light on who constitutes the public and how they should be engaged.
We seek proposals that draw from the insights of the liberal arts to develop impactful models of publicly engaged scholarship and to interrogate and historicize the very notion of “the public” itself. What role does or should the public play in the creation and curation of art? Who constitutes the “public” of the “public humanities”? How should scholars partner with this constituency and to what ends? What historical, artistic, literary, or philosophical insights might help us better understand the dynamics of publics and the forces that bind them together or drive them apart? What methods in the social sciences best define and measure the public, and which policies and practices offer the most promise for fostering the public good? Such questions lie at the center of this year’s research theme.
Eligible Expenses
Applicants may request up to $5,000. Eligible expenses include research and creative arts materials needed to directly support the completion of the project, such as transcription services, travel, archive/library assistance, survey and computer programming support, and human subject payments. Funds cannot be used for applicant salary/stipend, professional development activities, office supplies, publication costs, or computer equipment.
Required Application Materials
- An application form through Submittable.
- A 100-word abstract that outlines your project's primary goals, planned contribution, and engagement with this year's research theme.
- A proposal (1000 words max.) that includes 1) the primary goals of your project; 2) your sources and methods and how they will help you achieve the goals of the project; 3) the specific contributions your project will make to scholarship, society, or both; and 4) how your project responds to this year’s research theme as outlined in the call for proposals.
- A project timeline outlining your plan for the grant period, including key goals and targeted completion dates for each. (1 page max.).
- An itemized budget and narrative budget justification (max. 2 pages).
- Graduate student applications must also include a CV. This is not required for faculty.
Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be evaluated based on engagement with the research theme, intellectual merit, broader impacts, financial need/justification, and the researcher’s qualifications to conduct the proposed work. Priority will be given to proposals that explore creative, original, and potentially transformative ideas and approaches. Budget items with insufficient justification may be reduced or eliminated in an award offer.
Proposal Preparation and Submission
All proposals should be double-spaced, with one-inch margins and 12-point Times New Roman font. Up to two critical figures, illustrations, or images may be included to supplement the project narrative. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis throughout the academic year beginning September 1 and continuing until allocated funds for this RFP are exhausted.
Questions and Additional Information
Please direct questions regarding this RFP to Associate Director for Research Development, Josh Tychonievich (j.tychonievich@nd.edu). Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Josh Tychonievich via email to discuss their applications prior to submission.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Are collaborative projects eligible?
Yes, collaborative projects are eligible for Annual Research Theme Grant support, but awards are made to individual researchers. If requesting support for travel, budgets should include travel for the applicant and not their collaborators. Collaborators may submit their own applications for any ISLA grant for which they are eligible to support their own travel expenses.
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When will I know if I have been awarded a grant?
Decisions for Annual Research Theme grants are usually made within two weeks of receipt of all required materials, including letters of recommendation for graduate student applications.
3. Are staff eligible for this grant?
Only graduate students and regular faculty members with primary appointments in the College of Arts and Letters are eligible for Annual Research Theme grants.
4. I am holding a conference about a new teaching initiative related to the research theme. Can I apply for this grant?
Annual Research Theme grants do not support conferences or teaching projects, including curricula and textbooks. See the “allowable costs” and “restrictions” sections above for more information on eligible projects and expenses.
5. How can I be sure to receive a grant?
Awards are made on a competitive basis, and funding is not guaranteed for any project. Applications are evaluated based on the criteria listed above. Applicants are encouraged to contact Josh Tychonievich, Associate Director for Research Development, to discuss the fit of their proposed project with ISLA grants and for help developing competitive proposals.