Dissertation Fieldwork Grants
These grants of up to $5,000 provide support for fieldwork expenses. For the purpose of this grant, fieldwork is defined as data collection that takes place for an extended period of time (e.g. weeks or months) outside the western Massachusetts geographical area. These grants are not designed to fund data analysis, only expenses related to data collection. In rare instances applicants may request up to $8,000 to help support work that will take place over an extended period of time and therefore incur significant expense. Applicants will need to submit a statement as part of the application to explain why additional funds are being requested.
Who Is Eligible?
UMass Amherst doctoral students enrolled in a campus-based degree program (i.e. no online programs) and in good academic standing are eligible to apply. Students may receive this grant only once. Applicants who were not awarded a grant in a previous application cycle are eligible to reapply. Students may accept only one research grant from the Graduate School in an academic year.
Deadlines
Application deadlines are October 15 and February 15 each year. Applicants should plan the timing of their application based on the funding period outlined below:
- Applications submitted for the October 15, 2023 deadline should include research expenses that begin on January 1, 2024 or later. Awardees must secure all necessary research permission (IRB approval, IACUC approval, travel registry approval) and complete relevant online CITI training in Responsible Conduct of Research no later than May 24, 2024 or the Fieldwork Grant will be forfeited.
- Applications submitted for the February 15, 2024 deadline should include research expenses that begin July 1, 2024 or later. Awardees must secure all necessary research permission (IRB approval, IACUC approval, travel registry approval) and complete relevant online CITI training in Responsible Conduct of Research no later than May 24, 2024 or the Fieldwork Grant will be forfeited.
The application deadline is 11:59 PM on the posted due date. All required materials (including the advisor’s Letter of Recommendation) must be received by this time. Award notifications will be made by the end of the semester in which the application was submitted.
How to Apply
To allow sufficient planning time, we recommend students submit a Dissertation Fieldwork Grant application at least six months before funds are needed. A completed application includes:
- A Fieldwork Grant Application. You will login to the application using your UMass email. You may may revise the text entry portions of your application by logging back in; PDFs cannot be edited once they are uploaded.
- A three-page, single-spaced Project Description (uploaded as a PDF in the Fieldwork Grant Application). All figures, references, and the bibliography must be included within the three-page limit. Avoid jargon and technical language in your Project Description, as the content should be understandable by faculty in a diverse range of fields, likely very different from your field of study. Use 11 or 12 pt. font and one inch margins on all sides of the document. Your Project Description should address each of the following:
- What do you seek to accomplish with your dissertation research? (i.e., what are your research questions/aims/objectives?)
- How will you accomplish this? (i.e., what research methods will you use?)
- What contribution(s) will this research make?
- How would a Fieldwork Grant contribute to your ability to successfully complete your dissertation?
- A Budget Table (use this template; upload your completed Budget Table as a PDF in the Fieldwork Grant Application. See tips below for preparing your Budget Table and Budget Justification.)
- A Budget Justification , which provides details on how you arrived at the amounts listed in the Budget Table (upload the Budget Justification as a PDF in the Fieldwork Grant Application; use the tips below and review this sample Budget Table and Budget Justification to understand how these documents should be prepared.)
- A letter of recommendation submitted by your advisor (see instructions below).
Include your first and last name in the file name for every document you upload to the Fieldwork Grant Application.
Tips for preparing your Budget Table and Budget Justification
- Review the list of eligible and ineligible expenses below.
- Include enough detail in your Budget Justification for a reviewer to understand how the amounts in your Budget Table connect with the research activities outlined in your Project Description.
- Consult the UMass Controller's Office website for standard mileage amounts and other travel expense guidelines.
- For travel outside the United States estimate your living expenses using your prior experience in that country or the Fulbright-Hays Maintenance Allowance guide (use the Monthly Stipend column).
Instructions for Faculty Advisor
The faculty advisor reviews the completed Budget Table and Budget Justification, writes a letter of recommendation, and submits it online. Note: Faculty do not receive a prompt to submit a letter; use the link provided here. Faculty must login using their UMass email to access the submission portal; non-UMass faculty should contact researchgrant [at] grad [dot] umass [dot] edu (Heidi Bauer-Clapp) for submission instructions.
Please include the student's first and last name in the file name. The letter of recommendation should address the following:
- The student’s ability to carry out the activities proposed in the Fieldwork Grant application.
- The student’s progress in degree program and general academic qualifications.
- The merit of the intended dissertation research and how activities proposed in the Fieldwork Grant application will help the student complete their dissertation.
Review Criteria
The following information will be considered by reviewers:
- Clarity and quality of the Project Description--applications will be reviewed by faculty outside your field who need to understand what you plan to do, how you will do this work, and the potential impact your work will have. Avoid jargon and technical language!
- Feasibility of the proposed project: Does it seem likely that you can complete the research plan as outlined?
- Whether the budget is realistic and cost-efficient
- Quality of the letter of recommendation
Expenses
Eligible expenses include (but are not limited to):
- Research-related travel to research site(s) or local travel at the research site(s)
- Living expenses at research site(s) (e.g. lodging, food)
- Fees to use libraries, archives, or databases while at your research site(s)
- Duplication or distribution of research materials (e.g. photocopies of surveys)
- Purchase of research supplies or equipment, which will remain the property of the University
Ineligible expenses include:
- Salary for the graduate student applicant
- Expenses related to student training, including language or methodology training
- Transcription
- Online research (e.g. costs to conduct an online survey)
- Standard office or laboratory supplies (these include items considered standard for your department/laboratory, i.e. things routinely in stock)
- Purchase of computers or tablets (unless the student can demonstrate that such equipment is integral to data collection)
- Food (with the exception of meals while in the field)
- Costs to attend or present at conferences or meetings
- Purchasing data sets
- Purchase of books
- Fees or other costs associated with publication
- Fees or other costs associated with membership in professional associations
- Costs incurred at home while the researcher is in the field (e.g. rent)
In most cases, award funds will be disbursed as reimbursements, although some expenses such as equipment purchases must be paid directly by the University. Awarded funds are managed by the student’s department; awardees must communicate with their department’s business manager prior to spending any grant funds. Grant recipients will be required to submit a brief report at the end of the grant period to account for how grant funds were spent.
Supplements for Public Engagement or Travel with Children
Applicants for Graduate School Grants are eligible to apply for supplements to cover costs associated with Public Engagement projects or childcare/travel with children during research. Please review the criteria and application information in the Public Engagement and Travel with Children pages.
Questions on the Graduate School Fieldwork Grant should be addressed to researchgrant [at] grad [dot] umass [dot] edu (Heidi Bauer-Clapp).