HFA Dean's Manuscript Development and Completion Fund

This fund is established by the Dean of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts to provide annual support to up to two HFA faculty members—one junior and one senior—who are completing advanced-stage single-authored monographs or equivalent projects intended for publication or production in the near future. The award provides funding to solicit comments from two or more established scholars and host them at a two-day manuscript workshop on campus.  This opportunity to gather critical feedback from scholars is expected to foster robust intellectual support for faculty at a decisive moment of their academic career. The in-depth examination of the faculty’s scholarly work will have extended benefits, from possible reflections in a wider intellectual community to extending the impact of the work beyond the University.  

Description and Project Completion Timeline 

Two awards of up to $5,000 are made annually, one to a junior faculty member (full-time, pre-tenure or a full-time lecturer on a continuous appointment) and one to a senior faculty member (full-time, tenured faculty or full-time Senior Lecturer or Senior Lecturer II on continuous appointments).  The fund allows the faculty member to solicit comments from a minimum of two established scholars in their field and invite them to attend a two day in-person manuscript workshop with the faculty member. In addition to the manuscript workshop, award recipients are expected to organize one or more public-facing events with the invited scholars for the intellectual benefit of the HFA community. After submitting their manuscripts or projects to the publishers or producers, award recipients will submit a report which includes a synopsis of the workshop to the Dean’s Office via the UMass InfoReady portal. 

 Allowable expenses include guest scholar honoraria, travel, and lodging up to a maximum of $5,000 total. (e.g. honoraria of $1000, travel expenses of $1,000, and $500 for meals.). 

Eligibility 

• All full-time HFA faculty, including those on administrative appointments, and full-time lecturers on continuous appointments are eligible to apply.  

• While recipients are encouraged to apply for other sources of funding, this fund cannot be used in tandem with the HFA Subvention Fund. 

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Award and Production Timeline

• November 15, 2025, is the application deadline.  A list of the information required at the time of application and a link to the application form is provided in the next section below.
• The HFA Research Council reviews submissions and makes recommendations to the Dean. The Dean selects and announces two recipients by late December 2025. 
• Award recipients send a full draft of their manuscript or project to guest scholars by January 31, 2026. Guest scholars are expected to send the award recipient a written evaluation of the manuscript or project before their arrival on campus. 
• February 1, 2026-May 15, 2026: Award Recipients host guest scholars on campus for a manuscript or creative work workshop and a public lecture or series of lectures for the HFA community. 
• August 31, 2026: Award recipients submit the completed manuscript or project to the publisher or producer.  A statement acknowledging the HFA Dean’s Manuscript Development and Completion Fund should be included in the manuscript.
• September 30, 2026: Award recipients submit a report to the HFA Dean’s Office which includes a synopsis of the workshop. 

Application Procedure 

• Applications are due November 15, 2025. The application form is available on the UMass InfoReady portal on August 26, 2025. 
• The following documents are required at the time of application: 

-- A one-page project description 

-- A one-page manuscript or project completion timeline, including approximate dates of guest scholar visits, in-person workshop, public lecture, tentative date of the final manuscript or proposal submission, tentative date of final report submission to the Dean.

-- Draft of advanced stage manuscript.

-- A one-page plan outlining the two-day in-person manuscript workshop with at least two invited guest scholars.

-- A one-page budget outlining honoraria, travel, lodging, and meals for invited scholars.  

Award Management 

• The department business manager, in collaboration with the award recipient, submits a Summit report to the HFA Business Office for reimbursement of expenses made on the faculty member’s retention account. 
• Expenses eligible for reimbursement include guest scholar honoraria, travel, and hotel expenses up to a maximum of $5,000 total. (e.g. honoraria of $1000, travel expenses of $1,000, and $500 for meals.).
• Award monies are to be used to support the originally intended project.  Extensions and repurposing are not permitted.  

Who to Contact 

Amy Fleig,   afleig [at] umass [dot] edu (afleig[at]umass[dot]edu,) Director of Faculty Development & Programs 

Pari Riahi, priahi [at] umass [dot] edu (priahi[at]umass[dot]edu,) Associate Dean for Research & Engagement