HFA-SBS Law and Society Laboratory

The Deans of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts and the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences are pleased to launch the HFA-SBS Law and Society Laboratory initiative which will support interdisciplinary collaboration among HFA and SBS faculty to advance innovative, outward-facing work in the humanities and social and behavioral sciences. 

This initiative is focused on orienting and supporting work in the social and behavioral sciences, humanities, and the creative arts that is outward looking and engages with real and complex problems of our time. The Law and Society Lab is expected to create measurable knowledge and/or creative output and engagement that must be interdisciplinary in nature.  

Funds are intended to provide the scaffolding for furthering the reach and visibility of such work, so that future opportunities for funding, collaborations with other university units, and engagement with off-campus communities, or any combination of these, are possible.   

For the FY27 application cycle, up to $40,000 is available to support one Law and Society Lab over a two-year period, from January 2027 through December 2028. The award is funded by the College of Humanities and Fine Arts and the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. 

Lab proposals shall create opportunities for meaningful engagement with real and complex problems of our time, including but not limited to: 

• Law and Reproductive Justice or Technologies 
• Immigration and Citizenship Law 
• Legal History and Historiography 
• Race, Ethnicity, and the Law 
• The Commons 
• Democracy 
• The Social, Legal, and Ethical Implications of AI 
• Law and Art 
• Reparations, Art, and the Law 
• Large Language Models (LLMs) and the Legal System 
• The Public Domain 
• Human Rights 
• Legal Hermeneutics 
• Disability, Law, and the Humanities 
• Indigenous Law 
• Postcolonial Legal Studies 
• Carcerality
• Language Access  

Proposals should articulate clear scholarly and/or creative outcomes, demonstrate meaningful interdisciplinary collaboration, and include plans to engage audiences beyond the university. They should also describe how the Laboratory will expand the reach and visibility of the work and create a foundation for future funding, institutional partnerships, and community engagement. 

Applications are due Sunday, November 15, 2026, 11:59 p.m.
Application form 

Eligibility 

• A multidisciplinary team of two or more faculty members may propose a research and/or creative project that they will co-direct. The Lab must be co-led by faculty from HFA and SBS. 
• Applications must be submitted by one full-time HFA or SBS faculty member on behalf of a team that includes faculty from both colleges. Teams may be comprised of up to two faculty members from each college when justified. 
• Projects that have previously received funding through internal or external grants are not eligible. 
• Teaching initiatives, symposia, conferences, and individual projects, although important, are not eligible for funding. 
• Projects may build upon existing work, but the ideas and visions proposed for the Lab must be new, original, and highly innovative in form and content. 

Expectations and Project Requirements 

• An HFA faculty member and an SBS faculty member must apply together and serve as co-directors of the Lab. 
• Labs may begin January 1, 2027. Funding may not exceed $40,000 and will be distributed in two annual installments of up to $20,000 in 2026–2027 and 2027–2028. All funds must be expended by December 31, 2028. 
• The proposed budget should prioritize student research assistantships and necessary materials and equipment. Labs must provide engagement, training, and research assistantship opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students. 
• Measurable outputs, such as scholarly presentations, publications, performances, and other creative or public-facing work, are expected throughout the award period. 
• Extending the longevity and reach of the Lab must be a central focus of the faculty co-directors. This may include seeking external funding, developing community partnerships, or pursuing collaborations with other campus units or institutions. 
• Projects must organize at least four public-facing events during the two-year award period. 
• During the two-year grant period, Lab directors will meet once each year with the HFA and SBS Deans and Associate Deans of Research and Engagement. 

Application Procedure and Timeframe 

Applications are due by November 15, 2026. Awards will be announced by the Deans by the third week of December 2026. 

Applications shall be submitted by a co-director and must include the following information and documentation: 

1. Itemized budget and justification 
   Submit an itemized budget using the Project Budget and Justification template available in the Supporting Documents section of the UMass InfoReady application form. 
2. Brief project narrative 
   Provide a brief narrative of the proposed project, not exceeding 150 words. 

3. Project proposal 
   Submit a concise proposal of no more than three pages addressing the following: 

   a. The context for the proposed work, including the Lab’s justification, vision, and intended contribution. Projects may build    upon existing work, but the proposed ideas and vision must be new, original, and highly innovative in form and content. 

   b. The co-leads’ backgrounds and expertise and the project’s viability are based on their previous experience. Include a list    of relevant publications and presentations. 
   
   c. Intended outputs and plans for future research. 

   d. Opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students and the skills they will gain. 

   e. Potential funding sources beyond the initial award period, structures for expansion, dissemination plans, and possible future partners. 

   f. An equitable distribution of responsibilities among collaborators. For additional guidance, see UMass ADVANCE best       practices. 

4. Department chair letters 
   Include letters of recommendation, not to exceed one page, from the applicants’ department chairs. The letters should confirm the chairs’ awareness and support of the proposed project. 

Award Management 

• Funding of up to $40,000 will be provided in two annual installments of up to $20,000 in 2026–2027 and 2027–2028. Unspent funds from the 2026–2027 installment shall roll over into the following installment period. All funds must be expended by December 31, 2028. 
• Extensions to the spending period are not permitted. Award recipients are responsible for working with their department's business managers well in advance of the deadline to ensure that all expenses, purchases, payments, reimbursements, and other transactions are fully processed on time.  
• Recipients should consult with their business managers at the beginning of the spending period and check in again no later than two months before the deadline.   
• HFA and SBS departmental business managers are encouraged to coordinate with one another and with their respective college business offices in a timely manner to ensure that all expenses are processed by the deadline. 
• All project expenses must comply with the UMass Business and Expense Policy. 
• The award may not be used for individual faculty travel, personal expenses, or equipment intended for individual use.