SBS Faculty Grants
SBS Associate Professor Research Leave Grant
Application Deadline: October 18, 2024
These grants are open to full-time tenure system SBS Associate Professors and are intended to promote the development and sustenance of research that will lead to promotion to Professor and continued scholarly achievement. Applicants should be at the rank of Associate Professor for a minimum of five years, with priority given to faculty who have been at that rank for ten years or more, and whose progress towards promotion has been constrained by significant service obligation.
We anticipate up to two grants being awarded annually. Ideally, this grant will be attached to a one-semester sabbatical, effectively providing the recipient with a full year of leave and limiting the service burden on the department. Each grant recipient will receive a semester-long release from teaching and service, with departments compensated by the college. For faculty on a 2:1 teaching load, the grant covers the semester in which they are teaching one course.
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SBS Non-Tenure System Faculty Professional Development Grant
Application Deadline: October 25, 2024
These grants are open to full-time faculty outside the tenure system and are intended to recognize past achievements in teaching, advising, leadership, and service, and provide opportunities to further enhance success in these areas.
We anticipate at least eight grants per year, of up to $1,000 each from SBS. This grant is expected to be matched 1:1 by departments, for a total maximum grant of $2,000 per person. The grants can be used for conference attendance, curriculum development, research related to teaching or advising, and other responsibilities related to the faculty member's position.
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SBS Faculty Seed Funding Grant
Application Deadline: October 18, 2024
In order to support the growth of the diverse and excellent faculty research in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, the Dean's Research Council offers the following grants each year
Research Support Grant
Research Support Grants are intended for generating new research activity and external grant submissions. Up to $10,000 per Principal Investigator. Up to $15,000 with two co-PIs from SBS. Some of these are now donor-funded and we might request a brief thank you letter or email to the donor. Faculty should review the Research Support Grant details prior to applying.
Conferences and Visitors Grant
Conferences and Visitors Grants are intended for bringing a speaker or colleague to campus or to host a conference or workshop on campus. Up to $1,500 support with matching from other sources. Please indicate the sources of the matching funds. Faculty should review the Conferences and Visitors Grant details prior to applying.
Grant-Writing Fellowship
Please note that applications for the Institute for Social Science Research Scholars Program (a course reduction for year-long proposal preparation seminar) are solicited once per year under a separate call during the spring semester. For more info, contact jkamilar [at] umass [dot] edu (Jason Kamilar), Director of the Institute for Social Science Research (ISSR).
Rapid Response Grant
For research activities requiring rapid response, requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Senior Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Development in consultation with the Dean's Research Council. A case must be made for the urgency of the application, explaining why the fall and spring deadlines are inapplicable.
The quality of faculty research proposals is high and the funds are limited, making it a competitive funding process. A strong preference is given to generating a new research project or a new direction within an existing project. Priority in most cases is given to those new projects that are likely to lead to external foundation or government funding; however, SBS has smaller grants to support high-quality, meritorious research for which opportunities for extramural funding are limited.
All ranks of tenure track faculty and lecturers whose major responsibilities include research are eligible to apply to both categories. If you have any questions, please contact lundquist [at] sbs [dot] umass [dot] edu (Jennifer Lundquist), Senior Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Development.
For assistance in preparing your budget, including information about RA costs, please contact bonniesmith [at] umass [dot] edu (Katie Smith) or mpenland [at] umass [dot] edu (Carrie Morrison Penland). For questions about the SBS Faculty Grants submission process, please contact mviscione [at] umass [dot] edu (Mikayla Viscione).