Program Overview
The Research Scholar Grants program provides funding for innovative scholarship and creative expression projects that are unlikely to have extramural funding options available. These awards support humanistic research and efforts that result in the creation of artistic or humanist bodies of work. All full-time, VU-employed (Provost-reporting) faculty are eligible.
Eligibility and Guidelines
- All full-time, VU-employed (Provost-reporting) faculty are eligible.
- Preference given to junior faculty.
- Faculty may submit up to two proposals, with no more than one proposal in any single category.
- Proposals that advance research in areas related to race, diversity and inclusivity are invited.
- Proposals involving graduate students are welcomed.
- Faculty currently serving as lead faculty or participating as a collaborator on active Research Scholar Grant awards are not eligible to submit another RSG proposal (as lead faculty or collaborator) until their current RSG award(s) are completed and all reporting requirements have been met.
- For complete funding guidelines, click here.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
- Budgets for all RSG proposals must follow the template provided. Fellowship proposals should use current year salary, and should not include fringe benefit rates.
- Awards are based partly on need. As a result, each participating faculty member must disclose both existing external funding sources (for the most recent five years) and institutional resources available in the form of start-up funds or other discretionary funds. All institutional research-support funds must be noted, including endowed-chair funds, annual allocations and other such sources.
- Progress and final reports are required for all awards.
Application Process
All proposals must be submitted online using InfoReady Review, Vanderbilt's online submissions portal.
Award results are announced in the spring - the date may vary depending on the number of proposals submitted. Funds will be available July 1.
Questions about this program may be directed to Schyler Turrin
(615-875-1027, schyler.b.turrin@vanderbilt.edu).
Information to include in your application:
- Project Title (up to 9 words).
- Category of support.
- Project Summary (up to 150 words).
- Lead faculty name and VUnetID.
- Faculty collaborator names (up to 10) and VUnetID.
- Proposal and detailed description (up to 2,000 words, written for colleagues from a wide range of fields and disciplines).
- Significance of the research/scholarship and its impact on the field, the university and/or the faculty involved (up to 300 words).
- Measures of Success - Provide a general overview of how success will be measured or gauged for the project (up to 500 words).
- Inclusive Excellence - If applicable, provide detail on how the proposed project will advance and embrace inclusive excellence (up to 300 words). Advancing Inclusive Excellence includes explicit focus on research related to issues of difference, equity, status, power. Additionally, inclusive excellence involves investigations of voices, histories, experiences or stories of individuals or groups previously untold or limited in exposure. Advancing Inclusive Excellence includes collaborations that leverage diverse experiences and perspectives of individuals or involve a diverse array of students and collaborators.
- Budget overview - include anticipated total funding, number of years, funding amount per year, expense categories and justification/explanation.
- Disclosure of current external and internal funding sources.
If you are applying for a Research Scholar Fellowship, you must include a statement from the relevant dean's office confirming you have requested two semesters of approved leave-one of which is leave with full pay.