UCHRI Conference Grants 2012-13
The UC Humanities Research Institute (UCHRI) invites proposals for conferences to be held on the UC campuses between July 1, 2012 and June 30, 2013.
Who Can Apply: UC Ladder Rank Faculty
Level of Award: Conference grants range from $5,000 to $10,000. Awards are contingent upon available funding.
Funding Source: UCHRI
Deadline: 5 pm PST on Thursday, November 10, 2011. FastApps opens on October 3.
Grantees of the program for 2011-12
Program Overview
The gathering of scholars for the purpose of sharing research findings is one of the most fruitful ways to enhance the University of California's research mission and promote new directions in scholarship. Conferences that mobilize the strength of UC faculty through substantial representation from a range of campuses help to fulfill UCHRI's programmatic commitment to foster an intellectual community among UC scholars. Thus UCHRI funds a regular program of conference support to promote innovative, collaborative and interdisciplinary research, being particularly responsive to those intellectual activities that cannot readily occur within existing departmental and programmatic structures. Over the years, many UCHRI-sponsored conferences have subsequently formed the basis for the Institute's residential research groups.
In terms of an intellectual agenda, a UCHRI conference should bring recognition to scholarly work being done by humanists at the University of California. Organizers should be aware that in all UCHRI-sponsored programs, participation is encouraged by faculty from a range of UC campuses and disciplines and at all levels of career development, as well as national and international scholars. With a critical mass of UC faculty, a UCHRI-sponsored conference should also be an event of national and international significance and, therefore, more than a campus event.
The proposal narrative should provide sufficient programmatic details to convey a concrete sense of the nature of the proposed event, including a clear statement and discussion of the goals and objective of the event. Because proposers are responsible for overseeing the organization of the event, they should be explicit about their personal commitment to the project. The narrative should include enough historical and theoretical context to allow scholars unfamiliar with the details of the subject to appreciate the intellectual significance and timeliness of the proposed event.
Conferences should focus on significant and innovative ideas and contribute to the advancement of the research topic by bringing people together productively. Conferences should be open to the public. Specific plans for how the conference will be structured, such as topics for sessions, should be included. A list of possible speakers or panelists should be provided with a brief comment about each person’s relevance to the project. A commitment from the proposed keynote speaker or other prominent scholars should be evident.
Funding
Grants are awarded with the expectation that UCHRI money will be leveraged by organizers who will seek additional funding from outside granting agencies and/or from their home campuses. At a minimum, UCHRI funds must be matched with additional, documentable, funds in a ratio of one to two: that is, organizers will secure from some other source at least one additional dollar for every two dollars of UCHRI funds. (For example, UCHRI expects that a $5,000 grant will be matched by at least $2,500.)
Note: Because of funding limitations, UCHRI is unable to support annual meetings of professional organizations and groups or ongoing scholarly gatherings.
UCHRI funds may not be used to pay publication costs for conference proceedings or salary expenses (including salaries for undergraduate/graduate students), and must be spent in accordance with all applicable UC rules and regulations. Please contact your Office of Research regarding general UC policy if necessary. Funding for graduate student researchers is limited to no more than one quarter of the total budget.
In preparing your budgets, please keep in mind that no more than $500 in UCHRI funds can be used toward refreshments.
Past experience has demonstrated that early consultation is instrumental in developing successful proposals. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the respective campus representative on the UCHRI Advisory Committee [link] for advice regarding criteria of assessment. Proposers may also contact UCHRI as a resource in developing proposals.
Awards will be announced no later than February 2012.
How to Apply:
Applications from prospective conference organizers are accepted exclusively online through UCHRI's FastApps system.
Required documents include:
- Proposal Abstract (150 words max)
- Project Narrative (2000 words max). Include a list of proposed participants.
- Proposed Budget. Explain how estimates were determined.
- Curriculum Vitae of the organizer (and co-organizer, if applicable). (2 pages max.)
The applicant must be a UC ladder rank faculty member who will be responsible for the organization and execution of the proposed project.
Questions about the application process should be directed to Suedine Nakano, UCHRI program manager, at snakano@hri.uci.edu.