Call for Proposals for the CSSH Research and Engagement Development Initiative
Proposals Due: Friday, September 29, 2023
The Dean of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities is pleased to announce the Fall round of the 2023-2024 CSSH Research and Engagement Development Initiative, which will provide faculty members in the college with seed funding to help them develop proposals for more significant support from external sources.
Please send any questions to Associate Dean Natasha Frost (n.frost@northeastern.edu).
Goal
To support early-stage research that will lead to the development of proposals for external grants or fellowships and positive impact on the career trajectory of faculty within the College of Social Science and Humanities. This external support may come in a wide variety of forms including grants, fellowships, research contracts, or research partnerships. In addition, we encourage proposals that support the college’s goal of fostering undergraduate students’ involvement in research.
Maximum Award
Award for a single CSSH investigator will not exceed $5,000. Most projects will be funded for six months; all unexpended funds will be returned to the Dean’s Office after 12 months (from date of notification).
Eligibility
All full-time faculty from CSSH are eligible to apply for these awards. Priority will be given to faculty who do not have research accounts of more than $5,000, or major external grants and have not recently received an RDI award.
Allowable Expenses
Allowable expenses include travel, purchase of data or software, access fees to archives, and funding for students as research assistants. In rare instances, these funds may be used to purchase hardware if the hardware is necessary for the development of the full proposal. Neither faculty salary nor faculty course releases are supported under this program.
Application Materials
For the Fall 2023 cycle all materials must be submitted electronically, through the CSSH online application system, no later than 5:00 p.m. EST Friday, September 29, 2023.
Apply now through the CSSH online application system.
The application includes the prospectus, unit head endorsement, and the vitae.
Prospectus
A three page (double-spaced) page narrative that includes:
- a strong description of the rationale and potential impact of the proposed project;
- a statement of how the proposed project relates to teaching, engagement, or scholarly efforts;
- an explanation of the methodology for the proposed project;
- an outline of a specific work plan that connects to the budget narrative as well as a description, if appropriate, of how students will be involved in the project;
- a detailed budget (no more than $5,000) and budget narrative (no more than two paragraphs) that specifies each requested expenditure; Please be sure to adhere to University standard pay rates, estimated at $17 per hour for most undergraduate positions and $20 per hour for positions held by Masters students;
- where possible a plan for submission (including the specific funding agency, its submission date(s), and a timeline) of one or more proposals for external support if appropriate;
- Please include a brief endorsement from your unit head.
Review Process
Applications will be reviewed by a committee comprised of CSSH faculty who will make recommendations to the CSSH Dean. Priority will be given to proposals that include, when appropriate, opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in the proposed research.
Repeat Awards
This program exists to provide one-time support to CSSH faculty to help them develop proposals for external support. Therefore, a successful faculty member will generally not be re-funded for the same project from this initiative. Faculty who are not funded in one cycle are eligible to submit an application for funding during the next round.
Funding Timeline and Final Report
Funding for the Fall 2023 cycle of RDI awards will begin no earlier than October 27, 2023 and all funds are expected to be used during the 12 month period. All awardees are expected to submit a final report within one year of project funding. This report should include a description of project activities and accomplishments, barriers faced and strategies to overcome them, any dissemination activities including papers or conference presentations, and finally a description of external funds applied for and notice of which have been received. This report should be sent to the Associate Dean for Research. For the Fall 2023 cycle, the final report will be due on December 6, 2024.
Please address any questions about this initiative to Associate Dean, Natasha Frost (n.frost@northeastern.edu).
Apply Now