Research Travel Grants

About this opportunity

Campus:

University-wide

Contact:

Ed Dallis-Comentale, Assistant Vice President for Arts and Humanities,iupah@iu.edu

Ana Velasco,amvelasc@iu.edu

Deadline:

Rolling through May 1, 2025, or until funds are exhausted.

Award cycle:

Open

Funding available:

Up to $4,000

This program supports expenses associated with faculty travel for the purpose of conducting scholarly research or fieldwork.

The review committee takes a broad view of the arts and humanities, in which the key factor is the nature of the creative activity or the central question posed by the research, not the departmental or division affiliation of the faculty member(s) submitting the proposal. In determining whether a proposal falls within the falls within the parameters of the humanities, the committee generally is guided by the definition provided by the NEH.

The most important consideration is that your project or travel purpose center within the methods or perspectives of the arts or humanities. For instance: an economic analysis of the impact of the arts on tourism is not eligible for funding through the Presidential Arts and Humanities (IUPAH) program, since the methodologies used are not humanistic or artistic (the same methods would be used for an analysis of the impact of athletics, retail, or restaurants on tourism). A proposal to create art for installation in a business facility, however, would be eligible for funding, since the methods used are artistic, regardless of where the art will ultimately be exhibited.

 We are interested in reviewing proposals addressing research or creative works that will result in the production of new artistic works or development and/or advancement of knowledge in the humanities.

 The committee recognizes that the division between the humanities and the social sciences is not rigid. If your proposal has social sciences content and you wonder how the committee will assess its eligibility, please contact the program officer for advice.

Eligibility

  • In order to allow adequate time for proposal review and planning, applications must be submitted no less than eight weeks in advance of planned travel.

  • All Indiana University tenured and tenure-eligible faculty are eligible to apply. Faculty employed at IU but not on the tenure-track whose evaluation criteria include research or creative activity are eligible to submit proposals with an explanation of the importance of research or creative activity to their evaluation in the letter of support from their chair or dean.
  • Visiting and adjunct faculty, part-time faculty, faculty emeriti, post-doctoral fellows, research associates, staff, and graduate students are not eligible.
  • Applications will be considered only for travel that will occur in the same fiscal year as the application cycle. (The fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30 of the following year.) 
  • Because overall program funding is limited, faculty members are limited to one Research Travel Grant award every 18 months (calculated from the submission deadline of the most recent award, assuming no extensions have been requested and approved)

Funding

  • Funding requests may not exceed $4,000.
  • Funding may be requested for lodging and transportation costs only. Per diem requests are no longer eligible for funding.
  • Funding may be used to support travel expenses associated with conducting research and field work.
  • Funds may not be used for hosting conferences, workshops, or similar symposia.
  • Priority will be given to proposals that articulate how travel to another site, location, archive, library, museum, etc. will enhance one’s current research or creative activity. 
  • Funds not spent within 12 months of award can be considered for a one-time six-month extension with a justification request for approval, after which time all remaining funds will be returned to the funding pool.
  • Funds cannot be used to reimburse for expenses paid before the award is granted.
  • Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year or until funds are exhausted.

Application Requirements

Applicants must complete an electronic application in IU's InfoReady system and upload a completed application form and budget worksheet.

Application sections include:

  • Project Description (two-page maximum)
  • Completed Budget Worksheet
  • Brief Budget Narrative (one-page maximum)
  • List of all other funding sources (acquired or seeking)
  • Brief C.V. (Three-Page Maximum)