Scholarly or Creative Projects

 What is a scholarly or creative project?: This category of projects includes scholarly or creative activities eventually leading to results that are subject to publication, exhibition, or other forms of professional peer review.
This support is available to both continuing and new projects.

What criteria are used to determine funding?: R&D generally looks to the overall quality of the proposal. Specifically, projects should have high intrinsic value and intellectual or creative merit -- posing a significant question, exploring an important issue, addressing a challenging problem, or expressing an artistic idea. Projects should also hold out the promise of making worthwhile contributions to your field or discipline. Projects should be well-conceived, with achievable goals, a realistic schedule, and an accurate budget.

Write body of proposal: Write a brief (not more than 2-3 pages) description of the project. In the case of larger grants (Sabbatical supplements and Student-faculty research) a longer description of up to 5 pages is justifiable and desired by R&D to get a full sense of the project. This description should include:

* nature of the problem or opportunity and goals for the project

* project plan: methodology, research design, strategy

* schedule of the project

* anticipated outcome of the project and how it is to be evaluated 

In addition, your proposal must be comprehensible to a group of your colleagues who are not likely to be specialists in your field. The applicant's previous history of grant applications should indicate the ability to accomplish what was promised, to use awarded funds prudently, and to file final reports as required.

You are strongly encouraged to apply for external (non-Dickinson) funding for all R&D projects. Please contact the Corporate, Foundation and Government Support Office  for more information.

How are these projects supported?: R&D usually supports scholarly or creative projects by funding expenses incurred for such things as travel to research sites, consumable materials for science labs and art studios, library user fees, and photocopying. The maximum allowable expenses for any one scholarly or creative project is $1,500 per semester and $3,000 for summer projects. Funding for up to two (2) semesters for a single project may be applied for in a single proposal.

Please be sure to check for application deadlines (click on "Deadlines" menu button) .

For information on how to apply, please click on the "Application Instructions" menu button.

For instructions on reporting, please click on the "Expense Reporting" and "Narrative Reports"  menu buttons.