Multicampus Faculty Working Groups, 2023-24
The Multicampus Faculty Working Group Grant supports UC faculty as they collaborate on innovative agendas in ways that contribute to the advancement of the specific working group topic and the humanities as a whole. Although we will consider all humanistic topics, UCHRI is particularly interested in working groups that approach humanistic problems broadly related to its new theme, Refuge and Its Refusals. As you fashion your proposal, we invite you to consider how your lines of inquiry are shaped or informed by the dialectic of refuge and its refusal in political, historical, cultural, theological, environmental, and institutional contexts, mapping multiple paths through the impasses of hospitality. Potential areas of inquiry include studies of global diasporas and forced displacement through the lens of critical race theory, interrogations of refuge and its failures within institutional spaces, and explorations of topics ranging from placemaking in literature and the arts to sanctuary in religious thought to environmental displacement. For more information, please consult the Refuge and Its Refusals initiative page.
UCHRI welcomes collaborative projects that put humanistic scholars in conversation with those from disciplines that are methodologically distinct, enhancing the ways in which humanistic research might fashion a temporary home for renewed thought. If you wish to apply for a one-time renewal after the conclusion of the initial grant period, you may do so by demonstrating outcomes or concrete progress toward your stated goals.
We also encourage you to think about productive ways of engaging graduate students in your project and to apply for our Supplemental Multicampus Faculty Working Group Graduate Student Funding. Additionally, applicants working on topics related to refuge are eligible to apply for the Supplemental Multicampus Faculty Working Group Refuge and Its Refusals Funding, which can be used to fund public engagement, community collaboration, pedagogical initiatives, or other similar activities. Eligible applicants may apply for both supplements.
Applications must be submitted online via Submittable by 11:59 PM (Pacific time) on the deadline date.
Application Details
Faculty organizers must be UC ladder rank faculty members who will be responsible for coordinating all aspects of the working group. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact their respective campus representative on the UCHRI Advisory Committee for guidance in the application process.
Prospective faculty organizers must apply online via Submittable. Required documents include:
- Project Title and Abstract (200 words max)
- Project Description (2,000 words max, see details below)
- Proposed Budget (500 words max, see details below)
- Curriculum Vitae of the Faculty Organizer(s) (2 pages max)
Successful applications should clearly demonstrate how the topic and activities will contribute to research excellence in the humanities and include faculty participants from at least two UC campuses. Preference will be given to projects that engage three or more UC campuses and those that incorporate broader and more diverse publics in the expressive or interpretive work of the humanities. We also encourage interdisciplinary projects that include faculty from social or natural sciences. All project activities must take place between July 1, 2023 and December 31, 2024.
Project Description
The project description should be a maximum of 2,000 words and include the following elements:
- Problem Statement, including a description of the topic or issue that the working group seeks to address and its short- and long-term significance to the humanities.
- List of Participants, including each participant’s name, campus, department, brief biography, and relevance/contribution to the collaborative project and its stated objectives.
- Proposed Objectives, broadly defined, which may include scholarly publication, digital tool development/refinement, programmatic initiatives (e.g., curriculum development), or the completion of external grant proposals or applications.
Wherever possible, the project description should also address the way the working group plans to engage multiple campuses, disciplines, and publics in their work. All applicants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with UCHRI’s online journal, Foundry, and to consider it as an outlet for their work. Foundry seeks academic submissions that experiment with content and form, and that push beyond the constraints of traditional academic publishing.
Proposed Budget
The proposed budget is made up of two elements:
- The Applicant PROPOSED Budget Template
- A Budget Narrative (500 words max) that explains how estimates were determined
Budgets may cover travel and lodging expenses for workshop meetings of working group members as well as necessary group-related research expenses. Catered and group meals may not exceed 25% of the total budget. Grant funds do not cover alcoholic beverages.
Please note that restrictions on UCHRI funding do not allow honoraria to be paid to UC faculty. Compensation should be in the form of a direct contribution to the faculty member’s research fund and is limited to a maximum of $500 for UC-faculty presenters/panelists. Honoraria may be paid to non-UC presenters/panelists and should also be capped at $500.
UCHRI may also consider administrative costs (up to 15% of the total requested amount), provided justification is detailed in both the budget template and the budget narrative. Amounts should be determined in advance and in writing with the administrative unit (e.g., the faculty organizer’s department or campus humanities center). Campuses are prohibited from charging indirect costs on funding from the Office of the President.
For program related questions, please contact grants@hri.uci.edu. Please include the name of the grant for which you need assistance.
For technical assistance, please contact Submittable at support@submittable.com.
