Africana Studies Institute 2023, Call for Graduate and Undergraduate Proposals

Project Funding for the Collaborative to Advance Equity through Research on Women and Girls of Color

Deadline extended to February 6, 2023

History 

In November 2015, the White House Council on Women and Girls announced a new initiative on women and girls of color – the Collaborative to Advance Equity through Research on Women and Girls of Color—during a summit hosted at the Anna Julia Cooper Center at Wake Forest University. The Collaborative to Advance Equity through Research on Women and Girls of Color, which the University of Connecticut joined in 2015, consists of more than fifty colleges, universities and non-profit organizations committed to studying and addressing the educational, health and social service disparities faced by women and girls of color. Housed within the Africana Studies Institute, UConn’s Collaborative aligns with Africana’s goals to prioritize research and collaboration that target health disparities, injustice and the well-being of racialized and gendered populations. We now seek proposals from undergraduate, graduate, and student-faculty collaborators for research projects during 2023.  

Purpose and Parameters

In line with the goals of the Africana Studies Institute and the national Collaborative, research projects must focus on historical or contemporary issues of social and health disparities among women and girls of color, including but not limited to mental health; educational disparities and resource distribution, technologies of education and inequities, books and learning materials to promote girls and women’s mental, physical, and/or intellectual well- being; environmental health; maternal, fetal, and infant health from conception to delivery and beyond. Works that investigate the impacts of the ongoing global pandemic (such as the economic burden and toll of disease; inequalities in the way we organize and reward care; and the role of public policy in combating health crises that affect women and girls of color) are also encouraged. We solicit community outreach/field-based research; work with data and/or archival documents, digital research and/or analysis. Awardees will present their research at a symposium after the award period for research on women and girls of color. We expect to fund several proposals at the range of $500 to $3,000, with undergraduate awards not to exceed $1,500 and graduate awards not to exceed $3,000.

Students from across the university whose research fits within these topical parameters are eligible to apply. Those whose degree program of study falls within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will be given priority. Funding is capped of $3,000 for graduate applications and $1,500 for undergraduate applications. Qualified expenses include funding to partially defray the costs of materials, books, participant payment, institutional fees, statistical training, or student travel (e.g., to collect data). Other expenses may qualify. If you are unsure, please reach out to Amanda Cannada (Amanda.Cannada@uconn.edu) or Melina Pappademos (melina.pappademos@uconn.edu) before the expense is incurred. 

 

Graduate Student Applications 

Graduate student applications are limited to a maximum of 700 words, single-spaced, at least 12pt font, with a clear rationale and/or purpose, methods, theories, scholarly questions, goals, intended audience, timeline for the work facilitated by the award, and detailed itemized budget, and expected scholarly outcomes of the research. Successful proposals must have the following components that together articulate the project:

Undergraduate Student Applications 

Undergraduates will complete the attached form, which seeks information similar to the graduate students’ proposals as well as promotes undergraduates’ experience in preparing strong external funding applications. Successful proposals must have the following components that together articulate the project:

Proposal Components 

Any proposal (grad or undergrad) must include the following support documents for full consideration:  

 

*1 and no more than 2 letter(s) of recommendation (by an advisor, instructor, faculty collaborator, etc. that speaks to the student’s research experience, preparation to conduct the research, and importance of the funds to complete the proposed project) 

*Statement of general prior research experience (no more than 500 words) 

 

*A current, short CV (no more than 2 pages)  

 

*1-2 pg. itemized budget with lines for listing costs of travel, accommodations, reproduction, institutional access, etc.

 

All proposals will be subject to a preliminary vetting process by a review board within the Africana Studies Institute to determine basic project eligibility, suitability, conceptualization, applicant preparedness, and general appropriateness for funding. Proposals successful at this stage then undergo qualitative review by the CLAS Dean’s Office. Those that receive a positive evaluation at this level will be ranked and funds awarded up to total funds available for this cycle. Priority is given to proposals from graduate and advanced undergraduate  students though collaborations between a faculty member and a student are eligible for funding as well. Proposals that clearly envisage a publication or other form of community dissemination of research, or a larger external research grant proposal are highly encouraged. Funding covers any qualified research expense incurred between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023.

 

The new application submission deadline is February 6, 2023, with awards decided on or before February 24, 2023 (funds can be used anytime during 2023). Please read the complete format submission instructions before submitting.   Submit proposals to Collaborative Submission Form or to Amanda Cannada, Institute Coordinator for ASI: Amanda.Cannada@uconn.edu. Questions should be posed to Africana Studies Institute director Dr. Melina Pappademos (melina.pappademos@uconn.edu.)