Interdisciplinary Grants: Large Awards (INT-L) / Small Awards (INT-S)

Goal: To support innovative research projects, scholarly works and/or creative works that leverage and advance synergies across the College and CWRU, while educating the next generation of leaders and innovators.

This grant category will support interdisciplinary teams to develop research, scholarly and/or creative projects that are highly innovative in nature. Outcomes must include the advancement of one or more significant research, scholarly and/or creative product(s) such as a major research study, prominent book, major performance, long-term research instrument or large-scale data set, and/or implementation of a transformative program at CWRU or in the community. In addition, an application for external funding is required as an outcome for all awards (both INT-L and INT-S). Sources and amounts of external funding will vary depending on the disciplines involved and can include research grants and contracts, prestigious fellowships, and awards. Applicants must specifically state (1) expected outcomes and products from this funding, (2) the grant/fellowship/award(s) they will seek as a result of funding, and (3) a description of how this will involve student participation in the project. In addition, applicants must explain how their project aligns with and advances Pathway 1of the university’s Think Big Strategic Plan.

Student Engagement:
Student involvement in the scholarly work is expected and may involve undergraduate and/or graduate students who participate in the process of conducting lab or field research; visiting an archive to conduct research; contributing to creative work, journal article, book, performance; or in other activities relevant to the project. A description of plans for student engagement in the scholarly work must be incorporated into the Project Description and portions of the budget can help support these activities.

Available Funding:

Approximate number of large awards (INT-L): 3 (Budget Range: $25,000–$30,000 per award)

Approximate number of small awards (INT-S): 3 (Budget Range: $10,000–$12,000 per award)

Eligibility Requirements:

The principal investigator (PI) must be a full-time faculty member with a Tenure track or non-Tenure track (instructor and senior instructor) appointment within the College. Co-investigators may include faculty and staff from within or outside of the College. This fund encourages the involvement of collaborators from the other Schools across CWRU, as well as from outside of the institution.

Special Requirements:

The PI and co-PIs must include at least two faculty members (tenure-track or non-tenure-track) from at least two CAS departments and/or CWRU schools, with the lead PI being in the College (list all involved on the Application Form). Collaborators from other schools at CWRU will be viewed positively. In rare cases, we will consider collaborations between faculty members in the same department if a very strong case can be made for the interdisciplinary benefits of this team.

If matching funds are acquired from other sources in advance (e.g., from other CWRU schools), please indicate those in the Project Description.

Disciplinary Grants: Large Awards (DIS-L) / Small Awards (DIS-S)

Goal: To support high-impact research projects, scholarly works and/or creative works that advance a specific discipline or related group of disciplines while educating the next generation of leaders and innovators.

Fund Description: This grant category will support a principal investigator (PI) with collaborators (if applicable) to advance a new project or to apply new approaches to an existing project within their disciplinary research. Outcomes must include the advancement of one or more significant research, scholarly and/or creative product(s) such as a research study, book, performance, long-term research instrument or large-scale data set, and/or implementation of a transformative program at CWRU or in the community. In addition, an application for external funding is required as an outcome for all awards (both FND-L and FND-S). Sources and amounts of external funding will vary depending on the disciplines involved and can include research grants and contracts, prestigious fellowships and awards. Applicants must specifically state (1) expected outcomes and products from this funding, (2) the grant/fellowship/award(s) they will seek as a result of funding, and (3) a description for how this will involve student participation in the project. In addition, applicants must explain how their project aligns with and advances one or more of the pathways under the Think Big Strategic Plan.

Student Engagement: Student involvement in the scholarly work is expected and may involve undergraduate and/or graduate students who participate in the process of conducting lab or field research; visiting an archive to conduct research; contributing to a creative work, journal article, book, performance; or in other activities relevant to the project. A description of plans for student engagement in the scholarly work must be incorporated into the Project Description and portions of the budget can help support these activities.

Available Funding:

• Approximate number of large awards: 3 (Budget Range: $15,000–$18,000 per award)
• Approximate number of small awards: 4 (Budget Range: $5,000–$8,000 per award)

Eligibility Requirements: The principal investigator (PI) must be a full-time faculty member with a Tenure track or non-Tenure track (instructor and senior instructor) appointment within the College. Co-investigators (if applicable) may include faculty and/or staff from within or outside of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Social and Racial Justice Grants (SRJ)

Goal: To support research, scholarly and/or creative works that analyze, illuminate, and/or seek solutions to systemic racial and social injustices and disparities within our society.

Fund Description: Through Pathway 3 of the Think Big strategic plan, CWRU has committed to having a positive social impact on our community as we strive to create a culture of inclusive excellence on our campus. Social and Racial Justice Grants will support scholarly work focused on the goals of Pathway 3 at the local, national and international levels.

Funds will support a principal investigator, with collaborators (including community partners) as appropriate, who will apply new approaches to existing projects or generate new data or creative works that focus on social and racial justice. The outcomes may include the advancement of a transformative program or teaching innovation, an application for external funding, a major performance, a scholarly product (e.g., a major book) and/or the development of a long-term research instrument or large-scale data set. Applications must state expected outcomes and products from this funding.

Student Engagement: Student engagement and/or participation is expected in the project and may involve undergraduate and/or graduate students participating in the development of a program; contributing to a creative work or research study, journal article, or book; and/or participating in the development of a teaching strategy or in other activities relevant to the project. A description of plans for student engagement in the scholarly work must be incorporated into the Project Description and portions of the budget can help support these activities.

Available Funding: Approximate number of awards: 2 (Budget Range: $8,000–$10,000 per award)

Eligibility Requirements: The principal investigator (PI) must be a full-time faculty member with a Tenure track or non-Tenure track (instructor and senior instructor) appointment within the College.  Co-investigators (if applicable) may include faculty and/or staff from within or outside the College. Collaborations with community partners are also highly encouraged.

Experimental Humanities Grant

Goal: This grant category will support innovative interdisciplinary teams of students and scholars to develop scholarly and/or creative projects that advance the field of experimental humanities, which centers on the mutually transformative integration of humanities and STEM through hands-on engagement with and critical reflection on new and emerging technological tools and methods. Combining the interpretive, critically reflective tools of the humanities with the collaborative, experimental methods of the sciences, this field occupies spaces between and across traditional academic boundaries in order to design and develop new approaches, advance new understandings, and build new models of creative community and collaboration among the arts, humanities, and STEM. Outcomes must include (a) the advancement of one or more significant scholarly and/or creative products (e.g., a research project, a publication or performance, a software application, a model or database, or a new academic initiative that advances the experimental humanities), and (b) an application for external funding. Both outcomes must be specified clearly in the application.

Student Engagement: Significant undergraduate student involvement in the scholarly project is required. Faculty applicants are strongly encouraged to collaborate with their students in every stage of the project, including designing the project and writing the proposal. Students are also encouraged to take initiative, bringing their own project ideas to faculty in order to collaborate on a proposal. A description of plans for significant student participation must be incorporated into the Project Description, and portions of the budget can help support these activities.

Available Funding:

Approximate number of large awards (EH1-L): up to 3 (Budget Range: $25,000–$50,000 per award)

Approximate number of small awards (EH1-S): up to 5 (Budget Range: $5,000–$15,000 per award)

Eligibility Requirements: The principal investigator (PI) or one of the co-principal Investigators (Co-PIs) must be a full-time regular faculty member at CWRU.  Preference will be given to proposals that have a PI or Co-PI in the humanities or humanities-related social sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences. Student collaborators will be designated as co-investigators. Co-PIs and co-investigators may include faculty, staff, and students from other fields within or outside the College. Involvement of collaborators outside CWRU is also encouraged.

Special Requirements: Awardees are required to acknowledge the EHI program and Mandel Foundation in any presentation, publication, and/or scholarly work that resulted in part or in total from the support provided by this award. The recommended acknowledgement text is “The author(s) acknowledge the support from the Case Western Research University Expanding Horizons Initiative in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation through a (add EHI grant type) award.”

The Morrell Heald Endowed Fund for Curricular Innovation (HCI)

Goal: To promote undergraduate curricular innovation in the College in order to advance the education of our future leaders and innovators.

The fund is named in honor of Morrell (“Bo”) Heald (1922–2014) who served the university as a professor of History and American Studies for 35 years and as the Samuel and Virginia B. Knight Professor of Humanities from 1982 until his retirement in 1988. An exemplary scholar, inspiring teacher, and beloved mentor to both faculty and students, Professor Heald was renowned for his innovative interdisciplinary curricular initiatives as well as his pedagogical experimentation and innovations.

Fund Description:

The Morrell Heald Endowed Fund will award one grant annually to support an interdisciplinary undergraduate curricular innovation in the College. Preference will be given to those proposals that support or create interdisciplinary courses, programs, or teaching initiatives that connect humanistic with scientific, technological, or medical approaches. Proposals that cross school lines and/or engage other University Circle institutions are encouraged. Proposals that only concern technological aids in the classroom will not be eligible for the award.

Available Funding:

The approximate number of awards: 1 ($4,000 per award)

Eligibility Requirements:

The principal investigator (PI) must be a faculty member with a tenure-track or non- tenure-track appointment or a full-time lecturer in the College. Co-investigators (if applicable) may include faculty and/or instructors and lecturers from within or outside of the College. Collaborations with community partners are also highly encouraged.

Teaching Innovation Grants (TIG)

Goal: To develop and implement innovative approaches to instruction and learning that will serve as teaching models across the College of Arts and Sciences and beyond.

Fund Description:

This fund supports projects to create and implement innovative instructional approaches within the College of Arts and Sciences and beyond. A broad range of projects will be eligible for funding, including but not limited to development of a new active and/or experiential learning approach; models for collaborative and cooperative learning ; novel uses of instructional technology; novel strategies for incorporating writing into the learning process; problem-based learning; integration of lab and didactic instruction; and interdisciplinary instruction and approaches. Funds may also be used to develop an interdisciplinary summer course with 2+ faculty from different disciplines.

Available Funding:

The approximate number of awards: 2 ($4,000 per award)

Eligibility Requirements:

The principal investigator (PI) must be a faculty member with a tenure-track or non- tenure-track appointment or a full-time lecturer in the College. Co-investigators (if applicable) may include faculty and/or lecturers from within or outside of the College. Collaborations with community partners are also highly encouraged.

Special Requirements:

The Project Description must clearly explain, with data generated by the PI or referenced from the literature, how the proposed instructional innovation may enhance student learning compared to traditional approaches.

Grant, Manuscript or Performance Pre-Review Fund (PRE)

Goal: To allow faculty to have a grant, scholarly work, or creative product reviewed and/or critiqued by an outside expert prior to formal submission or production.

Fund Description: The fund will pay an honorarium to an expert reviewer to provide timely, constructive, and comprehensive feedback on a soon-to-be submitted grant/fellowship application, manuscript/book, creative work or performance. The reviewer should be from outside CWRU, although exceptions may be made if a leading expert in the field is a member of our campus.

Eligibility Requirements: 

• The principal investigator (PI) must be a faculty member with a tenure-track or non-tenure-track appointment in the College.
• The highest priority will be granted to pre-tenured faculty.

Available Funding:

• Approximate number of awards: TBD ($500 per award as an honorarium)

When and Where to apply for funding:

• These requests will be reviewed internally and awarded on a first-come-first-served basis.
• Applications may be made at any time online HERE

Special Requirements:

• Applicants planning to seek an external grant, fellowship, performance, etc. must identify the funder or sponsor, provide the due date for submission or for the performance date, and specify the grant amount if applicable. Applicants must describe the project under review.
• Recipients of PRE funding must arrange for the reviews/critiques to be completed in a timely manner to ensure that comments can be incorporated into the final product.
• Recipients must also forward a copy of the final grant proposal/fellowship application, manuscript, or performance program to the dean’s office, along with a copy of the review/critique (these are kept confidential and will never be used to evaluate the faculty member, but only to confirm that the reviewer’s duties have been completed).
• Faculty members may receive PRE support for only one review of a given grant/fellowship application, manuscript or performance and may receive funding only once per year to ensure that more researchers can take advantage of this fund.

Program Guidelines

Supporting faculty research is central to the mission of the Case Western Reserve University College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). For this reason, the CAS has created a Finish Line Fund to help its faculty bring scholarly books, peer-reviewed manuscripts, and creative works to timely and successful completion. This may include publication costs, indexing, costs of printed images, or the final needs to complete a creative work. Faculty members can receive up to $3,000 and can cost-share with other sources to meet the full funding requirements. These requests will be reviewed internally and will help defray eligible expenses when no other sources of funding exist or when only partial funds exist to take the last step to complete a tangible product (with Case Western Reserve acknowledgments). 

• The Fund is only meant for use when no other means of support exist and faculty are expected to seek departmental, center-based, and external funds before applying to this Fund. 
• The eligibility criteria, qualifying expenses, application process, and notification procedures are described below.

Eligibility

• All regular faculty members in the College of Arts and Sciences are eligible to apply for this Fund.

Qualifying Expenses and Limits on Support

• This Fund is designated for the publication of scholarly works that present original research and scholarship. It is applicable to edited collections, sole-authored works, creative works, and peer-reviewed original research manuscripts.
• Funding is based on need.
• Support from this Fund is limited to a maximum of $3,000 per faculty member per year.
• Faculty may not receive funds two years in a row. Examples of eligible expenses include
  • Costs associated with indexing, obtaining digital images, securing copyright permissions, modest subventions requested by publishers, publishing of programs for creative work, etc.

This Fund is not available to support

• • The publishing of works resulting from grant-funded research that received grant dollars to support publication costs. The Fund also does not cover research costs, travel, book conferences, or publicity expenses.

Questions about qualifying expenses should be directed to the Assistant Dean for Research, Jacquie Johnson (jxj773@case.edu).

When and Where to Apply for Support

• These requests will be reviewed internally and will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis for outcomes being delivered in a high-quality venue (e.g., peer-reviewed, high-quality creative work, etc.) .
• Applications may be made at any time online HERE
  • We encourage you to reach out to Jacquie Johnson (jxj773@case.edu) to determine if funds are available before applying.

Application Guidelines

• Applications should provide an abstract (no longer than one page) of the project and must include a copy of an invoice for needed expenses.
• The application should present a budget and short budget justification, along with an invoice or estimate of the costs to be incurred with an invoice to follow within 1-2 months (i.e., these funds should only be requested at the time of need).
• The application should indicate from which other sources funds were sought and secured, as well as the amount that remains to be covered.

Notification and Distribution of Awards

Awards will be paid, or expenses reimbursed upon presentation of bills or invoices to the Assistant Dean of Research, Jacquie Johnson (jxj773@case.edu).