CLA Faculty Grants

Assistant professors with tenure-track appointments who

• have already been teaching for at least two semesters in Oxford
• are not receiving summer funding as part of a start-up package

Preference will be given to applications where:

• the faculty member is not teaching, in order to focus their summer entirely on research or creative activities
• the faculty member has utilized their start-up funds (if faculty have remaining start-up funds, they may request supplemental funds to cover research/creative activity costs, but must articulate how remaining start-up funds will be leveraged to support the work)
• the proposed work is likely to result in a significant contribution to the discipline (proposals to refine course offerings or curriculum or communicate research results will not be considered)

• Project period will run from January 1, 2025 to October 15, 2025. Funds must be expended by October 15, 2025.
• Faculty members receiving seed support will need to provide a report by November 1, 2025 on outcomes, spending, and impact (template provided with award information). If a final report is not submitted on time, the faculty member will not be eligible to receive a future funding or support from the College.
• Junior faculty may receive no more than two grants in a row. The two-year rule eligibility rule supersedes all: No faculty member may receive a College grant in 2025 who has received summer grant funding from the College in the summers of both 2024 and 2023. This includes College funding for start-up packages.
• Grant recipients are expected to indicate that they received support from and to note their academic affiliation with the University of Mississippi on any publication facilitated by the award. Failure to do so will result in the faculty member’s ineligibility for future College support.
• Recipients may be asked to participate in CLA’s Research and Creativity Showcase (a celebration in the spring that highlights the research, scholarship, and creative work of College faculty, staff, and students). Participation in the Showcase, if requested, is mandatory.

Faculty members will submit a 3-5 page proposal narrative and a line-item budget. Both of these documents should be uploaded to the InfoReady portal by October 5 by 11:59pm. Additionally, in the InfoReady portal the faculty member will asked to indicate whether they expect to teach during the upcoming intersession or summer. Applications will be routed to Chairs for approval prior to being sent to the Dean’s Office for evaluation.

The narrative should address the following:

1. Stated Goals and Objectives: clearly stated goals and objectives that are supported by a project timeline; the faculty members should clearly describe the research or creative vision.
2. Scientific or Creative Merit: The narrative should outline how, if successful, the project will strategically expand the applicant’s research or creative program. The narrative should also indicate the potential to lead to significant contributions or innovations in the field or discipline or how the project represents a bold new idea. Further, articulated conceptual or theoretical frameworks and methods are appropriate to the goals of the project and reflective of intellectual rigor.
3. Potential Impacts: The proposal should articulate the benefits of the work to society at large by outlining the potential innovation, benefits tot eh public good, service to underrepresented communities, and/or local engagement. Proposals that can demonstrate potential impact for Mississippi communities are especially encouraged.
4. Project Plan: Outline the proposed project and provide a timeline for the work. Identify any potential pitfalls and solutions.
5. Project Feasibility: The proposer should identify how they are well-suited to the proposed project and clearly identify the appropriate experience and training being leveraged for the project. Identify any unique features of the research or creative environment that will contribute to the probability of success.
6. Project Resources: Identify any additional resources that might be leveraged in combination with the budget request to support the work.

A budget using the ORSP Standard Budget FY25 should be used (template). As a note, if the proposal is to support summer work, faculty can allocate up to one month of summer salary within the budget. If the bulk of the work is to be conducted during the academic year, the budget should not include summer salary.

A committee of senior faculty members from the College of Liberal Arts will be chosen by the Associate Dean of Research to review and score the proposals. The committee will consist of representatives from each of our discipline groups in the College: Fine and Performing Arts, Humanities, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Social Sciences. Applications will be ranked from highest to lowest numerically based on the total score from the members of the committee based on the below rubric. These rankings will lead to each proposal being put into one of three groups: high priority, medium priority or low priority. Pending the availability of funding, proposals ranked in the high priority category will be recommended for funding by the evaluation committee to the Dean’s Office.

October 5, 2024:                    Proposals submitted to InfoReady system

December 15, 2024:               Grants announced

October 15, 2025:                   Funds Expended

November 1, 2025:                 Final Report to Dean’s Office

April, 2026:                            CLA Research & Creativity Showcase