Fund for the Advancement of the Discipline

 

 

PROPOSALS SOUGHT
- Two Deadlines Each Year -
Proposals Are Due June 15 or December 15 of Each Year

 

 

PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT

 

The American Sociological Association invites submissions for the Fund for the Advancement of the Discipline (FAD) awards.  Supported by the American Sociological Association through a matching grant from the National Science Foundation, the goal of this project is to nurture the development of scientific knowledge by funding small, groundbreaking research initiatives and other important scientific research activities such as conferences.  FAD awards provide scholars with small grants ($7,000 maximum) for innovative research that has the potential for challenging the discipline, stimulating new lines of research, and creating new networks of scientific collaboration.  The award is intended to provide opportunities for substantive and methodological breakthroughs, broaden the dissemination of scientific knowledge, and provide leverage for acquisition of additional research funds.

 

 

SELECTION CRITERIA

 

Proposals are reviewed for scientific merit and the importance of the proposed research project.  Within this context, specific evaluation criteria include the following elements:

 

q       Innovativeness and promise of the research.

q       The potential of the study as a building block in the development of future research.

q       Appropriateness and significance of the research hypothesis.

q       Feasibility and adequacy of project design.

q       Plans for analysis of data.

q       Plans for dissemination of results.

q       Appropriateness of requested budget.

q       Conference proposals should include a discussion of activities that will lead to networking, new paradigms, and dissemination.

 

The awards are limited to individuals with PhD degrees or the equivalent. 

 

While ASA membership is not a criterion for applying or being selected for this grant, if and when a grant award is made, the recipient must be a current ASA member.  ASA membership involves acceptance of and adherence to the ASA Code of Ethics, which is critical to the implementation of the grant project.  Grantees must also provide documentation of pertinent IRB approval for the funded project.

 

Preference is given to applicants who have not previously received a FAD award.  The selection committee consists of five members of the ASA Council, ASA's Vice-President, and the ASA Director of the Research Department.

 

 

FUNDING

 

The amount of each award shall not exceed $7,000.  Payment goes directly to the principal investigator unless other arrangements are made. 

 

Grant money may not be used for convention expenses, honoraria, or Principal Investigator's salary.  No overhead expenses are provided if institutions assist in administering the award for applicants.

 

Awardees are encouraged to continue the tradition of donating to FAD any royalty income derived from projects supported by the grant.

 

 

APPLICATION PROCESS

 

Applications must be received in the ASA Executive office by June 15 for awards to be reviewed in the summer cycle, and by December 15 for awards to be reviewed in the winter.  Applications should include eight (8) copies of the following:

 

q       Cover sheet with the title, name of lead author, and additional name(s) of author(s).

q       100 to 200 word abstract of the research/conference topic.

q       Maximum of 5 single spaced pages describing the project (excluding appendices).

q       Detailed budget and time schedule.

q       Bibliography.

q       Statement of other pending support.

q       Vitas for all authors.

 

 

RECENT WINNERS

 

Recently funded research and conference proposals included a broad array of topics and methods from unpaid caring work to transnational political participation and from testing survey questions, cross-nationally to applying Monte Carlo probability techniques.  For brief descriptions of recent award winning projects, see the May/June 2002, December 2002, May/June 2003, and July/August 2004 issues of ASA’s Footnotes newsletter.

 

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

 

Please send eight complete application packets to:

 

FAD awards

ASA/NSF Small Grant Program

1307 New York Avenue NW

Suite 700

Washington, DC 20005-4107

 

Prior to submitting the proposal, please feel free to phone or e-mail project director Roberta Spalter-Roth at (202) 383-9005 x317 or spalter-roth@asanet.org.  Applicants are required to notify ASA if other funding is received for the project.