Resources for Grant Applicants
Below you will find a list of common Centennial Center Research Grant questions and answers split into four categories. Please click through to find the information you may need.
If you have any additional questions, please email centennial@apsanet.org. Please note we are a small team and we receive many inquiries during grant application periods, so responses may take longer than usual.
FAQs
Applicant eligibility
Do I have to be an active APSA member to apply for a grant?
No, you do not need to be an APSA member to apply. However, award winners do need to maintain active APSA membership for the duration of their grant.
I am an independent scholar or a faculty member working outside of a political science department, am I still eligible for research grants?
Yes! As long as your proposed research fits within the discipline of political science, and you meet other relevant eligibility requirements (see Question 1) you are eligible for research grants. Please note that PIs for Peer to Peer Pedagogical Partnerships and Special Projects Fund proposals should be political science faculty (or faculty outside of political science departments who regularly conduct research or teach in political science). Similarly, Research Partnership on Critical Issues must have at least one, and ideally multiple PIs located in a political science department.
I am not a US citizen, am I still eligible for the Centennial Center programs?
Yes! There is no citizenship requirement for Centennial Center grants.
Eligible Expenses
Can grants support work that was completed before notifications were made?
No, grants may only support work conducted after notification of award.
Can my institution charge administrative or overhead costs to my grant?
No.
Can my institution charge administrative or overhead costs to my grant?
No.
Can I use my grant funds to pay for APSA membership?
No.
Can I use my grant funds for APSA Annual Meeting registration funds?
No. Grants may be used to support costs of workshops or mini conferences held at the Annual Meeting (i.e. office supplies, catering, travel support), but grant funds may not be used to pay for conference registration.
Do you have any tips for writing my grant application and preparing my budget?
Yes! You can find our grant writing guide below. If your institution has an office of research or a writing center, we recommend contacting them for in-depth grant-writing support.
What should be included in letters of recommendation?
Letters must speak to the applicant’s ability to successfully carry out the proposed work. They may also speak to the value of the proposed work.
Tips for Writing Grant Applications
There are many guides to writing grant applications available online, through university writing centers, and research and grants offices. Your university may also offer peer feedback on grant application materials or workshops for improving grant applications. Below are some brief tips for preparing stronger grant applications, but we also recommend that scholars consult their departments and universities for more in-depth assistance.
General Tips
- Begin preparing materials early.
- Follow the application guidelines exactly.
- If you have questions about the review process or guidelines, ask! Contact the Centennial Center staff at centennial@apsanet.org
- Be explicit and specific – about your aims, methods, budgetary needs, the links between your work and the funds to which you are applying, and the value of your proposed work. Use statements such as, “The objective of this study/project/workshop is to …”
- Be clear and direct in describing the connections between your research questions and objectives, your objectives and methods, your methods and results, and your results and your sub-field or the broader discipline. For non-research projects, be sure to link the aims of your project to your proposed methods, and your methods to your goals/expected results, and your expected results to broader benefits for the discipline and/or relevant community.
- Devote additional time to composing and reviewing your proposal’s first paragraph and first page – first impressions count in grant applications too!
- Predict the questions that the reviewer may have and answer them. Przeworski and Salomon (1995) suggest that reviewers read with three questions in mind:
- What are we going to learn as a result of the proposed project that we do not know now? (goals, aims, and outcomes). For non-research projects, what will we learn or what results will we produce (inclusion, professional development) that we don’t have now or that we need?
- Why is it worth knowing? (significance). For non-research projects, why is this worth doing?
- How will we know that the conclusions are valid? (criteria for success). For non-research projects, how will we know that your efforts were successful?
- Finally, and perhaps most importantly, do not feel ashamed or embarrassed about asking about money or about promoting yourself! It never hurts to apply, and we also encourage re-application by those we were unable to fund in the past.
Prepared with reference to The University of North Carolina Writing Center’s Grant Proposal Guide
Review Criteria
Section coming soon