Note from APSA: This page features various grants, conferences, and other professional development opportunities available to Graduate students. This page is updated throughout the year.
Last updated: May 2025
APSAnet Grants and Funding Opportunities
APSAnet contains two pages featuring our institutional grants and other political science grants. Please view them below
Dissertation Funding Opportunity and Resources
‣ APSA Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants / Deadline: June 1, 2025
The Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant project provides support to enhance and improve the conduct of doctoral dissertation research in political science. Awards support basic research which is theoretically derived and empirically oriented. The DDRIG Program awards between 20 and 25 grants yearly of between $10,000 and $15,000 to support doctoral dissertation research that advances knowledge and understanding of citizenship, government, and politics. Learn full grant information and start your application here.
Before you start your application, check out these virtual workshops:
- Best Practices When Drafting Your DDRIG Proposal
- Insights from Past DDRIG Reviewers
- Best Practices: PowerPoint Slides
2025 APSA Annual Meeting Travel Grants
‣ APSA Annual Meeting Travel Grants / Deadline: May 1, 2025
APSA is pleased to provide travel grants to qualified applicants for attendance at association events. Start your application here.
‣ The Foreign Policy Section Graduate Student Travel Grant / Deadline: May 7, 2025
This competitive grant is designed to support the travel costs of graduate students who currently studies in an academic institution to attend the APSA Annual Meeting in person. The recipients must be either a member of the APSA FP section at the time of the Annual Meeting or have a paper accepted for the Annual Meeting on a FP-sponsored panel (one of these two criteria is sufficient). The grant recipients will receive a $500 cash reimbursement for travel, accommodation, and/or fees directly accrued from their in-person attendance at the convention. Graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds who fit these criteria are strongly encouraged to apply.
To apply, candidates must submit (1) motivation letter (max. 250 words), (2) abstract of the accepted paper, and either (3) evidence of annual convention acceptance (including panel sponsor information) (4) evidence of APSA FP section membership (if panel not a FP section sponsored panel). The motivation letter should discuss how attendance at APSA benefits the applicant’s research and career objectives. Examples include plans to network, attend other panels and events, receive feedback on own presentation, etc. Make sure to include your full name and APSA ID number. Submissions with an explanation of more than 250 words or missing any of these documents will not be considered.
All application materials should be sent via email to Foreign Policy section committee members Brian Blankenship (bxb731@miami.edu ) and Jordan Tama (tama@american.edu). The section will notify the recipients if they were awarded this grant by the end of July.
‣ The Committee on the Status of LGBTQ Individuals in the Profession / Applications Open May 1st
The Committee will support travel grants in support of APSA Annual Meeting conference participation for historically excluded groups and those at institutions with limited resources. Travel grants will be provided to individuals attending the Annual Meeting. Grants will not exceed $300 per awardee. Priority will be given to applicants with accepted poster and paper presentations, or individuals attending APSA to engage in service on LGBT-related committees/sections. Individuals participating in the Annual Meeting as chairs and discussants are still eligible to apply. To apply, submit create an APSA profile and submit an online application. All application materials must be submitted through the online application system to be reviewed by the selection committee. More information can be found at: https://www.apsanet.org/statuscommitteelgbt
‣ APSA Childcare Reimbursement
To support APSA Annual Meeting members and attendees who require childcare to attend the meeting, APSA is now offering a limited number of reimbursements (up to $500 per family) to help subsidize the cost of childcare in Vancouver specifically for attending the Annual Meeting. More information about the 2025 grant cycle to follow.
Professional Development Opportunities
‣ Call for Proposals: Southwest Workshop on Mixed Methods Research (SWMMR) 2025
The SWMMR organizing committee invites you to submit your paper proposal to the Tenth Annual Southwest Workshop on Mixed Methods Research (SWMMR). We will meet on October 23-24, 2025, at the University of California, Irvine.
The annual workshop will include several panels of scholars who will present and discuss article- or chapter-length works in progress that either (a) utilize mixed methods in substantive social science research or (b) contribute to the methodology of mixed-method research. Participants will receive critical feedback from senior scholars and other participants.
We especially encourage paper proposals from graduate students in their last year and early career professors at the Assistant or Associate rank.
There is no conference fee. Meals, coffee, and snacks will be provided free of charge during the workshop.
To apply, please visit our website, https://conferencebit.com/swmmr2025/, and submit your proposal by June 15, 2025, 11:59 pm (PDT)
Research Funding Opportunities
‣ APSA Diversity and Inclusion Advancing Research Grants / Deadline: May 6, 2025
The APSA Diversity and Inclusion Advancing Research Grant supports the advancement of research goals and professional development of early career political science scholars. The grant will award $2,000- $2,5000 to scholars whose research areas focus on target research areas related to diversity and inclusion. There are no citizenship requirements and applicants may be located outside of the US. Applicants must have earned their PhD no later than late May 2024 but no earlier than May 2018. Apply Now!
‣ APSA Centennial Center for Political Science and Public Affairs
The APSA Centennial Center for Political Science and Public Affairs supports the advancement of research goals and professional development. The center offers winter, spring, and summer grant cycles. Learn about all of the Centennail Center’s grants here.