SHASS Research Fund
MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
 

The SHASS Research Fund invites proposals for support of research in the areas of humanities, arts, and social sciences that show promise of making an important contribution to the proposed area of activity.

How to Apply
Please read this page first for an overview of the requirements, then download the application cover page.

Deadline: the 2022-23 Research Fund deadline is October 21, 2022.

Terms of Funding
The Fund supports research assistants, travel, and supplies related to new or ongoing research. Grants made for the purchase of computers and other kinds of equipment require that ownership of the equipment remain with MIT. The Fund does not support faculty or lecturer summer salary or teaching release time. Proposals for support of conferences, symposia or workshops will be considered, but it is important to explain how the activity will directly benefit the individual’s research.


Eligibility and Selection
Individuals eligible for these funds include full-time regular faculty at all professorial ranks; senior lecturers; and full-time lecturers (visiting faculty, temporary and part-time lecturers, and sponsored research staff are not eligible). Priority will be given to those with few sources of research or discretionary funds.


Proposal Content 
All applications must include a cover page with explicit endorsement from the Head of the individual’s Department, Program or Section. Substantive proposals are required, but they should generally not be more than five pages in length. The proposal should:  

     1.  Discuss the ways the research or creative arts project
     relates to the career development of the applicant.

     2.  Discuss the intellectual and methodological approaches
     to the topic or project proposed.

     3.  Provide a detailed budget and include information about
     cost-sharing when such is available. Budgets must also include
     employee benefits and overhead at the current fund account rates.
     Proposal requests should be in the range of $3,000-$10,000.
 

Proposals should be submitted to your Administrative Officer. Late applications will not be considered. 

Questions?
Inquiries should be directed to shassfund@mit.edu.

Gallery of Previous Research Fund Recipients
2013  |  2014  |  2015  |  2016  |  2017  |  2018  |  2019  |  2020  |  2021 |  2023