Academic Research Funding Opportunities
Fund Your Work. Further Your Career.
In the classroom and in research, IHS grants help scholars pursue their best work.
Academic Research Funding Opportunities
Fund Your Work. Further Your Career.
In the classroom and in research, IHS grants help scholars pursue their best work.
Flexible Research Grants for Scholars
IHS offers more than two million dollars in highly competitive grants for projects within our areas of focus.
Expense Support
Grant Amount
Based on Need
Grant Amount
Typical awards range from $500 to $5,000. Higher funding awards will be considered for exceptional projects.
Program Overview
Through our Hayek Fund, graduate students and faculty can request support for expenses related to research on themes within the liberal tradition.
Application Process
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Any scholar engaged in research or teaching at an accredited college or university may apply for funding. Grants are typically supplemental and are designed to offset a project’s total cost. Applications must be submitted six weeks before the expense is incurred. Applicants will be notified of decisions within six weeks of submission.
Eligible Expenses
The following are common expenses supported by IHS. We welcome uncommon requests.
- Travel for conference presentations, job interviews, and archival research
- Research collaboration and hiring a research assistant
- Journal submission fees
- Purchase data sets
- Book publication expenses (e.g. copy editing, indexing)
- Application fees for PhD programs
Ineligible Expenses
- Living expenses (e.g. rent)
- Hardware costs (e.g. laptops, printers)
- Tuition expenses
- Retroactive expenses
Applicant Eligibility
Applicants must be full-time students or faculty at an accredited college or university. Preference will be given to research directly tied to IHS areas of focus and to applicants from North America and Europe.
- Applications must be submitted six weeks before the expense is incurred
- Retroactive expenses are ineligible
- Applications may only pertain to one project (multiple applications are welcomed)
- Typically, the same project will not be funded more than once
Indirect Costs
IHS grants cannot support institutional overhead or indirect costs.
Event Support
Grant Amount
Based on Need
Program Overview
Graduate students and faculty can request funds for hosting in-person and online events.
Application Process
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and must be submitted at least 90 days prior to the proposed event. Decisions will be announced within eight weeks of submission. These grants are highly competitive.
Events Supported
These grants can be used to support a variety of events including:
- Campus-wide lectures and panel discussions
- Book manuscript and papers workshops (honoraria for participants)
- Author-meets-critics panels
- Pedagogy and professionalization workshops
- On-campus conferences
- Reading groups for students or faculty
Event Eligibility
- Events must be rigorously academic in nature and take place in the United States or online.
- Preference goes to events that deal with the IHS areas of focus.
- Events should feature speakers or texts that represent the diversity of views within the broad liberal tradition.
Indirect Costs
IHS grants cannot support institutional overhead or indirect costs.
Grants for Course Buyouts
Grant Amount
Based on Need
Grant Amount
Typical awards range from $10,000 to $50,000. Higher funding awards and sabbatical grants will be considered for exceptional projects.
Program Overview
Faculty can request course buyouts and salary support to help prepare work for publication. A small number of applications are selected for full sabbatical funding, based on need and the expected influence of the work. Junior scholars are particularly encouraged to request full sabbatical grants.
Priority for these grants goes to:
- Manuscripts under contract with top academic publishers
- Papers likely to be accepted in top peer-reviewed journals
- Research directly tied to IHS areas of focus
- Applicants from leading research and teaching institutions
Awardee Expectations
Awardees are expected to make significant progress on their project during the grant period and share that progress with IHS.
Applicant Eligibility
Applicants must be full-time faculty (including post-docs) at an accredited college or university.
Application Timeline
We recommend submitting applications six months before the relevant semester to allow time for institutional planning. Decisions will be announced within eight weeks from submission.
Indirect Costs
IHS grants cannot support institutional overhead or indirect costs
Humane Studies Fellowship
The Humane Studies Fellowship offers three types of support to graduate students, awarded on a rolling basis:
Conference Accelerator Grants
Grant Amount
Up to $2,000
Program Overview
Conference Accelerator Grants are designed for master’s and PhD students who haven’t advanced to candidacy. These grants provide up to $2,000 to “accelerate” the work of developing a paper into an academic conference presentation by freeing time and supporting relevant expenses.
These awards provide access to other IHS opportunities including job market support, in-person and online events, and much more.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants will be notified of their award within six weeks of submission.
Awardee Expectations
Awardees are expected to submit proof of academic conference participation within six months of receiving the awarded funds.
Applicant Eligibility
- Applicants must be full-time students in an MA or PhD program.
- Previous applicants and winners are welcome to apply; students can receive up to three concurrent Accelerator Grants.
- Prior participation in IHS programs is not required.
- This award is available to students at any university. International students are eligible; however, priority is given to applicants at top research institutions.
Preference will be given to research directly tied to IHS areas of focus.
Indirect Costs
IHS grants cannot support institutional overhead or indirect costs
Publication Accelerator Grants
Grant Amount
Up to $5,000
Program Overview
Publication Accelerator Grants provide up to $5,000 to support students with an established publishing record (who commit to submitting an article to a leading publication outlet within six months of receiving the awarded funds).
These awards give you access to other IHS opportunities including job market support, in-person and online events, and much more.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants will be notified of their award within six weeks of submission.
Awardee Expectations
Awardees are expected to:
- Submit proof of submission, either as a solo author or first author, to a leading publication within six months of receiving awarded funds
- Present their work at an online IHS event (e.g. our Graduate Conference)
Applicant Eligibility
- Applicants must be full-time students enrolled in an MA or PhD program.
- Previous applicants and winners are welcome to apply; students can receive up to three concurrent Accelerator Grants.
- Prior participation in IHS programs is not required.
- This award is available to students at any university. International students are eligible; however, priority is given to applicants at top research institutions.
Preference will be given to research directly tied to IHS areas of focus.
Indirect Costs
IHS grants cannot support institutional overhead or indirect costs
Graduate Sabbatical Grants
Grant Amount
Up to $15,000
Program Overview
Graduate Sabbatical Grants provide up to $15,000 to PhD candidates (ABD) to buy out teaching or research assistance responsibilities for a semester so that they may develop dissertation chapters or other work into publishable paper drafts within six months. These highly competitive grants can be renewed for grantees who show exceptional progress. Summer fellowships for graduate students are available. Applicants who do not receive a sabbatical offer may be invited to receive a Publication Accelerator Grant.
Awardee Expectations
Awardees are expected to:
-
Submit at least one paper, significantly developed during the sabbatical term, to a leading publication outlet within six months of receiving the awarded funds.
-
Present their work at an online IHS event (e.g. our Graduate Conference)
- Keep IHS updated on their research progress
Applicant Eligibility
- Applicants must have published previously or have an article currently under review.
- Applicants must be enrolled as full-time PhD students who have advanced to candidacy.
- Previous applicants and winners are welcome to apply. Prior participation in IHS programs is not required.
- The fellowship is open to students at any university. International students are eligible; however, priority is given to applicants at top research institutions.
- Preference will be given to research directly tied to IHS areas of focus.
Application Timeline
We suggest that sabbatical applications be submitted at least three months before the semester begins. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants will be notified of their award decision within six weeks of submission.
Indirect Costs
IHS grants cannot support institutional overhead or indirect costs
Junior Fellowship
Each year, IHS names a class of Junior Fellows from among the top graduate students who participate in our programs. This invitation-only award provides funds for summer research and includes access to our famed Summer Seminars, a weekend of unforgettable lectures and conversations on the history and future of the classical liberal tradition.
