Faculty Research Awards
The application period for AY 2024-25 is closed. The next application period will open in February 2025.
The Sexualities Project at Northwestern (SPAN) invites applications from Northwestern faculty members for funding to conduct pilot research on sexuality from a social science perspective (broadly construed) throughout the 2024 – 2025 academic year.
Requested funding may be of any amount up to a maximum of $10,000 per proposal.
Awards will be announced in Spring Quarter this year, and funding will be available as of September 1st, 2024. Projects must be completed by August 2025.
To apply, please complete the online application by Monday, February 26, 2024, which requires the following attachments:
- Short CVs for the PI and for each NU faculty co-PI (4 pages maximum per CV). The CVs should emphasize expertise relevant to the proposal and ability to conduct the proposed research.
- In addition to a one-paragraph abstract of your research project, you will need to submit a project proposal (double-spaced and not to exceed three pages). If other funding has been requested or obtained for this project, please provide the relevant details. We encourage you to explain how pilot funding would facilitate a future larger project and/or the pursuit of other funding.
- An itemized budget that breaks down expenses by category, such as research assistant salary, research assistant benefits, interview transcription, travel, equipment, supplies, mailing costs, etc. (Please obtain and provide precise figures where possible.)
- A budget justification (1-2 pages) that explains each item in the proposed budget.
NOTE: The system will not save applications in progress. Please prepare all your materials before you begin to upload them, and submit once all are completed. (PDF files are preferred. Word, Pages, and Excel documents are also acceptable.)
Please select the “Send me a copy of my responses” option at the end of the application form to receive confirmation of your submission. If you have any questions, please reach out to RyAnne at sexualities@northwestern.edu. Substantive questions may be addressed to SPAN Director Mary Weismantel at mjweis@northwestern.edu.
Additional information
Any NU faculty member with a continuing or renewable appointment is eligible to apply, including Professors of Instruction. Co-PIs must also be affiliated with Northwestern. Non-NU personnel may be named on the proposal but cannot serve as Co-PIs.
Research topics may focus on any topic within sexuality studies (broadly construed). Although PIs may be affiliated with any department or program at NU, proposals must demonstrate an engagement with social science theories or methods. Proposals will be judged according to the fit with the program, the significance and innovativeness of the proposed research, the clarity of the proposal, the feasibility of the work plan, and the appropriateness of the budget.
Funding may be used for any NU-approved research expense that is directly related to the proposed research, including travel, equipment, interview transcription, and hiring research assistants or research staff. However, please note that NU does not permit the use of internal university funds of these sorts for course buyouts or summer salary. Faculty members who raise their own salary are limited to requesting 10% of their salary from this source. If a percentage of a staff salary is requested, please indicate the percent of effort that the staff person will devote to the research project.
This funding is intended for faculty-driven research. It is not intended to support doctoral student projects for which the faculty member is the PI in name only. (Please note that SPAN has several other funding mechanisms for graduate students, including summer funding, dissertation fellowships, and funding to present work at conferences.)
Unexpended funds can be carried forward with permission of the SPAN Director. Recipients of funding must agree to the reporting requirements that will be outlined in the award letters.