Collaborative Projects

The Allbritton Center for the Study of Public Life

Fall due date: Friday, October 4, 2024, 5pm

The Center invites proposals for support for collaborative projects with institutions beyond Wesleyan.  CfPs will go out in the fall and spring semesters.

The ACSPL seeks to serve as a stimulus to collaborative work by providing funding for collaborative scholarly and curricular projects put forward by Wesleyan faculty, or faculty in collaboration with staff and/or students and/or scholars in other institutions.  Most projects funded will have budgets up to $5,000.

The Center aims to support scholarly proposals that will make a lasting contribution to knowledge in the form of publications (articles, books, collections), websites with posted materials, a working papers series, etc., or as public scholarship. Proposals that incorporate Wesleyan’s ideal of the scholar/teacher by including students and/or a curricular component are especially welcome. The following types of projects could qualify for support at this time, but other models of collaborative work may be considered:

1. Research projects: Groups of faculty may apply for grants to support collaborative research projects, including those involving scholars from other institutions. Students with appropriate background and research interests may be invited to participate in such projects. This program is not intended to duplicate Academic Affairs’ project grant program.
2. Faculty research seminars and study groups: The Center will support faculty seminars or study groups that meet on a regular basis to explore a particular theme or issue. Funding could be provided for expenses of the seminar, an allowance for publications or other research expenses of participants, small stipends for participants if necessary, and honoraria and travel expenses for non-Wesleyan scholars. Visitors may be invited to offer public lectures in conjunction with faculty research seminars, and/or to visit appropriate classes while they are here. These projects would operate for a limited period of time, changing as new proposals are made and old groups disband, and there might be several underway at once, depending on faculty interest and energy.
3. Conferences and workshops: Faculty may apply for funding to support workshops or small conferences, including participants from other institutions and, where appropriate, students. Funds may be used for honoraria, travel, lodging, meals, administrative support, and other costs incurred in organizing and running the conference or workshop. All conferences supported by the Center must include sessions open to Wesleyan faculty generally, or to the broader community.
4. Interdisciplinary scholarship and teaching: Groups of faculty may apply for funding for support for interdisciplinary work involving new curricular and scholarly initiatives, such as (though not limited to) developing new “clusters” or certificate programs.

All projects should provide an opportunity for interested faculty and, where appropriate, students and others to engage with the project and its participants. Such opportunities could include public lectures or seminar sessions open to qualified participants, announcements of the program with an invitation to interested faculty to participate, or informal occasions organized by the participants.

A report of the results of any funded program must be submitted to the Allbritton Faculty Advisory Committee at the end of the project.

Each proposal should:

1) describe the project, its goals, and expected outcomes;

2) identify the dates and timeframe;

3) list the organizers, audience and participants (including participant cv’s where appropriate);

3) provide a budget and explanation of expenses;

4) name the lead faculty, host department/center, and explain how administrative support will be provided; 

5) list expected contributions from other sources; and

6) specify if the applicant received Allbritton funds in recent years.

The Center can provide supplementary funding for projects that have other sources of support.

In addition, if the proposal falls within one of the following Allbritton Center focus areas: Reimagining Justice; Education and Youth Development; or Sustainability and Environmental Justice, we can help you connect to partners in the community and region doing vital work in these areas.

Please send proposals for Collaborative Projects as one PDF attachment to Marie McKenna, ACSPL Administrative Assistant, at mmckenna01@wesleyan.edu.  The file should be named: CP_leadfacultylastname_projecttitle.pdf

If you have questions or need more information, please contact Robyn Autry, Faculty Director of the Allbritton Center for the Study of Public Life, at rautry@wesleyan.edu.

September, 2024