Anti-Racism Graduate Research Grant
The ARC offers small grants to graduate students, enabling them to pursue research projects centered around racism, racial equity, and justice.
These funds support students in conducting independent scholarship under the guidance of a faculty mentor or extending their faculty advisor's research. To apply for the grants, students must submit a project proposal, budget, and a faculty support letter. The grants are co-sponsored by Rackham Graduate School.
Grantees are strongly encouraged to participate in monthly meetings during the Fall and Winter semesters. These meetings serve as a platform for sharing research progress and discussing the unique challenges faced by anti-racism scholars in academia and foster a sense of community among the grantees. The ARC amplifies the work of our graduate grantees through social media, the annual Anti-Racism Graduate Research Showcase at the end of the Winter semester, and in other ARC and NCID events during the academic year.
2024 Info Session
More Information
Award Details
Community & Support
Grantees are invited (not required) to join monthly meetings during the Fall and Winter semesters to share their research progress and challenges, discuss how to navigate academia as an anti-racism scholar, and to be in community with one another. Furthermore, grantees will become a part of the Anti-Racism Collaborative community and have the opportunity to connect with other anti-racism scholars across the university.
Eligibility
Currently enrolled graduate and professional students (doctoral and masters) in good academic standing are eligible to apply. Students must be enrolled in a University of Michigan (U-M) graduate or professional program during the time of the grant period. Prior grantees can re-apply for funds to support the same research project or for a different project; however, priority will be given to first-time grantees.
Funding
Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded during the 2024 spring term for the 1-year grant period.
Application Process
Candidates must submit the online application form and include the following documents by Friday, March 15, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET:
- 100-word (or less) abstract of the project
- Project narrative (no more than 5 pages), including:
- The nature of the research project and how the project is important to the applicants’ research goals. If the proposed project is an extension of their faculty advisor’s research project, please describe how the student’s project uniquely contributes to (i.e., is distinct from) their faculty advisor’s project.
- The objectives and scope of the proposed project:
- How does the project illuminate and address issues of racism, racial inequality, and racial justice? How does this work challenge or dismantle systemic racism?
- How does the project align with the vision, mission, and priorities of the NCID’s Anti-Racism Collaborative?
- How might the research likely inform practice, public engagement, and action to advance anti-racist principles and organizing?
- Note: The reference list of sources cited in the narrative is not included in the 5-page limit.
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- U-M faculty advisor letter of support that addresses:
- How the proposed project may forward the student’s progress toward degree
- Student’s prior experience, history, and/or propensity for anti-racist praxis
- Contribution of the proposed project to the field, particularly as it relates to challenging and/or dismantling systemic racism
- How the faculty advisor will support the student and/or project
- Proposed budget, including other sources of funding
See our FAQs below for additional information, including submitting team proposals.
Budget Guidelines
Budget proposals may include:
- Stipend for living expenses
- Travel to research or action sites, supplies, and other expenses related to the research needs (no more than 50% of the budget should go towards travel)
Budget proposals should NOT include:
- Travel expenses not directly related to research or scholarly activity
- Hosting expenses not directly related to research or scholarly activity
Selection Criteria
Projects awarded will include a clear description of how the project will:
- Address issues of racism, racial inequality, and racial justice in novel ways (e.g., theoretically and/or methodologically)
- While the specific focus of the proposed research may focus on impacts, processes, and change at the individual or interpersonal level as it relates to racism, the project narrative should also articulate how this work is related to continued efforts to challenge or dismantle systemic racism.
- Advance anti-racism and anti-racist praxis in alignment with the vision, mission, and priorities of the NCID’s Anti-Racism Collaborative
- Inform practice, public engagement, policy, and/or action to advance anti-racist principles and organizing
Funding Decisions and Period
Funding decisions will be made in April 2024 with funds disbursed in May 2024. Funds must be used within one year of receipt. Any funds that are unused by the end of the grant period must be returned to the NCID within 90 days after the end of the grant period to allow time for financial reconciliation processes to be completed.
Administration of Funds
The recipient is responsible for coordinating with NCID staff and their home department to arrange for good stewardship of the funds. Funds will be transferred to a specified project grant within the students’ home department.
Recipients must adhere to any applicable policy and procedures established by their departments. All activities must be done in accordance with any COVID-related spending restrictions at the time of the project.
Any changes in budget items or project period must first be approved by the NCID.
Reporting Guidelines
Applicants who receive funding must agree to submit a two-page final report within 30 days of the end of the funding period (report template will be provided) as well as return any unused grant funds to NCID within 90 days of the end of the funding period.
Grant recipients will be expected to participate in Rackham/CRJ/NCID organized activities focused on disseminating information on their funded research project (e.g., give a talk based on a project at an Rackham/CRJ/NCID event, participate on a panel, lead informal coffee discussion, contribute to an NCID publication, etc.).
Inquiries
For additional information, please see the FAQs below or direct questions to ncidgrants@umich.edu.
FAQs
How do I apply for this grant?
From the grant program webpage, click on "Apply Here" to access the InfoReady application portal which will require authenticating your U-M credentials.
I was awarded this grant in prior years. Am I eligible to apply again to continue working on the same project? Can I apply for funding to work on a different project?
Current grantees can reapply for funding to continue on the same project or for a different project; however, priority will be given to first time grantees.
Are citations included as part of the five page project narrative?
While your narrative should include the proper citations, the reference list of the sources you cited are not counted in the 5-page limit.
Are students eligible to submit more than one project for consideration?
No, only one submitted application is allowed per student.
Are students eligible to submit more than one project for consideration?
No, only one submitted application is allowed per student.
If a team of graduate students wish to submit a joint application, is that permissible and if so, how should the application be submitted?
Yes, co-applicants are allowed; however, the maximum grant amount awarded for team projects is the same as for individual submissions, $5,000.
The team must select someone to submit the application to serve as the primary applicant and main point of contact for the project.
The project narrative should explain the role of each team member named in the proposal.
A CV or resume should be submitted for each team member.
A separate faculty support letter must be submitted for each team member; if the faculty advisor supervises all of the team members, then one support letter may be submitted that includes information on each team member.
Does the faculty advisor support letter need to come from a students’ assigned department advisor or can it come from any faculty mentor?
Advising structures may vary depending on school/college/department, so the U-M faculty member best situated to write the letter could be an official department advisor or dissertation chair, for example. The faculty advisor support letter should come from a U-M faculty member who can speak to, among other things, how the project might forward progress toward your degree.
What are the options for submitting the faculty advisor letter of support?
Your faculty advisor may send the letter to you to upload in the system when you submit your other materials; or your faculty advisor may email the letter to ncidgrants@umich.edu and we will attach it to the rest of your application materials.
How long do I have to use any awarded funding?
The funding decisions will be made in April 2024 and funds will be disbursed in May 2024. Funds must be used within one year of receipt. Unused funds must be returned to NCID at the end of the grant period.
Who do I contact if I still have questions?
Please email ncidgrants@umich.edu.