Luce-AAR Advancing Public Scholarship Grant Program

About

With funding from the Henry Luce Foundation, the Luce-AAR Advancing Public Scholarship Grant program offers grants to support scholars of religion who are working to engage publics in innovative ways, through projects designed for presentation in public spaces and outreach through publicly accessible sites.

The program will consist of two grant cycles: 2022 and 2023.  For each grant cycle, 25 grants of $5,000 (USD) will be awarded.  

Applicants must:
1) have an active AAR membership at the time of application and throughout the grant period; and,
2) be developing work or a project toward advancing public engagement with scholarship.

Criteria

Types of projects may include (but are not limited to):

  • Projects designed to present scholarship on religion in public spaces as a means to generate public engagement. Examples include (but are not limited to) development and presentation of a museum exhibit or other exhibition at a community center or public property such as a community garden, monument, or library.
  • Projects that engage a specific community in learning about and interpreting their own history as it pertains to religion, as a series of in-person events or maintenance of an archive.  Projects with an outreach and engagement plan intended to transition from a scholar-community collaboration into a community-led program are encouraged.
  • Scholars working on public outreach and engagement through podcasts and other media-based sites, either nationally or locally
  • Funds may be used for services or training that will further the goals of, or address the risks and challenges associated with, projects intended to advance public scholarship and engagement.  These include, but are not limited to, media consultant or training fees, online presence auditing services, cybersecurity training, online services to scrub online presence, trainings on how a scholar can protect themselves.  Funds might also be used for other expenses including stipends/honoraria for collaborators, production costs, funds for individual or collaborative research, travel, convening or a course release to work on the project.

Application Requirements

  • Completed application form
  • Current CV

Documents:

  • Cover page that includes:
    • Your name
    • Your affiliation
    • Project title
    • Project abstract (2-3 sentences)
  • 2-3 page project description that includes a description of the project that details its aims and significance; describes the publics intended; explains details about how the award would be used for advancing public scholarship and engagement and outlines the project’s workplan and timeline.
  • Signed consent that the project information (including grantee name, project title, project abstract, and portions of the project report) may be used on the AAR website and in AAR reports to the Henry Luce Foundation.

Applicants will submit their application and materials through the online form provided. Hard copies or emailed copies of application materials cannot be accepted. Incomplete applications cannot be considered.

Eligible grant proposals will be reviewed by an AAR jury of scholars with a history of public engagement using the following criteria:

  • Clarity and focus of the project and engagement with publics
  • Contribution to innovative public scholarship and engagement
  • Adequacy of the overall work plan, including goals and timeline for completion of the project

Winner Notification and Expectations

  • Notification of application status will be sent to the applicant via email.
  • For awarded projects, expenses can be undertaken anytime within the calendar year of the award year.
  • Funds may be used for any expenses directly related to the execution of the proposed grant
  • Indirect or overhead costs are ineligible expenses and cannot be funded by the grant.
  • The grant will be disbursed in two installments:  the first installment of $4000 when the grant is awarded and the second installment of $1000 once the grant report has been received.* 
  • Checks will be sent to the individual grantee. 
  • By January 31 of the following calendar year, awardees must submit an expense report along with a detailed report on the project.


* Exceptions may be considered.

Grant Reports

Grantees should submit the following items:

  • A 2-3 page narrative description of the project and outcomes
  • A financial report detailing expenses

Reports will be submitted through an online form.  Awardees are encouraged to submit a report that the AAR can share publicly on the AAR website and at AAR membership events.  All work will be credited.

Questions

Questions may be sent to [email protected].

Deadline

January 31, 2022

Award Amount

$5,000

Status

Open