Individual Research Grants

About

Individual research grants provide support for important aspects of research, such as fieldwork or travel to archives and libraries. 

Funds are not provided for dissertation research, research assistance, stipends, honorariums, supplementary salary, course release time, publication and subvention costs, or travel to attend the AAR Annual Meeting.

Grants range from $500 to $5000 USD.

Please read the Frequently Asked Questions for additional information. 

Criteria

  • Applicants must have a current AAR membership
  • Applicants must have completed and received the doctorate 
  • Applicants who have received any AAR research grant award in the previous five (5) years will not be considered

How to Apply

Applicants must meet the qualifications and AAR membership eligibility requirements. 

Applicants must submit their application form and required materials through the online AAR grant application submission system.

Late, emailed, or incomplete application or materials cannot be accepted.

Applicants should be prepared to upload the following required materials, all of which should be compiled into a single document in PDF or Word format:

  • Cover page that includes:
    • Applicant's name
    • Applicant's institutional affiliation (if applicable)
    • Project title
    • Grant type
    • Requested grant amount (USD)
  • Abstract - 50 words or fewer describing the project
  • Two-Page Focused Project Description 
    • Description of the research project with details about the aims and significance, and explanation about how the award would be used
  • Project budget
    • Budget items with amounts; explanation of these expense items may be included in the two-page description of the project 
    • Other sources of support—e.g., funds granted by your institution, funds requested from outside agencies—and indicate the total award amount sought from the AAR
  • Curriculum Vitae
    • No more than two pages

Additional materials cannot be accepted.

Selection Process

All eligible grant proposals will be reviewed and assessed by the AAR Research Grants Jury using the following criteria:

  • Clarity and focus of the research to be pursued
  • Contribution to scholarship in a field or subfield of religion and significance of the contribution for advancing the understanding of religion or for advancing interdisciplinary discussions between religion and other humanistic and social science disciplines
  • Adequacy of the overall work plan, including goals, objectives, and time frame for the completion of the project

Winner Notification and Expectations

  • Notification of the application status will typically be sent to the applicant by March 1
  • For awarded projects, expenses can be undertaken anytime within the calendar year of the award year
  • Grant recipients must maintain their AAR membership throughout the grant period
  • By January 31 of the following calendar year, grant recipients must submit an expense report along with a brief report on the research supported by the AAR grant

Submit an Application

To apply, click the button below which will take you to our online grant application submission system accessible only to current AAR members. 

Submit an Application

Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility

Can I apply for a research grant without an institutional affiliation?
YES – There is no institutional affiliation requirement.

I am working on multiple research projects. Can I apply for more than one grant?
YES – AAR members who meet the eligibility requirements may submit more than one research grant proposal. If selected however, only one grant proposal will be funded to a member who submits multiple proposals.

Can I submit my proposal to more than one AAR grant program?
YES ­­– AAR members who meet the eligibility requirements may submit a grant proposal to more than one grant program. If selected however, a member may only receive funds for one grant program.

Grant Expenses

If I am seeking funds for my project from other institutions/agencies, do I need to include the other sources of funding in my budget proposal?
YES – When submitting your budget proposal, please include information about any other sources of funding or possible funding.

What are the research expenses that are not allowed?

Ineligible grant expenses include the following:

  • Dissertation Research
  • Indirect and/or Overhead Costs
  • Publication and/or Subvention Costs
  • Release Time
  • Research Assistance
  • Stipends
  • Supplementary Salary
  • Transcription and/or Translation Costs
  • Travel to attend the AAR Annual Meeting

Questions may be sent to [email protected].

Status

Closed

Deadline

2024 TBD

Award Amount

$500 to $5,000