Campus Research Board
Funding for Discovery and Scholarship

Full-time Illinois tenured/tenure-track faculty members are eligible for Research Support Awards. Review application deadlines carefully.

The program furthers the Center’s commitment to the practice of democracy, equality, and social justice within a changing multiracial society. Proposals must articulate the relevance of the project to multiracial societies in the US or globally. They should substantively and critically engage scholarly, creative, and/or public debates on multiracial democracy and indicate the relevance of the proposed work to their field(s). While the program focuses on underrepresented racialized groups, it does not seek to exclude proposals that consider majority populations in a context of multiracial environments. The program recognizes that projects may not always be comparative. Proposals may focus on a single group and its relation to democratic systems, but must address questions of privilege, disparity and disempowerment. Human rights, access to power or political influence, justice, inclusion, and equity issues are of particular interest, as is work that enhances the understanding of, access to, or participation in national, state, or local democratic processes.  Proposals may also address the intersections of race, gender, sexualities, or religion in relation to multiracial democracy.    

There are four different MRD Awards. Please indicate that you are applying for the Multiracial Democracy Scholarship Award on the "Program Type" page of the online application.

Scholarship Award 
The terms of the award will be the same as those of Research Support Awards; the same rules and application materials apply. Applicants will also be considered for Research Support Awards.

Maximum request: $30,000.

Manuscript Award 
Manuscript workshops for faculty members are designed to significantly strengthen a faculty member’s book manuscript. Preference will be given to requests for manuscript workshops for pre-tenure faculty members. The timing and need, as well as the organization, of the manuscript workshop should be outlined in some detail. Manuscript workshops should be structured to allow ample time for serious and detailed review of the manuscript. The selection of the proposed readers (not to exceed two) should also be explained. Applicants need to provide a brief letter either from an executive officer or a senior faculty mentor indicating the applicant's readiness for a manuscript workshop. Letters should be uploaded to the online application.

Maximum request: $4,000.

Collaborative Award
This award is for collaborative projects and programs between/among campus units that will in some way enhance the research environment.

Maximum request: $30,000.

Conference Support Award
Conference support for faculty is designed to assist in campus-level public convenings involving national and international thinkers, creative practitioners, public intellectuals, and community leaders.  Applicants must provide evidence of financial support from home units/colleges/sponsors/partners by completing and uploading the Conference Support Contribution Form.  Applicants must include an element of public participation in the conference and describe these efforts.

Maximum request:  $10,000

Please carefully review all eligibility and submission requirements before applying. Please note deadlines vary by program.
Submissions are due by 3:00 p.m. on the posted date. Applications submitted after the deadline will automatically be held over for the next deadline.

See Current Deadlines