Faculty Funding Opportunities

Deadline

January 23, 2026.

Purpose

This grant funds faculty research activities in South Asian, Southeast Asian, Central Asian, and Pacific Studies, as well as studies of the Global Asian diaspora. These funds can be used for research activities or travel to conferences. For funding to support events on campus, please apply for the Asian Studies Event Funding Grant.

Eligibility

Full-time and part-time tenure-stream, tenured and non tenure-stream faculty (including lecturers, adjunct faculty, and contract faculty) at all Schools, Departments, Centers, Institutes and Campuses of the University of Pittsburgh.

Funding

$2,000

More Information

To apply, submit an application form here.

Deadline

Applications are accepted year-round.

Who is Eligible?

Full-time and part time faculty members of CERIS institutions.

Requirements/Intended Use of Funds

Intended to enable faculty members from CERIS institutions to pursue curricular development and enhancement projects related to Islamic Studies. Islamic Studies is understood, as expressed in the CERIS mission statement, to encompass many languages, literatures, and disciplines; and extends from the 7th century to the present, and across broad geographical areas of the world.

Max Funding

$2,000.00

More Information

To learn more and apply visit CERIS.

Deadline

January 23, 2026.

Purpose

This grant provides partial support for travel related to the presentation of China-related conference papers. Preference is given to applicants who have not previously received a China and Chinese Studies Conference Participation Grant in the academic year. For conference grants, travel to Hawaii is classified as international, and Canada and Mexico are classified as domestic. Grants for domestic travel will award up to $300 and for international travel the amount will be up to $600. 

Eligibility

Full-time and part-time tenure-stream, tenured and non tenure-stream faculty (including lecturers, adjunct faculty, and contract faculty) at all Schools, Departments, Centers, Institutes and Campuses of the University of Pittsburgh.

Funding

Grants for domestic travel will award up to $300 and for international travel the amount will be up to $600. 

More Information

To apply, submit an application form here.

Deadline

January 23, 2026

Purpose

This grant funds faculty research in China and Chinese Studies and is only for international and/or domestic research and research travel, not for events and conference travel. For funds to attend a conference or present at a conference, please apply for China and Chinese Studies Faculty Conference Funding. For funding to support events on campus, please apply for China and Chinese Studies Small Grants. 

Eligibility

Full-time and part-time tenure-stream, tenured and non tenure-stream faculty (including lecturers, adjunct faculty, and contract faculty) at all Schools, Departments, Centers, Institutes and Campuses of the University of Pittsburgh.

Funding

$2,000

More Information

To apply, submit an application form here.

Deadline

Rolling basis.

Purpose

This grant is a meant to support China Studies faculty in bringing speakers, conferences, and other academic events on to the Pittsburgh campus. Faculty wishing to apply for event funding will need to complete the Asian Studies Event Form.

Eligibility

Full-time and part-time tenure-stream, tenured and non tenure-stream faculty (including lecturers, adjunct faculty, and contract faculty) at all Schools, Departments, Centers, Institutes and Campuses on the University of Pittsburgh.

Funding

TBD

More Information

To apply, submit an application form here.

Deadline

Mid-November.

Purpose

This grant supports international and/or domestic travel for faculty to conduct research focused on China. For travel to present a paper at a conference, use China Studies Faculty Conference Travel Grant.

Eligibility

Full-time and part-time tenure-stream, tenured and non tenure-stream faculty (including lecturers, adjunct faculty, and contract faculty) at all Schools, Departments, Centers, Institutes and Campuses of the University of Pittsburgh. 

Funding

$2,000

More Information

To apply, submit an application form here.

Deadline

Rolling basis.

Purpose

The Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) Faculty Fund was created to support CLAS Faculty in their research and other academic endeavors. This small grant funds projects on Latin America, the Caribbean, and/or Latinx Studies, that ­will enhance disciplinary expertise, improve upon existing knowledge, and/or enrich the Latin American/Caribbean content of courses.

Eligibility

Applicants must be eligible for Center funding via affiliation. Interested applicants who are not yet affiliated with CLAS, should contact Luis Van Fossen Bravo at bravo@pitt.edu to learn how they can begin that process. Faculty already affiliated with CLAS must have updated their UCIS Faculty Survey within the past 12 months.

Note: Previous awardees who have not submitted reports and/or expenditure documentation from past grants are not eligible.

Grants are primarily intended to provide “seed money” or supplemen­tary money for large proj­ects; provide limited funds required for smaller proj­ects or projects of short dura­tion; research that will result in the development of Latin American/Caribbean/Latinx courses, whether to enhance an existing course or to develop a new course (if applying for the latter, departmental support should be included with the proposal).

Grant recipients must provide CLAS with a brief (two to four pages) written report within three weeks following the conclusion of the research. The report should indicate:

• How grant funds were expended;
• If applicable, your travel schedule (where you went and how much time you spent in each locale);
• What you accomplished; and
• How you will utilize your research results.

Recipients must acknowledge the assistance of the Center for Latin American Studies, University Center for International Studies, University of Pittsburgh, in any publication, film, or other product resulting from research supported by this grant. We can provide you with the CLAS logo upon request.

Funding

Up to $4,000 will be made available for individual grants, though not all proposals may be funded at the maximum amount. Please note that we have a limited annual allocation. Once all available funds have been awarded further support will not be available until next academic cycle.

More Information

To learn more and apply visit the Center for Latin American Studies.

Deadline

Rolling basis.

Purpose

The Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) is pleased to announce the new CLAS Course Development Grant. These course development grants are for faculty to add to existing courses or to create new courses with Latin America, Caribbean, and/or Latinx (as well as other diasporic studies from the region) content.

Eligibility

These grants are eligible to any faculty officially affiliated with CLAS (tenure stream and non-tenure stream).

Funding

Grants vary from $1,000 - $2,500 depending on the type of proposal. Funds can be used for library research, travel, student assistance or other expenses related to the substance of the course.

Types of Proposals:

• Adding Latin America, Caribbean, and/or Latinx (and other diasporic) content to existing courses: Up to $1,000.
• Creating a 1 credit CLAS priority course related to one of the funding priorities: Up to $1,500.
• Creating a new course on Latin America, Caribbean, and/or Latinx (and other diasporic): Up to $2,500.

More Information

For information and feedback on scope, priorities or what kinds of new courses might be eligible, contact Luis Van Fossen Bravo at bravo@pitt.edu. 

Deadline

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

• Complete and submit an application (TBD)
• Update faculty survey and upload a current C.V.
• Upload a description of the course.
• Upload of statement of support from your Department Chair.
• Upload a detailed budget listing all estimated expenses.

About the Opportunity

Course Development Grants are available to support faculty in enhancing existing courses or creating new ones that include content on Europe, broadly defined. We are particularly interested in supporting teaching initiatives that fall within our Critical Area Studies for Europe (CASE) approach, which challenges scholars to reconsider the traditional area studies model. Grants are available to support work related to:

• Creating a new course with substantial (more than 25%) coverage of Europe.
• Significantly enhancing an existing course to introduce or expand Europe-related content.
• Adding a component of pre-professional advising, preparation, or experience to an existing course with significant European content.
• Adding or enhancing the assessment tools utilized to determine the impact of a course related to European studies.

Eligibility

Awards are available to ESC affiliated faculty only. Prior to applying, affiliated faculty must complete or update their UCIS Faculty Survey and upload a CV from within the last 12 months. If you are interested in becoming an ESC affiliated faculty, please contact Erica Edwards. Faculty with visiting appointments or affiliated faculty who do not teach at Pitt are not eligible. Previous awardees who have not submitted reports and/or expenditure documentation from past grants are not eligible.

Funding

Awards range from $1,500 to $3,000.

Overall, awards are made on a competitive basis based on the quality of proposals. However, preference will be given to the following groups:

• New faculty (first two years at Pitt)
• Junior faculty (pre-tenure, with special emphasis on faculty with junior research leaves)

While all proposals will be reviewed, the Center is particularly interested in courses that serve one or more of the following programmatic foci:

• European Union, European integration, Europeanization, or the European project
• Transatlantic Studies, including historical, political, economic and cultural aspects.
• Mediterranean Studies
• Lusosphere Studies (with a strong focus on Iberia)
• Scandinavian Studies
• Science and Public Policy
• Critical European Culture Studies
• Re-imagining area and European Studies at Pitt

In addition to the funding, the Center can offer specific support for course development based on student feedback and Center priorities. Once approved, all new or enhanced courses will be added to our list of courses counting toward our undergraduate certificates, advertised and posted via our electronic and social media outlets, and passed on to departmental and school advisors. Faculty would be responsible for ensuring the incorporation of new courses into their respective department’s approved course list.

More Information

Please consult the Pre and Post Award Guidelines before applying for information on how funds may be used and the grant and reporting obligations. For questions on eligibility or for further information, please contact Stephen Lund, Assistant Director, or Erica Edwards, Associate Director.

Deadline

January 23, 2026.

Purpose

This grant is funded through a generous donation in the name of Dr. Mohinder Bahl and Mrs. Saroj Bahl. Students, faculty, and affiliated researchers may apply for up to $500 to help fund research, travel, or other educational expenses for projects and education that support India, Indian Studies, or people of Indian origin. Strong preference will be given to students, faculty, or researchers with demonstrated financial need.

Eligibility

Full-time and part-time tenure-stream, tenured and non tenure-stream faculty (including lecturers, adjunct faculty, and contract faculty) at all Schools, Departments, Centers, Institutes and Campuses of the University of Pittsburgh. 

Funding

$500

More Information

To apply, submit an application form here.

The Center for African Studies provides financial, promotional, and logistical support for events and presentations that align with our mission and research priorities. All sponsorship requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Unfortunately, support is not guaranteed. Upon completion of your event, please send us a summary of outcomes and achievements. This is required for internal and external reporting purposes.

To apply, please submit an application here.

The Center for Latin American Studies provides financial, promotional, and logistical support for events and presentations that align with our mission and research priorities.  We will evaluate requests for modest funding for events (on any of Pitt's campuses) that focus on Latin America, the Caribbean, and the diverse diasporic communities that originate there. Please plan to share a debrief or report of co-sponsored activities to CLAS once concluded.

Note: All CLAS funding requires corresponding credit and mentions of the Center's support. Please reach out for logos and standards.

For more information, please contact Luis Van Fossen Bravo at bravo@pitt.edu. 

Deadline

Applications accepted on a rolling basis. The application process is as follows:

• Complete and submit an application (TBD)
• Update faculty survey and upload a current C.V.
• Upload a detailed budget listing all estimated expenses
• Upload a written proposal of no more than five double-spaced pages. In the text of the proposal, please include a section addressing precisely how the funds will be used
• Upload a copy of the IRB approval documentation, if applicable
   

About the Opportunity

Small Grants provide support to affiliated faculty for research-related expenses, conference travel, and translations of publications. Awards are also available for events and presentations that align with the Center’s mission and research priorities. We consider requests for modest funding for events held on any of Pitt's campuses. This funding can also be applied to support visitors participating in these events.

These awards are meant to supplement departmental or other funding. If an award is granted, the ESC requests that the Center be acknowledged as a co-sponsor of any lecture or activity that receives funding. The ESC will also help publicize such co-sponsored events to students, faculty, and community members.

Who is Eligible?

Awards are available to ESC affiliated faculty only. Prior to applying, affiliated faculty must complete or update their UCIS Faculty Survey and upload a CV from within the last 12 months. If you are interested in becoming an ESC affiliated faculty, please contact Erica Edwards. Faculty with visiting appointments or affiliated faculty who do not teach at Pitt are not eligible. Previous awardees who have not submitted reports and/or expenditure documentation from past grants are not eligible.

Funding

Awards range from $500 to $750. Applicants must show efforts to secure matching funds from their department, school, or other external sources.

Awards are available on a rolling basis, with one half of the funds available for successful applications submitted during the first half of the University’s fiscal year (July – December) and the other half available for applications submitted during the second half of the fiscal year (January – June). Applicants submitting proposals after all the funds earmarked for a given 6-month period have been spent will be offered the opportunity to resubmit during the next 6-month period

More Information

Please consult the Pre and Post Award Guidelines before applying for information on how funds may be used and the grant and reporting obligations. For questions on eligibility or for further information, please contact Erica Edwards, Associate Director.

Deadline

Spring deadline: May 31st | Fall deadline: November 30th

Purpose

Funding can be used for research travel to/in Africa or for other travel related to research on Africa. Small grants are awarded to support faculty affiliated with the Center for African Studies in their scholarship and research activities. The grant can be used for travel to attend a conference; a professional meeting; research abroad; and work aimed at increasing expertise in African Studies.

Eligibility

University of Pittsburgh faculty affiliated with the Center for African Studies.

The faculty applicant must be affiliated to the Center for African Studies. For faculty not yet affiliated with African Studies, you are invited to complete the online UCIS faculty survey as well as our faculty affiliation form if your teaching foci includes at least 25% of Africa-related content. The forms must be submitted prior to submission of the application for funding.

If awarded the grant, the faculty member will be required to present at either our Let’s Talk Africa forum or at our Critical Research on Africa lecture series. You will also be required to submit a brief report of your funded project and expenditure documents for our annual reporting.

Allowable budget items:

• Airline tickets. Please include a quote from an agent or website.
• Food, lodging, and related incidental expenses with actual receipts can be reimbursed up to the US Department of State per diem rate.
• Conference or professional meeting registration
• Purchase of relevant books or other resources

Non-allowable budget items:

• Travel for individuals other than applicant.
• Payment to foreign national individuals for services provided outside the United States.
• Research activity costs to occur at Pitt.
• Equipment and any expenses unrelated to proposed activity

Funding

Up to $2,000.

More Information

To apply, please submit an application here.

Contact: africast@pitt.edu. 

Deadline

March 2, 2026

About the Opportunity

The Global Academic Partnership (GAP) aims to strengthen interdisciplinary research and curriculum development on global themes, enhance international scholarly ties, and raising the international profile at the University of Pittsburgh. GAP awards support interdisciplinary research collaborations, curriculum development, student exchanges, and other scholarly endeavors that include the creation or development of meaningful and sustainable institutional partnerships with international universities, foreign governments, international organizations, NGO's, and think tanks. Preference is given to projects that align with the Center’s research initiatives.

Who is Eligible?

Full-time and part-time TS and NTS faculty (including lecturers and instructors) are eligible to apply. Adjunct, visiting, and emeritus faculty are not eligible.

Requirements/Intended Use of Funds

The program supports academic events at Pitt that fulfill each of the following three criteria: 1. Interdisciplinary: The project's interdisciplinary character must be demonstrated in the proposal. 2. Global Content: Applications must describe explicitly how the proposed activities use an interdisciplinary approach that is transnational in scope to complement GSC programming, seed future initiatives, and/or complement certificate concentrations. 3. International Partners: Proposals must include participants from at least one international partner institution and demonstrate the value and sustainability of their proposed partnerships. Institutions may be universities, governments, international organizations, NGOs, and/or think-tanks. Faculty from all schools and disciplines are encouraged to apply; projects with. Review the grant guidelines, complete the GAP application form, and submit your proposal online here.

Max Funding

One grant in the amount of $40,000 will be awarded annually to support ongoing campus programming in a variety of innovative formats that enriches the intellectual environment at Pitt over the course of two years, with $10,000 allocated in the first year and $30,000 in the second.

To Apply

Review the grant guidelines, complete the GSC GAP application form, and submit your application online, once available. Please email Veronica Dristas at dristas@pitt.edu upon submission.

Deadline

Pending funding, TBA.

About the Opportunity

The Global Studies Center is pleased to announce the eighth iteration of Global Across the Curriculum (GXC), an interdisciplinary seminar intended to help faculty incorporate global perspectives into their undergraduate and graduate courses.  

What do we mean by the global? Global Studies is often about a methodology rather than a particular topic. It is an approach that emphasizes connective thinking – that is, thinking about the transnational, trans-historical processes that shape our world in an interdisciplinary way. Global Studies troubles a traditional view of nation-states as the building blocks of the contemporary world. It seeks to highlight important connections between events and processes even when they appear to be disconnected, separated by time, space, or even our own categories of thought. In this seminar we discuss some important tools and approaches to connective thinking and learn to build it into our courses. 
 

Each participant will have the opportunity to design a new course with a global orientation or incorporate a global perspective or dimension into an existing course. Many very different kinds of courses can be Global Studies courses: any course that encourages (or could encourage) students to make connections across and beyond national boundaries; that considers how historical contexts shape and are shaped by contemporary interpretations; or, that demonstrates an awareness that fields as diverse as Environmental Studies, Gender Studies, Economics, and Theatre are always-already in conversation with one another. If these new or revised courses are taught on Pitt’s main campus, we hope they will serve as suitable options for students pursuing the popular undergraduate Global Studies and Global Health Certificates; they should also fulfill the newly revised global component (section F) of the General Education Requirements. 

The seminar provides a great opportunity to meet and work with colleagues from a range of fields and to learn more about the many resources the Global Studies Center offers. Participants will work with Global Studies core faculty members and instructional design specialists on their globally oriented courses, workshop their syllabi with other members of the group, and receive a research grant of $1,200 for their participation.  The seminar will have a maximum of 10 participants. All the sessions will take place in-person and Zoom and will be facilitated by Dr. Michael Goodhart, Professor of Political Science. Participants are expected to attend all sessions and to do a small amount of preparatory reading. In our time together, we’ll discuss readings and approaches, workshop one another’s syllabi, and hopefully have some fun. Last year’s seminar participants proposed courses on Food Insecurity, Feminist Theory, and Fragments in the Classics (to name just a few). We encourage you to propose a course that excites you, invigorates you, and that you think could benefit from a more global approach.

We encourage submissions from professors trying to diversify and decolonize their course materials, whether that means stepping away from a purely Euro-American approach, adding more interdisciplinarity to a syllabus, or exploring noncanonical approaches to classic topics. We also encourage professors who have Global Studies experience and simply want a workshop space in which to develop a new course for the future.

Outside the seminar sessions, participants will meet with instructional consultants from Pitt’s Center for Teaching and Learning who are knowledgeable about their disciplines or, if this is not possible for faculty from other campuses and colleges, with equivalent consultants at their home institutions. This will allow them to discuss ways of tailoring their syllabi to the needs of their students and their fields. 

Who is Eligible?

The seminar is open to full-time faculty members at any university and college. We aim to bring together people with varied disciplinary backgrounds and teaching experience. Faculty who are new to college teaching are particularly encouraged to apply.

Max Funding

Faculty who participate in the seminar will receive $1,200 from the Global Studies Center. Whenever possible, they will be remunerated via transfers to their research accounts; when this is not possible, we can arrange a payroll disbursement, but such disbursements are subject to taxation. Payment will be processed once participants submit their final (new or revised) syllabi. 

To Apply

Interested faculty should submit a brief statement about the course they plan to revise or develop (the subject, class size, students it attracts, requirements it fulfills, frequency with which it is/will be taught, reasons for wanting to “globalize” it), a short version of their C.V., and if they are revising an existing course, a copy of the existing syllabus. Applications should be sent to Veronica Dristas at dristas@pitt.edu.
 

Deadline

February 10, 2026

About the Opportunity

Each year, the Global Studies Center selects an outstanding University of Pittsburgh faculty member whose scholarship supports the Center’s mission. This award is designed to advance and showcase faculty research whose research aligns with the GSC's research initiatives.

The GSC Faculty Fellow will deliver one public lecture in the course of the award year (August 2026 through June 2027). In addition, the Fellow will participate in several (3-4) major Center events pertaining to her or his research throughout the year (to be arranged in consultation with the Director).

Who is Eligible?

The Faculty Fellow competition is open to full-time tenure- and appointment-stream faculty affiliates. As the Fellowship is intended in part to enhance the visibility or impact of ongoing research and to facilitate outreach, applicants must be in residence in Pittsburgh and not on leave during the award year. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate that they have already made significant progress in planning or executing a project that promises to have a significant impact in their field.

Requirements/Intended Use of Funds

Applicants must be in residence in Pittsburgh and not on leave or sabbatical during the award year. The faculty fellowship will suppor: 1.Research and projects related to one or more AY18 GSC themes. 2. Domestic and international travel. 3. Development of a new or significantly enhanced course with substantial coverage of one or more GSC themes.

Max Funding

The fellowship includes up to $15,000 to organize a scholarly event (e.g., workshop, conference, exhibition, performance, seminar, research collaboration); and an additional $5,000 for travel, research, and curricular development. Faculty from all disciplines are encouraged to apply (our fellows have come from Art History, Sociology, Policy and Gender Studies, History, Classics, Urban Studies, English, and Africana Studies).  

To Apply

Please review the grant guidelines, complete the Faculty Fellow application form, and submit your proposal here. Please email Veronica Dristas at dristas@pitt.edu upon submission.

Deadline

Applications due February 13, 2026, 11:59 pm EST.

• Complete and submit an application (TBD)
• Update faculty survey and upload a current C.V.
• Upload a detailed budget listing all estimated expenses
• Upload a written proposal of no more than five double-spaced pages. In the text of the proposal, please include a section addressing precisely how the funds will be used
• Upload a copy of the IRB approval documentation, if applicable

About the Opportunity

Faculty Grants for Research on Europe provide support for affiliated faculty doing original research related to aspects of historical or contemporary Europe (for example, politics, culture, society, or history). These grants are not intended to support conference travel. If the primary purpose of your trip is to attend a conference, please apply for a Small Grant. 

Who is Eligible?

Awards are available to ESC affiliated faculty only. Prior to applying, affiliated faculty must complete or update their UCIS Faculty Survey and upload a CV from within the last 12 months. If you are interested in becoming an ESC affiliated faculty, please contact Erica Edwards (eee36@pitt.edu). Faculty with visiting appointments or affiliated faculty who do not teach at Pitt are not eligible. Previous awardees who have not submitted reports and/or expenditure documentation from past grants are not eligible.

Funding

Awards range from $500-$2,000. Applicants must show efforts to secure matching funds from their department, school, or other external sources.

Overall, awards are made on a competitive basis based on the quality of proposals. However, preference will be given to the following groups:

• New faculty (first two years at Pitt)
• Junior faculty (pre-tenure, with special emphasis on faculty with junior research leaves)
• Faculty from the Humanities or disciplines in which external funding is less abundant
• Senior faculty starting new projects/changing research foci
• Senior faculty requiring start-up funds for research projects that have a high probability of being funded externally in the future

More Information

Please consult the Pre and Post Award Guidelines before applying for information on how funds may be used and the grant and reporting obligations. For questions on eligibility or for further information, please contact Erica Edwards, Associate Director.

Deadline

Applications due February 13, 2026, 11:59 pm EST.

• Complete and submit an application (TBD)
• Update faculty survey and upload a current C.V.
• Upload a detailed budget listing all estimated expenses
• Upload a written proposal of no more than five double-spaced pages. In the text of the proposal, please include a section addressing precisely how the funds will be used
• Upload a copy of the IRB approval documentation, if applicable

About the Opportunity

Historical and contemporary developments involving education, society, domestic politics, and the international relations of Germany are a special focus of the ESC. With the support of the University Center for International Studies (UCIS), ESC administers a grant program to help faculty carry out individual or collaborative research or teaching in or about Germany.

Who is Eligible?

Awards are available to ESC affiliated faculty only. Prior to applying, affiliated faculty must complete or update their UCIS Faculty Survey and upload a CV from within the last 12 months. If you are interested in becoming an ESC affiliated faculty, please contact Erica Edwards. Faculty with visiting appointments or affiliated faculty who do not teach at Pitt are not eligible. Previous awardees who have not submitted reports and/or expenditure documentation from past grants are not eligible.

Funding

Awards range from $2,000 to $4,000. Applicants must show efforts to secure matching funds from their department, school, or other external sources.

Overall, awards are made on a competitive basis based on the quality of proposals. However, preference will be given to the following:

• Projects fostering research and/or teaching collaboration between faculty at Pitt and faculty or researchers at German institutions
• Projects advancing longer-term partnerships or institutional relationships between Pitt and institutions in Germany
• Projects involving faculty and graduate students at collaborating institutions
• Projects likely to lead to applications for external grant funding and/or publication
• Projects that are new or substantively different from previously funded projects
• Projects proposed by faculty whose focus is not currently Germany but who are interested in adding this dimension to their research or teaching

More Information

Please consult the Pre and Post Award Guidelines before applying for information on how funds may be used and the grant and reporting obligations. For questions on eligibility or for further information, please contact Erica Edwards, Associate Director.

Deadline

Rolling, while funds last.

About the Opportunity

For faculty to attend conferences or professional meetings within the United States for the purpose of increasing expertise in fields of study related to the GSC themes of global health, human rights/human security, and inequalities. For LCTL faculty, the grant will provide funding to attend conferences or professional meetings within the United States for the purpose of increasing expertise in fields of study related to LCTL pedagogy.

Who is Eligible?

Full-time and part-time TS and NTS faculty (including instructors, lecturers, and contract faculty) who are Global Studies affiliates.

Max Funding

$500.00

To Apply

Review the grant guidelines, complete the GSC Faculty Grant Application Form, and submit your application materials here. Please email Veronica Dristas upon submission.

Deadline

Rolling, while funds last.

About the Opportunity

GSC will award global learning grants to faculty members to support innovative projects for engaged student learning. Projects should involve students in innovative learning experiences outside the classroom (whether as part of a course or through independent programs, internships, etc.)

Who is Eligible?

Full-time and part-time tenure- and appointment-stream faculty affiliates may apply.

Max Funding

A maximum of $1,500 per grant.

To Apply

Review the grant guidelines, complete the GSC Faculty Grant Application Form, and submit your application materials online here. Please email Veronica Dristas upon submission.

Deadline

Rolling

About the Opportunity

 To support faculty working on research projects that align with the Center's mission and its current research initiatives.

Who is Eligible?

Full-time and part-time TS and NTS faculty (including instructors, lecturers, and contract faculty) who are Global Studies affiliates.

Max Funding

$1,000.00

To Apply

Review the grant guidelines, complete the GSC Faculty Grant Application Form, and submit your application materials online here. Please email Veronica Dristas upon submission.

Deadline

Rolling, while funds last.

About the Opportunity

 To facilitate interdisciplinary faculty groups ("clusters") in exploring and developing new collaborations that will become self sustaining through internal or external support. These "starter" grants are easy to apply for and are intended to encourage global and transnational research -- conferences, workshops, edited volumes,  journals, websites or other digital resources, NEH summer seminars, or other projects -- that aligns with the Center's mission and its current research initiatives.

Who is Eligible?

Clusters of faculty and graduate students representing at least three distinct disciplines may apply. The PI must be a full-time or part-time tenure- or appointment-stream faculty member. The PI must also be a Center affiliate, but not all group members need to be affiliated at the time of application.

Max Funding

Up to $3,000 per cluster, with the possibility of a renewal for a second year. Grants include basic administrative and logistical support (such as setting up meetings, reserving rooms, booking travel, paying honoraria, etc.).

To Apply

Review the grant guidelines, complete the Interdisciplinary Cluster Grant application form, and submit your application online here. Please email Veronica Dristas upon submission.

Deadline

Rolling, while funds last.

About the Opportunity

For faculty to attend international conferences or to travel with the purpose of designing a new course or expand an existing course that relates to the GSC themes of global health, human rights/human security, and inequalities.

Who is Eligible?

Full-time and part-time TS and NTS faculty (including instructors, lecturers, and contract faculty) who are Global Studies affiliates.

Max Funding

$1,000.00

To Apply

Review the grant guidelines, complete the GSC Faculty Grant Application Form, and submit your application materials here. Please email Veronica Dristas upon submission.

Deadlines:  November 3 (Fall 2025 only)
                   March 2 (Spring 2026 only)
(In the event a deadline falls on a weekend or a university holiday, the deadline will be the next business day.)

The Hewlett International Grant Program is primarily intended to help Pitt faculty in the development or completion of international projects as described below. “International” is defined as:

• relating to another country or culture,
• comparative analysis covering more than one country or culture,
• studies of international relations or of transnational activities,
• studies which examine global issues,
• or collaborative projects with partners around the world.

In addition, Hewlett International Grants may support the participation of Pitt faculty when delivering papers or presentations in conferences abroad, regardless of discipline or topic. This is a competitive program and proposals are reviewed by a committee of former grant recipients and UCIS team members representing a range of disciplines.  Please be sure to look at the evaluation criteria.

Grants are awarded twice per year.

Non-allowable Expenses: 

Examples of non-allowable expenses are as follows:

• Honoraria.
• Travel expenses for individuals other than the applicant.
• Equipment purchase or rental.
• Any conference travel expenses if applicant does not present a paper at conference or workshop.
• Membership fees.
• Any expenses unrelated to the proposed activity.
• Expenses related to the costs of travel and per diem for a faculty leader of a Pitt-sponsored study abroad program.
• Any costs related to the development of study abroad programs or courses.
• Purchase of promotional items such as t-shirts, mugs, coasters, or writing tools.

Allowable Expenses 

Awardees have 12 months to spend Hewlett funds.  Examples of permitted expenses are:

• Ground and air transportation to and from research, conference or workshop site.
• Visa expenses.
• Lodging and meal expenses.
• Payment to foreign national firms for services provided outside the United States.
• Student employment for on-campus and on-site research assistance (Hewlett funding may NOT be used for student travel expenses).
• Payment for translation services.
• Copy and other duplication costs.
• Books and subscriptions, if justifiably necessary for the research project.
• Duplication of papers for use at the conference or workshop.
• Registration fee for conference or workshop where applicant is a presenter.

Travel Warnings and Restrictions 

The U.S. State Department uses a system of ratings to gauge the potential risks (mostly to personal safety and/or or health) of traveling to specific countries or specific regions within countries. Travel Advisories range from Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions to Level 4: Do Not Travel. You can find the list of countries here. If your proposed destination is at Level 4, UCIS will most likely not be able to fund your proposed project, unless a waiver is sought (and proof of any necessary permissions from your school/unit as well as proof you have registered your travel appropriately, and followed requisite University guidelines if provided).

Grantee Obligations

• All research involving interventions or interactions with individuals or the collection of identifiable private information concerning living individuals requires prospective Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. Grantees are responsible for obtaining IRB approval when required, and must provide documentation of IRB approval before a grant can be awarded. For further information, check the IRB web site at www.irb.pitt.edu. Priority will be given to applicants who include proof of IRB clearance with application. Applicants who are in some stage of the review process with IRB are also encouraged to provide proof of this process.
• Grantees are required to submit a final report explaining the use of the funds and the outcomes of the supported activity no later than one month after the activity is completed. Failure to submit a final report will result in disqualification from future UCIS central faculty grant programs.
• Grantees will be asked to serve on Hewlett International faculty selection committees. Faculty who have served on the committee will be granted special consideration when applying for future grants.
• Grantees may be invited to present their work, or otherwise share their expertise, by any of the centers or programs housed within UCIS.
• Grantees seeking to use Hewlett funds to pay external service providers (domestic or international) will receive instructions about how to assess eligibility and facilitate those agreements.

Projects are expected to show evidence of matching funds whenever possible. Proposals should clearly articulate what other funds have been requested to support the project and from what sources. As the Hewlett International Grant Program is funded through the University Center for International Studies, proposals should specify when other sources of funding (either secured or pending decision) have been requested from other units within UCIS (including the area and global studies centers, as well as the Center for Ethnic Studies Research). If no evidence of matching funds (requested or secured) is presented in the proposal budget, please explain why not (e.g. other initiatives that have depleted annual travel allowances, etc.). Should the proposal be awarded funding, grantees will be expected to update the project budget to confirm the status of pending sources of match funding or any new commitments received to support the project. The total award is subject to modification, should the amount required to fund the project change.

Award Information 

There are three levels of Hewlett International Grants.

Curriculum Development (Fall & Spring)
Awards typically range between $500 and $3,500 and are intended to assist in the development of new international courses/course content or the enhancement of existing courses to add/update international content.

Research and Conference Travel (Fall & Spring)
Awards range between $1,500 and $3,500 and are intended to offset the cost of travel related to field or archival research or to attend an international conference abroad.

Major Impact (Spring only)
One grant per year will be awarded for research or related activities that demonstrate an impact on the international profile of the university or address strategic global priorities in the Plan for Pitt, including team-based research projects related to global issues/themes.  A single award of $10,000 - $15,000 will be made. Note: Conference Travel related to the presentation of a paper is not eligible for a Major Impact Grant; however, organization of a national or international conference or workshop on an international topic is an eligible activity. Applications for the Major Impact Grant are accepted only during the spring competition (deadline March 2); please use the applicable Major Impact Grant application form.

Funding Priorities

Research
Examples of possible research-related uses of funding are as follows:

• Start-up research projects requiring seed funding which show promise of attracting support.
• Funds to be used to complete a research effort (which could include costs of preparing manuscripts for publication, but NOT actual costs of publication).
• Partial support for national or international research conferences or workshops on an international topic for which a Pitt faculty member is a principal organizer.
• Field research.

Curricular Efforts
Examples of possible curriculum-related uses of funding are as follows:

• Development of new on-campus courses focusing on regional or area studies, transnational topics or global issues.
• Development of trans-regional courses with a focus on two or more world regions (e.g., Latin America-Asia, Africa-Eastern Europe, etc.) or enhancement of existing regional courses to include an additional region.
• Enhancement of existing courses taught on Pitt campuses that strengthen or add an international focus through experiential learning, civic engagement, or professional development.
• Collaborations between Pitt faculty and faculty at international partner institutions to enhance courses through team-teaching or other collaborations.
• Revision or creation of courses with at least 25% international or transnational content where faculty are willing to experiment with technologies in consultation with the UCIS Director of Informatics, Pitt IT, and the University Center for Teaching & Learning (CTL).

Conference Travel
Examples of possible conference-related uses of funding are as follows:

• Any conference or workshop with an international theme (applying faculty must be a presenter at the conference or workshop in order to qualify).
• Conferences or workshops taking place outside of the United States (applying faculty must be a presenter at the conference or workshop in order to qualify).

Eligibility

Full-time appointment-stream (including lecturers and contract faculty) and tenured faculty at the University of Pittsburgh from all schools and departments, centers, institutes and campuses are eligible to submit proposals. Applicants are required to have an up-to-date (i.e. submitted after January 1 of the current calendar year) UCIS Faculty Survey Profile. Adjunct, visiting, and emeritus faculty members and research associates are not eligible.
Important: Only one application for UCIS central funds per project and faculty member is allowed. Dual grant applications for the same project to different central UCIS grant programs are not permitted. Only one Hewlett International award per faculty member per 12-month period is allowed. Because of the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, UCIS has endeavored to work with prior recipients to delay or extend usage of prior awards. In order to preserve the ways in which Hewlett funds are used to spur intellectual innovation, applicants with currently unspent Hewlett monies should only apply for Hewlett funding for substantially different projects until prior funds are spent.

Evaluation Criteria 

Applicants are urged to review the evaluation criteria used by the Hewlett Faculty Selection Committee as they complete their proposals. Priority will be given to applicants who include proof of matching funds from units outside the centers and programs housed within UCIS.

Application Procedure: 

There is an online application process for the Hewlett International Grant Program.   The first time that you access the application form you will be directed to a welcome screen at our partner, Submittable.com, and invited to create a new user account.  After completing this simple process, you will be shown the application form.
Please note: This application requires that you upload multiple pieces of supporting documentation, notably the Hewlett Budget Spreadsheet, evidence of matching funds, evidence of Institutional Review Board clearance, and an 1100-word proposal narrative.  Preparing those documents in advance will likely simplify the application process for you.  You will be able to save your application mid-stream and then return to it before final submission.

Application forms

• Basic Application Form for Curriculum Development and Research/Conference Travel Grants
• Major Impact Grant (Spring Only): Application will be open and available by early November

Applications will be reviewed by committee. Awardees will be notified approximately four weeks after the deadline.

Deadlines
Fall Deadline: November 3 (Fall 2025 only)
Spring Deadline: March 2 (Spring 2026 only)
(In the event a deadline falls on a weekend or a university holiday, the deadline will be the next work day.)

Contact

Allyson Delnore
adelnore@pitt.edu
University Center for International Studies
4400 Wesley W. Posvar Hall
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260