Archive of ARISC Funding

ARISC Small Grants – Deadline Extended

By Talin Lindsay / October 17, 2019

The American Research Institute of the South Caucasus (ARISC) announces the availability of small grants in support of research in the South Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, and/or Georgia) for graduate and undergraduate students of the South Caucasus. Awards will be made for up to $300 each. Projects in all fields in the social sciences, humanities, and related sciences are eligible. Proposals will be judged on their quality and on the potential of the research to strengthen scholarship on the South Caucasus. The purpose of the grant is to help offset research costs for student scholars in the South Caucasus. Grantees are expected to give an ARISC-sponsored presentation on a subject related to their research upon completion of their project. The grantee will acknowledge ARISC in any publication or presentation that emerges from the research carried out during the grant.

Application requirements: Please send a complete application including the application form*, a project statement of not more than 3 pages, work schedule, itemized budget (see sample here), budget justification, and curriculum vitae, by Sunday, February 2, 2020, to info@arisc.org. Two letters of recommendation must also be submitted. All information must be received by Sunday, February 2, 2020, in order for the applicant to be considered for the grant.

*This form needs to be downloaded to be completed. You will need to use Adobe Reader (free) to complete the form using the add text comment tool.

Additional Terms and Conditions

  1. The ARISC Small Grant is limited to citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, or Georgia. Proof of citizenship or permanent resident status (i.e. photocopy of passport, etc.) must be shown upon award notification.
  2. Grantees must complete their projects by August 31, 2020. Any unused portion of the stipend must be returned to ARISC by this date.
  3. A report and final accounting with original receipts are required to be submitted to ARISC within 30 days of grant completion and no later than September 30, 2020.
  4. All applicants must be either graduate or undergraduate students enrolled in degree-granting programs in Armenia, Azerbaijan, or Georgia. Priority will be given to graduate students. Students graduating in spring 2020 are eligible to apply.
  5. Allowable costs include transportation, lodging, per diem, and/or equipment. Funds may be requested for travel to training workshops.
  6. Grantees are expected to make contact with the ARISC country representative in each country or countries where they will be conducting research as soon as possible upon acceptance of the award.
  7. If the study involves living human subjects, proof of Institutional Review Board (IRB) or the equivalent from your institution approval must be provided, if relevant, upon receipt of grant.
  8. While ARISC encourages scholars to apply to other federal and private sources in addition to the ARISC small grants, ARISC grantees who receive additional awards must contact ARISC immediately to discuss possible date and stipend adjustments.
  9. ARISC is unable to provide health or other insurance to its grantees.
  10. Grant recipients are eligible to reapply for a second small grant three years after completion of their most recent award.
  11. ARISC does not advise grantees on tax questions concerning their stipend.

ARISC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, medical condition, ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, or status as a covered veteran.

Selection Process

Grantees will be selected by the ARISC grants panel made up of scholars with experience conducting regional and trans-regional research. Please note that readers may not be specialists in your field, so applicants are advised to write for a general professional audience. Applicants will be judged according to the following criteria:

  • Merits of the proposal for significance, relevance, and potential contribution to regional and/or trans-regional scholarly research;
  • Applicant qualifications;
  • Research design and methodology;
  • Significance to the applicant’s field;
  • Significance to needs and interests of host country and ARISC’s mission;
  • Feasibility in terms of resources and amount of time allocated to the project;
  • Proficiency in the language required to complete research project, if applicable.

Notification

Notification of grant status will be made available to each applicant via email inMarch 2020.

Important Notes Regarding Applications

  • The applicant is responsible for notifying referees of their request for letters and for ensuring those letters are submitted to ARISC by the deadline.
  • All references must be in English. If the reference is in any language other than English, an English translation must be provided.
  • One of the applicant’s letters should be from their academic advisor.
  • ARISC’s method of submission is via email. Once an application is submitted it cannot be resubmitted or edited. This also applies to letters of recommendation.
  • Notification of grant status will be made available to each applicant via email in March 2020. Grantees are advised that it can take up to six months to obtain the necessary research clearance and should plan accordingly.

Helpful Resources for Grant Writing