CAL Office for Research & Innovation (CORI)

CAL Critical Thinking Grants 🕑

This program is encourages the examination and testing of propositions that lead to the creation of new knowledge. 
Deadline: FALL
Award: One course release for such purposes as writing an article or book, or preparing a proposal for external funding. 

CAL Microgrants 💰

CAL Microgrants are small awards available to help defray expenses incurred for research assistance, fieldwork, equipment, travel to collections, and other items not covered by other university, college, or departmental sources. Does not cover conference travel or publishing fees. 
Deadline: FALL, SPRING
Award: $500 

CAL Dean’s Author Support Fund 💰

The Author Support Fund is available to assist full-time tenure-track/tenured faculty in publishing their work. 
No deadline: Funds are allocated on a rolling basis. 
Max award: $1,000

CAL Book Manuscript Development Program

These workshops offer assistance to tenure-track and tenured faculty in preparing scholarly book manuscripts. CAL will host up to three workshops for 2023-24 that provide constructive feedback on near-final manuscripts from two senior scholars selected by the author, with the aim of securing a publishing contract. This program supports CAL faculty members' research trajectories and career goals, including tenure and promotion.
No deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. 

Dean’s Fund Support for Colloquia, Lectures, and Special Programs 💰

CAL faculty members, centers, departments or institutes may request funds to support activities that advance the College’s scholarly, teaching and engagement mission (e.g. colloquium speakers, small workshops, conferences, support for undergraduate and/or graduate studies, etc.)
No deadline: Funds are allocated on a rolling basis.
Max award: $2,000

While funding is limited, units may apply for more than once in the course of the academic year if they have identified an extraordinary proposal.

The Dean's Fund replaces the current ad-hoc system for allocating resources and is a competitive, transparent, and inclusive process to enable broad and tangible initiatives, regardless of their academic origins. It is also intended to provide supplemental assistance in cases where departmental resources (i.e., Open University, scholarships, endowments, development funds) are not sufficient to support the proposed activity. In most cases, CAL will only be in the position to provide matching funds at some level.

Individuals or groups requesting funding should first arrange co-sponsorship from other relevant units before approaching CAL. Priority will be given to programs of high quality and relatively broad interest.

For additional information, contact Interim Associate Dean Michael Borgstrom ([email protected]). Provide a brief (no more than one page) description of the planned program and its tangible outcomes, a budget, and a list of other sources of funding (even if they are tentative). A one-page, double-space description of the outcome of the program and/or the activity is also expected.

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Established Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities (RSCA) grant program 💰

This program provides support for more significantly developed RSCA projects for which a faculty member is seeking extramural funding.
Applications will be taken on a rolling basis until funds for fiscal year are spent
Award:  $10K - $20K

The primary criteria used in evaluating applications for the RSCA award are as follows:

• Relevance or merit of the proposal to the field of study
• Appropriateness of the design and methodology
• Scholarly record of applicant in the area of investigation
• Likelihood of executing the plan within the assigned time period
• Probability of leading to refereed publications, exhibitions, or performance
• Likelihood of enhancing the probability of retention, tenure, and promotion
• Likelihood of leading to extramural funding

All other evaluation factors being equal, there is a college-level preference for pre-tenure faculty and faculty working towards promotion.

SDSU Seed Grant Program 💰

Formerly called "University Grants Program (UGP)," the program provides funding for research, scholarship, and creative activities (RSCA) projects for Unit 3 faculty for new RSCA projects and areas of inquiry, allows faculty to bring ongoing projects to completion, and serves to facilitate the development of projects that are competitive for extramural funding.
Deadline: FALL

The primary criteria used in evaluating applications for funding are as follows:

• Relevance or merit of the proposal to the field of study
• Appropriateness of the design and methodology
• Appropriateness of scope and budget
• Expertise of the applicant in the area of investigation
• Likelihood of executing the plan within the funding period
• Probability of leading to refereed publications, exhibitions, or performances
• Likelihood of enhancing the probability of retention, tenure, and promotion
• Educational impact on students and nature of student involvement
• Likelihood of obtaining extramural funding

Individuals who have received UPG funding in 3 ofthe past 5 years are ineligible to apply.

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