Internal Awards & Funding

The funds are in support of the important creative activity and scholarship of faculty in the fine arts and humanities, and in alignment with the college strategic plan. Individual awards are limited to $10,000. The grant period is a calendar year.

2026-27 Application Deadline

Deadline to apply is Friday, Oct. 30.

Initiative Goals

• Enrich fine arts and humanities scholarship
• Enhance visibility of the arts and humanities locally and in the region
• Provide scholarly opportunities for arts and humanities students
• When appropriate, result in grant proposals submitted to external funding agencies or organizations

Eligibility

• Faculty members from the following College of Arts & Sciences departments can apply for funding from this program:
  • Anthropology (if humanities focused)
  • Art & Design
  • English
  • History & American Indian Studies
  • Languages & Global Studies
  • Music
  • Philosophy & Ethics
  • Theatre Arts
• Collaborative proposals between Fine Arts and Humanities faculty and faculty in the Social Sciences and/or Math and Science divisions will be considered.
• UND policies and procedures must be followed for expenditure of funds including purchases, reimbursements, payroll appointments, and hiring processes. Please note that according to UND policy, anything purchased with UND funds is the property of UND (e.g., supplies, books, equipment, etc.).
• More than one proposal can come out of a single department or program. In those cases, the department chair or program director must rank the proposals and explain their rankings in writing. Rankings are due by the deadline for proposal submission (see detailed timeline below). Chairs or directors cannot rank proposals in which they are an investigator. If needed, a tenured faculty member with no stake in any proposal may be appointed by the chair or director to rank departmental or program proposals.
• An individual faculty member can be included as an investigator in more than one submitted proposal.
• While consideration will be given to faculty who have previously received an award; priority may be given to faculty who have not.
• Faculty who have previously received an award but have not submitted a final report are ineligible to receive a new award.
• Proposals that fail to follow the guidelines outlined on this page will not be considered.

Application Preparation

Cover Sheet

Form found on application submission link

• Project title
• Investigator name(s), affiliation(s), and faculty rank(s)
• Original copies of faculty and department chair or program director signature(s)

Abstract

A brief (250 words or less) non-technical description of the research/creative activity to be performed and the expected outcomes.

Project Narrative (maximum three pages)

• Describe the proposed research/creative activity and include some background on the topic, specific objectives, and proposed methods.
• Explain how the proposed activity will contribute to your discipline and/or other disciplines.
• Describe the proposed activity's potential for publications, conference papers, recordings, performances and/or other scholarly outcomes.
• Clearly describe the plan for broadly disseminating the results of the research, including a plan for sharing the results with the general public. Preparation of this section may be coordinated with Dean's office staff.
• If applicable, explain how the proposed activity has potential for outside funding.
• If applicable, explain whether the project will be supported by other resources, including the source and amount.

Budget and Budget Justification (maximum two pages)

• Individual awards are limited to $10,000.
• The budget must be broken down into individual line items with each item justified. For additional instructions, please refer to: Budget Guidelines for Research Initiatives.
• The following are unallowable budget items:
  • Travel to attend conferences
  • Course buyouts
  • Enhancing campus physical infrastructure
  • Funding studies already completed
• The following are allowable budget items:
  
  • Summer salary
  • Travel to conduct scholarly activity other than attending conferences
  • Purchase of supplies/research materials and/or research equipment
  • Support for Graduate Research Assistant(s) and/or undergraduate assistants
  • Employing technical assistance
  • Software purchases
  • Paying for promotional materials and services
  • Bringing guest speakers and/or consultants to campus
  • Funding public outreach events
  • Paying for content access fees
  • Covering subscription fees for research networks
  • Leasing off-campus space for research/creative activity
• Applicants must work with their department administrative assistant before final submission of proposal to ensure budget guidelines are followed. Failure to do so may result in proposal being returned for correction and/or adjustment to budget line items.

Project Bibliography

The bibliography should consist of primary and secondary sources that relate directly to the project. It is usually advisable to include works that pertain to both the project's substance and its theoretical or methodological approaches. Titles cited in the application narrative do not have to be included in the bibliography. Reviewers often use the bibliography to evaluate your preparation in the subject area and your approach to the topic.

Abbreviated Curriculum Vitae (maximum two pages)

The CV should include education, employment history, and most relevant citations (e.g., publications, presentations, performances, juried exhibitions).

Award Selection Criteria

An ad hoc committee representative of all departments within the Fine Arts and Humanities divisions of the College of Arts & Sciences from which proposals are submitted will review and score proposals and make recommendations to the Dean, who will award funding.

Reviewers will be asked to evaluate and rank applications according to the following criteria:

1. The significance of the contribution that the project will make to knowledge in the specific field and to the arts and humanities generally.
2. The quality or promise of quality of the applicant's work.
3. The quality of the conception, organization, and description of the project, and, if applicable, the likelihood that the proposed work will result in external funding.
4. The likelihood that the applicant will complete the project including the appropriateness of the budget, the quality and clarity of the project goals and design, the resources involved, and the qualifications of the applicant.
5. The potential that the project has to enhance the visibility of the scholar, department, college, and university.
6. Adherence to proposal guidelines as outlined on this page.

Award Requirements

• Provision of regular updates for social and/or other media dissemination.
• UND policies and procedures must be followed for expenditure of funds including purchases, reimbursements, payroll appointments and hiring processes. Please note that according to UND policy, anything purchased with UND funds is the property of UND (e.g., supplies, books, equipment, etc.).
• If an award results in a tangible product such as a book, article, or a video/audio recording, a copy must be provided to the College of Arts & Sciences Dean's office and support for the project by UND and the College should be acknowledged.
• All recipients of Fine Arts and Humanities Scholarship Initiative awards are required to submit a final report to the College of Arts & Sciences Dean's office within one month of the project’s end date or depletion of awarded funds, if that occurs before the project ends. The report must include a brief summary of results of the project to include how funds were expended and whether or not the project resulted in publications, exhibits, productions, external grant proposals/awards, paper presentations, etc.

2026-27 Timeline

Friday, Oct. 30, 2026

Proposals are to be submitted via the College of Arts & Sciences Internal Awards portal, by selecting "Fine Arts and Humanities" in the drop-down.

Members of an ad hoc committee with representation from departments in the Fine Arts and Humanities divisions from which proposals are received will review and score the proposals and make recommendations to the Dean. The final decision on funding awards is made by the Dean.

Monday, Nov. 30, 2026

Awards are announced.

Thursday, Jan. 1, 2027

Start of the award period.

Thursday, Dec. 31, 2027

All award monies must be spent.

Monday, Jan. 31, 2028

Final reports due to the College of Arts & Sciences Office of the Dean. Submit reports using the link below according to the format outlined in your award announcement email.

Report Submission Form

Questions

Thanks to the generous support of Marten and Valerie Hoekstra, the College of Arts & Sciences is able to offer annual awards to support visits from leadership speakers.

• 2027 Deadline for Requests: Friday, April 9
• Award Period: the following academic year
• Awards: One or more awards of up to $4,000 are planned annually

Eligibility

Any full-time faculty, including those on special appointment, in any A&S department or program can request an award. Award requests will be approved by department chair prior to consideration.

Application Preparation

Apply at the link below:

Application Submission Link

Applications can be submitted as a single file with the following included:

1. Name and background of Speaker to be invited
2. Course(s) or Activity(ies) in which speaker will participate
3. Semester in which visit is planned/requested
4. Leadership topic to be addressed
5. Anticipated impact for students
6. Anticipated impact for faculty
7. Budget for speaker fees and travel expenses
8. Budget for associated activities

Award Selection

Members of the A&S Executive Committee will review and score requests and make funding recommendations to the dean who will make one or more awards annually. Requests will be evaluated based on both the extent of leadership content and the potential impact for students, with preference given to new and not previously funded projects.

Award Requirements

• The awardee will be asked to work with the A&S Dean's Office staff to send a letter of appreciation to the sponsors of the award.
• Invitations to speaker events will be shared with the dean.
• Support from the Dean’s Office staff may be available for promotion and stewardship activities as appropriate.
• UND policies and procedures must be followed for expenditure of funds including purchases, reimbursements, payroll appointments and hiring processes. Please note that according to UND policy, anything purchased with UND funds is the property of UND.
• Awardee will be asked to submit a Letter of Appreciation to the College of Arts & Sciences Dean's Office outlining the project summary and impact to be shared with sponsors of the award.

2027-28 Timeline

• Friday, April 9, 2027: Requests submitted online.
• Friday, May 7, 2027: Awards announced.
• Monday, Aug. 16, 2027: Award period begins.
• Monday, May 1, 2028: All award monies must be spent.
• Monday, May 15, 2028: Letter of Appreciation due to College of Arts & Sciences Dean's Office. Submit the letter using the link below according to the format outlined in your award announcement email:

Letter submission form

Questions

The award is for a faculty member demonstrating excellence in teaching, research, and service within the College of Arts & Sciences.

Department Chairs and Program Directors are invited to nominate a faculty member for the Itterman Faculty Professional Development Award.

• 2027 Deadline for nominations is Monday, March 1.
• The maximum award is $4,000.

Eligibility

Any full-time faculty — including those on special appointment — in any College of Arts & Sciences department or program are eligible.

Application Preparation

• Department Chairs and Program Directors are invited to nominate a faculty member for the Itterman Faculty Professional Development Award using the nomination link:

Nomination Link

• Letters of nomination should be no longer than two pages and include a description of how the faculty member is an exemplary educator while also maintaining excellence in their research and service activities. If necessary, you may be asked for additional information at a later date. Chairs/Directors are welcome to include faculty in the nomination process if they choose.
• Please limit your submission to one nomination per department/program.

Award Selection Criteria

The College of Arts & Sciences Executive Committee will be asked to rank the nominations and make a recommendation to the Dean who will award funding for one or more proposals.

Award Requirements

1. The awardee will be asked to submit a Letter of Appreciation to the College of Arts & Sciences Dean's Office staff, outlining the project summary and impact to be shared with sponsors of the award.
2. Funds are provided to support professional development at the discretion of the awardee. If a research project is supported by the award, then the Itterman Faculty Professional Development award should be acknowledged in resulting presentations, publications, exhibits, performances, etc.
3. UND policies and procedures must be followed for expenditure of funds including purchases, reimbursements, payroll appointments and hiring processes. Please note that according to UND policy, anything purchased with UND funds is the property of UND.

2027 Timeline

• Monday, March 1: Nominations due to the A&S Dean’s Office.
• Thursday, April 15: Award announced.
• Saturday, May 1: Award payout to recipient.
• Saturday, May 15: Letter of Appreciation due to the College of Arts & Sciences Dean's Office. Submit the letter using the link below according to the format outlined in the award announcement email:

Letter Submission Form

Questions

The Endowment is an annual funding opportunity open to College of Arts & Sciences faculty. It holds the purpose of promotion of peace and nonviolence.

About Dr. Ahmad

Dr. Aqueil Ahmad served as a Sociology Professor at UND during the late 1960s and early 1970s and was instrumental in the establishment of the UND Peace Studies program. Specifically, the Joyce and Aqueil Ahmad Endowment funds research and creative activities that:

1. Lead to better understanding of the behavioral, social, and cultural causes and consequences of random and targeted acts of violence against individuals, groups, and communities.
2. Promote conversations about peace and nonviolence among individuals, groups, and communities.

The College of Arts & Sciences invites proposals that clearly meet both objectives.

• Proposals must include a plan for outreach to the general public
• Proposal budgets are limited to $5,000
• The 2026 deadline to apply is Tuesday, Nov. 10.

Eligibility

Full-time faculty (including those on special appointment) in any College of Arts & Sciences department or program may apply as long as research or creative activity is required under their UND contract and they will complete the proposed work while employed at UND.

Application Preparation

1. Cover sheet: Project title, investigator name and affiliation and signature.
2. Project Narrative (two double-spaced pages maximum)
   • Explain how the proposed activity meets both objectives of the Joyce and Aqueil Ahmad Endowment. Describe the proposed activity and include a brief background.
3. Budget and Budget Justification (one page):
   • Individual awards are limited to $5,000.
   • The budget must be broken down into individual line items with each item justified. For additional instructions, please refer to the Budget Guidelines for Research Initiatives. Applicants should work with their department administrative staff before final submission of proposal to ensure budget guidelines were followed. Failure to do so may result in the proposal being returned for correction and/or adjustments.
4. Submit application at the link below:

Application Submission link

Award Selection

Members of the Resources and Infrastructure Committee within the College of Arts & Sciences will review and score proposals and make funding recommendations to the Dean, who will award funding for one or more proposals.

Resources and Infrastructure Committee members will evaluate applications according to the following criteria:

1. Significance of the contribution that the project will make in addressing both objectives of the Joyce and Aqueil Ahmad Endowment; and
2. Quality of the conception, organization, and description of the project.

Requirements

1. Awardees agree to use the title “Joyce and Aqueil Ahmad Endowed Scholar” for a calendar year.
2. Awardees must send a “thank you” letter to Joyce and Aqueil Ahmad in coordination with the Director of Alumni & External Relations for the College of Arts & Sciences.
3. The Joyce and Aqueil Ahmad Endowment and College of Arts & Sciences support for the project must be acknowledged in all resulting presentations, publications, exhibits, performances, etc.
4. UND policies and procedures must be followed for expenditure of funds including purchases, reimbursements, payroll appointments and hiring processes. Please note that according to UND policy, anything purchased with UND funds is the property of UND.
5. Submission of a brief final report to the College of Arts & Sciences within one month of the project’s end date. The report must include a summary of results and outcomes of the project. Send reports in MS Word format via email to: UND.artssci@UND.edu. A copy of the report will be provided by the College to Joyce and Aqueil Ahmad.

2026-27 Timeline

• Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026: Proposals are due to the A&S Dean’s Office in MS Word or PDF format. Please submit to the Dean's office via email at: UND.artssci@UND.edu. In the email subject line, please type “Ahmad Endowment.”
• Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026: Awards are announced.
• Jan. 1 annually: Start of the award period.
• Dec. 31 annually: End of the award period.
• Jan. 31 annually: Letter of Appreciation due to the Arts & Sciences Dean’s Office. Submit the letter using the link below according to the format outlined in the award announcement email:

Letter Submission Form

Questions

The Seed Grants Initiative is a funding opportunity to support scholarly projects within the UND College of Arts & Sciences aiming to generate preliminary results and lead to a new grant application. Individual awards are limited to $10,000. The overall grant period is two years, with the expectation that the first year is dedicated to the generation of outcomes and the second year is for a new proposal submission. Faculty at all career stages are encouraged to apply.

Application Deadline

Deadline to apply is Tuesday, Jan 12, 2027, or the second Tuesday in January in following years, pending funding availability.

Eligibility

• Any full-time faculty (including those on special appointment) in any College of Arts & Sciences department or program may apply if research or creative activity is required under their UND contract and they will complete the proposed work while employed at UND.
• Proposals that include collaborative efforts with UND faculty housed outside of the College of Arts & Sciences are allowed, but the PI must be College of Arts & Sciences faculty, and funds expended in the College.
• More than one proposal can come out of a single department or program. In those cases, the department chair or program director must rank the proposals and explain their rankings in writing. Rankings are due by the deadline for proposal submission. Chairs or directors cannot rank proposals in which they have a research role. If needed, a tenured faculty member with no stake in the proposal may be appointed by the chair or director to rank departmental or program proposals.
• An individual faculty member can be included as an investigator in more than one submitted proposal.
• While faculty who have previously received an award are eligible, priority may be given to faculty who have not. A demonstrable outcome from previous funding in this program (e.g., receipt of an external grant, high-impact journal article) is viewed favorably.
• Faculty who previously received an award but have not submitted a final report are ineligible to receive a new award.
• Proposals that fail to follow the guidelines outlined on this page may be returned without review.

Application Preparation

Submit Application

Application Checklist

• Cover sheet
• Abstract
• Narrative
• Bibliography
• Budget & Budget Justification
• Curriculum Vitae

Cover Sheet

• Project title
• Agency where the proposal will be submitted
• Agency division
• Link to specific funding solicitation
• Investigator name(s) and affiliation(s), faculty rank(s)
• Faculty and department chair or program director names and signature(s)

Abstract

A brief (200 words or less) non-technical description of the research/creative activity to be performed and the expected outcomes

Project Narrative (three pages maximum, excluding citations)

• Describe the proposed research/creative activity, and include some brief background on the topic, specific objectives, and proposed research plan with methods at a level appropriate to the specific discipline.
• Include a timeline of the research task planned (Year One) and the timeline leading to the proposal preparation to the external agency (Year Two).
• Clearly explain why the proposed activity has potential to lead to external grant funding and identify a target funding agency and program. Include a planned timeline for submission of an external grant proposal (see timeline).
• Include timeline of the project.
• Describe the proposed activity’s potential for publications, conference papers, recordings, performances and/or other outcomes.
• State whether the project will be supported through other resources, including the source and amount (whether monetized or not). However, in the case of multiple funding sources, clear delineation of funding source(s) and expenditure must be made.

Bibliography

The bibliography (not included in the three-page limit for narrative) should consist of primary and secondary sources that relate directly to the project using professional citation format. It is advisable to include works that pertain to both the project's substance and its theoretical or methodological approaches. Reviewers often use the bibliography to evaluate preparation in the subject area and approach to the topic and whether the research is up to date.

Budget and Budget Justification (maximum two pages)

• Individual awards are limited to $10,000.
• The budget must include individual line items with each item justified.
• The following are allowable budget items:
  • Support for Graduate Research Assistant(s) and/or undergraduate assistants
  • Summer salary (up to 0.5 month) – fringe benefits must be included
  • Travel to conduct scholarly activities other than attending conferences
  • Purchase of supplies/research materials and/or research equipment
  • Service fees for utilization of instruments (e.g. nanofoundry)
  • Employing technical assistance
  • Participant incentives
  • Software purchase(s)
  • Funding public outreach events
  • Paying for content access fees
  • Covering subscription fees for research networks
  • Leasing off-campus space for research/creative activity
• Please note that all expenditures are subject to State of North Dakota and UND budget restrictions and accounting standards.
• The following are unallowable budget items:
  • Travel to attend conferences
  • Enhancing campus physical infrastructure
  • Funding studies already completed
  • The services that are available at A&S must be utilized and cannot be replaced by those elsewhere.
• Applicants must work with their department administrative assistant before final submission of proposal to ensure budget guidelines are followed. Failure to do so may result in the proposal being returned for correction and/or adjustment to budget line items.

Curriculum Vitae (maximum two pages per investigator)

The CV should include education, employment history, and most relevant scholarly products (e.g., publications, presentations, performances, juried exhibitions). The use of Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae (ScieENcv) tool is encouraged to create a CV (three pages are allowed with the certification).

guidelines for ScieENCV CV preparation 

Award Selection Criteria

Reviews are completed by ad hoc reviewers most closely familiar with the discipline, ensuring no conflict of interest. The reviews and proposals will be shared with Members of the Resources and Infrastructure Committee within the College of Arts & Sciences to review and score proposals and make funding recommendations to the Dean, who awards funding.

Committee members are asked to evaluate and rank applications according to the following criteria:

1. Quality or promise of quality of the applicant's work, qualifications of the applicant, and the likelihood that the work will lead to external grant funding.
2. Quality of the conception, organization, and description of the project, including clarity of the project goals and design.
3. Demonstration of novelty or innovative nature for future grant application.
4. Likelihood that the successful completion of the project will bring recognition to the College of Arts & Sciences and UND.
5. Availability of funds.
6. Adherence to proposal guidelines included here

Award Requirements

All recipients are required to submit two reports, at the link below for report submission:

Report Submission

The first report is due within one month of completion of the project’s Year One. The report must include a brief summary of the project's results, a plan for Year Two (timeline for proposal preparation), a description of how funds were expended, and whether the project resulted in, or will result in, publications, presentations, performances, exhibits, etc.

• • The final brief report is due at the end of Year Two, providing information on submitted external grant proposals, including funding agency, title of grant, amount requested.
• Provision of summaries of the project suitable for social and/or other media dissemination at the start of the project and together with the first report.
• If an award results in a tangible product such as a book, article, or a video/ audio recording, a copy must be provided to the College. The College’s support for the project should be acknowledged in all resulting presentations, publications, exhibits, performances, etc.
• UND policies and procedures must be followed for expenditure of funds including travel, purchases, reimbursements, payroll appointments and hiring processes. Please note that according to UND policy, anything purchased with UND funds is the property of UND (e.g., supplies, books, equipment, etc.).

2027-28 Timeline and Submission of Proposals

Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2027: Proposals are due to the A&S Dean’s Office in MS Word or PDF format, preferably as a single file.

Submit Application

Wednesday, March 31, 2027: Anticipated announcement date for awards.

Thursday, April 15, 2027: Start of the award period and funding available.

Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2027: Submission of first report and project outcome summary for social media dissemination.

Tuesday, March 31, 2028: All award monies must be spent.

Monday, May 15, 2028: Submission of second report.

Questions

Goals

The goal of the Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Research/Creative Activity (R/CA) Award is to provide undergraduate students with research and creative activity experiences that enhance their learning.

Faculty from any College of Arts & Sciences department, are invited to submit proposals, including detailed budgets, for work during the Spring and/or Summer terms.

The proposed work may include:

• Data collection and analysis
• Journal article development
• Student travel associated with presentations at conferences
• Performances
• Productions
• Workshops
• Research activities
• Creative activities
• Other professional development experiences

Proposals that clearly align with the college and university strategic initiatives are strongly encouraged and given preference in funding decisions.

The maximum individual award is $6,000.

Application Deadline

The 2026 deadline to apply is Tuesday, Nov. 10.

Applicant Eligibility

• Applicants must include at least one undergraduate student and one faculty.
• Undergraduate student salaries must be a significant portion of the proposed budget. Hourly pay must be a minimum of $16.
• Any full-time faculty (including those on special appointment) in any College of Arts & Sciences department or program may apply as long as research or creative activity is required under their UND contract and they will complete the proposed work while employed at UND.
• The undergraduate student must be pursuing a major within Arts & Sciences or be working closely with a faculty research advisor in Arts & Sciences. Graduate students can be involved, but their direct financial support cannot be included.
• Departments and programs can submit multiple proposals. If more than one proposal is submitted, the department chair/program director is required to rank the proposals and to justify their rankings in writing when the proposals are submitted to the College.
• While consideration will be given to faculty who have previously received an award; priority may be given to faculty who have not.
• Faculty who have previously received an award but have not submitted a final report are ineligible to receive a new award.

Proposal Eligibility

• Proposals must focus on research or creative activity involving undergraduate and Arts & Sciences faculty collaboration.
• The undergraduate(s) must be actively involved in the proposed research/creative activity. Proposals in which students play a central role have funding priority.
• Requests for undergraduate travel are permitted if the travel is associated with conducting the research/creative activity. Proposals requesting conference travel funds only are allowed, but have lower funding priority.
• Proposed budgets should not exceed $6,000. Applicants are encouraged to seek a match from departmental or program funds if appropriate. Fund matches must be noted on the submitted budget worksheet.
• Proposals that fail to follow the guidelines outlined on this page will be denied.
• Faculty and students who accept funds agree to have their projects communicated via social and other media and to write a thank you letter to donors who provide gifts to support undergraduate research and creative activities. Please work the College of Arts & Sciences Dean's office to disseminate information about your project.

Application Preparation

Submit Application

Cover Sheet

• Project title
• Investigator name(s), affiliation(s), and faculty rank(s)
• Original copies of faculty and department chair or program director signature(s)

Abstract

A brief (200 words or less) non-technical description of the research/creative activity to be performed and the expected outcomes.

Project Narrative (maximum three pages)

Describe:

• The nature of the project.
• The impact that the research/creative activity will have on the student.
• The roles to be played by the student and faculty advisor.
• The need for the funding.
• If applicable, explain how it aligns with strategic initiatives.
• Describe the proposed research/creative activity, and include some brief background on the topic, specific objectives, and proposed methods.

*If faculty plan to use a portion of the funds to pay a student as irregular help and they have not already worked in a paid position with you, a particular student should not be identified in the proposal. In such cases, faculty who receive Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity Award will be required to post an advertisement for student irregular help so that all undergraduate students have an opportunity to apply. (Note: The students will need to apply for the position and be chosen through an objective interview process). This process is not required and students may be identied if the student is already employed and funds are requested to support student travel.

Budget and Budget Justification (maximum two pages)

• The budget must be broken down into individual line items with each item justified. For additional instructions, please refer to: FAQs.
• The following are unallowable budget items:
  • Travel to attend conferences
  • Enhancing campus physical infrastructure
  • Funding studies already completed
  • Direct support for graduate student
• The following are allowable budget items:
  • Release time from teaching (see additional conditions below)
  • Summer salary
  • Travel to conduct scholarly activity other than attending conferences
  • Purchase of supplies/research materials and/or research equipment
  • Support for undergraduate assistants
  • Employing technical assistance
  • Software purchases
  • Paying for promotional materials and services
  • Bringing guest speakers and/or consultants to campus
  • Funding public outreach events
  • Paying for content access fees
  • Covering subscription fees for research networks
  • Leasing off-campus space for research/creative activity
• Applicants must work with their department administrative assistant before final submission of proposal to ensure budget guidelines are followed. Failure to do so may result in proposal being returned for correction and/or adjustment to budget line items.

Project Bibliography

The bibliography should consist of primary and secondary sources that relate directly to the project. It is usually advisable to include works that pertain to both the project's substance and its theoretical or methodological approaches. Titles cited in the application narrative do not have to be included in the bibliography. Reviewers often use the bibliography to evaluate your preparation in the subject area and your approach to the topic.

Abbreviated Curriculum Vitae (maximum two pages)

The CV should include education, employment history, and most relevant citations (e.g., publications, presentations, performances, juried exhibitions).

The use of Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae (ScieENcv) tool is optional to create a CV (3 pages are allowed with the certification). The guideline for ScieENCV CV preparation can be found here.

Award Selection Criteria

Members of the Resources & Infrastructure Committee within the College of Arts & Sciences will review and score proposals and make recommendations to the Dean, who will award funding.

Reviewers will be asked to evaluate and rank applications according to the following criteria:

• Quality of the proposed research/creative activity.
• Significance of the role for the undergraduate student(s).
• Type of involvement by the undergraduate student(s) (e.g., production of the research/creative activity vs. conference travel).
• Impact of award monies on the project (i.e., will the monies contribute significantly to the project’s successful completion?). Note that an award that is less than the requested amount can be recommended by the committee.
• Adherence to the proposal guidelines outlined on this page.

Follow-Up Requirements

A project report must be submitted to the College of Arts & Sciences Dean’s office within two months of the close of the program/project. The report should clearly summarize the activities funded by the Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity Fund monies. Faculty not completing a final report on time are ineligible for future funding.

2026-27 Timeline

• Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026: Proposals are due to the College of Arts & Sciences Dean’s office via submission form. Members of the Resources & Infrastructure Committee will review and score the proposals and make recommendations to the Dean. The final decision on awards are made by the Dean.
• Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026: Anticipated announcement date for the awards.
• Jan. 1 annually: Start of award period.
• Aug. 15 annually: All award monies must be spent.
• Sept. 15 annually: Final reports are due to the College of Arts & Sciences Dean’s office. Please submit the reports in MS Word format to the Dean's office via report form.

Questions

Purpose

To recognize and celebrate A&S faculty members’ and staff’s significant contributions to the College, in alignment with the 2023-2028 LEADS Strategic Plan’s value of Affinity.

Award Frequency, Amount, Presentation

• Up to three awards are given each fall and each spring semester for a total of up to six per year. The program begins in the Spring 2027 semester (i.e., only up to three awards during AY 2026-27, and up to six awards in subsequent academic years).
• Each award is $500, along with a certificate signed by the Dean and a unique College memento.
• Awards are presented at the All-College Meeting each semester (October and April). In AY 2026-27, awards will be presented in April only.

Criterion and Process

• Single-page nomination form, asking for short narrative of the nominee’s unique contributions, qualities, and why they deserve to be recognized.
• Open to all full-time staff and faculty employed within and by the College of Arts & Sciences, both as nominators and nominees.
• No self-nominations or nominations where there may be conflict of interest.
• Nominators are only permitted one nomination per semester.
• Priority consideration of nominees will be granted for those who have not previously been awarded.
• The College Ambassadors review the nominations each cycle and make recommendations to the Dean (up to three per semester).
• Criteria include at least two of the following:
  • Evidence of exemplary character within their role in the College
  • Evidence of unique or extraordinary service to the College’s mission
  • Evidence of outstanding support of or collaboration with students
  • Evidence of significant cross-department or interdisciplinary collaboration
  • Evidence of impactful and exceptional leadership within the College

Timeline

• Sept. 30 annually: Fall nomination deadline (Beginning in 2027)
• March 31 annually: Spring nomination deadline
• Nominations submitted via online form on the College website (Coming Soon for Spring 2027 nomination process).

Please see more detailed information in the links to each award description. All reports should be submitted using this A&S form. Faculty who fail to submit a final report by the deadline listed will be ineligingle for future internal awards.

• Salary and fringe information are variable based on the individual faculty or staff member and semester.
• Budgeted faculty stipends/awards should include 8% for payroll taxes.
• The actual cost of course buyout vaires.
  • For internal buyouts funded via College of Arts & Sciences research initiatives please use $6,500 per three-credit course as a budget estimate.

Please contact Storey Gillen (storey.gillen@UND.edu) for assistance with your budget.

• Rates are established by the College of Arts & Sciences to maximize budget and number of projects funded.
• UND Travel policies are available at Procurement and Payment Services.
• Lodging: Up to 75% of maximum allowable rate based on current UND policy.
• Meals: Up to 75% of maximum allowable rate based on current UND policy.
• Airfare or Mileage: Up to 100% of actual cost allowable by UND policy. Faculty are expected to employ reasonable cost saving measures.

Please contact Storey Gillen (storey.gillen@UND.edu) for assistance with your budget.

Student Salary

• To be determined by project principal investigator.
• PI/Home department is responsible for ensuring compliance with UND student employment policies including posting of positions as required.

Student Travel

• Up to 100% of actual cost allowable by UND policy. Students are expected to employ reasonable cost saving measures.
• UND Travel policies are available at Procurement & Payment Services.

Please contact Storey Gillen (storey.gillen@UND.edu) for assistance with your budget.

For initiatives that allow purchase of supplies/equipment:

• Items are paid at actual cost.
• Faculty must work with University Information Technology (UIT) for approval to purchase computers, technology and software to ensure best pricing and UND-supported products.

Please contact Storey Gillen (storey.gillen@UND.edu) for assistance with your budget

These awards are for A&S faculty and staff. Please see more detailed information about eligibility in the links to each award.

• Please see more detailed information about eligibility in the links to each award.
• Proposals that include unallowable expenditures will not be considered for funding

Please contact Storey Gillen (storey.gillen@UND.edu) for assistance with your budget

• Please carefully review the purpose and goals of each award information in the link to each.
• If proposed project does not fit the purpose and goals of the award, the proposal will not be considered.

• If the amount needed to do the proposed work exceeds the maximum allowed, as listed in the links to each award, please either do not submit the proposal or adjust the scope of work to correspond with the maximum.
• If the amount needed is less than the minimum award, please seek out funding opportunities more aligned with needs of the project.

Follow the criteria within the link to each award to develop a project idea. The application may not be considered if the criteria are not followed. Consider:

• What is the scope of the project?
• What are the methods for the project?
• What is/are the objective(s) of the project?
• Who will be involved in creating or building or completing the project?
• What resources are needed?
• How, exactly, are the grant funds intended to be used?
• Is there intent to sell the project and/or charge people to attend (in the case of an event)?
• What is the data management plan?
• Is there a prototype of the project (e.g. initial findings, small study, work sample)?

Please contact Alena Kubatova (alena.kubatova@und.edu) for assistance with project development.

Tailor the application narrative to the mission, initiatives, and guidelines of the application, addressing the request and whether it is for student support, research, or creative activity.

Write the grant in clear, concise language that effectively communicates the project to an audience outside of a specific field or discipline. Avoid field specific jargon/language, as some reviewers may have experience in a specific field, however, this is not always the case.

Have others read a draft of the application narrative. It can be beneficial to have those with no knowledge of the field/project read the narrative, as they can provide feedback if the ideas are being communicated effectively.

Fine Arts & Humanities Initiative proposals are reviewed by an ad hoc committee made up of Fine Arts & Humanities faculty appointed by Associate Dean Rebecca Rozelle-Stone. The ad hoc committee reviews proposals and makes recommendations for funding to Dean Brad Rundquist and Associate Dean Rozelle-Stone. Dean Rundquist decides which proposals to fund.

Proposals to all other internal grant initiatives are reviewed by the A&S Resources and Infrastructure Committee, which makes recommendations for funding to Dean Rundquist and either Associate Dean Alena Kubatova or Daphne Pedersen. Dean Rundquist decides which proposals to fund.

• Sept. 30 annually: North Star Award Fall Recognitions (Beginning in 2027)
• Monday, Oct. 26, 2026: Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity, pending funding availability
• Friday, Oct. 30, 2026: Fine Arts & Humanities Award
• Friday, Nov. 13, 2026: Joyce and Aqueil Ahmad Endowment
• Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2027: Seed Award, pending funding availability
• Friday, March 19, 2027: Itterman Professional Development
• Wednesday, March 31, 2027: North Star Award Spring Recognition
• Friday, April 9, 2027: Hoekstra Leadership Award

Late grant applications will not be considered. No exceptions will be made for submissions past the application deadline.