ISS Small Grant Program
The Institute for the Social Sciences

The ISS small grant program supports social science research activities conducted by Cornell faculty. Our biannual grant competition provides funding of up to $15,000 to initiate research projects, collect data, run conferences, or travel to meet with collaborators. We are particularly interested in providing funding for: (1) interdisciplinary social science research, (2) interdisciplinary conference support, (3) research led by junior faculty members, (4) projects that will subsequently seek external funding, and/or (5) activities that will lead to ISS theme project proposals. Small grants are funded by the ISS and by the Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) at Cornell University. All Cornell tenure-track faculty members working conducting social science research are encouraged to apply.

• Funded activities may include:
  • Data collection or data acquisition
  • Travel costs associated with research
  • Meetings with potential funders
  • Meetings with collaborators
  • Conferences
  • Research assistance
  • Necessary equipment (i.e., hardware or software)
• Proposal format
  • The narrative proposal must be no more than 7 pages, double-spaced, and should include the following:
    • one-paragraph abstract of the project
    • comprehensive description of proposed activities and their significance, including some description of the research design (if applicable)
    • plans for future research
    • plans for pursuing additional funding, if any
    • plans for developing an ISS theme project proposal, if any
  • In addition to the 7-page narrative proposal, please submit:

    • a budget & detailed budget justification, including the specific total requested. (For details, see budget info.)

    • a 3-page curriculum vita for each principal investigator that lists his/her education; major appointments; and most significant publications, presentations, grants, and honors

    • Human Subjects approval, where necessary (For details, see FAQ.)

• Proposal Submission
  • Proposals are due by 11:59 p.m. on the day of the deadline.
  • Please submit proposals as MSWord or pdf atttachments by email to socialsciences@cornell.edu. No hard copies are needed.
  • We prefer proposals in pdf format with all the parts of the application compiled into one document, or as few documents as possible.

For more information, please see the FAQ, funding statistics, and awards.

All questions should be directed to Anneliese Truame (607-255-3304), ISS Adminstrative Coordinator.

     Contact

    socialsciences@cornell.edu

     607-255-3304

     148 Myron Taylor Hall
     Cornell University
     Ithaca, NY 14853