Research and Conference Grants

CLAS Research Grants and LASA Conference Grants 

The Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) administers two small grant programs each year.

CLAS research grants support research-related expenses. These grants aim to encourage Georgetown faculty and students to conduct research focused on Latin America and the Caribbean, and to enhance the conduct of that research. CLAS administers one research grant competition each year, in the spring semester.  

More information on CLAS Research Grants is offered below.  Please note that there are separate instructions for Faculty and for Students.  

CLAS conference travel grants support registration for, travel to, and lodging at, the annual Latin American Studies Association (LASA) Congress. These grants aim to encourage Georgetown faculty and students to attend LASA.  CLAS administers one conference travel grant competition per year, in the spring semester, simultaneous with the research grants competition.  

More information on CLAS LASA Conference Grants is offered below.

Please email Julie McMurtry with any questions.

 

CLAS Research Grants – Faculty

General Information 

CLAS Faculty Research Grants offer Georgetown faculty support for research focused on Latin America and the Caribbean.  Research activities eligible for funding include travel to conduct research, field research (e.g., supporting the fielding of a survey), the purchase of datasets, research assistance, and translation services. 

Preference is given to proposals for collaborative research that connects faculty across Georgetown centers and programs and/or that entails work with institutions and researchers in Latin America and the Caribbean; to proposals that involve students as research assistants; to proposals that raise Georgetown’s research profile among a broader public; and to proposals that indicate plans to leverage CLAS support in pursuit of future funding.

Eligibility 

All Georgetown full-time faculty (tenure-line and non-tenure line), and adjunct faculty associated with Georgetown’s Center for Latin American Studies, are eligible to submit a proposal for a Faculty Research Grant.

Proposal Requirements

Proposals should not exceed 8 pages (excluding bibliography and addenda), single spaced with 12pt. font and one-inch margins.  Incomplete proposals will not be considered.

Proposals should include:

  • CV (including name and contact information of proposer) (3 pages max)
  • List of any collaborators including names, affiliations, and a brief bio (1 page)
  • Project Description that includes (3 pages max)
    • Statement of project goals
    • Statement of how project contributes to proposer’s scholarly trajectory
    • Clear description of the research activities to be undertaken
    • Timeline for the research activities
    • Description of the academic merit and contributions of the project
    • Discussion of expected results and deliverables
    • Discussion of when and where findings will be presented
    • Bibliography (does not count towards page count)
  • Project Budget that includes (1 page)
    • A detailed, itemized budget
    • A clear discussion and justification of how and when all funds will be used; each budget item should be clearly addressed.
    • An indication of the source and amount of other funding the applicant has to support the research

Amount and Use of Funds

Proposals may request up to $2,500. We encourage and welcome proposals requesting less than $2,500. The Evaluation Committee will pay particular attention to how the proposer has justified the use of funds. 

Funds must be used for the purposes outlined in the grant proposal. Grantees who wish to re-purpose funds may request to do so; such requests must include a clear justification. CLAS will consider such requests on a case-by-case basis. 

Proposed work must be completed by May 31, 2026.  Grantees may request one extension of the grant period if funds are not expended by that date.

Funds that are not spent during the grant period are forfeited and should be returned to CLAS. 

Submission and Selection Process

Proposals should be submitted as one continuous PDF to this email address.

This email account is not associated with a person, so you cannot correspond with it. Nothing that you write in the body of your email will be seen or read by the Evaluation Committee.

Proposals are due on Monday, February 3, 2025 by 11:59pm ET.

All proposals will undergo rigorous review by an interdisciplinary Evaluation Committee.  

Evaluation criteria include:

  • Academic merit and contributions of the project
    • Successful proposals will clearly reference and describe the theoretical, empirical, and or methodological contribution of the project being proposed.
  • Clarity of description of how research will be conducted and how it will lead to the asserted academic merit and contributions.
  • Feasibility of research with available resources / in identified time period
  • Quality of the written proposal itself 
  • Soundness / appropriateness of budget given proposed activities

Preference will be given to proposals that

  • Connect faculty across Georgetown centers and programs
  • Involve students as research assistants
  • Raise Georgetown’s research profile among a broader public
  • Indicate plans to leverage CLAS support to seek future funding

Decisions will be announced by March 21, 2025. 

Funds Disbursal Process

If your project entails international travel, please be sure that you abide by Georgetown’s international travel policy.

If your project entails human subjects research, in order for funds to be disbursed you will need to provide confirmation from Georgetown’s Institutional Review Board that your project has been approved.

Deliverables and Presentation 

During the Spring 2026 semester, grantees will present their research on a panel that will form part of the Latin America Research Seminar (LARS) series. 

By May 31, 2026, grantees should submit to CLAS:

  • All research products discussed in the proposal and any others created
  • A 250-word description of the research summarizing the results to be posted on the CLAS website

Grantees are strongly encouraged to submit a summary of their research to be considered for publication in the CLAS research newsletter Reflejos.

CLAS Research Grants – Students

General Information

CLAS Student Research Grants support research on Latin America and/or the Caribbean that students are conducting for a curricular requirement (a dissertation, required MA project, or undergraduate thesis). Allowable expenses include travel to conduct research, field research (e.g., supporting the fielding of a survey), the purchase of datasets, research assistance, and translation services; grants are also awarded to support students traveling to present such research at a conference. 

Eligibility 

All full-time undergraduate and graduate students in any Georgetown school and program are eligible to apply for a CLAS Student Research Grant. 

Student Research Grant proposals should request funds for one individual student. If two students wish to collaborate on a project, each of them should submit a separate grant proposal, making clear that their proposals are linked.  Under these circumstances it is suggested that the combined amount requested in the two proposals not exceed $500.

Proposal Requirements

Proposals should not exceed 5 pages (excluding transcript, bibliography, and addenda), single-spaced with 12pt. font and one-inch margins.  Incomplete proposals will not be considered.

Proposals should include:

  • CV (including name and contact information of proposer) (1 page max)
  • Unofficial Georgetown University transcript 
  • Project Description that includes (3 pages max)
    • Statement of project goals
    • Statement of how project contributes to student’s academic trajectory
    • Clear description of the research activities to be undertaken
    • Timeline for the research activities
    • Description of the academic merit and contributions of the project
    • Discussion of expected results and deliverables
    • Discussion of when and where findings will be presented
    • Bibliography (does not count towards page count)
  • Project Budget that includes (1 page)
    • A detailed, itemized budget
    • A clear discussion and justification of how and when all funds will be used; each budget item should be clearly addressed
    • An indication of the source and amount of other funding the applicant has to support the research
  • One letter of recommendation from the faculty advisor of the research being proposed; this letter should be submitted directly by the faculty member, by the proposal deadline noted below, to this email address. This email account is not associated with a person, so you cannot correspond with it. Nothing that you write in the body of your email will be seen or read by the evaluation committee.

Amount and Use of Funds

Proposals may request up to $500. We encourage and welcome proposals requesting less than $500. The Evaluation Committee will pay particular attention to how the proposer has justified the use of funds. 

Funds must be used for the purposes outlined in the grant proposal. Grantees who wish to re-purpose funds can request to do so; such requests must include a clear justification. CLAS will consider such requests on a case-by-case basis. 

Proposed work must be completed by May 31, 2026.  Grantees may request one extension of the grant period if funds are not expended by that date.

Funds that are not spent during the grant period should be returned to CLAS. 

Submission and Selection Process

Proposals should be submitted as one continuous PDF to this email address.

This email account is not associated with a person, so you cannot correspond with it. Nothing that you write in the body of your email will be seen or read by the evaluation committee.

Proposals are due on Monday, February 3, 2025 by 11:59pm ET.

All proposals will undergo rigorous review by an interdisciplinary Evaluation Committee.

Evaluation criteria include:

  • Academic merit and contributions of the project
    • Successful proposals will clearly reference and describe the theoretical, empirical, and or methodological contribution of the project being proposed.
  • Clarity of description of how research will be conducted and how it will lead to the asserted academic merit and contributions.
  • Feasibility of research with available resources / in identified time period
  • Quality of the written proposal itself 
  • Soundness / appropriateness of budget given proposed activities

Decisions will be announced by March 21, 2025. 

Funds Disbursal Process

In order for funds to be disbursed to any student awardee, they will need to provide three forms of documentation:

  • Confirmation from Georgetown that you are registered as a supplier with the university, including your supplier registration number.
  • If your project entails international travel, proof that you have secured International Travel Authorization from Georgetown.
  • If your project entails human subjects research, confirmation letter from Georgetown’s Institutional Review Board that your project has been approved

Deliverables and Presentation 

During the Spring 2026 semester, grantees will present their research on a panel that will form part of the Latin America Research Seminar (LARS) series. 

By May 31, 2026, grantees should submit to CLAS:

  • All research products discussed in the proposal and any others created
  • A 250-word description of the research summarizing the results to be posted on the CLAS website

Grantees are strongly encouraged to submit a summary of their research to be considered for publication in the CLAS research newsletter Reflejos.

CLAS LASA Conference Grants

CLAS conference grants support registration for, travel to, and lodging at, the annual Latin American Studies Association (LASA) Congress. These grants aim to encourage Georgetown faculty and students to attend LASA. CLAS offers five conference travel grants each year.  

Amount and Use of Funds

Proposals may request up to $500. We encourage and welcome proposals requesting less than $500. The Evaluation Committee will pay particular attention to how the proposer has justified the use of funds. 

Funds must be used for the purposes outlined in the grant proposal. Grantees who wish to re-purpose funds can request to do so; such requests must include a clear justification. CLAS will consider such requests on a case-by-case basis.

Eligibility 

All Georgetown full-time faculty (tenure-line and non-tenure line), adjunct faculty associated with Georgetown’s Center for Latin American Studies; all Visiting Researchers associated with CLAS; and all full-time undergraduate and graduate students in any Georgetown school and program are eligible to apply for a CLAS Conference Grant.  Preference will be given to student applicants.

In order to be eligible to receive a CLAS conference grant, applicants must be presenting a paper at the LASA Congress.  Note that proposals to present at the LASA 2025 Congress are due on September 9, 2024.  

Proposal Requirements

Proposals should include:

  • A cover letter indicating:
    • How much money is being requested from CLAS
    • The source and amount of other funding the applicant has to support their travel to LASA 
    • On what the money will be spent
    • How travel to the LASA Congress will advance the applicant’s research trajectory
  • A 300-word abstract for the paper being presented
  • A copy of the email received from LASA indicating that the paper was accepted for presentation at the LASA Congress

Submission and Selection Process

Proposals should be submitted as one continuous PDF to this email address. 

This email account is not associated with a person, so you cannot correspond with it. Nothing that you write in the body of your email will be seen or read by the evaluation committee.

Applications for CLAS Conference Grants are due on February 3, 2025 by 11:59pm ET.

All proposals will undergo rigorous review by an interdisciplinary Evaluation Committee.

Evaluation criteria include:

  • Quality of the paper accepted for presentation at the LASA Congress
  • Soundness / appropriateness of budget given proposed activities
  • Degree to which participation in the LASA Congress is justified

Decisions will be announced by March 21, 2025.

 

Funds Disbursal Process

In order for funds to be disbursed to students and Visiting Researchers, they must provide confirmation from Georgetown that they are registered as a supplier with the university, including their supplier registration number.

Should conference grant recipients ultimately not attend the LASA Congress, they are required to return their grant funds to CLAS.