Request for Proposals

Application Information:

The Center for Global Studies invites current and prospective CGS faculty associates and units to submit proposals for possible inclusion in its application to the U.S. Department of Education under Title VI for renewal of its status as a National Resource Center in Global Studies for the AY 2010-2014 period.  In the past the Department of Education has awarded the Center approximately $1.5 million to cover program expenses and language fellowships and training.

CGS encourages projects from disciplines and fields of study that support research, teaching, and outreach activities that focus upon understanding global issues confronting the world’s populations and that identify ways to cope with and resolve these challenges.

Funding requests should typically not exceed $40,000 over the four year cycle of the Department of Education funding period. 

Potential Activities Include:

•    developing new courses and degree programs, concentrations, and certificates in global studies at the graduate and undergraduate level
•    organizing activities that will deepen understanding of the values, thinking, practices, and aspirations of the world’s diverse cultures
•    supporting the acquisition of advanced language skills in Less Commonly Taught Languages
•    developing teaching resources, professional training opportunities, and public programs in global studies for researchers, educators, students, business leaders, media, governmental agencies, civic organizations, and members of the public concerned with understanding and solving global problems
•    assisting faculty to enlarge their knowledge and skill sets in global studies
•    encouraging interdisciplinary proposals, linking faculty from across campus in collaborative partnerships to encourage research, course and degree development, and outreach on global issues
•    seeding new faculty lines that support the overall CGS mission

 
Types of Projects Considered:

All projects must have implications for globalizing the research, teaching, or outreach of the UIUC campus.  In addition, proposals should reflect an interdisciplinary or interprofessional approach, encompassing one or more of the following topical themes or research clusters:

• Education in Global Studies at all levels
• Global Security
• Information, Communications, and the Media
• Language and Culture
• Global Policy Issues (e.g. immigration, sustainable development, human rights, etc.)
• New Undergraduate, Graduate, and Professional Degrees and Concentrations or Their Revision to Accent Global Studies
• Language and Degree Programs in Less Commonly Taught Languages and Cultures

Proposal Requirements:

The project narrative should not exceed three pages.  Evaluation criteria appear below.  Each proposal should include project goals; rationale for the approach pursued; description of implementation plan, including a timeline and plans for continuation after funding is over; the specific outcomes and/or products which will be developed; and plans for dissemination. 

Attach a budget that identifies expenditures over one or more years of the grant period of August 15, 2010 – August 14, 2014, including the amount of funding from other sources. Brief curricula vita of applicants should also be included.  Proposals should also be consistent with the policies of the units and colleges of applicants.

Awards: 

A panel of faculty and administrators from the CGS advisory committee will assist the Director in selecting awardees.

Deadlines:

Proposals must be received by CGS by Monday, May 4, 2009, for full consideration.  Awards to be included in the Center Title VI application will be announced as soon thereafter as possible. Full funding will be contingent on successful renewal of the CGS Title VI NRC Grant. 

Reporting:

All faculty awardees will be designated as Faculty Associates of the Center for Global Studies. They will also be required to provide periodic project status reports.  Awardees may also be invited to make additional presentations at CGS organized events.  A final report will be required at the end of the agreed upon project period.

Proposal Evaluation Criteria:

All proposals must broadly address and support the CGS mission. Preference will be given to interdisciplinary projects that involve inter- and intra- unit and college collaboration.  In addition, the following general criteria will be used to evaluate proposals (although each proposal need not address all criteria):

•    Potential impact on:
o    Students
o    Faculty / Staff
o    Field of Study
o    Outreach community (K-12 teachers and students; business; policy makers, media representatives, etc.)
•    Cross-unit and college collaboration
•    Appropriate budget plan
•    The ability of the proposer(s) to complete the project successfully
•    Appropriateness of dissemination plans
•    Provision for continuing the activities under the award following the grant period

For further guidance or general questions please contact Edward A. Kolodziej, Director, Center for Global Studies (edkoloj@uiuc.edu / 265-5186) or Steve Witt, Associate Director (swwitt@uiuc.edu / 265-7518).

What Cannot be Funded under the Title VI Grant:

Direct support for research, although conferences, graduate and professional advanced seminars are permissible.  Especially encouraged are interdisciplinary and interprofessional seminars that provide course credit to participating students.

Student travel, although faculty travel in support of course development, program development, and new campus linkages is allowable.