Category: News

2025 GUIDELINES

Deadline: Proposals are due by 5:00 pm (Eastern) on Friday, May 30, 2025.

Award Description
In support of the UGA-UoL Humanities and Social Sciences Summit, the UGA Office of Global Engagement is launching a one-time UGA-UoL Humanities and Social Sciences Seed Grant Program. The purpose of this support is to encourage the development of sustainable research collaboration or other joint activities aimed at generating extramural funding among UGA and University of Liverpool faculty within the humanities and social sciences. Two grants, one in the Humanities and one in the Social Sciences, each up to $15,000, will be awarded to support preliminary research and the preparation of external funding proposals. The Office of Global Engagement will provide $10,000, while the Owens Institute for Behavioral Research and the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences will each contribute $5,000.

Eligibility
• You must be a faculty member within the Humanities or Social Sciences.
• Each proposal must have one, at minimum, UGA investigator and one UoL investigator. Larger teams and interdisciplinary projects are encouraged.
• To be eligible, proposals must identify and commit to pursue specific sources of external funding as a result of the activities enabled by the seed grant.

Funding
• Grants will be in an amount of up to $15,000. Expenditures may include travel and other collaborative efforts, such as preliminary data collection, feasibility studies, and proposal preparation costs.
• Travel proposed must be necessary to the articulated output of the identified research collaboration.
• Proposals may be funded in an amount less than requested and investigators may request less than the maximum amount.

Required Proposal Content and Submission Instructions
The following proposal components are required and must be submitted via the online proposal form. The full proposal should be uploaded as a single PDF file. Save and return is not available so applicants should have documents prepared for upload prior to completing the form. Clicking “Submit” is a final transmission of the proposal.

Preliminary information entered on the proposal submission form:
• Title of project
• Name, affiliation, and email of UGA principal investigator (PI)
• Name, affiliation, and email of other UGA investigators
• Name, affiliation, and email of all UoL investigators

Upload as one PDF:
• Summary of planned project for non-expert (no more than 500 words)
• Description of preparatory activities to be funded by the grant (1/2 page max)
• Expected outcome of those activities, identifying by name the sponsor(s) and program(s) to which subsequent external funding requests will be submitted (1/2 page max)
• Budget, following the Faculty Research Grant Budget template found here: Faculty Research Grant Budget Template
• UGA PI’s curriculum vitae
• UoL PI’s curriculum vitae
• Submit proposals here by 5pm on May 30, 2025

Evaluation Criteria and Procedures
The Office of Global Engagement will coordinate vetting and approval of proposals. The following will be taken into account by the review teams:

• Quality of the proposal: The research project or other proposed joint activity presented in the proposal should be original, innovative, and clearly articulated.
• Importance and strategic fit: The proposal should explain the project’s significance beyond the borders of the discipline and indicate how it aligns with larger institutional priorities.
• Partnership development: The proposal should demonstrate the potential to develop sustainable collaborations between UGA and UoL. Proposals that include additional matching funding will be prioritized.
• Sustainability: The proposal must articulate a credible plan to attract additional external funding, linking the preparatory activities for which grant funding is requested to specific future funding submissions.

Award Conditions
Grants are expected to start on July 1, 2025, and funds are to be spent within the current fiscal year of the award (end June 2026). An outcome report will be due on July 1, 2026. These reports should focus on what was accomplished and the status of attempts to obtain external funding.

Contact for questions: Harper Davison.

Alzheimer’s Association
https://www.alz.org
The Alzheimer’s Association leads the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support.

American Association for Cancer Research
https://www.aacr.org/
Through its programs and services, the AACR fosters research in cancer and related biomedical science; accelerates the dissemination of new research findings among scientists and others dedicated to the conquest of cancer; promotes science education and training; and advances the understanding of cancer etiology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment throughout the world.

American Council of Learned Societies
https://www.acls.org/
ACLS supports the creation and circulation of knowledge that advances understanding of humanity and human endeavors in the past, present, and future, with a view toward improving human experience.

American Heart Association
https://pages.heart.org/
When you donate, you drive innovation. Since 1949, your generosity has helped fuel a $5.7 billion investment in research, funding over 47,000 projects—including the work of 14 Nobel Prize-winning scientists. In 2022 alone, we enabled 868 new projects with $178 million in grants, accelerating discoveries like cholesterol inhibitors and drug-coated stents. Be part of the next breakthrough by donating today.

American Psychological Foundation
https://ampsychfdn.org/
We leverage the power of philanthropy to advance psychological knowledge by investing in innovative research and applications that prioritize people and their well-being.

American SIDS Institute
https://sids.org/
Research is being conducted all over the world to better understand sleep related sudden infant deaths. The American SIDS Institute is involved in research looking at the tissue of infants who have died suddenly and with research studying live infants. This dual approach will hopefully help us understand more about vulnerabilities that make infants more likely to die suddenly.

Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity
https://pagecenter.psu.edu
The Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication is a research center at the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State dedicated to the study and advancement of ethics and responsibility in all forms of public communication.

 Athens Area Community Foundation
https://athensareacf.org/
We envision a community with sufficient philanthropic resources, harnessed to enhance civic engagement, a vibrant regional economy, a nimble workforce, effective schools, affordable housing, accessible healthcare, efficient public transportation, supportive services for the most vulnerable, strong cultural amenities, and environmental sustainability.

Best Buy Foundation
https://www.bestbuyfoundation.org
The Best Buy Foundation™ conducts its work via a strategic grant portfolio, in partnership with nonprofit organizations across the country that share our focus on supporting young people in building brighter futures through tech access, career training and the cultivation of vibrant communities.

Brain and Behavior Research Foundation
https://bbrfoundation.org/
The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation is committed to alleviating the suffering caused by mental illness by awarding grants that will lead to advances and breakthroughs in scientific research.

Center for the Science of Moral Understanding
https://www.moralunderstanding.com/
The Center harnesses a key insight—that much political disagreement is moral disagreement. To increase tolerance and civility, we need to understand the nature of moral judgment and the interpersonal processes that transform divergent moral judgments into conflict. The Center therefore connects moral and social psychology with related disciplines of neuroscience, political science, sociology, history, philosophy, economics, and legal studies.

Fahs Beck Foundation
https://www.fahsbeckfund.org/
The Fund’s primary goal is to support research that contributes to a greater understanding of and solutions for problems affecting individuals, families and communities.

Foundation for Child Development
https://www.fcd-us.org/
Our Mission is to harness the power of research to ensure that all young children benefit from early learning experiences that affirm their individual, family, and community assets, fortify them against harmful consequences arising from poverty, racism, prejudice, and discrimination, and strengthen their developmental potential.

Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation
https://www.hfg.org/
The Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation examines enduring and urgent problems of violence, such as war, crime, and human aggression. Through basic and applied research, we aim to understand the causes, manifestation, and control of violence. We spread this knowledge to inform policy, practice, and public discourse and to advance scholarship.

Health Foundation for Western and Central NY
https://hfwcny.org/
Our mission is to improve the health and health care of the people and communities of western and central New York.

Heterodox Academy
https://heterodoxacademy.org/
Heterodox Academy (HxA) is the leading membership organization for faculty, staff, and students who want to ensure that our universities are places where intellectual curiosity thrives.

Hilton Foundation
https://www.hiltonfoundation.org/
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation invests in organizations tackling some of the world’s toughest challenges. We think big about solutions, working in partnership with local communities to improve lives, strengthen systems and advocate for change. Our approach is rooted in our values and inspired by the resilience of the communities with whom we work worldwide, with a special focus on Africa, South America and the United States, including our home in Los Angeles.

Howard Hughes Medical Institute
https://www.hhmi.org/
Our scientists pursue bold ideas to make breakthroughs in our fundamental understanding of biology and human health.

Institute for Healthcare Advancement
https://www.iha4health.org/
As experts in health literacy, communications, and community health needs, we know that improved health starts with understanding and equity. IHA empowers, educates, and supports health professionals and organizations through world-class learning tools, conferences, resources, and consulting. Professionals engaging in our initiatives see significant improvements in professional development, workplace effectiveness, and health equity for all they serve.

Jacobs Foundation
https://jacobsfoundation.org/
Our work is dedicated to giving every child a quality education. We believe this can only be achieved if education policy and practice are supported by evidence of what works best for children. We therefore invest in the world’s premier research to discover how children learn, promote the use of evidence in teaching and learning, and support countries to shape and implement education policies based on evidence.

James S McDonnell Foundation
https://www.jsmf.org/
The James S. McDonnell Foundation (JSMF) envisions a thriving St. Louis region where inclusive growth elevates shared prosperity and quality of life. Our mission is to invest in organizations and initiatives working to improve economic mobility for St. Louisans facing the starkest disparities.

Louisville Institute
https://louisville-institute.org/
Funded by the Religion Division of Lilly Endowment, Louisville Institute awards grants and fellowships to those who lead and study North American religious institutions, practices, and movements, advancing scholarship to strengthen church, academy, and wider society.

Mental Research Institute
https://mri.org/
At the Mental Research Institute (MRI) we explore and support the development of innovative interactional systemic approaches to understanding and improving human relationships.

National Center for Problem Gaming – Now ICRF (International Center for Responsible Gaming) – https://www.icrg.org/
Since its founding in 1996, the ICRG has launched a thriving field of study to explore gambling disorder and responsible gambling and has funded some of the most important research in the United States and around the world.

National MS Society
https://www.nationalmssociety.org/
As the largest MS organization in the world and the global leader of the MS movement, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is the best investment to reach MS cures. We’ve achieved more advances in MS than have been achieved for any other neurological condition — and we’re not done yet.

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
https://www.pcori.org/
The (PCORI) is an independent, nonprofit research funding organization that seeks to empower patients and others with actionable information about their health and healthcare choices.

Patty Brisben Foundation
https://www.sheplusfoundation.com/
SHE+ serves to enhance women’s sexual health and well-being through research and education. By focusing on eight key areas that have a dramatic impact on women’s sexual health, we’re able to provide support and fund research where it is needed most, to help improve the lives of the highest number of women.

Pfizer
https://www.pfizer.com/about/responsibility/global-impact/the-pfizer-foundation
The Pfizer Foundation’s mission is to help build healthier communities around the world. We invest in community-led partnerships and solutions to address today’s complex global health challenges, respond to urgent health needs, and empower Pfizer colleagues to make an impact where they live, work, and beyond.

Public Health Institute
https://www.phi.org/
PHI and its programs improve health, equity and wellness by discovering new research, strengthening key partnerships and programs, and advancing sound public health policies. Our hundreds of programs have impacted millions of people, creating an architecture that will continue to impact communities for generations to come.

Public Health Management Corp, Formerly Treatment Research Institute -TRI
https://www.phmc.org/site/index.php
PHMC is a nonprofit public health institute that builds healthier communities through partnerships with government, foundations, businesses and community-based organizations. It fulfills its mission to improve the health of the community by providing outreach, health promotion, education, research, planning, technical assistance, and direct services.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
https://www.rwjf.org/
RWJF, fellow philanthropies, non-profits, and grantee organizations are working together to transform inequitable systems and social practices that uphold inequity. Our vision is to build a future where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to achieve their fullest health and wellbeing. This vision and the strategic framework designed to advance it were created in collaboration with community voices, equity thought leaders, and researchers.

Russel Sage Foundation
https://www.russellsage.org/
It dedicates itself to strengthening the methods, data, and theories of the social sciences in order to better understand societal problems and develop informed responses.

Society for Research in Child Development
https://www.srcd.org/
The Society for Research in Child Development advances the developmental sciences and promotes the use of developmental research to improve human lives.

Spencer Foundation
https://www.spencer.org/
We believe education research is integral to improving education, making education systems more equitable, and increasing opportunities to learn across the lifespan.

Templeton Foundation
https://www.templeton.org/
We support interdisciplinary research and catalyze conversations that enable people to pursue lives of meaning and purpose.

USAA Educational Foundation
https://usaaef.org
The USAA Educational Foundation offers free financial education resources from experts in personal finance and military life.

Vera Institute of Justice
https://www.vera.org/
Vera’s mission is to end the overcriminalization and mass incarceration of people of color, immigrants, and people experiencing poverty. We pilot real-world programs developed with community members and the government.

William T Grant Foundation
https://wtgrantfoundation.org/
The William T. Grant Foundation invests in high-quality research focused on reducing inequality in youth outcomes and improving the use of research evidence in decisions that affect young people in the United States.

Williams Syndrome Association
https://www.williams-syndrome.org/
The Williams Syndrome Association (WSA) works to advance the interests of all individuals with Williams syndrome throughout their lifespan by providing programming and resources, supporting research, promoting partnerships and connections, and ensuring that the infrastructure of the organization has the capacity to lead our community toward its goals.

Since its inception in 1989, the William A. Owens Lecture Series has been known for scholarly excellence at the University of Georgia, fostering meaningful discussions on groundbreaking research and innovation in the social sciences.

Established in honor of Dr. William A. Owens, a pioneering psychologist whose work transformed the field of industrial and organizational psychology, the lecture series has continued to elevate discussions on cutting-edge research and its impact on society.

Dr. Owens’ contributions to psychology, particularly in biodata assessment and personnel selection, left an indelible mark on both academia and industry. In 1970, then-Vice President for Research, Robert Anderson, sought someone to lead a new interdisciplinary social sciences institute at UGA. Owens, who was already heading the Measurement Program in the Psychology Department and had a large interdisciplinary research grant, agreed to take on the role. He served as the founding director of the Institute of Behavior Research (IBR) until his retirement in 1984.

An annual lecture in Owens’ honor was initiated in 1989 by IBR Director Abe Tesser. The inaugural speaker was Dr. Fred E. Fiedler of the University of Washington, whose work on leadership and organizational behavior set the stage for the esteemed series. Fiedler’s insights into how leadership effectiveness is contingent on situational factors helped lay a foundation for future discussions for the Owens lecture series.

Over the past 33 lectures, the Owens lecture series has featured an extraordinary lineup of influential thinkers, each bringing unique perspectives that have shaped social science research. Notable speakers have included Dr. Claude Steele, Stanford University, renowned for his work on stereotype threat and social identity, and Dr. John T. Cacioppo, University of Chicago, whose research demonstrated the integration of social science with neuroscience.

Each year, the Owens lecture series provides an opportunity for the UGA community to engage with ideas that challenge and refine our understanding of human behavior. The discussions sparked in these sessions extend far beyond the auditorium, influencing research, classroom teachings, and interdisciplinary collaborations across campus.

The William A. Owens Lecture Series remains a cornerstone of intellectual growth and academic dialogue at UGA. This year’s lecture, “The Surprising Science of Meetings,” a conversation with Dr. Steven Rogelberg, Chancellor’s Professor with the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, has been selected as part of the provost’s 2025 Spring Signature Lecture Series, further solidifying its role as a premier academic event at the university. Through this ongoing tradition, Dr. Owens’ legacy continues to inspire new generations of scholars to push the boundaries of social science and its applications in the modern world.

Written by Andrea Horsman, February 3, 2025

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