IREX Short-Term Travel Grants

Dennis McConnell (mailto:mac@MAINE.MAINE.EDU)
Sat, 15 Apr 1995 09:32:21 EDT

Message-ID:  <MAC.950415093221@maine.maine.EDU>
Date:         Sat, 15 Apr 1995 09:32:21 EDT
From: Dennis McConnell <mailto:mac@MAINE.MAINE.EDU>
Subject:      IREX Short-Term Travel Grants
To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L

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    IREX Short-Term Travel Grant Application Guidelines
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The International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) offers travel grants for brief visits (1-2 weeks) which do not require adminis- trative assistance or logistical support (such as placement or access to archives, housing, visas, travel, etc.). Please read the following guidelines carefully, and contact IREX with any questions on eligibility.

APPLICANTS must meet all of the following eligibility require- ments: * US citizen or permanent resident; * PhD or equivalent professional/terminal degree in the project discipline at time of application; those holding a profes- sional/terminal degree should contact IREX regarding eligibil- ity; * Projects in humanities or social sciences focused on Central and Eastern Europe or Eurasia; * Scholars with projects concerning Mongolia, and scholars who are employees of US federal government organizations, should contact IREX before submitting an application, regarding availability of funding.

APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE DATE TO QUALIFY.

DEADLINES: February 1, 1995; June 1, 1995; October 1, 1995. Applications received after the deadline will be returned to the sender. Applicants are encouraged to use priority mail services to ensure that the application is received by the deadline.

PROVISIONS: Grants will normally not exceed $3000. * Transoceanic APEX airfare on a US flag carrier (consult a travel agent for fares_generally the grant will pay up to $1450). * Per diem for up to 14 days, not to exceed $100/day to cover in-country costs for meals, lodging, and local transportation only. * Applicants inviting a foreign colleague to the US may apply for funds to cover temporary health insurance for the foreign invitee, up to a maximum of $65. * Conference registration fee to attend a conference, up to a maximum of $100. * Visa application costs, up to a maximum of $50. * Miscellaneous expenses, up to a maximum of $100 (SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING AND EXPENSES APPROPRIATE TO THE PROPOSED PROJECT).

MAXIMUM STAY: Applicants may stay up to thirty (30) days total (with any additional per diem expenses covered by the applicant). However, all travel, whether connected to the research, or for personal reasons, may not exceed thirty (30) days. Applications with itineraries exceeding 30 days will not be processed. Indi- viduals requiring stays of more than 30 days (and/or administra- tive support) should apply to the IREX program for Individual Advanced Research in Central and Eastern Europe or Eurasia.

APPLICATION MATERIALS: Applicants must submit an original and four (4) complete copies of all of the following materials: * The 1994-1995 Short-Term Travel Grant application form; * A 3-5 page (typed, double-spaced) proposal essay, describing the activity, methodology, anticipated results, and project significance, particularly with respect to the American acade- mic, Slavic studies community; for collaborative activities, describe the nature of the collaboration and how it evolved; * The applicant's abbreviated curriculum vitae (no longer than 3 pages); * An official letter of invitation for conferences, lecturing, consultations, or collaborative work; * A biographical sketch or curriculum vitae for a foreign col- league invited to the US.

EXCLUSIONS: The following items will not be considered for the Short-Term Travel Grant Program: * Itineraries exceeding 30 days; * Passport application costs; * Transoceanic travel undertaken on a non-American flag carrier; * Medical expenses (inoculations; dental insurance; health insurance, except for a foreign guest); * Grantees should check with IREX before submitting items under Miscellaneous Expenses. Expenses will only be accepted in this category if funds have been awarded to the grantee as per the official Terms and Conditions.

DUE TO THE LARGE number of applications and limitations on fund- ing, projects with multiple participants may not receive full funding for all participants.

NOTE ABOUT SELECTION PROCESS AND NOTIFICATION

SELECTION CRITERIA: The IREX Selection Committee for this pro- gram has identified a number of criteria which they consider when reviewing all applications: (1) academic merit of the proposed project (including its rele- vance for the Slavic studies community); (2) well-documented need for in-country research and a clearly stated research methodology; (3) language skills adequate for research on the scholar's topic in the host country; (4) feasibility of the proposed time frame; (5) demonstration of serious preparatory work with the general literature available in Western repositories, basic guides to host-country archives, and current research; (6) applicant's record of publication; and (7) reasonable budget request.

NOTIFICATION letters are sent to all applicants approximately eight weeks after the deadline. No notifications will be made prior to that time, and decisions cannot be disclosed by tele- phone. Grant checks become available approximately one month after receipt by IREX of the signed grant contract, and no sooner than two months prior to the start of the project. All IREX- funded project activity must be completed within one year of the application deadline. Permission for departure from the proposal must be secured in advance from IREX.

SELECTION COMMITTEE: The IREX Selection Committee for this program is composed of senior scholars who represent a broad cross-section of US universities and disciplines. Selection Committee members are familiar with IREX programs and in many cases have participated in an IREX program at some point in their academic careers. Members of the Selection Committee are ap- pointed by the decision of the IREX Program Committee on the authority of the IREX Board of Directors. New members are chosen based on recommendations from current Committee members, the IREX Program Committee, and IREX staff. Disciplinary, geographic, age, and gender balance are taken into consideration in determin- ing the final composition of the Selection Committee. IREX staff provides administrative support only, and does not participate in selection of grantees.

ACTIVITIES FUNDED BY THIS PROGRAM: * Individual scholarly, academic research visits to archives, libraries, museums, etc., or to conduct interviews; * Presentation at scholarly conferences focused on Central and Eastern Europe and/or Eurasia; * Invited lectures or consultations; * Collaborative projects such as joint publications and compara- tive surveys; * US scholars may invite 1-2 colleagues from the countries of focus to the US for collaborative research, publications, surveys, or conference presentation; the US scholar is consid- ered the applicant. * In general, conferences which are located outside the geo- graphic regions covered by this program are NOT eligible for funding through the Short-Term Travel Grant Program. Contact IREX for confirmation of eligibility.

SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS will be responsible for obtaining all necessary travel documents, including visas, whether for them- selves or for a foreign colleague. Applicants should check with the relevant country's embassy for specific information on neces- sary visas, or with a university's office of international pro- grams for the appropriate visa for an incoming scholar.

For further information or to request an application form con- tact: Short-Term Travel Grant Competition IREX 1616 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20006 mailto:irex@info.irex.org Tel: 202-628-8188 Fax: 202-628-8189

* Eligible countries are Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia Hercegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, East Germany (only projects that address its communist experience, or which extend into the time period of reunification, and relate to the transition experience of other countries in the region), Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, the Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uk- raine, Uzbekistan, and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (International Sanctions apply).

***************************************************************** * Carol Erickson * * Senior Program Officer, Library and Archival Programs * * International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) * * 1616 H Street, NW * * Washington, DC 20006 * * Tel: 202-628-8188 Fax: 202-628-8189 * * E-mail: mailto:carol%irexmain@irex.org * *****************************************************************