Small Grant Opportunity

The competition is open to PI-eligible faculty across the University of Chicago, including faculty based outside the Crown Family School. The award will be made to the faculty PI, who will assume responsibility for the project and for ensuring that funds are used in accordance with the approved proposal. Collaborative proposals involving more than one faculty investigator are welcome, provided that one eligible faculty member is designated as the principal investigator and assumes responsibility for the award. Graduate students may participate as research assistants or collaborators but are not eligible to serve as the PI or receive the award directly. The award is not meant to fund doctoral student dissertation research.

Applicants may request up to $10,000 for a 12-month project period. Awards will begin March 1, 2027, and end February 29, 2028.
Projects may support
 

• New research
• A significant new component or extension of an existing research project
• Research activities that include the translation or dissemination of findings to audiences beyond academia.

Projects that are part of a larger funded research program are eligible, but applicants must clearly identify the activities for which PARC support is requested and explain the distinctive contribution of the PARC award.

Award Administration
Awards will be made to the faculty PI and administered through the PI’s home department/division/school. The receiving unit will be responsible for dispensing the funds in accordance with the approved project budget and
applicable University policies. The faculty PI is responsible for ensuring that funds are used for the activities described in the approved proposal, including the graduate student research and training activities supported by the award. Significant changes to the scope of the project, graduate student training plan, or use of funds should be communicated to PARC in advance. All award funds must be expended by February 29, 2028.
 

Use of Funds
Funds may support graduate student research assistance and other direct research expenses necessary to complete the proposed project. Funds cannot support faculty academic or summer salary. Examples of permissible uses of funds include:

• Graduate research assistant wages
• Data collection and acquisition
• Participant incentives
• Transcription or translation
• Software or specialized research tools
• Research-related travel or fieldwork
• Archival or data-access fees
• Supplies directly related to the research
• Costs associated with research translation or public-facing dissemination
• Other reasonable direct research expenses

Submission Instructions
Applications must be submitted electronically through the portal as a single PDF by 5 pm on December 15, 2026

Applications should be submitted as a single PDF and include the following materials in the order listed below:

Cover Page — Maximum 1 page. The cover page should include:
• Project title;
• Name, title, department/division or school, and contact information for the PI and any co-investigators;
• Names and academic programs of participating graduate students, if already identified;
• Total amount requested; and
• A brief project abstract of no more than 250 words.

Research Proposal — Maximum 1000 words. For an interdisciplinary faculty review committee, the research proposal should describe:
• The research question(s) and aims of the project;
• The significance of the proposed research;
• The research design, methods, and data sources, as appropriate;
• The activities to be supported by the award;
• Plans for translating or disseminating research findings to audiences beyond academia, if applicable
• The expected scholarly contribution of the project; and
• A brief timeline demonstrating feasibility within the March 1, 2027–February 29, 2028 award period.

• Graduate Student Research and Training Plan — Maximum 500 words. The plan should describe:
  • The graduate student’s substantive role in the research;
  •The skills, methods, or substantive expertise the student will develop;
  • The training and mentorship the PI will provide;
  • Other supervision of research activities the graduate student will receive (if not by the PI)
  • How the proposed activities extend beyond routine research assistance; and
  • Anticipated outcomes for the student’s research and professional development.

If the graduate student has not yet been selected, the applicant should describe the intended role, qualifications sought, and plan for recruitment. Applicants proposing a public-facing research component should also describe, as appropriate, opportunities for the graduate student to participate in research translation or dissemination.

Budget and Budget Justification — Maximum 500-word narrative. - Applicants should submit an itemized budget indicating the amount requested and a brief justification for each expense. Awards may be made for less than the amount requested.
Current and Pending Support — Maximum 1 paragraph. Applicants should identify other internal or external funding that the project has received or for which funding is currently being sought. For projects receiving or seeking other support, applicants should briefly explain the distinctive contribution of the PARC award and the
activities it will enable.
Abbreviated CV for the PI (up to 5 pages) and any faculty co-investigators.

Proposals will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• Research significance and fit with PARC’s priority areas: Importance of the research question and potential contribution of the research to scholarship on poverty or poverty alleviation. The project should be in alignment with PARC’s mission and priority areas.
• Research design and rigor: Appropriateness and strength of the proposed approach, methods, and data.
• Graduate student involvement: Quality and substance of the graduate student’s role in the research.
• Training and mentorship: Strength of the proposed plan for developing the graduate student’s research skills, knowledge, and experience.
• Feasibility: Likelihood that the proposed activities can be completed within the award period and requested
  budget.
• Value of the PARC investment: The extent to which the award enables new research, advances an existing
  project in a significant way, or provides support not otherwise available.
• Scholarly and/or public-facing contribution: Potential for the project to produce significant research findings, products, or subsequent research opportunities. Where applicable, the quality and appropriateness of plans to translate or disseminate research to policy, practice, community, or broader public audiences.
   

Funding decisions will be based on the criteria above, the overall quality of the applicant pool, and the availability
of fund

Research involving human subjects must receive all required University of Chicago Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals or determinations before funds may be used for human-subjects research activities. Applicants do not
need to have final IRB approval at the time of application unless otherwise required by University policy. Awardees are responsible for securing any other institutional approvals required for the proposed research before undertaking the relevant activities.

Applicants will be asked to identify:
 

• the graduate student’s substantive, intellectual, and/or methodological role in the project
•  the skills, methods, or substantive expertise the student will develop
• the training and mentorship the faculty PI will provide
• the anticipated contribution of the experience to the student’s research development.

Graduate students may be identified at the time of application. Alternatively, applicants may describe the proposed graduate student role and their plans for identifying and recruiting a student if the project is funded.
 

Projects may also create opportunities for graduate students to develop experience translating and communicating research for audiences beyond academia.

Following the close of the award period, awardees will submit a brief final report in April 2028 describing research activities, graduate student involvement and training, findings or progress, and resulting products or next steps. Faculty PIs and participating graduate students will also be expected to participate in a PARC research showcase during Spring Quarter 2028 highlighting work supported by the Small Grants Program.