Faculty of Arts Seed Grants

The Faculty of Arts Seed Grants support a wide range of scholarly activity, including pilot studies, travel to archives for preliminary research, student research assistance to lay the foundations for a larger, external grant application.  Specifically, these grants are intended to support application to a Tri-Agency funding program within 18 months of receipt. Grant recipients are expected to initiate and complete proposed projects within the 18-month award period. Grants up to $7,500 are available.

The Faculty of Arts encourages applications that reflect the diversity if its research, scholarship, and creative enterprise, and it encourages applicants from equity-deserving groups.

Application deadline: June 1, 2022

Eligibility to Apply

  • Individuals holding continuing academic appointments (tenured or tenure-track) in the Faculty of Arts with explicit research expectations are eligible.
  • Individuals holding non-tenured or otherwise contractually limited Board appointments are eligible, provided they meet the following requirements:
    • Applicants must have at least one year remaining in their appointment
    • All funds must be expended before the end of the applicant's appointment
    • The proposed project must maintain currency in the relevant discipline or field of research
  • Individuals currently holding active Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) research grants are eligible to apply a maximum of 1 year before the end of current grants. Individuals holding start-up funding are ineligible. Individuals holding other research grants must report the title, funding source, amount received, and period of the award for each active grant.
  • Applicants who do not apply for a Tri-Agency grant are ineligible to apply for future Seed Grants.

Eligibility of Funds

  • Funds are intended to provide support for research and creative activities including, but not limited to: travel for research, undergraduate or graduate research assistance, materials and supplies, publication costs and equipment.
  • Eligibility for expenses should follow the Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide and University of Calgary Research Accounting practices (see grant expenditure guidelines).
  • Grants Expenses related to conference travel are not supported.

Reporting Requirements

  • Successful applicants are required to submit a one-page final report at the end of the award tenure outlining the research conducted and progress on the outcomes listed in the original proposal (see below), as well as additional outputs not previously anticipated and any relevant updates about the forthcoming Tri-Agency application.
  • Subsequent applications will be ineligible without a final report for the previous award.