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Provost’s Fund for Interfaculty Collaboration

[Past visitors to the website are encourage to re-read all of the content below, as a few recent changes have been enacted – of note are a move from rolling acceptance of applications to new bi-annual deadlines; second-year renewal eligibility is no longer permitted; an “educational impact” point has been added under “Evaluation Criteria”; and during the review process, priority will be given to applicants who have not previously received funding from the grant. (4.17.09)]

Purpose

The Provost's Fund for Interfaculty Collaboration (PFIC) was developed to promote faculty discussion and collaboration on topics and activities of mutual intellectual interest that involve two or more Faculties. The Provost has limited funds to support a variety of cross-faculty collaborations, including but not limited to new interdisciplinary courses, small-scale conferences, working groups, and time-delimited research projects that have relevance to fostering interfaculty collaboration more broadly (e.g. a research project that produces a model for the joint supervision of grad students that could be used by others).

To be eligible for support, the designated leader and faculty involved with the proposal must hold primary Harvard faculty appointments at the rank of Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor. Additionally, the faculty involved must be from at least two different Schools or two different divisions within FAS. Priority will be given to applicants who have not previously received funding from the grant. Colleagues from outside Harvard may be included as well. Grants of up to $25,000 are available and will not typically cover salaries of any of the faculty involved. These one-year grants should be considered seed money rather than continuing support (renewals are no longer permitted) and funding should be expended within a year of the award

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated by the following criteria:

  • Scholarly import: The activity/research should help balance and enhance the portfolio of academic activities across Harvard and expand the boundaries of current scholarship.
  • Linkages: The PFIC is specifically targeted at enhancing linkages and collaborations among faculty across the Schools or, at times, between traditionally disparate disciplines within a School (e.g. between the humanities and social sciences within FAS).
  • Collaboration: The activity/research facilitates collaboration in areas that are difficult to address in the current Harvard structure.
  • Educational Impact: The idea strengthens existing educational programs and/or creates new learning opportunities. Particular value will be placed on proposals that bring the professional Schools together with the College.
  • Implementation: Successful applications will include a concrete implementation plan, including a list of confirmed participants, program of activities, and detailed projected budget. If the total budget greatly exceeds the limit of the PFIC ($25,000), applicants will be required to show other sources of funding before any award may be finalized.

Application Process

To enable closer financial oversight, the Provost's Fund for Interfaculty Collaboration (PFIC) will no longer follow a rolling application process. All applications will instead be reviewed semi-annually. Deadlines for fall and spring of the 2009-2010 academic year are set for October 1 and April 1. General inquiries as well as questions pertaining to past awards should be addressed to Marshall Page, as directed below.

The proposal should contain a description of the activity (less than two pages), a detailed budget (including categories of expense and specific planned expenditures, e.g., travel, food, honoraria, facilities rentals, student assistance, etc.), and letters of commitment to the project (one from the designated faculty leader assuming fiscal, administrative, and intellectual responsibility for the program and one from each participating faculty specifying the level of involvement to which they are prepared to commit).

Funds will be granted for use within twelve months. Funds not used within the time allotted will require that either the balance be returned or an application for an extension be submitted (extensions will only be considered under extenuating circumstances). A report will be expected from each group within one year of the award date, detailing what activities the group has engaged in, who has participated, the substance of the issues explored, and any resulting products. That report must also contain a detailed and final budget.

Applications should be submitted either via email to Marshall Page or in hard copy to:

Provost's Fund For Interfaculty Collaboration
839 Holyoke Center
1350 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138

For further information, please contact Marshall Page in the Office of the Provost either via phone at (617) 495-2579 or e-mail at marshall_page@harvard.edu.

Supported by WDS