Research and Curricular Program Grants

Open Discourse Coalition provides funds for student and faculty research and learning that support our mission to bring a variety of intellectual viewpoints to the Bucknell community.

Our grant opportunities include undergraduate research and faculty mentoring as well as research that advances scholarly conversation and open discussion on key issues in education and society, including: American history and government, Western civilization, totalitarianism, religion in public life, citizenship, capitalism and economic freedom, American leadership in contemporary society, and the inherent value of the free exchange of ideas.

Student Grants

These programs are aimed at encouraging innovative student research that, with academic mentoring, meets professional academic standards. Outcomes are required for all grants. These outcomes can be in the forms of published articles, conference papers, and substantive creative work that meets professional standards.

Student summer grants: Standard research grant amounts are $3,000 for student research with a faculty member for an eight-week, on-campus project. Supervising faculty are awarded a $500 stipend. Amounts may vary depending on proposals.

Student academic-year grants: Grants can be made to cover costs of for-credit, independent-study or research with faculty, including an optional faculty stipend. A standard student grant (for honors or senior thesis research with a faculty member) is $1,000 with a $500 faculty stipend.

 Student travel grants: Grants are available to travel for research or to present a paper at a conference. Maximum of $1,500.

  

Faculty Grants

Curricular grants: Proposals can be submitted by faculty for curricular development and/or support of class projects, such as travel or equipment, which support student learning experiences.

 The expectation of the final product can be: a new or substantially revised course that is aligned with the mission of ODC, the start of a research program that will involve student work, or a public/community project of educational value to students.

These grants can support work done during the academic year or during the summer.

Ad-hoc faculty resource fund: Faculty may apply for smaller grants to present papers at conferences (non-ODC related), course-related travel, or class speakers. Award levels can vary for these grants but are unlikely to exceed $1,000.

How to Apply

Open Discourse Coalition accepts proposals on an ongoing basis. Before submitting a full proposal, please submit a letter of inquiry to hello@opendiscoursecoalition.org briefly describing the activities and outcomes of your proposed grant. Include the amount of funding you wish to request. A representative of Open Discourse Coalition will then notify you whether to move forward with a formal proposal.

 Proposals should include:

  • A description of the project, objectives, and significance. This should not exceed one page.

  • A brief project budget.

  • The CV of the faculty member directing any research and a short, one-paragraph bio of any student(s) involved in research.