Applications

Applications must be submitted in a timely fashion, allowing reviewers to submit support letters prior to the close of the deadline at 5 PM on the posted day. Support letters that arrive after the close of the posted deadline may not be considered by the committee.

A complete application must include the following:

• A proposal (1400 word maximum) outlining the research project, including but not limited to the following:
• A brief project narrative and schedule detailing the timeline to completion and publication; and
• Context for understanding the project as a major publishable work that will result in significant contributions to the applicant's field and an explanation of how the proposed project fits within the applicant’s established record of research; and
• Explanation of how the project may be moved forward through the specific experience of serving as a Taft Center Fellow and how the applicant might contribute to a multi-disciplinary intellectual environment; and
• Reasonably expected outcomes, including publications, fellowships, performances, and/ or grant sought.
Abbreviated (two-page) curriculum vitae.
• A letter of support from the applicant's department head assessing the merits of the proposed project and the prospects for completion within the Center Fellowship year. The letter must commit the Department to a full-year research assignment, which releases the faculty member from teaching and administrative/ service duties. Department Heads may support multiple applications.
• A letter from two outside experts in the applicant's field, evaluating the merits of the proposal, the project’s significance and contributions to the field, and prospects for publication/performance upon completion. Once the applicant submits their proposal, a prompt will be sent to both external evaluators and the applicant’s supervisor (typically department head). Following the prompts in the notice email, letters may be uploaded to the application system. Letters of support will be treated confidentially. All letters must be uploaded to the system prior to the 5 PM on the day of the published deadline. Support letters that arrive after the close of the posted deadline may not be considered by the committee.

 

Selection criteria

One goal of the fellowship selection process is to create a community of scholars in residence across the spectrum of Taft academic fields. Proposals will be judged according to the following criteria:

• The committee will prioritize those projects that lead to significant scholarly production over the course of an academic year.
• The quality of the applicant's work as a scholar or creative writer as evidenced by previous publications and research activity.
• The potential contribution as an active Taft Center Fellow to the multi-disciplinary environment of the Center and the Center’s likely impact on the applicant.
• The significance of the contribution that the proposed project will make to thought and knowledge in the field of the project.
• The conceptualization, definition, organization, and description of the proposed project.
• The current state of the research, the schedule to do the research, and the commitment to complete the project as a Center Fellow.
• Evidence of productivity from any Taft grant.

Terms of the grant

• The Fellowship requires the grantee’s release from regular faculty duties during the year, including department, college, and university administrative service. Grantees are expected to be active Center members and interact regularly with other Taft Fellows to advance their own work and the work of others, which includes a regular presence at the center, attending center-sponsored events, regular interaction with their cohort; and contribution to the intellectual community of the Taft Center.
Grantees agree to attend regularly scheduled seminar luncheons at the Center.
• Grantees agree to use the Taft Center Fellow’s offices at the Taft Research Center as their principal work area. The Center will arrange movement of faculty materials to these offices.
• Other than attending professional meetings and/or brief research trips outlined in the original proposal, time away from the Center should be avoided during the Fellowship year.
• Grantees agree to present on their projects at a time designated by the Taft Research Center Director and Faculty Chair.
• Grantees agree to acknowledge support received from Charles Phelps Taft Research Center Taft in any publication/ performance resulting from the fellowship project. Copies of such publications should be sent to the Taft Faculty Chair.
• Subject to approval of the Faculty Awards Committee, other support may be accepted concurrent with the Fellowship. Full disclosure of non-Taft funds received for the proposed project, both inside and outside the University, is required.
• Grantees agree to subsequently serve on the Center Fellows Committee by request of the Taft Faculty Chair, as their schedule permits.
• Department heads must commit to sustain their current curriculum in the absence of the Center Fellow.
• In compensation for release, the grantee’s department receives up to $25,000 in support, to be used toward sustaining the current curriculum, absent the released faculty member, including teaching (adjunct, GA / TA) salaries, and secondarily, up to 50% of the total award may be used to forward the research mission of the department, in whatever ways maximize the use of Taft funds for departments to best enable them to release the faculty member. At the end of the award period, unexpended funds will not be available for departmental use.
• All grant funds must be expended exclusively in furtherance of the grant and all expenditures of grant funds must comply with university policies relating to financial transactions, including the Code of Conduct and, as discussed in the Code of Conduct, the ethics laws of the state of Ohio which prohibit certain private financial interests in university matters. University Rule 3361:10-17-03 (D).
• Grantees are not eligible to apply again for five academic years.

 Applications must be submitted in a timely fashion, allowing reviewers to submit support letters prior to the close of the deadline at 5 PM on the posted day. Support letters that arrive after the close of the posted deadline may not be considered by the committee.

A complete application must include the following:

• A narrative (1200 words maximum) outlining the project, including but not limited to:
• Context for understanding the projects contributions to the applicant's field and the applicant's professional development; and
• A detailed project / release schedule; and
• An account of the proposed final publication, performance or grant/ fellowship sought.
• If research supplement is requested, a brief budget outline with explanation of costs.
• Abbreviated (two-page) curriculum vitae.
• Two letters of support
• A letter of support from the applicant's department head assessing the merits of the proposed project and the prospects for completion within the Center Fellowship year. The letter must commit the Department to a full-year research assignment, which releases the faculty member from teaching and administrative duties.† Department Heads may support multiple applications.
• A letter from an outside expert in the applicant's field, evaluating the merits of the proposal, the project’s significance and contributions to the field, and prospects for publication/performance upon completion.
  
  NOTE: Once the applicant submits their proposal, a prompt will be sent to both the external evaluators and the applicant’s supervisor (typically department head). Following the prompts in the notice email, letters of support may be uploaded to the electronic system. Letters of support will be treated confidentially. All letters must be uploaded to the system prior to the 5 PM on the day of the published deadline. Support letters that arrive after the close of the posted deadline may not be considered by the committee.

• The quality or promise of quality of the applicant's work as a scholar or creative writer and as a teacher.
• The significance of the contribution that the proposed project will make to thought and knowledge in the field.
• The conceptualization, definition, organization, and description of the proposed project.
• The current state of the research, the research schedule, and the timeliness of the grant in ensuring the completion of the project.
• The likelihood that the applicant will complete the project.
• Evidence of productivity from previous Taft grants.

• Subject to approval of the Faculty Awards Committee, other support may be accepted concurrent with the Fellowship. Full disclosure of non-Taft funds received for the proposed project, both inside and outside the University, is required.
• The Fellowships is to be awarded as an extension of either sabbatical leave or department head-granted release and requires release from regular faculty duties during the Taft-funded semester. An award requires release from regular faculty duties, especially instruction and service responsibilities, during the Taft-funded semester.
• In compensation for release of the applicant, and grantee’s department receives $8,000, to be used toward sustaining the current curriculum, absent the released faculty member, and secondarily, up to 50% of the total award may be used to forward the research mission of the department, in whatever ways maximize the use of Taft funds for departments to best enable them to release the faculty member.
• All grant funds must be expended exclusively in furtherance of the grant and all expenditures of grant funds must comply with university policies relating to financial transactions, including the Code of Conduct and, as discussed in the Code of Conduct, the ethics laws of the state of Ohio which prohibit certain private financial interests in university matters. University Rule 3361:10-17-03 (D).
• Fellows agree to acknowledge support received from the Taft Fellowship in any publication/ performance resulting from the fellowship project.
• Grantees are ineligible to re-apply in the following two fiscal years.

Applications must be submitted in a timely fashion, allowing the reviewer to submit a support letter prior to the close of the deadline at 5 PM on the posted day. If not submitted by the close of the deadline, a support letter may not be considered by the committee.

A complete applicant must include the follows:

• A narrative (1200 word maximum) outlining the project, including but not limited to the follow:
• Focus,
• Theoretical framework,
• Methods and sources,
• Preliminary results,
• Contributions to the applicant's field and the applicant's professional development
• If research supplement is requested, a brief budget outline with explanation of costs; and
• Abbreviated (two-page) curriculum vitae; and
• A letter of support from the applicant's supervisor (typically department head), assessing the merits of the proposed project and the prospects for completion within the applicant’s proposed research schedule, submitted independently of the applicant. Once the applicant submits their proposal, a prompt will be sent to the applicant’s supervisor. Following the prompt in the notice email, the letters of support may be uploaded to the electronic system. Letters of support will be treated confidentially. Letters must be uploaded to the system prior to 5 PM on the day of the published deadline.

Criteria for selection

• The quality of the specific research project and proposal is given the highest priority; and
• Evidence that the applicant will successfully complete the project in the time frame proposed along with the applicant's scholarly promise and achievements to date; and
• Evidence of the applicant's willingness to seek non-Taft research and/or travel funding for this research project.

• No more than one summer research fellowship may be awarded in any 24-month period.
• A supplement award may not be used for travel to academic meetings.
• A faculty member may not teach during the period of award.
• All grant funds must be expended exclusively in furtherance of the grant and all expenditures of grant funds must comply with university policies relating to financial transactions, including the Code of Conduct and, as discussed in the Code of Conduct, the ethics laws of the state of Ohio which prohibit certain private financial interests in university matters. University Rule 3361:10-17-03 (D).
• Full disclosure of non-Taft funds received for the proposed project, both inside and outside the university, is required. The grant must not duplicate other funds granted for the same purpose, except when a deficit in the project budget is anticipated even with such non-Taft funds.
• Where deviations from the approved application occur, the grantee must notify the Taft Faculty Chair in writing and receive written approval for the changes. Failure to comply with this rule will nullify the grant and require return of the award.
• A final report should be submitted to the Taft Faculty Chair within 30 days of the end of the grant period.
• Publications and creative work generated with the help of Taft grants should acknowledge the Charles Phelps Taft Research Center.
• Payment is processed through payroll and subject to standard withholdings (taxes and fringe benefits).