Call for ISERP Start-Up Centers
Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy
In the Faculty of Arts and Sciences
The Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy seeks proposals for “Start-Up Centers” for the next academic year 2017-2018. The goal is to bring together one or more teams to work together for one or more months in a common space toward a common goal. The funding is intended to support a project that cannot be accomplished in a conference and that could lead to a larger, longer-term initiative, such as a new center, a research program or laboratory, or a degree-granting program. The Start-Up Center is intended to demonstrate both the need and the feasibility, whether through submitted research papers, applications for large-scale external funding, a model curriculum and syllabi, or the creation of shared resources (such as datasets, software, or a public-facing website). In keeping with ISERP’s mandate, applications should show both intellectual merit and policy relevance.
Application Guidance:
- Teams should include multiple faculty members, with at least some of them, including the PI, based in a social science department or SIPA. Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged, but not required.
- Applicants are invited (though not required) to include participants from outside Columbia, but anyone who receives funding should spend at least part of the period on campus.
- Teams should work together during the funded period in a shared physical space on the Morningside campus that can accommodate all participants. ISERP will provide that space if it is not otherwise available.
- The Start-Up Center should take place over the next academic year. Depending on the project, the funding could support two phases (such as a shorter workshop either at the beginning or the end.)
- Since funding is limited (up to $40,000 per start-up) successful applications will demonstrate the greatest “bang for the buck” in direct program costs and creating incentives for work that would not happen otherwise. ISERP support can be combined with other funding.
Applicants should submit:
- A summary of up to 300 words
- A 5-page proposal that details the specific aims, background to the project, its innovation/significance, work plan, and specific deliverables
- Line-item budget
- Budget justification
- A one-page analysis of the potential for long-term viability (whether through external funding or income-generation)
- Short CV’s or NSF-style Biosketch for each investigator
- Space needs for the project (with a letter of commitment from the responsible administrator if it is somewhere other than ISERP)
- Proposals should be submitted by 5 PM, Friday, April 14, electronically as a single PDF document to ISERP.
Duration: One (1) Year
Award Amount: Up to $40k.
Application Deadline: April 14, 2017
Start Date: July 1, 2017
Please contact ISERP with any questions on this process.