Q: Who is eligible for the Dean’s Competitive Fund for Promising Scholarship?

A: This program is open to FAS and SEAS assistant, associate and tenured faculty; Professors in Residence and Professors of the Practice are also eligible. Faculty at other Harvard schools with no more than a zero FTE in the FAS/SEAS are not eligible for this program.

Q: Can other individuals with PI rights apply, such as Benjamin Peirce Fellows, Society of Fellows, Rowland Fellows, etc?

A: No. Only FAS/SEAS ladder faculty, Professors in Residence, and Professors of the Practice may apply.

Q: Can a postdoctoral fellow or graduate student serve as co-PI with an eligible faculty member?

A: This award is intended for FAS and SEAS faculty. Posdoctoral fellows and graduate students cannot serve as co-PIs but may be included as personnel on a project. An eligible faculty member must serve in the role of PI, lead the project, and oversee all personnel.

Q: Can I use the Dean’s Competitive Fund for Promising Scholarship for funds to help me publish my new book?

A: No. You should apply to our publication funds. There is one for senior faculty and a separate one for tenure-track faculty.

Q: Can the Dean’s Competitive Fund for Promising Scholarship support costs for a center, institute, or other large-scale collaboration?

A: The Dean’s Competitive Fund for Promising Scholarship is not intended to fund large collaborative efforts. At most, faculty who wish to support such collaborations should identify a critical piece that this fund can support that gets the collaboration to the point where an external grant for the large collaborative effort would be strengthened.

Q: Will the Dean’s Competitive Fund for Promising Scholarship fund every application it receives?

A: No. The committee will make awards to only the most promising of the applications and will stay within the budget of the Fund. While there is no expectation that every application received will be funded, the committee will strive to award many small grants rather than a few large ones.

Q: How will I receive my award from the Dean’s Competitive Fund for Promising Scholarship?

A: Awards are transferred to a faculty member’s FAS research account.

Q. What conditions and limitations apply to this funding?

A. We expect that awarded faculty members will use these funds to advance their research so that they can eventually apply for other internal or external competitive funding. It is expected that the funds awarded in support of the DCF proposal will be used as quickly as is feasible to advance the work described.

Q: Can funds be used to pay for project expenses incurred prior to the award date?

A: While retroactive spending is not encouraged, project expenses incurred up to one month prior to the anticipated award date (December 15 for fall awards and May 15 for spring awards) are permitted. However, there is no guarantee that a project will be funded and applicants should consider alternative plans in the event that the project is not funded.

Q: Is there a cap on the number of times I can apply to the Dean’s Competitive Fund for Promising Research?

A: No. There is no cap on how often a faculty member can submit.

Q: Can applicants include letters of support as supplementary documents?

A: No, letters of support should not be included.

Q: Whom can I contact if I have questions about the Dean’s Competitive Fund for Promising Scholarship?

A: If you have questions about the Dean’s Competitive Fund for Promising Research, contact research_development@fas.harvard.edu.