Getting Started
Many funding opportunities exist for dissertation work, travel to conferences, and other projects that pertain to students earning their masters or PhDs. This page contains useful guides and resources for writing grant applications, navigating UO's internal processes for grant submissions, and finding funding.
If you have questions about any of these materials or aspects of applying for grants, or would like feedback on a proposal narrative, please contact Research Development Services.
Guidance & Resources
Grant Planning & UO Processes
- Principal Investigator Status at UO: Graduate students applying to grants that are specifically geared toward students are eligible to apply with no special or extra process. But if you are seeking to be a Co-Principal Investigator with a UO Faculty as lead, there are some extra steps you'll need to take. Please see UO's Principal Investigator Policy for more details.
- Preparing an Application at UO: If you want to take a deep dive into the application processes at UO, you can find more information on the OVPRI's webpage dedicated to preparing an application.
Videos & Articles
This collection of articles, videos and documents provide a wealth of guidance for designing, writing and submitting grant applications to a variety of disciplines and funders. Note the institutional top off policy covering tuition, fees, and health insurance applies to some nationally prestigious awards listed below, which are identified in the policy website.
Humanities Disciplines
- Humanities Fellowships Workshop - Watch this UO workshop video to get information about where to find humanities funding and elements of an application. This workshop was geared toward faculty. PDF of PowerPoint
- Humanities Mock Panel Review - This UO workshop video provides insight into the process grant peer reviewers use to determine what applications should be funded and which should be rejected.
- Writing Proposals for ACLS Fellowship Competitions - This article from the ACLS will help you understand what's needed to be successful for a fellowship from the Society. The guidance here is applicable to broader dissertation and fellowship applications as well. This guide can help you apply for a Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowship, Luce/ACLS Dissertation Fellowship in American Art, Getty/ACLS Postdoctoral Fellowship in the History of Art, and the ACLS Emerging Voices Fellowship*.
STEM Disciplines
- NSF Introduction and Overview (56 min): This video will cover the basics of the origins, structure, funding rates and budget of the NSF, and provide an overview of the goal of broadening STEM education. Q & A included. Timetable document for video (PDF of PowerPoint)
- NSF Mock Review Panel (16 min): This video will give you excellent insight into the workings of a NSF review process, and can help you better understand what reviewers consider when they make their recommendations to program officers. The video is aimed at faculty research grants, but can still provide worthwhile insight for graduate students applying to the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program or the Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants (SBE Directorate only).
- Other STEM funding opportunities worth noting include the APA Elizabeth Munsterberg Koppitz Child Psychology Graduate Student Fellowship*, Google Ph.D. Fellowship Program*, and HHMI Gilliam Fellowships for Advanced Study*.
All Disciplines
- Ford Foundation Fellowships provide predoctoral, dissertation and postdoctoral support for doctoral students dedicated to diversity in academia.
- Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans provides support to immigrants or the children of immigrants who are under the age of 30.
- American Association of University Women Dissertation Fellowships support women who are U.S. citizens for research in all fields of study.
*Indicates this is a limited submission competition.
Graduate Opportunities in the Pivot Funding Database