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➡️ Eligibility Criteria
➡️ Funds Available
➡️ Application Requirements
➡️ Submit Your Application
➡️ Application Review Process
➡️ Deliverables
➡️ Important Dates
More than thirty percent of all LGBTQ people in the United States call the American South home. Yet, less than ten percent of the social research on this population highlights the experiences of those in the region. The lack of data makes it challenging to craft rebuttals to, articulate the effects of, and secure protections against the attacks on LGBTQ people and communities in the South. The Southern Equality Research and Policy Center (SERPC) developed the Southern Equality Research Grant to support students and early career researchers conduct rigorous research investigating social problems that affect the lived experiences and life chances of LGBTQ people in the region. SERPC welcomes researchers to join us in Meeting the Moment in the LGBTQ South to assess local, state, and federal policies restricting the rights of LGBTQ people and examine the impact of these policies on LGBTQ people and their allies.
Eligibility Criteria
- Undergraduate student enrolled in a four-year institution of higher education
- Graduate student enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program (MA/MS, MPH, MPP, MSW, PhD, DrPH, EdD)
- Early career researcher (postdocs, contingent and pre-tenure faculty, and/or researchers who earned a postgraduate degree within the past five years)
Funds Available
Applicants may apply for any amount of funding up to $1,000. An application may receive partial or full support.
Eligible Expenses
- Travel to professional conferences (applicant must be a presenting author)
- Expenditures related to research such as software, participant incentives, data analysis support, publications costs, and other research-related supplies that have not been purchased
Ineligible Expenses
- Expenses that do not relate to the applicant’s research or scholarly work
- Costs associated with program requirements (e.g., fieldwork, internships, clinicals, certifications, background checks, membership dues)
- Reimbursement for travel that has already occurred or research related supplies that have already been purchased
Grant recipients will be asked to complete an IRS W9 Form. Grant recipients are responsible for reporting the funds awarded through this opportunity on their personal income tax statement.
Application Requirements
- Applicant Information: contact information, demographics, academic institution, academic department and/or program
- Resume/Curriculum Vitae: a list highlighting relevant experience and qualifications including employment history, unpaid work, internships/fellowships, presentations, and publications
- Short Answers: a description of your research interests and an explanation of how the grant would support research and/or professional development
- Project Narrative: a narrative of 500-1000 words that includes your research questions, methodology, expected outcomes, and contribution within your field and society more broadly
- Requested Level of Funding: the amount of funding you are requesting and a justification to explain what various categories of funds listed in the budget will be used for and the need for the funds
- Documentation of IRB Approval/Exemption: a letter demonstrating your project has been reviewed and approved by the IRB at your home institution, or has received an exempt determination, prior to beginning the research
- Abstract Acceptance Notice (if applicable): an official letter indicating your abstract has been accepted for presentation at a professional conference
- Letter of Support (undergraduate students): one letter support from a faculty member that includes a description of the applicant’s capacity to conduct the proposed research
Submit Your Application
Applications must be submitted by April 18.
If you have any questions about this Request for Applications or the application process, please contact Tiara Giddings at tiara@southernequality.org.
Application Review Process
The SERPC team will review all complete applications and decisions will be made based on the following criteria:
- Research Interests: alignment with SERPC’s priorities and mission to promote an increased understanding of LGBTQ life in the South that is fact-based and can inform policies and strategies (25 points)
- Proposed Project: extent to which the proposed project addresses the need to investigate social problems that affect the experiences of LGBTQ people in the South and potential of project to contribute to the field by aiding academics, policymakers, and other stakeholders in addressing those social problems (25 points)
- Research Experience and Capacity: scholars’ experience, expertise, and capacity to conduct rigorous research and complete the proposed project (25 points)
- Proposed Budget and Budget Justification: breakdown of project expenses and a brief explanation of the expenses, using the Budget Justification Form, of why each item is important for the project and achieving proposal goals (25 points)
Applicants will be notified of the award decision by May 2.
Deliverables
Awardees will be asked to complete a post-award survey to share project progress, research activities, outcomes, and recommendations for future research and practice based on project findings.
