Student Grants

Newcomb Institute research grants support students in the pursuit of independent research projects that align with the Newcomb Institute’s mission of advancing gender equity. 

These grants encourage the collaboration of undergraduate students and faculty in the production of new knowledge through individual and/or group research. Sometimes the research takes place in a laboratory; sometimes it requires a library or an interview with an expert; at other times, fieldwork is necessary to the data collection that precedes analysis. 

Research involving human subjects (including conducting interviews) must be approved by the university's Internal Review Board (IRB), a process that might take up to three months. Students are urged to consider the possible three-month wait period when developing a timetable for a project. When submitting a proposal for an Independent Research grant, a student must include verification that the student has completed the online CITI course. Discuss this with your faculty sponsor or collaborator for the grant and be sure they will assist you with the IRB procedure. Review the Human Research Protection Program page for more information about IRB and the CITI course.

Please note: If a student is assisting in a faculty member's lab or on a faculty member's project and the research is primarily the faculty member's, the faculty member should apply for the grant and name the student as an assistant who can be paid a stipend. If the research is that of the student with the faculty member providing guidance or collaboration, then the student may apply for a grant to cover research expenses but cannot receive a stipend. 

Full-time, undergraduate Tulane University students (including those enrolled in 4+1 programs) are eligible to apply for funding from Newcomb Institute. 

Grant proposals may be submitted to the Newcomb Grant Review Committee during either of these cycles:

• Fall cycle – Submission deadline of October 15, 2022.
• Spring cycle – Submission deadline of March 15, 2023.

Application (application will open in a new window) 

Guidelines:

• Funded projects must have academic merit and connect to the Newcomb Institute’s mission of advancing gender equity. The project proposal should clearly describe this element.
• Please become familiar with IRB and CITI course requirements if applicable before submitting your proposal packet. 
• We do not fund tuition or fees for courses for which academic credit is received.
• We do not fund structured, participatory programs such as Study Abroad, or programs where a student pays a fee to participate in community service or to complete an internship.
• Independent research grants are to support academic research projects; they do not cover internships, start-up ventures, or service projects.
• Whenever possible, applications are expected to seek funding from multiple sources.
• A grant report is due at the conclusion of the funding period. Future grant funding may take into consideration the completion and quality of research as reflected in this report.
• All grants involving international travel must be to countries cleared from the U.S. Department of State travel warning list. 
• Items that would become the personal property of the grant recipient (books, laptops, clothing) are not funded. If you are seeking funds to purchase scientific equipment, please include a statement about the lab's ability or inability to purchase this equipment. Funding for scientific supplies is typically given a higher priority than funding for equipment.
• If the culmination of your research is a production (theatre, musical, readings), you must demonstrate in your proposal how your research will inform all aspects of the production. In other words, you are requesting funding primarily for your research to develop your production rather than funding for the costs of the production, although you may include those costs in your proposal.
• Reimbursements may not exceed the grant award. If costs run over, the grant recipient is responsible for covering the excess.
• If a student is assisting in a faculty member's lab and the research is primarily the faculty member's, the faculty member should apply for the grant and name the student as an assistant who can be paid a stipend. If the research is that of the student with the faculty member providing guidance or collaboration, then the student may apply for the grant but cannot receive a stipend. 
• Students seeking funding for independent research projects to be conducted over the summer may include a request for reasonable living expenses in the project budget. Depending on funding availability, living expenses may or may not be funded.

These grants will fund travel expenses for undergraduate students who present papers, participate in a panel, or attend professional academic meetings. Applications for conference presentations may be accepted and considered outside of the regular grant cycle.

Full-time, undergraduate Tulane University students (including those enrolled in 4+1 programs)  are eligible to apply for funding from Newcomb Institute.

Grant proposals may be submitted to the Newcomb Grant Review Committee during either of these cycles:

• Fall cycle – Submission deadline of October 15, 2022.
• Spring cycle – Submission deadline of March 15, 2023.

Grant recipients must credit Newcomb Institute in papers, presentations, or publicity connected with the funded project.

Application (application will open in a new window)

Guidelines for Conference Grants:

These grants will fund travel expenses for undergraduate students who present papers, participate in a panel, or attend professional academic meetings. Students may apply for funding after the paper has been submitted but before acceptance, and funding may be conditional upon acceptance of the paper. The student should indicate if they will attend the conference regardless of the acceptance of their paper. Students must complete such travel prior to graduating from Tulane University. Preference is given to presenters or panel participants over conference attendees, and proof of submission or acceptance must be included with the proposal. If attending and not presenting, the applicant must describe how attendance at the conference is important to their academic work. Proposals for conference attendance, as opposed to conference participation, may be only partially funded.  

Any student requesting funding for travel to non-academic meetings/competitions must show a close connection to the student's academic study and should discuss the coursework they have taken that prepares them for this event. Students must also provide an unofficial transcript with this type of proposal.

Applications for conference presentations may be accepted and considered outside of the regular grant cycle. Please email lwolford@tulane.edu for out of cycle grant review.

These grants fund projects focusing on service to a community. An essential component of the project is the involvement of a local grassroots organization, and a letter of support from that organization must be included with the proposal. In addition, the projects must in some way directly involve and benefit undergraduate students at Tulane.

Full-time, undergraduate Tulane University students (including those enrolled in 4+1 programs) are eligible to apply for funding from Newcomb Institute. 

Grant proposals may be submitted to the Fellows Grant Review Committee during either of these cycles:

• Fall cycle – Submission deadline of October 15, 2022.
• Spring cycle – Submission deadline of March 15, 2023.

Grant recipients must credit Newcomb Institute in papers, presentations, or publicity connected with the funded project.

Application (application will open in a new window)

Guidelines for Community Engagement Grants:

These grants fund projects focusing on service to a community. An essential component of the project is the involvement of a local grassroots organization, and a letter of support from that organization must be included with the proposal. In addition, the projects must in some way directly involve and benefit undergraduate students at Tulane.

A community service project team must be developed and must include: (a) a Tulane faculty member, (b) student applicant(s), and (c) a local grassroots organization. An agreement between the faculty member, student, and local grassroots organization must be submitted with the proposal. The agreement should include a time frame of the community service project and the roles/responsibilities of the faculty member and of each student at the volunteer site. The agreement should also include the role of the local grassroots organization at the volunteer site. The faculty member and each student involved MUST sign the agreement. The application packet should include one copy of a short resume of student applicant/grant coordinator and one copy of the short cv of the faculty member involved with the project.

• Spring 2022
• Fall 2021
• Spring 2021
• Fall 2020
• Spring 2020
• Fall 2019
• Spring 2019
• Fall 2018
• Spring 2018
• Fall 2017
• Spring 2017
• Fall 2016