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We are pleased to announce CISSR’s Call for Proposals for the 2026-27 Faculty Research Fellowship Grants due by Thursday, December 4, 2025.

CISSR Support

CISSR provides up to $25,000 for faculty research projects at any stage of development. CISSR supports international, transnational, and global research projects that are empirical in nature. Projects should be theoretically informed and empirically grounded and should stand to benefit from critical dialogue across disciplinary, methodological, and geographic boundaries.

Funds may be used for a wide range of research-related activities, including field and archival research, purchasing data, research assistance, or hosting a visiting collaborator on a short-term basis. CISSR support cannot be used for course releases, academic leave, or summer salary. 

Please note that given budgetary constraints, our top priority for AY 2026-27 is to fund original data collection efforts. Proposals to host visiting scholars to advance collaborative research will be considered as secondary priority, and we will not be funding conferences during AY 2026-27.

CISSR provides faculty fellows with administrative and outreach support. 

University of Chicago faculty in any discipline or unit are welcome to apply. Priority will be given to projects led by junior faculty in the Division of the Social Sciences. 

Applications

All applications require: 

  1. An application form with project title and a 250-word abstract
  2. A 2-3-page project narrative (2000 words maximum)
  3. A project timeline
  4. CV of Principal Investigator
  5. Budget and budget justification

Applications are due on December 4, 2025 at 11:59 PM (CT)

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Application Guidelines

The Center for International Social Science Research (CISSR) is an initiative of the Division of the Social Sciences – the result of a faculty-led effort to reorganize the Center of International Studies and more effectively support social-science research on international, transnational, and global questions. CISSR promotes global inquiry among University of Chicago faculty and students through its faculty-fellows program, book workshops, and graduate-student support programs.

  • The CISSR Faculty Fellows Program is designed to support social scientists working on high-impact, global questions -- regardless of discipline, geographic locale, or methodological approach. CISSR provides up to $25,000 for one year of funding for faculty research projects at any stage.
  • Funds may be used for a wide range of research-related activities, including field and archival research, purchasing data, bringing a research collaborator to campus for a short-term visit, organizing a conference for a special journal issue or edited volume.
  • Funded Fellows can apply for project renewal/extension on a competitive basis.
  • CISSR provides administrative support for events (scheduling and reservations) and visitors (arranging travel, processing reimbursements, and securing academic appointments) and offers outreach support

Eligibility and Expectations

  • University of Chicago faculty in any discipline or unit are welcome to apply. Priority will be given to projects led by junior faculty in the Division of the Social Sciences.
  • Faculty fellows are expected to contribute to the intellectual life of the Center. Fellows are required to submit a report assessing the project’s progress and CISSR’s impact in May 2027 and acknowledge CISSR support in all related publications.

How to Apply

  • Applications must be submitted via Infoready no later than 11:59 p.m. CST on December 4, 2025.
  • The narrative should cover: 1) the research question(s) and contribution, 2) the methodology and/or approach, 3) the distinctive impact CISSR support will bring to the project, and 4) anticipated outcomes.
  • Projects should involve the systematic examination of evidence and exhibit fluency with alternative arguments and theoretical perspectives.
  • Please submit an itemized budget, along with a 1-page justification.
    • CISSR financial support cannot be used by University of Chicago faculty for course releases, academic leave, or summer salary.
  • The project timeline should include prospective dates for proposed fieldwork, conferences, workshops, and visitors.
    • For 2026-27 Applications, research project timelines should cover dates through June 2027. The earliest start date for our 2025-26 projects that CISSR can accommodate is February 2026.
    • For projects that start after June 2026, faculty should apply next year when we release our next call for proposals in Fall 2026
  • The Faculty Director and Advisory Board will evaluate proposals on the following criteria:
    • the originality of the proposed research;
    • fit with CISSR mission and priorities;
    • quality of the research design;
    • extent to which CISSR support will make a clear and distinct impact on the project

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