UMass Boston

The CLA Dean has generally been able to provide funds to support faculty teaching and research through several awards programs.

CLA Pedagogical Innovation Award

The CLA Pedagogical Innovation Award (Teaching Innovation for Student Success) aims to promote excellence and innovation in classroom pedagogy and experiential learning aimed at 1st and 2nd-year recruitment and retention—course (re)designs, teaching tools and methods or practices contributing to student success. We will consider proposals that address innovation in teaching at the course, department, program, or major area. Proposals that contribute to excellence in the General Education curriculum, such as First-Year Seminars, are also encouraged. Seed funding has a maximum of $3,000 per award—The deadline for this round of applications is October 25th, 2024. For more specific information, please read the CLA Dean’s Pedagogical Innovation Awards Guidelines for Academic Year 2024-25.  

CLA Dean's Supplemental Travel Fund

In Fiscal Year 2024-2025, the Dean's Supplemental Travel fund will have a rolling award process, with a $2,000 maximum award per eligible Tenure-stream faculty member. Applications will be accepted THROUGH TUESDAY APRIL 1, 2025 or until funds are exhausted, whichever occurs first.  If awarded, all reimbursement requests must be submitted by JUNE 2, 2025, unless a prior approval for a later submission has been arranged in advance by Eddie Sze or Kim Ho.

Tenure-stream faculty in the College of Liberal Arts may apply for the Dean's Supplemental Travel Fund to fund the cost of transportation, registration, per diem, and lodging associated with the presentation of papers at professional meetings, conferences, or equivalent invited scholarly activities. Additionally, these funds can be used to support travel to undertake activities associated with professional editorial responsibilities or board duties taking place at an academic conference. This fund does not provide support for faculty acting solely as respondents, discussants, or session chairs. Please read the CLA Dean’s Travel Fund Guidelines carefully before completing the CLA Dean’s Travel Application . These funds are supplemental to the Faculty Staff Union Faculty Travel funds; the FSU funds must be exhausted before funds will be awarded from the Dean's Travel Fund.

CLA Dean's Research Fund 

The CLA Dean’s Research Fund is available to all tenured and tenure-track faculty with primary appointments in the College of Liberal Arts to provide support for research activities, especially those with the potential to obtain future external funding. Funding for research expenses can include travel to archives and libraries, acquisition of data sets, fees for access to databases or libraries, payments for human research participants, research equipment maintenance and repair, research assistance, etc.  Funds can be spent as soon as the award notification is sent, through October 1, 2025. This timeline provides two summers and a full academic year to complete the project: Summer 2024, AY 24-25, and Summer 2025. Because of all the requisite budget planning that accompanies multi-year awards like these, we cannot grant extensions; faculty who have not completed the project as planned can reapply with the same project, including an update on the progress since previous award, in a future DRF cycle. Application requests cannot exceed $5,000. Please read the   AY24-25 DRF Guidelines carefully before completing theDRF Application (Revised 2024)

CLA Dean's Discretionary Fund

The CLA Dean’s Discretionary Fund is available to tenure stream faculty for small requests for research needs not covered by the Dean's Research Fund, projects, or events that enhance the intellectual life of the College. The maximum amount for an award is $500 for any single request or event. Joint applications from two or more separate departments can request a maximum of $800. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until the funds 
are exhausted. Faculty must request funds through their department first. Please send two paragraphs to CLA.Dean@umb.edu in which you explain your needs, and 
how much support, if any, you are receiving from your department. You must copy your 
department chair. Include the names of the requesters, the department(s), and the amount requested. Please state clearly in your application whether you are requesting funds for faculty research (individual or collaborative) or for a departmental initiative (such as an event or a speaker). Requests that enhance student success and/ or faculty development will be given priority.

CLA Dean's Professional Development Fund for NTT Faculty

The CLA Dean’s Professional Development Fund is available to all non-tenure-track (NTT) faculty in the College of Liberal Arts who are on a 50% or more contract at the time of application. The goal of the professional development fund is to provide support for NTT faculty, including support for research, travel to professional meetings, or other professional or scholarly activities. Application requests cannot exceed $750, and funds must be spent by June 15. Please send two paragraphs to CLA.Dean@umb.edu in which you explain your needs, how much support, if any, you are receiving from your department, and the amount requested. You must copy your department chair.

Book Publication Subvention Fund

To assist UMass Boston faculty members who are asked to underwrite the cost of publishing a book through a publication subvention, the provost has established a Book Publication Subvention Fund to be managed by the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Strategic Initiatives & Dean of Graduate Studies. Please see guidelines and application on their webpage. When your application is complete, please work with your Chair/Department Admin to route a DocuSign version of the application to the Dean. Additionally, please send an email to CLA.Dean@umb.edu and include 1. A copy of your CV, 2. a paragraph summary of the book, and 3. a concise paragraph about how this subvention will benefit you and your career.

External Funding

The website of the UMass Boston Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
(ORSP) includes a comprehensive list of external funding opportunities. For more information, email Barbara Matteau, the CLA Grants Manager.