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CAS Research Funding and Support

As of fall 2025, we are pleased to announce expanded opportunities and funds for CAS faculty! Look for increased maximums, types of funding, and submission options. With growing costs associated with research materials and equipment, along with federal reductions of external funding, CAS is increasing funding allotments wherever possible.

The College of Arts and Sciences provides a range of initiatives in support of research and scholarship for faculty. Resources are available throughout different stages of the research process, from the development of proposals for external funding, to the conduct of research, to the publication and celebration of results. Learn more below and email casresearch@american.edu with any questions.

Opportunities for CAS Faculty

Faculty Grants for Scholarship and Creative Inquiry (Formerly Mellon Competition)

Expanded from $4,000 to $6,000.

  • Purpose: To support the advancement of faculty scholarship and creative inquiry.
  • Eligibility: All full-time CAS faculty.
  • Award amount: up to $6,000 per year.
  • How to apply: Calls for applications are issued two times per year. Applications for the Fall 2025 funding cycle are due by Wednesday, October 29, at 5:00 p.m. Submit as a single file (PDF or Word) to blankens@american.edu and casresearch@american.edu.

CAS Incubator Funds

Expanded to include expert feedback on other forms of scholarly and creative outputs relevant to faculty advancement. 

  • Purpose: To support the advancement of scholarly and creative projects by providing expenses/honoraria for experts to provide feedback on outputs such as manuscripts, journal articles, books, artworks, musical scores and plays. 
  • Eligibility: Tenure-line and term faculty in CAS with multi-year or continuing appointments.
  • Award amount: Up to $3,000 available to cover expenses/time.
  • How to apply: Calls for applications are issued two times per year in late fall and late spring, and reviews are conducted by the Associate Dean of Research and at least one member of the CAS Research Committee. For more information, email casresearch@american.edu. 

CAS Subvention and Page Charges Funds

Maximum award amount doubled from $2,000 to $4,000.

  • Purpose: To offset third party charges on research and creative outputs required for faculty members to be promoted. This includes charges from book publishers, added arts, performance or/and exhibit venues. Coverage for page and illustration charges, indexing, exhibiting, etc.
  • Eligibilty: Tenure-line and term CAS faculty with multi-year or continuing appointments.
  • Award amount: Up to $4,000.
  • How to apply: Requests are considered on a rolling basis until annual available funds are exhausted. Email blankens@american.edu and include
    • Description of how publication, exhibition, etc. would enhance impact.
    • Documentation of acceptance; documentation of required charges; and description of any other funds to be used towards costs.
    • In the case of an open access article publication, documentation that a request was submitted to and denied by the AU library must be provided.

CAS Interdisciplinary Seed Grants 

  • Purpose: CAS will provide funds to support a team of collaborative faculty from across disciplines on a seed or pilot project that will lead to advancing new ideas in scholarship and creative inquiry. 
  • Award amount: Up to $40,000.
  • Eligibility, application process, and areas of focus will be announced in spring 2026.


Faculty Support for External Funding 

Consultant Assistance 


Grantwriting:

  • Purpose: To provide initial consultation and additional approximately eight hours of support in developing proposal for external funding
  • Eligibility: Tenure-line and term faculty with multi-year or continuing appointments

Scientific Illustrator/Graphic Design:

  • Purpose: To provide support for professional illustration/design of diagrams, models, pictures, etc needed to enhance proposal for external funding
  • Eligibility: Tenure-line and term faculty with multi-year or continuing appointments
  • How to apply: Requests are accepted on a rolling basis until funds expire. Email blankens@american.edu  and casresearch@american.edu for more information.

Other Support for Faculty

Salary “Top Off” 

  • Purpose and Eligibility: For full-time faculty applying for prestigious external fellowships may receive a salary “top off” (up to a certain amount) if the fellowship does not cover the full amount of their semester or annual salary. 
  • How to learn more: Faculty applying for fellowships should consult with the CAS pre-award team and/or the Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs prior to submission of the application. Please email komives@american.edu and Kdecicco@american.edu.

REA “Bumps” 

  • Purpose and Eligibility: Faculty eligible for an REA who serve as the Principal Investigator (PI) on a grant or fellowship application in the amount of $10,000+ will receive a $500 increase in their REA in the fiscal year following the submission (one bump per year, regardless of the number of submissions). The PI may elect to share the $500 bump with other CAS faculty collaborating on the application.

Indirect Sharing

  • Purpose and Eligibility: CAS faculty who are PIs on an externally funded project will receive 7.5% of any indirect cost expenditures associated with the award; funds are placed in an Internally Designated Faculty Research Account (IDFRA) at the end of each relevant fiscal year. Funds may accumulate over time and must be spent on research related expenses. The PI may elect to share the indirect returns with other CAS faculty collaborating on the project.

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