2025-2026 FUNDING CYCLE

FACULTY CONVERGENCE GRANTS

 
FRI: Feminist Research Institute Faculty Convergence Grants are intended to support focused and collective examinations of a particular area or topic related to women, gender, and/or sexuality. These awards are meant to promote greater collaborative efforts by requiring “working groups” of at least four faculty to create a focused, collective examination of a particular area or topic related to women, gender, and/or sexuality. Priority will be given to proposals that gather faculty around previously underfunded or emerging research areas and promise to energize a group of scholars at UNM in diverse and inclusive ways. Projects should result in outcomes enabling faculty to apply for external funding, publications, or content that will increase the impact and visibility of creative research at the University of New Mexico. Funding may be used to support activities in various formats, including reading or working groups, seminar series or workshops for a core audience of researchers, or a symposium built around a research agenda. 

DEADLINE: MARCH 1, 2025  

HOW TO APPLY

Submit your proposal and apply here. 

AWARDS  

Funding from $500 to $5,000 for projects spanning up to two years may be requested. Proposals requesting $3,000 or more must span two years. We encourage applications from those seeking matching funds for grants from other sources up to our limit. Organizers are responsible for managing their budgets and expenditures with FRI administrative support. 

ELIGIBILITY

1. Tenured, Tenure-Track Faculty, and non-tenure-track faculty.
2. It is encouraged but not required that at least one "working group" member be a WGSS associate/affiliate.
 

 

APPLICATION PROCEDURE 

Applications will be accepted here.

Your proposal should include the following five items:  

1. PROJECT ABSTRACT
  • 250-word summary accessible to a general reader. We will use this description on our website and social media if awarded. 
 
2. PROJECT NARRATIVE
  • In no more than two (2) pages, please include the following:
    • BACKGROUND/PROBLEM STATEMENT: Provide context on why this project is needed.
    • GOALS & OBJECTIVES: What does this program hope to achieve? How does it contribute to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in feminist research? 
    • ACTIVITIES: Include proposed activities and an estimated timeline.  
    • PROGRAM MEMBERSHIP/ENGAGEMENT PLAN: Include a list of faculty who have agreed to serve on the project’s faculty working group and the potential for sufficient attendance at proposed public events.  
    • ROLES OF THE COLLABORATORS: Include anyone named in the proposal, their roles, and responsibilities, and expected level of effort (e.g., percentage of time or hours committed)
    • FUTURE RESEARCH PLANS: Explain how this funding would contribute to future research agendas or strengthen UNM’s collective knowledge/capacity in a particular area. 

3.  ITEMIZED PROJECT BUDGET 
 
4. BUDGET JUSTIFICATION
  • In no more than two (2) pages, describe your project’s budget:
    • Outline budget expenses, including their justification. 
    • Please list any other funding sources (and amounts) you are receiving or applying for this project.  

 

5. CURRICULUM VITAE 
  • A maximum 10-page CV for the PI will be accepted. A list of faculty with short bios, including affiliation, major publications, and grant awards, should accompany the PI CV.  
SELECTION CRITERIA

Reviewers will score the applications based on EACH of these five criteria: 

  1. QUALITY and significance of the scholarly or creative activity proposed. 
  2. CENTRALITY of research on women, gender, and/or sexuality. 
  3. VALUE of the project to faculty career development (in terms of scholarly, training, or obtaining further external funding) or students. 
  4. INCLUSION of an intersectional approach (including appropriate attention to race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, culture, social class, nationality, religion, disability, or other social differences). 
  5. IMPACT of the project to further knowledge about historical, and contemporary issues, topics, or phenomena within New Mexico and the greater Southwest region.  

Answering the following questions will strengthen your proposal and reflect the fact that our evaluation criteria may differ from other funders: 

  1. Why should FRI fund this project? How does your project fit FRI's goal of funding intersectional feminist research? 
  2. Why is your project necessary for the field of feminist, gender, queer, or trans studies? What impact will it have?  
  3. How will your work contribute to the study of women, gender, or sexuality at UNM? 
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 
  • The FRI Board and previous FRI awardees will complete reviews. The review panel will provide feedback to all applicants. 
  • Human Subjects Review: Compliance with all appropriate regulations governing the conduct of research will be required. Research proposals involving human subjects will be subject to project review and approval by the relevant IRB. It is the applicant's responsibility to obtain IRB approval promptly so that research is not delayed. For the application's purposes, you do not need IRB approval before submitting it for consideration.  
POST-AWARD EXPECTATIONS
  • Acknowledge FRI support in presentations and publications resulting from the funded project. 
  • Inform FRI of resulting funding, presentations, and publications for publicity purposes. 
  • Deliver a public presentation or other alternative public-facing events on the research project within a year of the award disbursement. 
  • Provide the FRI Director with a written progress report 1 year from the award date and a final grant report at the project's end.  
  • Research travel should be completed by June 30, 2026. All travel reimbursements must be submitted within 15 days after returning. 

 

QUESTIONS? 

For more information, please contact:

Director, Dr. Francisco J. Galarte at galarte@unm.edu or femresin@unm.edu. 

 

⇒APPLY ONLINE⇐