Outside Funding Opportunities

The Educational Advancement Foundation (EAF) is committed to the idea that academic excellence comes in many forms. The three ways in which the EAF carries out its mission are through academic scholarships, fellowships, and community assistance awards:

These grants provide support for important aspects of research such as travel to archives and libraries, research assistance, field work, and released time. Grant awards range from $500 to $5000.

To apply, visit the American Academy of Religion website.

The funds for this program come from the earnings of a bequest from Bernadotte E. Schmitt, president of the American Historical Association in 1960. Only members of the association are eligible to apply. The grants are intended to further research in progress and may be used for travel to a library or archive, for microfilms, photographs, or photocopying—a list of purposes that is meant to be merely illustrative, not exhaustive (other expenses, such as child care, can be included).

The Publications Committee of the American Theological Library Association (ATLA) awards publication grants each year to one or more recipients to aid in the development of a scholarly work that advances some aspect of theological librarianship or provides bibliographic access to a significant body of literature within theological or religious studies. The committee especially encourages proposals from persons undertaking their first major project in this area.

The Asian Art and Religion Fellowship Program offered by the Asian Arts Council focuses on the relationship between the artistic and religious traditions of Asia, and enables American scholars, specialists, and artists to conduct research and undertake projects in Asia involving the interdisciplinary analysis of religion and the arts. Up to five research fellowships or travel grants are awarded each year through this program.

The Jonathan M. Daniels Memorial Fellowships, awarded annually, are intended to set students in accredited theological schools free from their academic life and commitments to be engaged directly in some area of social concern, such as racial equality, civil rights, fair housing, community organization, or environmental issues. They are not intended to support research, supervised field education, existing nonprofit organizations, or any activity that is primarily based in the school curriculum itself.

The Center for the Study of World Religions (CSWR) and Harvard Divinity School (HDS) are pleased to announce the availability of the Dana McLean Greeley International Internship for an HDS student interested in furthering interreligious understanding. The Greeley International Internship honors the Rev. Dana McLean Greeley, AB '31, STB '33, who believed that people of all backgrounds and faiths are deeply connected to one another and should work together for positive social change.

Frank Knox Traveling Fellowships are awarded to Harvard College seniors and Harvard graduate students for one academic year of travel, study, and/or research in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom. The Knox Traveling Fellowship provides a lump-sum stipend that is paid to the recipient before he or she leaves the U.S. The fellowship can be combined with other sources of funding, subject to the approval of the Committee on General Scholarships (CGS).

Sinclair Kennedy Traveling Fellowships are awarded to Harvard graduate students for one academic year of travel, study, and/or research outside the United States. The fellowship provides a lump-sum stipend that is paid to the recipient before he or she leaves the U.S. The fellowship can be combined with other sources of funding, subject to the approval of the Committee on General Scholarships (CGS).

The FLAS Fellowship competition is open to US citizens and permanent residents whose academic interests involve studies in East Asia, East Europe, Africa or the Middle East. Approved programs may be interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary and must always include study or research in an approved language of the area of specialization. Nominees and alternates are selected by a World Area Committee composed of faculty representatives from each of the priority fields of study.

Support of graduate and undergraduate students is an important priority for the Weatherhead Center. Generous grants from the Weatherhead Foundation and from the Hartley R. Rogers family allow the Center to provide extensive research opportunities for students. These funds complement our student programs funds from the Weatherhead Foundation and the Maurice and Sarah Samuels family, allowing us to offer exciting programs for both undergraduate and graduate students.

The International Order of the King's Daughters and Sons offers a Student Ministry Scholarship, available to students enrolled in a master of divinity program. Awards are usually for $1,000 for the academic year and must be used toward tuition. More specific application criteria can be found on the website.

The Newberry Library Fellowships are available to graduate, doctoral, and postdoctoral students in the humanities whose research would benefit from time spent in the library's collections. Newberry's collections concern the civilizations of Western Europe and the Americas from the late middle ages to the early twentieth century. A number of long- and short-term fellowships are available at stipends of $1,800 to $35,000.

The Novak Award, named after distinguished American theologian Michael Novak, provides a $10,000 award for new outstanding scholarly research into the relationship between religion, economic freedom, and the free and virtuous society. This award recognizes those scholars early in their academic career who demonstrate outstanding intellectual merit in advancing the understanding of theology's connection to human dignity, the importance of the rule of law, limited government, religious liberty, and freedom in economic life.

The W. B. Small Trust scholarship is offered to a full-time Christian student working on a master of divinity degree at an accredited seminary who has a strong Iowa connection and a goal of ordained ministry. The scholarship is $2,500 per year (renewable up to a three-year total) and is awarded on both merit and financial need. If you are interested in applying, please visit the Office of Financial Aid to pick up a copy of the application. For further information contact Joan M. Youngblut at joblut@mchsi.com.