Conference Funding

DEADLINE: January 31, 2025, for priority review; rolling deadline for remaining funds until May 1, 2025

CIS will fund a limited number of grants up to a maximum of $15,000 each for conferences related to international studies and/or comparative politics that will take place in 2025–26. A proposal should include:

• Scholarly objectives (150–200 words)
• A list of possible participants and potential conference dates
• Location of conference (CIS limits funding to $5,000 for conferences not held at USC)
• A detailed budget outlining travel, lodging, and honorarium needs for participants; CIS will adjust a final award amount based on these key budget items.
• Level of logistical support you are seeking from CIS staff (coordination of travel, lodging, venue, food, staffing of event, etc.); alternatively, indicate if you are obtaining logistical support from another academic unit or co-sponsor; please note that larger conferences involving external funding might require applicants to provide additional staffing support.
• Demonstrated plan for integrating POIR faculty and PhD students into the conference program

Proposals should be submitted to CIS at cis@dornsife.usc.edu.

Guidelines for new proposals:

• Funds must be used in academic year 2025–26 and are not eligible to roll over.
• Funds must be used for the purposes stated in the proposal and cannot be reallocated to other projects or purposes.
• All awardees must explicitly credit CIS with co-sponsorship.
• All awardees must file a one-page report at the end of the project to summarize both the project and the ways in which the grant supported the project.

Eligibility:

• POIR T/TT faculty; research emphasis on international affairs or comparative politics.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for external funding or obtain co-sponsorship from other USC units. If no external application of funds or description accompanies the CIS application, please include justification.
• Active commitment to the CIS community, such as frequent participation in CIS events and hosting events or scholars.
• Scholars from USC units outside the Political Science and International Relations Department must designate a POIR faculty member (T/TT) as a co-convener and demonstrate an integration of POIR faculty and PhD students in the proposal.

Proposals should be brief in length (1–2 pages), with an itemized budget statement appended.

The Center for International Studies is committed to ensuring equity in its mission to support scholarship in international studies.

Email cis@dornsife.usc.edu with any questions.