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College of Arts and Sciences Support and Development Award

The College of Arts and Sciences Support and Development Awards (SDA) are intended to provide support for the professional development of full-time tenured, tenure-tracked, and continuing Arts and Sciences Faculty. The pool of available funds for these proposals is $15,000. Typically SDA grants do not exceed $1,500. Examples of fundable projects are indicated below. 

Instructions: The SDA application has two components: The short form embedded on this webpage below, and the longer proposal form available at the link directly below.

1. Read the award description below to ensure that your intended development project fits with the intent of the award. Then, download and complete the Support and Development Award application form at the red "Proposal Form" link directly below. Be sure to complete the Proposed Budget section near the bottom of the application form by filling out any expense fields that apply to your proposal. You and your department chair must sign the application form on the last page. 

2. Complete the short form embedded on this webpage below. You will be asked to upload the completed and signed Support and Development Award application form. You will also need to include your department chair's email. Be sure to press the "Submit" button before leaving the page.

The deadline for the return of SDA Applications is Friday, December 11th 2026. Award announcements will be made early in the spring semester, via. a letter from the Arts and Sciences dean's office.

 

 
Proposal Form
 

Award Description:

Tenured, tenure-tracked, and continuing A&S Faculty are eligible to apply for an SDA award. Faculty who serve on the Support and Development Award Committee are not eligible to apply for an SDA award in the same year.

Support and Development Awards are intended to support faculty development. These funds can be used towards research-oriented travel. Examples of projects that have been funded in the past include the following:

  1. Attending workshops and seminars to enhance professional skills.
  2. Purchasing library resources, research supplies, equipment, or software to enhance course development or research.
  3. Inviting noted scientists, scholars, or artists to campus for the purpose of the professional development (mentoring or collaboration) of the applicant. The SDA award can be used in such cases to cover or offset the cost of bringing the visitor to campus. A colloquium or seminar given by the visitor may be included as a part of the visit. Note that if multiple visitors are invited, e.g. as part of a seminar or colloquia series, the SDA application should come from all faculty members who expect professional development from the series, and should describe how each applicant will benefit from it.
  4. Collaborating with a noted scholar or artist.
  5. Supporting projects, artistic productions, exhibitions, or paying for page charges and other publication costs associated with refereed articles and books accepted for publication by reputable presses.
  6. Covering costs of pilot research projects either not supported by the USA Faculty Development Council (USAFDC), or to supplement USAFDC awards. If funding will be sought from the USAFDC, include a copy of your USAFDC proposal with your SDA submission. Simultaneous submissions of a complementary proposal for an Arts and Sciences Summer Professional Development Award (SPDA) and an SDA are also permitted. Include a copy of your SPDA proposal with your application for the SDA.

Recipients of SDA awards should, following completion of their project supported by the award, submit a short report of their project to the Dean of Arts and Sciences. This report should be submitted not later than the end of the first regular semester following the completion of the project supported by the SDA award.

Faculty may submit complementary proposals to the USA Faculty Development Council, Arts and Sciences Summer Professional Development Awards Committee, and for an SDA. Disclosure of simultaneous submissions is required.