UMass Boston

In Fiscal Year 2026-2027, the Dean's Supplemental Travel fund will have a rolling award process, with a $2,000 maximum award per eligible Tenure-stream faculty member. Applications will be accepted THROUGH THURSDAY APRIL 1, 2027 or until funds are exhausted, whichever occurs first.  If awarded, all reimbursement requests must be submitted by JUNE 1, 2027 unless a prior approval for a later submission has been arranged in advance by Eddie Sze or Kim Ho.

Tenure-stream faculty in the College of Liberal Arts may apply for the Dean's Supplemental Travel Fund to fund the cost of transportation, registration, per diem, and lodging associated with the presentation of papers at professional meetings, conferences, or equivalent invited scholarly activities. Additionally, these funds can be used to support travel to undertake activities associated with professional editorial responsibilities or board duties taking place at an academic conference. This fund does not provide support for faculty acting solely as respondents, discussants, or session chairs. Here are the Dean's Travel Fund Guidelines 26-27. Please read the carefully before completing the Dean's Travel Award Application 26-27. These funds are supplemental to the Faculty Staff Union Faculty Travel funds; the FSU funds must be exhausted before funds will be awarded from the Dean's Travel Fund.

APPLICATIONS OPEN for AY2026-27 until Noon on Monday, February 8, 2027

The CLA Dean’s Research Fund (DRF) is available to all tenured and tenure-track faculty with primary appointments in the College of Liberal Arts to provide support for research activities, especially those with the potential to obtain future external funding. Funding for research expenses can include travel to archives and libraries, acquisition of data sets, fees for access to databases or libraries, payments for human research participants, research equipment maintenance and repair, research assistance, etc. Funds can be spent as soon as the award notification is sent, through March 13, 2029. This timeline provides two summers and a full academic year to complete the project: Summer 2027, AY 26-27, and Summer 2027 and part of AY 27-28. Because of the requisite budget planning that accompanies multi-year awards like these, we cannot grant extensions; faculty who have not completed the project as planned can reapply with the same project, including an update on the progress since the previous award, in a future DRF cycle. Application requests cannot exceed $5,000.

Please read the guidelines carefully before completing the application:

Dean’s Research Fund Application Guidelines FY 26-27

Dean’s Research Fund Application:

Nominations or self-nominations are open for AY2026-27 until Monday, April 12, 2027.   

CLA Outstanding Faculty Research: The Dean of the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) invites applications for outstanding research in the liberal arts. This award gives special recognition to faculty for research conducted during their time at UMass Boston. 

Eligibility: Faculty holding full-time, tenure-track, or tenured Assistant or Associate Professor appointments are eligible. Scholarly work completed when the nominee was not a UMB faculty member is not formally considered. No individual may receive the award more than once per rank. Nominations: Faculty colleagues, departments, schools, colleges, or recognized campus organizations may nominate individuals. Self-nominations are welcome.  

CLA Outstanding Student Mentorship: The Dean of the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) invites nominations for outstanding mentorship of undergraduate and graduate student learning, research, and creative expression in the liberal arts. With these awards, we hope to recognize the extraordinary efforts of tenured and tenure-track faculty at all ranks to foster, create, and sustain opportunities for student learning and research in a variety of ways. Nominations should include letters reflecting the perspectives of faculty colleagues as well as students/alums impacted by the faculty member’s work. Self-initiated nominations are welcome. 

Please read the guidelines for the Outstanding Faculty Research CLARC Awards 2027 call - OutstandingFacultyResearch.docx and the Outstanding Student Mentorship CLARC Awards 2027 call - StudentMentorship.docx carefully before completing the application. 

The CLA Dean’s Discretionary Fund is available to tenure stream faculty for small requests for research needs not covered by the Dean's Research Fund, projects, or events that enhance the intellectual life of the College. The maximum amount for an award is $500 for any single request or event. Joint applications from two or more separate departments can request a maximum of $800. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until the funds are exhausted. Faculty must request funds through their department first. Please send two paragraphs to CLA.Dean@umb.edu in which you explain your needs, and how much support, if any, you are receiving from your department. You must copy your department chair. Include the names of the requesters, the department(s), and the amount requested. Please state clearly in your application whether you are requesting funds for faculty research (individual or collaborative) or for a departmental initiative (such as an event or a speaker). Requests that enhance student success and/ or faculty development will be given priority.

The CLA Dean’s Professional Development Fund is available to all non-tenure-track (NTT) faculty in the College of Liberal Arts who are on a 50% or more contract at the time of application. The goal of the professional development fund is to provide support for NTT faculty, including support for research, travel to professional meetings, or other professional or scholarly activities. Application requests must be submitted by APRIL 1, 2027 and cannot exceed $750.  Funds must be spent by June 15. Please send two paragraphs to CLA.Dean@umb.edu in which you explain your needs, how much support, if any, you are receiving from your department, and the amount requested. You must copy your department chair.

This award recognizes the exceptional service contributions of faculty members who hold the rank of Senior Lecturer. The Dean’s Office seeks to acknowledge faculty who demonstrate exemplary service and outstanding dedication to their college community.

Award criteria include significant contributions to the campus and college community, such as providing college, departmental and university service that enhances each area, mentoring students, and providing leadership that strengthens a culture of service. Recipients should have a distinguished record of service across all department, college and university levels. Faculty may nominate any Senior Lecturer faculty member who they feel best represents these goals. Self-nominations are also encouraged.

Nominations must include a CV, a paragraph describing the impact of the nominee’s service, and the names of two references who can address the service performed. Each honoree will receive a one-time $2,000 award. Applications due: APRIL 16, 2027. Send nominations to cla.dean@umb.edu

This award recognizes the exceptional service contributions of tenured faculty at the rank of Associate Professor. Through this endowment, the Dean’s Office aims to acknowledge faculty who demonstrate exemplary service and an outstanding commitment to their college community.

Selection criteria include significant and sustained contributions to the campus and college community beyond the normal service load, such as mentoring colleagues, volunteering for roles and initiatives in often under recognized areas and providing leadership that strengthens a culture of service. Recipients should have a distinguished record of service across all areas, with particular emphasis on college-level service. Faculty may nominate any Associate Professor who exemplifies these qualities, and self-nominations are welcome. 

Nominations must include a CV, a paragraph describing the impact of the nominee’s service, and the names of two references who can address the service performed. Each honoree will receive a three-year award that includes a $2,500 annual stipend, as well as additional teaching support, to assist in moving towards further promotion. Applications due: APRIL 16, 2027. Send nominations to cla.dean@umb.edu

The purpose of this award is to transform a nearly complete manuscript into a top-tier publishable book by addressing major issues early.

All CLA faculty, regardless of seniority, are eligible to apply for a $3000 Book Manuscript Workshop award. Additional expenses must come from the applicant’s start-up or research funds, or with support from their department. Assistant Professors will receive priority consideration. 

Overview - Graduate Student Summer Research Awards AY 25-26 provide support to individual graduate students to engage in research and scholarly activities needed to complete their degrees. Funds can be used to make purchases related to research projects, or to fund the student’s time. Projects required by the program will receive top priority; if sufficient funds are available, innovative projects outside of a student's degree requirements can be considered.

Eligibility

• All currently enrolled, full-time master’s and doctoral students in the graduate programs of the College of Liberal Arts/McCormack School are eligible to apply.
• Students are eligible for the GSSR Award only once during their UMB graduate career.
• Students cannot receive CLA funds in the same year as the OGS Dissertation Award or the MGS SEA award.

The website of the UMass Boston Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) includes a comprehensive list of external funding opportunities. For more information, email Barbara Matteau, the CLA Grants Manager.