The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has invited the Graduate Center, along with a limited number of other institutions, to participate in the 2023 New Directions Fellowships competition.  Fellowship Guidelines are here and contain important information about the specifics of the proposal and other required materials.

These fellowships provide support for exceptional faculty in the humanities and humanistic social sciences who received their doctorates between 2011 and 2017.  Fellows pursue systematic training and academic competencies outside their own special fields in order to advance a cross-disciplinary research agenda.  This fellowship does not aim to facilitate short-term outcomes, such as completion of a book.  Rather, it is a longer-term investment in the scholar’s intellectual range and productivity.

• Priority will be given to applications that manifest 1) a strong focus on questions of social justice as they pertain to minoritized populations, or 2) an investment in filling in the gaps left by more traditional narratives in the history of the Americas.
• The second field of study must be a foray into a new area of intellectual inquiry/subject and not just an enhancement of skills to go further in the primary field. Language study, technical training, or skills acquisition such as GIS mapping do not, by themselves, constitute a new direction.

In recognition of the uncertain course of the COVID-19 pandemic, all applicants should include a concise plan of no more than two paragraphs outlining alternative arrangements should research activities be constrained by a resurgence of COVID-19 or the emergence of another global health emergency.

Final budgets commonly range from $175,000 to $250,000; the maximum is $300,000.  The term of the grant should cover a minimum of two years.

Applicants should submit the following documents to the Office of the Provost (by email attachments to Rachel Sponzo rsponzo@gc.cuny.edu) no later than October 3, 2023:

1. A project summary of no more than 200 words.
2. A draft proposal of no more than 2,000 words, providing an explanation of the overall significance of the research being undertaken and how the proposed new direction will assist in the development of the field.
3. A budget and budget narrative, following the Mellon guidelines. It is not necessary to use the Mellon budget template at this time.
4. A letter of recommendation from your EO or department chair, which should address your preparation and the relationship of the “new direction” to your research and pedagogy.  An additional letter of recommendation may be submitted from a colleague in the new field, if appropriate.
5. A concise curriculum vitae, no more than five pages in length.

A small committee, convened by my office, will select one proposal to go forward to Mellon.  The institutional letter of endorsement will be provided at that time if your proposal is selected.  We will notify the author immediately so that so that s/he can undertake any further refinements of the proposal and finalize the materials and budget for submission through Mellon’s online portal.  The deadline for our submission to Mellon is November 3, 2023.

Applicants should familiarize themselves with the fellowship-specific application guidelines described online here[mellon.org].

If you are thinking of applying, please feel free to reach out with any questions.

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