APSA Spring Centennial Center Research Grant Program

APSA Spring Centennial Center Research Grant Program

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: American Political Science Association
Amount: Up to US $2,500
Last Updated: February 26, 2026

Summary

The APSA Spring Centennial Center Research Grant Program provides crucial funding for political science research, supporting scholars in non-tenure track positions, faculty from non-PhD granting institutions, and graduate students. With grants up to $2,500, this program facilitates innovative research projects aimed at enhancing civic engagement and academic collaboration. This initiative not only aids in academic pursuits but also benefits students through co-authorship and research opportunities, fostering a vibrant political science community.

Overview

About the Centennial Center The Centennial Center’s mission is to advance the political science discipline, and we do that through a broad range of programs supporting research, teaching, and public engagement. These include grant opportunities to support traditional research, and to support larger projects, including collaborations to produce innovative teaching materials, research partnerships between practitioners and academic experts on pressing public issues, and community-oriented programs aimed at enhancing civic engagement and efficacy. Spring Centennial Center Research Grants The APSA Spring Centennial Center Research Grant Program (previously known as Small Research Grant Program) supports research in all fields of political science. The intent of these grants is to provide funding opportunities for research conducted by: Political scientists in non-tenure track or contingent positions who are ineligible for departmental funding.Political science faculty of all ranks who are employed in departments that do not grant PhDs.Graduate students in Political Science or a related discipline such as Politics or International Relations. Prior grant recipients published books and book chapters, journal articles, working papers, and conference presentations as the result of the grants. They also report benefits to students, who have served as co-authors or research assistants on the grant-funded projects, and have reported public benefits in the form of briefings, consultancies with government or INGOs as a result of the research project funded. Finally, several recipients were also able to use the APSA grant as seed money to gain additional funding. A small number of these grants are awarded annually through a peer-review process. Individual grants may not exceed $2,500 and are not renewable.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. The principal applicant and any co-author must fall into one of the following categories:A PhD faculty member at a college or university that does not award a PhD in political science, public administration, public policy, international relations, government, or politics, and whose primary appointment is in one of these departments.A PhD faculty member at a college or university that awards a PhD in political science who is on a non-tenure or contingent track position, and ineligible for departmental funding.A political scientist not affiliated with an academic institution and is either:unemployed working in a research organization such as a think tankA graduate student currently enrolled in a PhD program in Political Science or a related discipline such as Internationl Relations or Politics.Funds may be used for such research activities as: travel to archivestravel to conduct interviewsadministrationcoding of instrumentsresearch assistancepurchase of datasetsFunds may be used by scholars with disabilities for auxiliary devices or services uniquely needed for carrying out the research. There is no citizenship requirement for Centennial Center grants. You must be a member of this organization to apply for this award - become a member. Applicants must be APSA members at the time of the application, and when funds are dispersed.

Ineligibility

Certain research activities are specifically excluded from funding these include: travel to professional meetings, secretarial costs except for preparation of the final manuscripts for publication, andsalary support for the principal investigator. Overhead or indirect costs are not allowable expenses.