If you plan to apply for an Undergraduate Research Grant for Fall, Spring, or Summer, be sure to listen to the presentation above.
Watch the video
- The proper steps to complete a successful grant proposal.
- Examples of grant proposals.
- What reviewers consider in evaluating grants.
- Review along with video
Purpose
Research and creative activity grants are intended to further the aims and objectives of undergraduate research at UNC Asheville; to increase the research and creative activity skills of our students; to provide increased opportunities for learning; to encourage professional relationships between faculty and students; and, to advance the body of knowledge in the student’s chosen field.
Any currently enrolled UNC Asheville student is eligible to apply. Preference is given to full-time students.
Available Grants
Fall and Spring
The academic year student research grants program provides for expenses up to $500 associated with the student’s undergraduate research project such as supplies, equipment, travel to field sites or libraries, printing, and similar costs. These expenses must be directly incurred while carrying out the research. Funds will not be awarded to cover stipends or wages. All equipment purchased is the property of UNC Asheville. Purchases for Fall must be submitted by November 15, purchases for Spring must be submitted by April 15.
Summer (Updated 2023)
(Date Change) Friday, March 17, 2023. Decisions made early to mid April. Apply here.
Student Driven Proposals
Students will apply for project funding with a faculty mentor that includes a stipend for the student(s) and faculty as well as supply costs. Proposals may include more than one student. If multiple students are on a project, faculty mentors will determine how much each student will receive commensurate with their time spent on the project. Student and faculty stipends must be requested, they will not be awarded automatically.
Student Stipend(s): $3000 per student with a maximum of $6000 per project.
Faculty Mentor Stipend: $1000
Faculty Driven Proposals
Faculty may propose a project and the project description will be sent to all students who then may apply for that project. Proposing faculty will decide which students who apply for the project are accepted. Projects will receive a maximum of $6000 in stipend money to be distributed at the faculty mentor’s discretion amongst the students. Projects that indicate how early career students may be included and are exceptionally welcome. Student and faculty stipends must be requested, they will not be awarded automatically.
Student Stipend(s): $3000 with a maximum of $6000 per project
Faculty Stipend: $1000
Supply Budget
We recognize different types of research have significantly different supply funding needs. Therefore, no predetermined limit on supplies will be provided but please only apply for what is needed and not covered by other funding sources so we can do our best to fund supplies for all awarded projects as fully as possible. We anticipate spending an average of $1000 to $1500 in supplies per project. Budgets detailing exactly what supplies will be used for and priced out ahead of time are more likely to be funded. Please also identify any other sources of funding, or potential sources of funding in proposals. Proposals that have higher supply needs are more likely to be funded if proposers demonstrate meaningful attempts to obtain additional funding. Requests for purchases must be submitted by May 31.
How to Apply
Templates provide more information on what should be included in the proposals. Proposals for Fall, Spring, and Summer should follow the template format, saved as a pdf and uploaded to the Application Form.
Student Driven Proposal Template
Faculty Driven Proposal Template
Faculty Recommendation Form For Student Grants
Additional Information
Faculty may apply to mentor multiple projects (both student and faculty driven) but will receive at most one summer stipend award. In the interest of distributing funding as much as possible, it may be necessary to limit the number of awards per faculty member
Students who have been past recipients may reapply, however, priority will be given to first-time applicants.
Please remember the deciding committee is made up of faculty from across campus so proposals and budgets should be written in a way that someone completely out of the field can understand the proposal, significance, objectives, and budget.
Students who receive awards are required to present a paper at one of the UNCA Undergraduate Research Symposia (held in November and April), publish in the UNC Asheville Journal or other publication outlet and submit a final budget report.
Note: Receiving monetary awards to support Undergraduate Research travel and conference attendance may necessitate a reduction in other financial aid the student receives. Such awards may also be reported to the Internal Revenue Service in the recipient’s annual Tuition Statement (Form 1098-T). It is the responsibility of the recipient, in consultation with his/her tax advisor, to determine how much, if any, of the awards are taxable income to the recipient.