Description

The Ivan Doig Center for the Study of the Lands & Peoples of the North American West is pleased to announce a request for proposals for Graduate Research Awards.  Funds of up to $1,000 will be available to students enrolled in an Montana State CLS graduate program in the humanities and social sciences who are working on a research project related to the study of the North American West and who are Doig Center Affiliates. Priority will be given to graduate students who are in fields that have limited access to research funding.

Due Date: March 1, 2027 by 5 p.m. to: ivandoigcenter@montana.edu

Eligibility and Application Process

To be eligible, applicants must be enrolled in a graduate program in the College of Letters and Science for the 2027-28 academic year and be a Doig Center affiliate. 

The award may cover travel. Transportation (airfare or mileage), lodging, and meal costs must comply with MSU Policies and Procedures for Travel. Failure to follow MSU guidelines may result in the denial of funding for your application.

You can find up-to-date information on mileage rates, per diem, etc. on the MSU Office of Sponsored Programs website: OSP Forms and Toolkit

Funds may also be used for photocopying, acquiring digital images, or fees for services at difficult-to-access archives, and permission fees for use of photographs, maps, or other images crucial to your project.  We will consider other requests that may be particular to your project, if justified.

Priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate that the funding will lead directly to research that will aid the timely completion of their professional paper, thesis, or dissertation.

Requests for conference travel or computers will not be funded.

Applications should include the following material:

  • Cover sheet containing
    • Applicant's name
    • Applicant's department
    • Name of applicant's committee chair
    • Project title
    • Total amount requested
    • Email address 
    • Phone number
    • Project abstract (no more than 300 words) 
  • Project description that explains the project, its significance to the field, relavance to the lands and peoples of the North American West, and how the research to be conducted will advance the student’s professional paper, thesis or dissertation (no more than 3 double-spaced pages)
  • Detailed budget with timeline of work, dates & places of travel, and justification of expenses
  • List of previous or pending grants and fellowships associated with the project along with amount funded
  • 2-page CV

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Award funds must be expended by January 28, 2028. A report detailing the work accomplished will be due February 12, 2028 sent to ivandoigcenter@montana.edu. Failure to submit a report may jeopardize future funding opportunities from the Center. We request that students list the award on their CV and in any future publications that result from research funded by the Ivan Doig Center.

Please direct questions to Dr. Daniel Grant, Director of the Ivan Doig Center daniel.grant1@montana.edu

Applications should be submitted electronically as a single word or pdf document by 5 p.m. March 1, 2027 to: ivandoigcenter@montana.edu