Grants and Awards

Coca-Cola Critical Difference for Women

Graduate Studies Grants for Research on Women, Gender, and Gender Equity

Open to all Ohio State University Ph.D. Candidates & MFA or Terminal Masters Research.

Through the generous support of the Coca-Cola Foundation, the Critical Difference for Women Program at the Ohio State University will award up to 10 dissertation and terminal Masters/MFA grants this year. Grants are intended to fund research and other activities that go into the preparation of a dissertation, thesis for a terminal Masters, or an MFA project. The grants are administered by the Department of Women's Studies and the Coca-Cola Critical Difference for Women Research Grants Award Committee, made up of 8 faculty members from 5 Colleges. The number of grants depends on availability of funds and grants may not exceed $1,000 for a 12-month period. Requests for smaller amounts will be highly competitive; in some cases, partial funding for a proposal may be possible.

Objectives
The specific objectives of the fund are to:

• encourage analysis and research on the perspectives, experiences, and issues of interest to women in both the U.S. and abroad;
• promote the development of knowledge, theories, representations, and/or research designs that improve understanding of women’s lives and gender issues;
• promote interdisciplinary and discipline-based scholarship that expands the boundaries of diverse academic disciplines to incorporate issues of gender and studies of women;
• support gender research and performances that include a focus on diversity or understudied issues.

Projects funded in recent years have come from departments as diverse as Music, Theatre, Engineering, Anthropology, Education, History, English, Geography, Social Work, Comparative Studies, African and African American Studies, Rural Sociology, Political Science, Counseling Psychology, Nursing, and Sociology. Topics have included feminist literature and women authors, women composers and actors, women’s dress as a political act, slave narratives, women’s health, women farmers and traders in Africa, black women activists, lesbians and gay men in a trade union movement, women steelworkers, psychiatric survivor movements, quiltmaking as women’s culture, rape survivors, African American adolescent mothers, community nursing, Asian American women, moral reformers, women and democratization, battered women, Indian women, German women, women with cancer, clerical workers, healers, Jewish women, Caribbean women, women’s narratives, workplace injuries, recruitment of women athletes, etc.

Eligibility
Applications for graduate studies grants for dissertation research may be submitted by Ph.D. candidates who will have passed general examinations by the end of the year in progress. Failure to meet this condition will result in withdrawal of an award. We regret that we cannot provide funding for dissertation writing. Only those who have never received a Coca-Cola CDW grant are eligible. Note: no funds will be disbursed prior to the start date of the grant. The grant start date is July 1, 2008. However, no funds will be disbursed until a student has passed general examinations even if this takes place after July 1, 2008.

This year, students who must submit a thesis or a project to fulfill requirements for a Masters, MBA, or MFA also may be eligible. The student’s advisor must verify that the thesis or project is a requirement and that a Masters degree is the terminal degree in the student’s field at the national level. See the explanation of covered expenses and application requirements below.

To receive a grant, a student must be enrolled at the university at least part time during the term of the grant.

Application Requirements

All applications should include:

Cover sheet and Preliminary Budget sheet [see budget explanation below]. These forms may be obtained from the Women’s Studies office [also see below].

Abstract An abstract of 50-100 words that can be used for a press release is needed

Narrative plus one page Bibliography.
The narrative should not exceed 1200 words and should include the following:

1. Research Objectives: Indicate the key research questions or hypotheses OR the rationale for the terminal Masters or MFA project; how they are significant to scholarship, knowledge, representation and/or gender analysis in the applicant’s field; and how the proposed project relates to the objectives of the Coca-Cola Critical Difference for Women Graduate Studies Research Grants.
2. Theoretical Framework: Indicate the theoretical framework, concepts and/or issues, and perspective guiding the study; provide a brief but adequate summary of the literature; and indicate the significance and expected contribution of the proposed research to your field.
3. Methods and Procedures: Explain the methodology you will use, sources of data/information/texts, and the plans for analysis, interpretation or representation.
4. Time Line: Describe the research or project plan, indicating the anticipated time schedule for various activities. When relevant, indicate the progress already made or relation to prior or ongoing research or other projects. If the grant maximum of $1,000 is less than anticipated expenses, indicate the expected source of additional funds. Do not exceed word or page limits.

Curriculum Vitae or Resume
A 2-3 page description of post-high school education, professional employment, major honors, publications and presentations, and prior research or performance/exhibition experience if applicable. Do not exceed the limit.

Advisor’s Letter
The advisor's letter should be submitted under separate cover and should indicate the date of the expected successful completion of general examinations (only for dissertation projects), the status of the proposed project, its quality and expected significance. For Masters theses or projects, the advisor should state whether or not the proposed project is a requirement and whether or not the Masters is a terminal degree in her/his field. Have the advisor send the letter directly to Jill Bystydzienski, Chair of the Committee, c/o Linda O’Brien, Coca-Cola CDW Dissertation Research Grants, Department of Women’s Studies, 286 University Hall, 230 N. Oval Mall.

Budget Guidelines

A detailed and reasonable preliminary budget should be submitted. A maximum of $l000 may be requested. Budgets must conform to the line items indicated on the budget sheet. Total budget may not be increased after the proposal has been approved. The grant period will begin July 1, 2008 and will end on June 30, 2009, of the following year; unused monies will revert back to the Fund after the end date. Monies are disbursed only on the basis of receipts submitted for legitimate expenses, only for expenses incurred during the grant period, and only to students who are enrolled at least part time.

The following items will usually be considered appropriate for inclusion in the budget: personnel costs (technicians and research assistance), payment to human subjects, travel necessary to the conduct of research (but not travel for the sole purpose of attending a professional meeting), copying, supplies and research materials (including books), software, mailing, and related expenses. Research grants may not be used to pay for typing and copying of dissertations nor may they be used for payment of student fees, release time, or summer support.

NOTE: IRB Human Subjects Approval

--- If the research involves human subjects, it is the responsibility of the researcher to make sure the research complies with OSU and federal IRB guidelines. A copy of the guidelines may be obtained by calling 8-8457. Documentation of IRB approval or a letter stating why such approval does not apply must be provided before any monies will be released.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated according to the following criteria: relation to the objectives of the Coca-Cola Critical Difference for Women Graduate Studies Research Grants; contribution to the applicant’s field; reasonableness of the research design/analysis for the subject matter or of the preparations leading to the final product or performance; feasibility of the proposed research; and significance of the proposed project for scholarship, understanding, or knowledge of women/gender issues

Commitments

At the end of the grant period, a brief, written report must be submitted to the Department of Women's Studies. This report should include a final accounting of funds and indicate the progress made, including any publications, products, or presentations, other grants obtained, etc. Reports are used by the Department to account for funds during audits and to support requests for continued funding of theCoca-Cola Critical Difference for Women Graduate Studies Research Grants.

All publications and dissertations or theses supported by a grant should acknowledge the support of the Coca-Cola Critical Difference for Women Graduate Studies Research Grants and the Department of Women’s Studies.

Important:

Recipients are responsible for living up to the terms of the grant. Failure to make adequate progress in the time frame allotted or misuse of funds will result in the suspension of the grant.

How to Submit

Submit five (5) copies of the application to: Coca-Cola CDW Graduate Studies Research Grants, Department of Women's Studies, 286 University Hall, 230 North Oval Mall. Questions regarding eligibility should be addressed to bystydzienski.1@osu.edu.

Copies of the Cover Sheet and Budget Sheetmay be obtained in the Women’s Studies office or can be forwarded to you by FAX or E-mail. Contact Linda O’Brien at obrien.32@osu.edu or 292-1021. Copies also can be downloaded below

• Cover Sheet [PDF]
• Preliminary Budget Sheet [PDF]

Deadline:

All materials must be received no later than April 7, 2008

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