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ChLA Faculty Research Grants

ChLA Faculty Research Grants have a combined maximum fund of up to $5,000 per year, and individual awards may range from $500 to $1,500, based on the number and needs of the winning applicants. The grants are awarded for proposals dealing with criticism or original scholarship with the expectation that the undertaking will lead to publication and make a significant contribution to the field of children's literature in the area of scholarship or criticism. In honor of the achievement and dedication of Dr. Margaret P. Esmonde, proposals that deal with critical or original work in the areas of fantasy or science fiction for children or adolescents will be awarded the Margaret P. Esmonde Memorial Grant.

Submission Period:

December 15 - February 1

General Guidelines:

  • Funds may be used for - but are not restricted to – research-related expenses such as travel to special collections, purchasing materials and supplies or time release.

  • The awards may not be used for obtaining advanced degrees, for researching or writing a thesis or dissertation, for textbook writing, or for pedagogical projects.

  • Winners will be notified in April, and the awards will be announced at the ChLA annual conference. Winners are urged to attend the conference if at all possible and will be notified in sufficient time to make plans to collect travel funding from their institution.

  • All proposals are read and judged by the ChLA Grants Committee.

  • Members of the ChLA Executive Board or ChLA Grants Committee are not eligible to apply. Recipients of a Faculty Research Grant are not eligible to reapply until the third year from the date of the first award. (In the event the ChLA Board institutes another time interval - whether longer or shorter - the vote of the Board shall supersede the three-year interval rule.)

  • If there are no proposals for the Faculty Grants that the Grants Committee deems of sufficient quality to support ChLA's aims, no grants will be given.

  • Grant recipients are required to submit a progress report or a summary of the completed project to the chair of the Grants Committee by April - May of the year following the award.

  • Winners must either be members of the Children's Literature Association or join the association before they receive any funds.

  • Winners should acknowledge ChLA in any publication resulting from the grant.

Submission Guidelines:

  • Proposals should be submitted electronically through the ChLA website as an attachment dated within the application period (December 15 - February 1 annually). Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

  • Proposals should take the form of a single Word document and include the following information:
    • Cover page including name, telephone number, mailing address and e-mail address.  Academic institution and status/rank (professor, librarian, etc.); or institution applicant is affiliated with (library, publisher, etc.)
    • A detailed description of the research proposal (not to exceed three single-spaced pages), indicating the nature and significance of the project, where it will be carried out, rough budget, and the expected date of completion.
    • A vita that includes a bibliography of major publications and scholarly achievements (degrees, honors, etc.).
    • Applications and supporting materials should be written in or translated into English.

Applications will be evaluated based upon the quality of the proposal and the potential of the project to enhance or advance Children's Literature studies.