Deadlines
FALL 2023
Intent to Apply (required) – September 28, 2023
Complete Application – October 19, 2023
- Apply for faculty-mentored independent project funding: SOURCE Spring Grants, SOURCE Spring + Summer Grants*, and Honors Program Awards.
- Timeline and budget may include:
- Spring 2024 only (up to $5000)
- Spring and Summer 2024 (up to $4500 for Spring + up to $3000 for Summer)*
*Graduating Seniors may only apply for Spring 2024 funding (up to $5000). May 2024 graduates are not eligible for summer funding.
(expected award notification mid-November)
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SPRING 2024
Intent to Apply (required) – February 15, 2024
Complete Application – February 29, 2024
- Apply for faculty-mentored independent project funding: SOURCE Summer Grants, SOURCE Fall + Spring Grants, and Honors Program Awards.*
- Timeline and budget may include:
- Summer 2024 only (up to $3000)
- Academic Year 2024-25 (up to $5000)
- Summer 2024 + Academic Year 2024-25 (up to $4500 for Academic Year + up to $3000 for Summer)
*Graduating Seniors are not eligible to apply for funding in the spring cycle.
(expected award notification mid-April)
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Apply for SOURCE and Honors Program Funding
Please read these guides to understand the process and your eligibility. The Intent to Apply link is here.
SOURCE and Honors Funding Eligibility
Writing an Effective Funding Proposal (read this for an overview of the application and tips on writing a successful proposal)
SOURCE and Honors Funding Budget Template
Expansion Grants:
Deadline on a rolling basis
- Apply for SOURCE Expansion Grants (up to $1000) with application and review on a rolling basis. You need not be a prior funding recipient to apply. Allow up to 4 weeks for decision.
- Budget expenditures may include:
- Travel costs (food, lodging, transportation, museum or archive fees)
- Presentation or publication costs (conference fees, poster printing, image permissions)
- Participant compensation (with IRB approval, funds for gifts or payments to survey or focus group participants) Budget expenditures may include:
The Expansion Grants may not be used for student researcher hourly pay, summer living expenses, or supplies/consumables. Current SOURCE Fellows that have received the maximum award amount ($7,500) are ineligible for expansion grants.
Program Description
The Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE) provides expanded funding opportunities and support for diverse undergraduate engagement in faculty-guided scholarly research and creative inquiry across all disciplines and programs at Syracuse University.
Research and original creative work have powerful benefits for all students; these experiences demonstrably improve the undergraduate experience for diverse groups of students and across the curriculum. The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) defines undergraduate research as “an inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate student that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline.” SOURCE understands that student research occurs along a spectrum and supports both early-phase and more advanced work. While the faculty-guided projects will be from all fields of study and take many forms, they are all motivated by a spirit of inquiry and participation in the active conversation of a scholarly, professional or creative field of study.
In keeping with the University’s Academic Strategic Plan, the SOURCE Grant Program supports student discovery, innovation, and success, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion, enhancing the climate of research, creativity and scholarship for all our undergraduates. SOURCE funding supports undergraduate work in basic, translational and applied sciences, the arts, media, technology, social sciences, engineering, liberal arts, humanities, and all professional schools.
Award applicants will be selected on a competitive basis to pursue a mentored experience under the guidance of Syracuse University faculty. The funding supports travel, supplies and materials, summer support, and other research expenses. Criteria for selection include academic, creative or professional strength and significance of the proposed project; level of the student’s skills to complete the project as demonstrated by the academic record and faculty mentor recommendation; feasibility of the proposed project; quality of writing in the narrative proposal.
Prior to applying, interested applicants must contact their potential faculty mentor to discuss the project plans and confirm that the faculty member is willing to provide mentorship for the period in question. A brief recommendation form from the mentor is required as part of the application process. Proposals must also include a detailed description of the project, grounded in the academic, creative or professional field, a work plan, indicating the activities that will support the proposed research or creative work, as well as a budget, the timeline of activities, and the plan for dissemination of results.
We encourage applications from teams of students. Each team will appoint a Team Lead. The Team Lead is responsible for submitting the application. Proposal materials should developed collaboratively, and the group will typically work with one faculty mentor. Team members will share one award.
Undergraduate students funded by this program are expected to:
- Conduct original research or creative work, under the direction of a faculty mentor;
- Commit at least 20 hours per week during the summer months, for a total of 200 hours for summer awards, or commit at least 10 hours per week for a total of 400 hours for academic year awards;
- Participate in one research skills workshop and one diversity and inclusion in research workshop offered by the SOURCE;
- Create a Blackboard Portfolio. This will be updated with monthly progress reports, verified by faculty mentors, including hours committed, tasks completed, and reflections on the research;
- Present their work through a SOURCE Symposium;
- Submit a final report through the Blackboard Portfolio
Questions? Contact ugresearch@syr.edu or 315.443.2091