Criteria for Funding

The purpose of External Scholars Grants is to develop faculty members’ expertise, knowledge and skills and increase disciplinary or pedagogical effectiveness. Individual faculty members, departments and interdisciplinary faculty groups are eligible to apply for funding. The funding is competitive and the primary review criteria will be the following:

• The external scholar’s topic should have broad appeal among the faculty either within or across departments.
• Grant requests should demonstrate that the external scholar will introduce Appalachian State University faculty to new pedagogy or scholarship that may prove useful for teaching or research activities.
• Funding from the grant is intended to support the on campus visit of an external scholar including paying for honoraria, travel, lodging and/or meals of the scholar.
• Applicants should provide a clearly justified itemized budget and identify other sources from which funding has been sought and/or obtained. The honorarium amount must be separated from other expenses because it comes from a separate account. You must provide your best estimate of total other expenses at State-approved rates (travel, meals, lodging), but you don’t need to break those expenses down into separate categories at this stage.
• The maximum amount of funding to be allocated for an individual External Scholars Grant will typically not exceed $1,500.
• Applicants must provide a:
  • Narrative (not to exceed 3 pages) detailing ways in which the external scholar meets the criteria for funding.
  • CV of the external scholar.
  • detailed description of activities while the external scholar is on campus.
  • Itemized budget clearly identifying and separating
    • Amount requested from this grant
    • Amounts requested from other sources
    • Amounts already committed from other sources
    • Amount that will be applied to honorarium
    • Total amount that will be applied to travel, lodging, meals and other expenses
  • Funding will not be provided for:
    
    • experts who address student-only audiences or who focus on non-academic topics.
    • facility rental

Review and Award Procedures

• The University Forum Committee (UFC) will review the proposals and make recommendations for funding to Academic Affairs. Academic Affairs will send the notification of the award to the applicant.
• Due to the competitive nature of the External Scholars Grant Program and the limited funds that are available, the Committee may recommend only partial funding of grants.

Implementation and Evaluation

• Upon notification of a grant award, a grant recipient is required to complete and process all necessary paperwork (contract form, procurement request, etc.)
• The grant recipient should notify Academic Affairs with an updated schedule of the external scholar’s planned activities.
• The grant recipient will submit a brief evaluation of the event to Academic Affairs within two weeks after the visit.

Questions regarding External Scholars Grants should be addressed to:

Sonya Long, Administrative Assistant for University College
Tel: 262-7660
email: longsm@appstate.edu