The LeRoy Keller Center for the Study of the First Amendment supports research on topics and issues relating to the nature, meaning, and contemporary standing of First Amendment rights and liberties. This spring the Keller Center is offering several small grant programs open to tenure-track faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates.  Deadline: Rolling.

  • The faculty award program is competitive, and is designed to assist faculty conducting research-related activities on First Amendment issues.  Awards of up to $1,000.
  • The graduate award program is competitive, and provides modest funds to assist all aspects of projects related to First Amendment issues (pilot studies, travel to professional conferences, etc.).  Awards of up to $1,000.
  • The David Mapel undergraduate award provides support for students working on projects related to First Amendment issues (summer projects coordinated with faculty; senior research).  Awards of up to $1,000.

Proposals should be sent in a single PDF to kellercenter@colorado.edu, adhering to the following guidelines:

1. Problem, Design, and Importance. Two pages maximum (single-spaced):

Problem Statement: State the problem and connect it directly to an important empirical or theoretical debate surrounding the First Amendment. Design/Methods: How will the study be designed to address the problem? Provide a brief explanation of what the goals of the study are, and of how the study is constructed to meet those goals (whether to make inferences via data, generate hypotheses, develop an argument, etc.). Importance: What will the project contribute to our understanding of the First Amendment?

2. Budget and Timeline. One page maximum:

Provide a brief budget, a project timeline, and note whether any other funding has been obtained for the project. Faculty and graduate students: If you are incorporating hiring an undergraduate student to be part of your research, please note this in your application and budget.

3. Curriculum Vitae. Faculty and graduate students: Include your CV. Undergraduates should provide the following: major(s), GPA, and name/email address for a faculty member who is willing to serve as a reference.

All proposals will be evaluated by the director, in consultation with the Keller advisory board. Keller award recipients may be asked to present their work to the campus community during the academic year, and all grantees will be required to submit brief final reports within 1 year of receipt of support.