Funding Opportunities in the Humanities & Humanistic Social Sciences

Current external funding opportunities for Humanities and Humanistic Social Sciences, with deadlines from June through December 2026, are available here: https://mailchi.mp/umbc/funding-opportunities-humanities-humanistic-social-sciences-summer-fall-2026?e=[UNIQID]

CARAT (Creative Achievement and Research Administration Team) assists CAHSS faculty with research development and pre- and post-award services. CARAT offers a range of support activities for faculty seeking extramural funding, including drop-in sessions, individual consultations, workshops, and co-sponsored sessions. Check our website and myUMBC group for upcoming activities.

Faculty seeking to develop extramural grants and fellowships should submit a CARAT Consultation Request form for research development support, or a CARAT Proposal Development Request form for help in preparing and routing an application for a known opportunity. To request a consultation or to begin a proposal, visit our pre-award assistance webpage (you must be logged-in to myUMBC to complete CARAT request forms). The lead time for fellowship proposal development is 2-3 business weeks, and at minimum 4 business weeks for grant proposal development. CARAT reserves the right to decline proposal requests that do not include adequate lead time. External grant and fellowship applications must be routed for university approval in either UMBC's Kuali system or through the CAHSS internal routing form before submission. Plan additional time (5-7 business days) for routing.

Rachel Brubaker, CARAT’s Associate Director for Research Development, retires on June 1, 2026. Contact CARAT Director Dr. Marc Ruppel (mruppel@umbc.edu) with questions about CARAT’s pre-award services. Consult with your department chair or program director before beginning any funding application!

PI Eligibility: UMBC uses Kuali, a cloud-based research administration tool, for proposals and awards. UMBC faculty, who are identified as a Principal Investigator (PI), Co-Investigator, or Key Person on proposals and awards, must obtain and then maintain PI eligibility in order to develop external funding proposals and receive awards at UMBC. This includes all faculty on the tenure track. Teaching Professors may also become PI Eligible through an exception process. Becoming PI Eligible involves completing the following trainings in CITI: Principal Investigator Research Administration Training and Education (PIRATE), and the Research Security Combined Module, as well submitting a PI Eligibility request form via DocuSign (after trainings are completed). PI applicants must also obtain PeopleSoft Finance and PAW Access. Both CITI trainings are required to apply for any external funding, including from non-federal sponsors. NOTE: Faculty will need to re-take and renew their PIRATE certification three years from the date of completion.

Visit CARAT's website for FAQs on proposals and research policies and procedures at UMBC: https://carat.umbc.edu/support-for-pis/faqs/.