Tim Kelly
Chair, Grants & Fellowships Committee

The Grants & Fellowships Committee met in Long Beach to review the guidelines for submission of Project Grants and Fellowships. After significant and meaningful discussion, the Committee has proposed and the Board has approved some changes in the manner in which the program operates.

It was determined that the Project Grant application process was cumbersome and called for an extended timeline that did not encourage quick action on new and exciting ideas. Therefore the guidelines will stipulate that Project Grant proposals will be accepted once a year on the following schedule: January 10, proposal deadline; by February 10, the G&F Committee may request additional information for proposals of merit; at the Annual Conference, the G&F Committee will meet to make recommendations; announcement will be made during the Conference of any grant awards, once they have been ratified by USITT’s Board.

Concentrating the Institute’s resources once a year on this program can encourage better proposals that will be acted upon in a more timely manner. A new step in the proposal process will be two readings of each grant application that is considered to be of merit. By contacting the applicants for further information after a first reading, the Committee believes a worthy project may be discovered hidden in a proposal that does not clearly define the undertaking.

During the 2005 funding year, no Fellowship applications will be taken while the Committee refines those guidelines and the Institute’s ability to fund the program is improved.

Over the past nine years the Grants & Fellowships program has provided over $150,000 in funding in support for Institute members. This work fulfills a significant objective in USITT’s Mission: “promoting research, innovation, and creativity by sponsoring projects, programs, and symposia.” Continuing generous support from members will allow USITT to continue this valuable program.

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