The ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration (OFA) System for The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation in Buddhist Studies 2020-21 competitions is now open for applications.
The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) announces the eighth year of an initiative supporting research and teaching in Buddhist studies, funded by The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation. In cooperation with the Foundation, ACLS offers an integrated set of fellowship and grant competitions supporting work that will expand the understanding and interpretation of Buddhist thought in scholarship and society, strengthen international networks of Buddhist studies, and increase the visibility of innovative currents in those studies.
The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies, administered by ACLS, is committed to inclusion, equity, and diversity as integral components of merit that enhance the scholarly enterprise. It is a priority of this program that cohorts of Fellows and grantees be broadly inclusive of different backgrounds, cultures, and any aspects that make one unique. In Buddhist studies we seek balance in regard to citizenship and university affiliation, as well as in languages, topics, Buddhist traditions, and locations of research.
The Foundation offers five competitions to support teaching and basic research in the humanities and related social sciences.
- The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Dissertation Fellowships in Buddhist Studies
- The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships in Buddhist Studies
- The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Research Fellowships in Buddhist Studies
- The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Grants for Critical Editions and Scholarly Translations
- The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation New Professorships in Buddhist Studies
These are global competitions. There are no restrictions as to the location of work proposed or the citizenship/residence of applicants. Although applications must be written in English, the final products of research may be in any language.
Applications must be submitted through the ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration (OFA) System (ofa.acls.org). Questions should be directed to BuddhistStudies@acls.org Please read the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) before making inquiries.
Please note that Collaborative Fellowships in Buddhist Studies and Visiting Professorships in Buddhist Studies are no longer being offered.
The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Dissertation Fellowships in Buddhist Studies
Fellowship Details
- Stipend: $30,000
- Tenure: 10 consecutive months, initiated by September 30, 2021, devoted full time to the dissertation. No other employment is permitted during the fellowship period.
- Completed applications must be submitted through the ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration (OFA) System (ofa.acls.org) no later than 9 pm Eastern Standard Time, November 16, 2020.
The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Dissertation Fellowships in Buddhist Studies provide stipends to PhD candidates for full time preparation of dissertations. The ten-month fellowship period may be used for fieldwork, archival research, analysis of findings, or for writing after research is complete.
Eligibility
- Pursuit of the PhD degree at an accredited university.
- Completion by April 15, 2021 of all requirements for the PhD degree except research and writing of the dissertation (the equivalent of ABD in the US system). A successful applicant, before being named a Fellow, must provide confirmation of ABD status or equivalent from a university official).
- The application must be written in English by the applicant.
- There are no restrictions as to the location of work proposed or the citizenship/residence of applicants.
- Work proposed must be in the humanities or related social sciences.
Selection Criteria
- Significance of the topic and its potential contribution to Buddhist studies
- Coherence and cogency of presentation
- Feasibility of the plan of work
- Potential of the applicant for a career that will make full use of Buddhist studies expertise
The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships in Buddhist Studies
Fellowship Details
- Annual stipend: $55,000 (In addition, if required, a relocation and health-insurance allowance of $6,000)
- Tenure: Fellowship period must begin between July 1, 2021 and September 30, 2022, and must last for two academic years, subject to the regulations of the host institution. No other employment is permitted during the fellowship tenure.
- Completed applications must be submitted through the ACLS online fellowship and grant administration system (ofa.acls.org) no later than 9 pm Eastern Standard Time, November 16, 2020.
- The fellowship will also provide the host institution with funds for overhead costs, up to 20% of the fellowship stipend.
- Completed applications must be submitted through the ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration (OFA) System (ofa.acls.org) no later than 9 pm Eastern Standard Time, November 16, 2020.
The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships in Buddhist Studies provide two years of funding to recent recipients of the PhD for residence at a university for the purpose of revising the dissertation into a publishable manuscript or for beginning the first new project after completion of the PhD degree. The teaching of one course per year is encouraged. Priority is given to residence at universities or colleges providing a collegial atmosphere and working conditions enabling the postdoctoral Fellow’s entry into a career that will make full use of Buddhist studies expertise.
Eligibility
- Applicants must have the PhD officially conferred by an accredited university no earlier than January 1, 2017.
- The PhD degree must be completed by April 15, 2021 (including defense/deposit and revisions) and conferred by May 31, 2021. (If the date of completion or conferral is after the application deadline, the application must include an institutional statement attesting that all requirements for the PhD will be fulfilled by the dates specified). Before being named a Fellow, a successful applicant must submit proof from a university official that the PhD was completed by April 15, 2021 and conferred by May 31, 2021.
- A scholarly product must be proposed, to be written in any language.
- The application must be written in English by the applicant.
- There are no restrictions as to the location of work proposed or the citizenship/residence of applicants.
- The fellowship-in-residence may be proposed at any university or college EXCEPT at the institution granting the applicant’s PhD or the institution of current temporary or full time employment. The proposed host university must submit via the online reference system a letter confirming willingness to host the applicant for a two-year postdoctoral fellowship-in residence.
Selection Criteria
- Significance of the topic and its potential contribution to Buddhist studies
- Coherence and cogency of presentation
- Feasibility of the plan of work
- Record of the applicant’s previous accomplishments
- Compatibility of the applicant with the proposed university. (The application must include a sample course outline.)
Note to Potential Host Institutions
The applicant must request a letter of support from the host institution at which the applicant plans to spend the two-year fellowship period. This letter must be submitted by the host institution via the online application reference system.
The fellowship provides an annual stipend for the Fellow and offers an allowance for the relocation and health insurance, if covered only partially or not at all by the institution. The fellowship will also provide the host institution with funds for overhead costs, up to 20% of the fellowship stipend. Questions concerning financial details may be addressed to BuddhistStudies@acls.org.
The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Research Fellowships in Buddhist Studies
Research fellowships offer support for research and writing in Buddhist studies for scholars who hold the PhD degree, with priority given to those teaching full time.
These fellowships provide scholars time free from teaching and other responsibilities to concentrate on research and writing for the project proposed. Priority will be given to unemployed or underemployed scholars; emeriti are not eligible. The fellowship period may last up to nine months, during which time no teaching, commissioned research on other topics, or administrative duties are allowed. The fellowship may be separated into two periods, each of which must be a minimum of three months. If the duration is less than nine months (minimum of six months), the stipend will be prorated.
There are no restrictions as to the location of the work conducted. Each applicant must identify a significant scholarly product (monograph, series of journal articles, etc.) that will result from the fellowship. At the end of the fellowship tenure, a final report will be due describing progress made. Fellows will be asked to report to ACLS any publications based on their fellowship work, when they are published.
When accepting a stipend, the Fellow must confirm being officially released from teaching, commissioned research, administrative duties, or other employment during the entire fellowship period.
A Research Fellowship may be held concurrently with other fellowships or grants and with sabbatical pay, but the total received cannot exceed 125% of the Fellow’s academic annual salary. There is no additional financial support for dependents.
Tenure of the fellowship may begin no earlier than July 1, 2021 and must conclude by June 30, 2023.
Fellowship Details
- Stipend: up to $70,000, to provide release from other duties for devoting full time to the proposed project. The exact stipend will be calculated based on the Fellows’ current academic salary and other fellowships, grants, sabbatical salary to be received during fellowship tenure. A nine-month stipend may not exceed 125% of the annual academic salary.
- Tenure: Fellowship period must begin after July 1, 2021, and must end by June 30, 2023. The tenure may last up to nine months (minimum: 6 months) and may be divided into two periods, each of which must be a minimum of three months.
- Applications must be submitted through the ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration (OFA) System (ofa.acls.org) no later than 9 pm Eastern Standard Time, November 16, 2020.
- No university overhead is permitted.
Eligibility
- Applicants must have a PhD degree conferred by an accredited university. (An established scholar who can demonstrate the equivalent of the PhD in publications and professional experience may also qualify.)
- The PhD degree must be completed by November 16, 2020 (including defense and revisions) and be conferred by May 31, 2021. (If the date of conferral is after the application deadline, the application must include an institutional statement attesting that all requirements for the PhD have been fulfilled. A successful applicant will be asked to submit proof of conferral before being named a Fellow.)
- A scholarly product must be proposed; it may be written in any language.
- The application must be written in English by the applicant.
- There are no restrictions as to the location of work proposed or the citizenship/residence of applicants.
Selection Criteria
- Significance of the topic and its potential contribution to Buddhist studies
- Coherence and cogency of presentation
- Feasibility of the plan of work
- Record of the applicant’s previous accomplishments
The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Grants for Critical Editions and Scholarly Translations
Grant Details
- Grant amount: Up to $80,000 for twelve months
- No university overhead is permitted.
- Completed applications must be submitted through the ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration (OFA) System (ofa.acls.org) no later than 9 pm Eastern Standard Time, November 16, 2020.
Critical editions are of crucial importance to the expanding field of Buddhist studies. Translation has been at the core of Buddhism since the Buddha’s instruction to his monks to teach the dharma in many languages.
These grants support a broad range of endeavor, from the creation of critical editions (with full scholarly apparatus), to translation of canonical texts into modern vernaculars, to the translation of scholarly works on Buddhism from one modern language into another.
Collaborative projects are welcome.
Award funds can be used as stipends for work performed (e.g., to secure release time or to pay assistants), for travel, and for related office costs, including reproduction or digitization of images. A budget is required.
There are no restrictions as to the language of the final product prepared for publication.
ACLS offers publication subventions to recipients of these grants who complete manuscripts. Subventions will be considered by the selection committee that meets following completion. They will be awarded on the quality of the written product. To be considered for a subvention, manuscripts should be accompanied by a cover letter and a budget.
If you have a completed manuscript, based on your work during the grant period, please email us at BuddhistStudies@acls.org.
Eligibility
- Individual applicants and leaders of collaborative teams must have PhD degrees conferred by an accredited university. (An established scholar who can demonstrate the equivalent of the PhD in publications and professional experience may also qualify.)
- The application must be written in English by the applicant.
- There are no restrictions as to the location of work proposed or the citizenship/residence of applicants.
Selection Criteria
- Significance of the text to be edited or translated
- The potential contribution to Buddhist studies of the critical edition and/or translation, especially the potential benefit to scholarly communities using the target language
- Feasibility of the plan of work and the budget proposed
- Record of applicants’ accomplishment in scholarship and editing/translation
The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation New Professorships in Buddhist Studies
Grant Details
- Institutions of higher education worldwide are eligible to apply for grants up to $300,000 (to be expended over four years) in support of new teaching positions in Buddhist studies.
- The proposed position must be a new position, not a replacement for a retirement or for an otherwise vacated position in the same or very similar field.
- The establishment of the position must contribute significantly to the institution. This has been taken to mean establishing a curriculum in Buddhist Studies where none has existed or where such a curriculum was in clear and urgent need of support.
- Award funds should be used only for the new professor’s salary, benefits, and research expenses, not for indirect or administrative costs, or office expenses.
- In addition, applicant institutions are eligible to request funds for costs related to a competitive search for the proposed position. The request must not exceed the $300,000 maximum.
- A letter must be attached to the application from the institution’s president, vice-chancellor, rector, provost, or dean expressing the institution’s commitment to maintain the seeded position as a permanent, tenure-track post after the expiration of The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation’s funding, consistent with the university’s policies on tenure-track positions. At institutions without a tenure-track system, the applicant institution must commit to continuing the position for a substantial period after the expiration of grant funding and must provide a description of how this commitment fits its contractual practices.
- The heart of the application is a statement outlining the proposed position—its responsibilities, departmental location, its rank, the fit with the institution’s mission and curricular plans, and the qualifications sought in potential appointees. The statement should describe the process of identifying the appointee.
- Completed applications must be submitted through the ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration (OFA) System (ofa.acls.org) no later than 9 pm Eastern Standard Time, January 8, 2021.
Eligibility
- Institutions of higher education worldwide–accredited colleges and universities–are eligible to apply.
- The application must be written in English.
- This is a global competition. There are no requirements regarding the location of the institution or the language(s) of instruction.
- Applications must include a multi-year plan for matching at least 1/3 of Foundation funding over the grant period, but the matching ratio need not be the same each year. (Please see a sample schedule for sequenced funding that meets the matching requirement here.)
Selection Criteria
- The strength of the institution’s commitment to establishing a tenure-track position in Buddhist Studies. At institutions without a tenure-track system, the applicant must commit to continuing the position for a substantial period after the expiration of grant funding and must provide a description of how this commitment fits its contractual practices.
- Coherence and cogency of presentation
- Feasibility of the proposed budget and plan of establishing the new position
- The institution’s record in teaching and research
Questions on any of the five competitions should be directed to BuddhistStudies@acls.org. Please read the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) before making inquiries.
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