The College of Arts and Letters offers a maximum of two (2) summer promotion incentive grants to support research, scholarship, and creative activities that will advance an application for promotion to full professor. These grants are designed for those who are senior associate professors—defined as those who have been at the rank of Associate Professor for at least seven years and who could benefit from summer support to move them toward an application for promotion. Projects funded by the College should benefit the faculty member, reflect departmental/school and college level goals, and further the mission of James Madison University. Grants support the activities and conditions necessary to complete the project, including faculty salaries, travel expenses, childcare, and/or other research related costs.

Award amount: $7,000

Deadline: Friday, February 13, 2026

Eligibility and conditions of acceptance:

• Applicants must be full-time faculty members in the College of Arts and Letters who have held the rank of Associate Professor for at least seven years.
• Applicants must have never been awarded a promotion incentive grant.
• Recipients agree not to teach or take on other significant paid employment in the summer of the award.
• Faculty are expected to produce the necessary scholarship/creative activity to be promoted within four years of receipt (i.e., if a faculty member receives a grant in the summer of 2026, they are expected to be promoted in August 2030). Should the faculty recipient not successfully be promoted during this period, they will be ineligible for department internal educational leaves, CAL educational leaves, and CAL summer grants until they are promoted.
• If projects involve research or data collection using human subjects, the applicant must acknowledge that Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval is required of all awarded grants. See Policy 1104.
• If projects involve research or data collection using live, vertebrate animals, the proposer must acknowledge that Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approval is required. See Policy 2202.

Application components:

Please submit the following materials in a single pdf to Laura Wisman (wismanlb@jmu.edu)

• Completed application form
• Brief description of how the promotion incentive grant would catalyze efforts toward promotion. Please be clear and explicit about how the award will move you toward promotion in the framework of departmental and college promotion guidelines. (250-word maximum)
• Description of project that will be worked on with the aid of the promotion incentive grant (500-word maximum) that (1) clearly and succinctly states the project's objectives and significance; (2) situates the project within current research in the field or discusses its creative consequence to artist and audience (Attach a 2-page maximum bibliography if applicable); (3) outlines methods, schedule of activities, and work plan, including place where work will be performed; and (4) addresses publication plans.
• Curriculum Vitae

Evaluation process:

The CAL Research, Awards, and Development Committee, comprised of a representative from each academic unit, will consider all eligible proposals. The Associate Dean for Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities serves as a non-voting chair of the committee. The committee’s recommendations are not subject to appeal; however, the committee maintains minutes and, upon written request by an applicant, will provide a summary of discussion of the applicant’s proposal after the announcement of awards.

Review criteria:

• Degree to which the award will help the applicant meet promotion criteria
• Clarity and quality of the proposal: Clarity of expression and organization of the proposal.
• Feasibility of the project goals and proposed plan of work: Work plan is appropriate for achieving the project’s goals. Timeline is feasible.
• Significance: Describes why the project is important and how it advances knowledge and/or meets a need in a way that is accessible and compelling to non-specialists.
• Need for funding: Discusses how CAL financial support will advance the project; applicant has not received recent funding for the project.

Please read word count limits and other rules carefully. The committee will not consider applications that do not adhere to all guidelines. Note that the committee is a multi-disciplinary group and that it is important to explain your work in an accessible way.

Notification and timing of the award:

The CAL Research, Awards, and Development Committee will forward proposals recommended for funding to the dean. The dean of the College will notify grant recipients in writing by mid-spring semester. The award will be distributed during the summer of 2026. Please note that all awards are contingent on funding.

Reporting requirements and acknowledgements:

At the completion of grant-funded activities, a written report of accomplishments must be submitted to the Academic Unit Head and Dean by Monday, October 5, 2026. The report should include a description of contributions of the grant to the faculty member, department/school, and the college/university. For projects requiring IRB or IACUC approval, grant recipients must include with the report a copy of the appropriate approval form. Failure to file this report may impede the award of a future grant. Any publication or exhibition resulting from the grant should acknowledge CAL funding.

Name: 

Department:  

Rank: 

Years in rank: 

Title/subject of project: 

What percentage of the project are you responsible for? 

Please confirm your eligibility by checking the statements that apply to you. 

I am at the rank of Associate Professor. _____ 

I have been in rank for at least seven years. _____ 

If I receive a Summer Research Grant, I agree not to teach any classes in summer 2026 or take on other significant paid work. _____ 

I have never received a CAL promotion incentive grant. _____ 

I am not currently a member of the CAL Research, Awards, and Development Committee. _____ 

I plan to return to full-time teaching at JMU in the academic year following the Summer Research Grant. _____ 

If my project involves research or data collection using human subjects or live, vertebrate animals, I acknowledge that IRB and/or IACUC approval is required. _____ 

I have informed my Academic Unit Head that I have applied for a Promotion Incentive Grant. _____