CFP & FAQs FOR 2024

The American Ethnological Society (AES) announces a small grant competition for students who are in the first or second year of a PhD program in anthropology or allied fields. Projects that involve ethnographic field research and/or documentary research are eligible for consideration and may commence as early as May 2024 and should be completed by October 2024. Exploratory research, that is part of a planned dissertation project, is encouraged.

Send all application materials by March 29, 2024, 5:00pm EST. Winners will be announced in May.

Please read the instructions and FAQs below before making inquiries about the application process or submitting an application.

Proposal Writing Instructions:

(1) The proposal must outline the significance of the project, the main research questions, the methods used to analyze the questions, and the potential impact of the project.
(2) The proposal can be no more than two double-spaced pages in 12-point font, with one-inch margins and numbered pages.
(3) The first page should have the applicants name and a title that fit in two lines.
(4) The list of references cited may be single-spaced but not more than one additional page.
(5) Include a curriculum vitae of no more than one page.
(6) Submit a budget of up to $2,000, which must indicate if other funding has been obtained or is anticipated (one page maximum).

Submission Instructions:

Applicants must upload all documents except the letter of support. A letter of support must come from the applicant’s faculty advisor. The listed advisor will automatically be emailed with instructions on how to submit.

The advisor’s letter of support should be a brief letter certifying that the applicant is in the first or second year of their PhD program and that the project meets with the advisor’s approval. 

Post-Fieldwork Documentation: Grantees are encouraged to write a short reflective essay on their fieldwork and project findings for possible consideration for our online digital content. 2024 AES grantees who present their fieldwork at the spring 2025 AES meeting are eligible to receive $250 in travel support at attend.

Apply Today!

To apply for thesis funding, please fill in the form.

Upload Proposal (Maximum two pages, 12-point font): The proposal must outline the significance of the project, the main research questions, the methods used to analyze the questions, and the potential impact of the project.

Upload one page full summer research budget and indicate other funding sources if applicable.

Upload one page CV

Dissertation Advisor and Recommender Information

Post-Fieldwork Documentation: Grantees are encouraged to write a short reflective essay on their fieldwork and project findings for possible consideration for our online digital content. 2023 AES grantees who present their fieldwork at the spring 2024 AES meeting are eligible to receive $250 in travel support at attend.