Note about indirect costs: The AAS is unable to support funding requests for indirect costs from applicants to its small grant programs. The AAS is a membership organization rather than a funding agency, and conducts its grant programs as a service to the field through the voluntary help of its members. Funds for all grant programs originate from outside agencies, and individual awards are quite modest. We therefore require applicants’ home institutions to waive their normal indirect cost requirements.

• Applicants must be current AAS members.
• If you need to apply for or renew your AAS membership, please be sure to take care of this before the grant application deadline, especially when a deadline falls on the weekend.
• Only one Korea grant application per individual will be accepted in any one grant period. Multiple applications for different categories will not be entertained.
• Graduate student applicants in any grant category (where eligible) must provide an advisor recommendation letter—sent directly to the AAS by the advisor—in order to be considered for grant funding.
• Any applicant’s research project that requires IRB or similar approval by law or institutional practice should receive this approval from the applicant’s institution or sponsoring organization prior to conducting the research for which this NEAC grant application is made. NEAC (or the AAS by extension) bears no responsibility or liability for awarding any NEAC Research Travel Grant for projects where this IRB approval should have been secured.
• While we strongly suggest that applicants apply to other internal or external grants to help supplement their NEAC-funded projects, please be advised that multiple grants cannot pay for the same project expense items.

The following are additional questions to guide you in your proposal writing. They are based on the criteria NEAC uses to evaluate proposals:

NEAC Travel Grants

1. Does your proposal clearly articulate a project that makes a strong intellectual contribution to the field of Korean Studies?
2. Is this an original idea/research project? Or does it merely revisit established scholarship?
3. Are the necessary methodologies clearly described?
4. Do you have the skills (including language ability) to complete your proposed travel grant research? If not, how do you plan to conduct your research (in Korean)?
5. Does your proposal describe a project that needs a travel grant? Are you utilizing source materials that you cannot obtain at your home universities or online? Please explain your need to travel to specific archives or field sites.
6. Do you specifically describe how you will use the travel grant? For example, do you list particular archives, events, places to visit, and people to interview? Have you received permission to use the resources you describe?
7. Can you accomplish your goals within the timeframe of the NEAC grant?
8. NEAC grants are intended to provide short-term project funding to get something specific completed instead of doing discovery work or long-term research. Does your project meet this requirement? Examples include but are not limited to completing a book, a chapter in an otherwise completed book, and an article; conducting follow-up interviewees, filling in missing information, and updating a datasets.
9. Do you have access to other financial resources to fund/help fund this project?
10. Does your institution have limited resources or limited funding for research and/or does your present academic appointment lack research funding?
11. Is your budget reasonable? An inflated budget will not disqualify an applicant, but may result in a lower amount being awarded than requested.
12. Please double check that your application follows the NEAC grant criteria and guidelines posted on the AAS website. Are all parts of your application complete? If you are a graduate student, did you provide a letter from your advisor?

For guidance in preparing your NEAC Korean Studies travel grant application, please see this successful proposal from a prior round of funding.

NEAC Conference (Workshop/Seminar) Grants

In general, NEAC often considers 1) how well planned the conference is, 2) whether it focuses on central questions and issues important to the field, 3) how significant its impact on the field or institution will be (i.e., will it benefit only a small group of people or would it have broader pedagogical or research value, and/or encourage the establishment of Korean Studies programs), and 4) if it has other sources of funding.

1. Does the proposed conference make a strong intellectual contribution to the field of Korean Studies? How does the exchange of ideas contribute new knowledge, research, or pedagogies? Why is it necessary for scholars to get together to discuss this topic or issue?
2. How will the conference enrich scholars outside the conference? Or is it limited to a small or closed group? For example, will it result in new pedagogies, resources, or publications? (This is not required, but recommended.)
3. Is the format of the conference clear?
4. Does the application list all invited participants (NEAC understands that all participants may not be confirmed by the time of application)? How were the participants selected?
5. Does the conference have a strong need for funding? Or would NEAC funds be supplemental?
6. Are the organizer(s), keynoter (if applicable), and principal participants C.V.s and other supporting materials provided?
7. Is the budget reasonable? An inflated budget will not disqualify an applicant, but may result in a lower amount being awarded than requested. Conference and workshop grant applicants must prepare a detailed budget estimate demonstrating all expected sources of funding/revenue, expenses, and how precisely NEAC funds would be utilized.
8. Please double check that your application follows the NEAC grant criteria and guidelines posted on the AAS website. Are all parts of your application complete? 
9. Will the conference or workshop be completed within the timeframe of the NEAC grant?

For guidance in preparing your NEAC Korean Studies conference/workshop grant proposal, please see this example of a successful grant application from a prior round of funding.

Please view this document for step by step instructions on how to apply to a NEAC Grant.

What you will need:

(a) A project statement, not to exceed 1,000 words. The project statement must describe the topic of this project and the role that NEAC support will play in enabling the project’s completion. For research travel applications, the project statement should indicate the specific research or professional activities you will be engaged in, what archives, libraries, or other research facilities you intend to use, your tentative itinerary and a schedule of expected completion of project and/or publication. Please also indicate: Is this your first trip to the planned research site or a follow-up trip to collect information not obtained on an earlier visit? Is this particular research trip crucial to completion of your project? Why?
(b) A budget statement, delineated by type of expense. Please list all other sources and amounts of support you have obtained for this project as well as all pending applications for support. All applicants must seek additional support. Conference & workshop grant applicants must prepare a detailed budget estimate demonstrating all expected sources of funding/revenue, expenses, and how precisely NEAC funds would be utilized.
(c) A current Curriculum Vitae not exceeding two pages for the applicant. NOTE: For conferences or workshops, you must also provide similar short CVs for the conference organizer and any keynoters or principal participants.

Graduate students: request that your primary advisor prepare a letter of recommendation. Graduate students must add their advisors in their application portal and invite them to submit their recommendation. Recommenders will submit their letter by clicking on the link in the auto-generated email they will receive from grants@asianstudies.org. It is suggested that recommenders write their letter in a word processor and then copy and paste the text into the textbox. Please note that you will not be able to submit your final application until your recommender submits the letter of recommendation.

• All grant applications and advisor letters must be submitted by 5:00pm Eastern Time on or October 1 (for fall/winter awards), or the first business day following if October 1 falls on a weekend.
• Notification of awards will be made in late November/early December for the fall/winter awards.
• To facilitate the review and notification process, all travel and/or conference projects must begin after the relevant grant cycle, i.e., after December 1 for the fall submission date.
• All projects must be completed by August 31 of the following year (indicated in the award letter).
• Submission of a NEAC grant report and all applicable forms is required within 30 days of project/research travel completion.
• NOTE: AAS grants take the form of reimbursement rather than payment in advance, and only after project completion and grant report/form submission. Original receipts need to be retained and reimbursement is only for eligible expenses incurred up to the amount of the grant awarded.

Travel Grants during COVID-19

Are hotel, food, and travel costs due to mandatory quarantine periods eligible for reimbursement?

Yes, hotel, food, and travel costs due to mandatory quarantine are eligible for reimbursement.

My travel location was labeled as a city with medium-risk, and I cannot travel to another travel location that I was originally planning. Can I change my research location?

If you need to change travel locations due to on-the-ground conditions, please contact the AAS Grant Manager at grants@asianstudies.org to ensure it does not mark a significant departure from your original travel grant application.

Are equipment rentals eligible for reimbursement?

Yes, certain equipment rentals such as pocket wifi are eligible for reimbursement.

Can I pay my interview subjects honoraria?

If you are unable to travel in order to interview subjects, you may pay honoraria for their time in the case of NEAC Japan Grant projects.

What receipts are accepted if I stay in a sublease rather than a hotel or Airbnb?

Lodging receipts in the case of subleases should include a personal contract and proof of money transfer to be eligible for AAS reimbursement

I originally planned to fly for my North America travel grant, but the cost of car rental is cheaper. Is car rental an eligible travel expense for reimbursement?

If you originally budget for airfare in your grant application but find driving and/or car rental costs cheaper or similar to or equivalent RT airfare, the cost of car rental will be eligible for reimbursement.

Workshops, Conferences, and Seminar Grants

My co-organizers and I have limited funds. Can an instuition bill AAS directly for room rental costs?

Yes, please contact the AAS Grant Programs Manager at grants@asianstudies.org if you need to bill AAS directly due to limited funds of workshop, conference, or seminar co-organizers.

What costs are eligible for reimbursement with AAS grant funds with my virtual event?

Honorarium for speakers, Zoom hosting, A/V equipment costs, stipends for student logistical support working those events.