Grants and Funding
Furthering Scholarly Research and Creativity
There are three primary areas of funding for research activities at F&M: internal sources, external federal or state sponsors, and external corporate and foundation sponsors.
Every year F&M faculty receive funding from numerous federal, state and private funders
to implement research, scholarly, creative or community projects that provide opportunities
for F&M students to grow professionally, intellectually, and emotionally. Faculty-led
projects cover the range of scientific, humanistic, and social science research –
from subatomic physics to questions about galaxy formation, from studies of proteins
to studies of ecosystems, and from ancient history and philosophy to modern economics,
government, and culture. 4th in the number of NSF CAREER awards received as of March 1, 2024 (tied with Wesleyan).
The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) program offers the NSF’s most prestigious
awards in support of early-career faculty. 8th in overall number of NSF awards received 9th in institutional expenditures for research and development over the period 2018-2022 Top 8% of the national liberal arts colleges ranked by US News and World Report in the number
of students who obtain their PhDs originating in baccalaureate institutions (Nov.
2018)External Funding
F&M faculty are nationally competitive and have an excellent reputation among peer-institutions
for their scholarship and commitment to student success. F&M’s Office of Sponsored
Research provides comprehensive support for faculty, offering guidance at all stages
of the lifecycle of a grant, including proposal development, budget development, targeted
editing and feedback, submission requirements and procedures, supporting award setup
and closeout, and assistance with post-award compliance and management.
Among national Arts and Science colleges, F&M ranks:
November 22, 2024 Franklin & Marshall's Stephanie McNulty is receiving $200,000, part of a $1.4 million award, shared across four continents by 25 researchers. November 18, 2024 A Franklin & Marshall College religious studies professor has taken a fellowship at a prestigious scholarly center where some of the 20th century’s intellectual titans have studied. June 5, 2024 Ongoing research into robots and machine ethics has resulted in a prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER grant for Jason “Willie” Wilson, assistant professor of computer science at F&M.Professor to Study How Cities Are Reshaping Democracy
F&M Professor Joins Elite Company of Scholars
Willie Wilson Awarded NSF CAREER Grant for Computer Science
F&M has a number of internal research awards available for students and faculty. These
awards are funded by generous gifts from donors or included as part of the College’s
annual budget. Internal funding for faculty and students is managed by F&M's Committee
on Grants. $35,038 supporting 47 student projects $60,861 supporting 40 faculty projects $340,800 for Summer Research Scholars, supporting 86 students assisting 51 faculty projectsInternal Funding
Professional Development
Numerous internal funding awards support faculty research, conference travel or professional development are available through the Office of the Provost and academic departments. While some of these awards are made on a competitive basis, others are made available to faculty on an annual basis to support and encourage conference travel and professional development. Furthermore, other offices on campus occasionally offer professional development funds to faculty. While faculty use funds awarded by the Office of the Provost and other offices for professional development activities that they pursue on their own, the F&M Faculty Center also offers a robust program of professional development for faculty at all stages of their career.
Faculty-Student Research
Every summer, the College supports more than 100 students for research experiences lasting up to ten weeks and taking place on campus or at field sites around the country. A centerpiece of faculty and student joint research at F&M is the Summer Research Scholars program, funded in part by an endowment created by an alumnus, William Hackman of the Class of 1939, and his wife, Lucille. The program involves 80 to 100 students working side-by-side each summer with more than 50 faculty members across campus in innovative projects that span the natural sciences, humanities, social sciences and the arts. During the academic year, students can continue or expand on their summer research by enrolling in independent study courses with their faculty mentor or by becoming a paid research assistant.
December 5, 2024
Student Research Explores Pennsylvania History
Undergraduate research and community-based learning are key components of Reckoning With Lancaster, a curricular project at F&M supported by a Humanities for All Time Grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Students Jessica Kinker ’26 and Hallie Hushion ’25 had a chance to experience both this summer while researching the Carlisle Indian Industrial School.
November 22, 2024
Professor to Study How Cities Are Reshaping Democracy
Franklin & Marshall's Stephanie McNulty is receiving $200,000, part of a $1.4 million award, shared across four continents by 25 researchers.
November 18, 2024
F&M Professor Joins Elite Company of Scholars
A Franklin & Marshall College religious studies professor has taken a fellowship at a prestigious scholarly center where some of the 20th century’s intellectual titans have studied.
Faculty Awarded Over $2.63 Million in Recent Grants & Fellowships
In Spring 2024, more than $2,630,627 in grant and fellowship opportunities was awarded to faculty across various departments, with many award announcements still pending. Faculty and staff have been recognized both nationally and globally for their contributions to a range of academic fields.
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