Summary of Grant Opportunities and Deadlines

CMCS Grant Opportunities and Deadlines

The Center for Material Culture Studies is pleased to offer several sources of funding to University of Delaware graduate and undergraduate students pursuing research in material culture studies. CMCS also offers funding opportunities to faculty seeking publication subventions and support for class field trips. Please click on the title of each award for further details and application instructions. 

Please note the following terms for CMCS awards for graduate students: 
  • Funding caps: doctoral students are eligible to receive a maximum of $3500 in CMCS awards (excluding DELPHI fellowships) over the duration of their degree programs; masters students are eligible to receive a maximum of $2000 in CMCS awards (excluding DELPHI fellowships) over the duration of their degree programs.
  • Acceptance of CMCS awards: awardees are responsible for checking and confirming their eligibility to accept and hold a CMCS award free of conflict, and concurrently with, any other department, program, or university awards.

The CMCS Graduate Research Fund in Black and African American Material Culture Studies
Up to $500 each for 2 students annually to support graduate students whose research addresses Black and/or African American material culture studies.
Application Deadline: November 1 and March 15

The CMCS Graduate Research Presentation Fund
Up to $500 each for up to 2 students annually to support graduate students presenting original research at a public venue.
Application Deadline: November 1 and March 15

The CMCS Graduate Research Publication Subvention Fund
Up to $500 each for up to 2 students annually to support graduate student publications.
Application Deadline: November 1 and March 15

Unidel Louise Roselle Collections-Based Research Travel Award
Individual awards of up to $4500 will be available for summer research travel to libraries, archives, and museums worldwide.
Application Deadline: March 15

The CMCS Graduate Research Travel Fund
Up to $1000 each for up to 2 students annually to support graduate student research travel.
Application Deadline: November 1 and March 15

Collections-Based Seminar or Workshop
Up to $250 each for 2 graduate students annually to help offset expenses of attending collections-based seminars or workshops with material culture content.
Application Deadline: November 1 and March 15

Finkel Fund
Up to $1,500 to support undergraduate or graduate students accepted for a material culture related internship in Summer 2024
Application Deadline: November 1 and March 15

Friends of Rockwood Fund
Typically up to $1,500 to support a graduate student researching Victorian-era material culture
Application Deadline: March 15 only

Student awardees have 10 months to expend their awards and complete their proposed work:  awards made in November are to be completed by September 30 of the following year; awards made in March are to be completed by January 31 of the following year. Use this requirement to help determine the applicable timelines for your proposal and research. In accepting a grant, the awardee allows CMCS to use any original materials they submit (such as a report and images) for promotional purposes, which could include posting to the CMCS website and social media.


In addition to the funding opportunities listed above, the Center is pleased to offer funding to subsidize field trips with a material culture component (involving visits to collections, fieldwork). These awards, up to $500, are reserved for faculty teaching undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Delaware. Awards are on an ad hoc basis, and interested parties can send requests to materialculture@udel.edu.