LAII Mellon Endowment Field Research Grants

General Conditions

1. Master’s students, or doctoral students at the preliminary stages of their dissertation research, and those pursuing professional degrees are eligible to apply.
2. The LAII Mellon Endowment Field Research Grants are not to be used for advanced dissertation research; they are intended to provide graduate students with early experience conducting hands-on field research in Latin America and the opportunity to develop independent research projects.
3. Citizens of Latin American countries enrolled at UNM are eligible to receive field research grants to conduct research in their home countries provided they have no previous experience on the same project in that country.
4. Priority will be given to first-time applicants, but those who have received a prior LAII Field Research Grant may be considered for subsequent awards if they are doing preliminary work on a substantially new project. Proposals for continued work on the same project will not be funded.
5. Funds are for travel and field-related expenses for field research in the Spanish- and Portuguese- speaking countries of Latin America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela). Research in Spain or Portugal will not be supported.
6. Applications will be accepted from all disciplines. Applicants must address how the research has clear relevance to the human societies of the region studied, which can include developing ethical collaborations with local communities and institutions, training opportunities, and local outreach. Group projects and joint applications are not permitted. If planning collaborative research, each applicant must provide a unique research statement, including information regarding the applicant’s individual role and objectives in the research project.
7. Research must be conducted in the twelve months following April 15, 2025.
8. Students applying for a second FRG must indicate in their research statement what specific results were obtained from the previous research. The Committee is particularly interested in knowing whether the previous investigations resulted in a research paper, publication, or subsequent research awards.

Application Deadline

The deadline is Wednesday, March 26, 2025, 11:59 p.m. Applications must be complete by the deadline to be considered by the Grants and Awards Committee.

Proposal Guidelines

1. LAII field research grants are for the purpose of encouraging foreign area research of direct relevance to Latin America. Travel to Spain or Portugal is not allowed.
2. The grants are primarily intended for relatively brief periods of research, ranging from two weeks to four months. For longer- term projects, these grants may serve as seed grants to support preliminary research leading to funding from other sources.
3. The competition is open to all enrolled graduate students from all academic disciplines, including professional schools, though priority will be given to doctoral students doing preliminary research. The LAII Field Research Grants are not intended for advanced dissertation research, but rather to provide graduate students with their first experience in developing independent research projects and with conducting hands-on field research in Latin America.
4. Awards will cover round-trip travel, and (funding permitting) in-country travel and partial per diem. Applicants are expected to seek funding from other sources to help meet other research expenses and to help ensure that the field research grants can support as many students as possible.
5. Applicants are expected to have adequate facility with the language of the country or community in which the research will be conducted. Applicants should also demonstrate familiarity with the relevant literature on the topic, as well as knowledge of the geographical context for the research. A very important component of the application is the research description with the appropriate methods outlined.
6. Applicants must demonstrate that they have made the necessary contacts with scholars and other professionals in the field site to enable them to conduct the research. Applicants are strongly encouraged to obtain letters of support from such contacts.
7. Citizens of Latin American countries enrolled at UNM are eligible to receive field research grants to conduct research in their home countries provided they have no previous field research experience in that country.
8. Prior to travel and for funds to be released, all awardees are required to submit their projects to the UNM Institutional Review Board (IRB) to obtain approval for human subjects research or a determination that review is not required and submit the resulting documentation to LAII. Information about IRB applications and procedures can be found on UNM’s Human Research Protection Office website at https://irb.unm.edu/, Awardees whose projects will be under the oversight of UNM IRB should also submit the certificate of CITI human research protections training, as required by the UNM IRB office.
9. Prior to travel and for funds to be released, awardees who will be conducting research and other activities involving animals are required to obtain approval from the UNM Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee before departure. Applicants should contact IACUC for the most current deadline schedule. Information about the IACUC can be found at https://hsc.unm.edu/research/oacc/iacuc/index.html. 
10. It is strongly recommended that applicants begin the IRB or IACUC paperwork as soon as possible. Awardees in the past have had to delay their field seasons because the approval process was slower or more complex than anticipated.

Application Procedures

1. Application
   • Application is available online at https://survey.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ezl5j66GuvCJmmO 
2. Research Statement
   • Applicants should provide a carefully edited research statement describing the proposed project that specifies the purpose and goals of the research and outlines the research design and method. It must be clear how the research has relevance to the human societies of the region studied, which can include developing ethical collaborations with local communities and institutions, training opportunities, and local outreach. The statement should be a maximum of four pages (not including references), including a title, double spaced, with one-inch margins, and twelve-point font. In view of the interdisciplinary composition of the Grants and Awards committee, applicants should write their statements in plain language without jargon. If you must use technical, disciplinary terminology, be sure to define your terms. To demonstrate your familiarity with the relevant literature, it is advisable to include bibliographic references. Please work closely with your advisor in drafting this research statement, as they will be able to help you refine your research goals and methodology.
3. Itinerary
   • Also include a research itinerary such as Phase I: Preliminary Research, Phase II: Field Research in sitio, Phase III: Post Research Activities. For each phase, indicate the approximate dates, locations, and activities.
4. Curriculum Vitae or Resumé
   • Include a current curriculum vitae or resumé.
5. Letter of Recommendation
   • Applicants must have one letter of recommendation from their principal faculty adviser. The letter should be submitted directly to Laiibusiness@unm.edu by the faculty member.
6. Transcripts
   • Unofficial graduate transcripts are also required. Social Security number and date of birth should be blacked out on all materials.
7. Evidence of applying for supplemental funding (e.g., GPSA’s Student Research Grant [SRG] and/or Rogers Research Award)
   • Applicants are required to apply for supplemental funding in support of the project. The most common source is the Graduate and Professional Students Association (GPSA). Information on the GPSA Student Research Grant  (SRG) can be found at https://gpsagrants.unm.edu/. Additionally, the Office of Graduate Studies offers the Rogers Research/Project Award; more information can be found at: https://grad.unm.edu/funding/research-travel-grants/rogers-research.html. Please include a copy of the email confirming submission of your application for supplemental funding. Failure to receive another award will not disqualify you from receiving the FRG.
8. Evidence of Contacts and Support
   • Although not required, letters of support from organizations or individuals affiliated with the project in the host country, or evidence of collaboration such as email correspondence, support the research proposal and can make a difference in the selection process. Letters of support should be included in the application.
9. Budget and Budget Justification
   • Use this budget and budget justification form to provide a breakdown of field research costs. Download this form, fill it out, and upload it to the application portal. Download this form, fill it out, and upload it to the application portal. The budget should clearly state the amounts requested from the LAII, other sources such as SRG, and personal funds. Describe per diem expenses such as housing and meals and equipment expenses in as much detail as possible. Also provide a general estimate for other transportation in-country such as taxi, bus, and train.
10. Airfare Quote
    • Applicants must indicate the airfare in the budget and include a screenshot of the airfare quote and schedule from an online travel service as Kayak, Orbitz, Travelocity, Expedia, etc.

Application Submission

Applicants must submit their materials electronically at https://survey.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ezl5j66GuvCJmmO. Complete applications are due Wednesday, March 26, 2025, 11:59 p.m.

Selection Procedures

1. Awardees will be selected by the LAII Grants and Awards Committee. The committee members are representative faculty from the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and professional schools with significant experience in Latin America.
2. Complete applications and supplementary materials will be accepted until Wednesday, March 26, 2025 , 11:59 p.m.. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide a complete application by the deadline indicated, and to allow their faculty advisors sufficient time to submit letters to the LAII by the deadline.
3. The Committee will have approximately two weeks to review the applications and will then meet to make the awards. Applications are reviewed and awarded solely upon merit.
4. Award recipients will be notified within one week after the committee meets and will have up to two weeks from the date of the award letter to accept the award. If an awardee should decline the award, the next highest alternate will be awarded.
5. Applicants awarded a grant are responsible for obtaining a valid passport, required immunizations, required visa, health insurance, and for complying with UNM’s international travel policy.
6. Awardees must provide the LAII Unit Administrator, Laiibusiness@unm.edu, with documentation of IRB approval or determination from IRB that approval is not required before the first day of travel for funds to be released.

Post-Award Procedures

1. After returning from the field, awardees must submit a brief report on their research activity and a summary of expenses. Future funding requests by the applicant for any future LAII funding will not be considered until final reports have been received.
2. Awardees are required to share their field research experience and findings by participating in the Student FRG Colloquium.
3.  If any publication results from the research, the support of the LAII Field Research Grant must be acknowledged. For more information, see https://laii.unm.edu/funding/expectations-for- acknowledgment.html.