SBSRI Dissertation Research Grants

SBSRI Dissertation Research Grants is a funding program from the Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Institute (SBSRI) at the University of Arizona that funds dissertation research for advanced PhD candidates. Grants of up to $3,000 support graduate students who have advanced to PhD candidacy and need funding to conduct their dissertation research.

Allowable expenses include research-related travel, subject payments, supplies, small equipment, and computers. Each student may receive only one Dissertation Research Grant, and prior awardees are not eligible. Eligible applicants are PhD candidates in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Arizona.

SBSRI Funding | College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Research Institute SBSRI funding competitions to the page for that group Competition Applications (2025-2026) Click here for SBSRI's Competition Guidelines for AY2025-2026. The applications, accessible via SBS's Arizona Cultivate microsite, have launched and are now accessible via the "Apply to SBSRI Competitions" button.

Spring 2026 Deadline: Applications must be submitted by 5:00 p. m. , Monday, January 26th Apply to SBSRI Competitions SBSRI offers the following awards for faculty and students in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

All are subject to funding availability, and all expenditures are handled through the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences in accordance with University policies and procedures. It is the Principal Investigator's (PI's) responsibility to learn about those policies and follow those procedures. Unit business managers can help, as can SBSRI staff.

If you receive an award, you must credit SBSRI as you disseminate your research. The SBS Leveraging Grant Competition is suspended until further notice. We are reconfiguring the competition guidelines and will send a college-wide announcement when the competition re-opens.

SBS Grant Development Professorship Applicants should target a minimum of $1M in external funds. Well-justified exceptions for a lower amount will be considered in cases of extraordinary institutional significance and potential impact. The submitted proposal, if awarded, must have impact beyond an individual PI’s research program.

Forms of impact may include: Research innovation through integrative, interdisciplinary team science or scholarship. Infrastructure development: creation of new or upgraded facilities (labs, scientific instruments, digital resources) that will benefit multiple users.

Financial ROI: potential to scale to even larger longer-term funding ($5M+) Student success: Creation or improvement of curriculum or related high-impact practices at programmatic scale. External partnerships: community-engaged or use-inspired initiatives with partners from government, industry, or civil society.

Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with Jane Zavisca, SBS Associate Dean for Research, and Beth Stahmer, SBSRI Director, about the potential fit of the target external proposal with the goals of this opportunity prior to submission. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, through Arizona Cultivate .

A limited number of professorships will be awarded each fiscal year; check Arizona Cultivate to confirm the competition remains open. SBS Grant Development Professorship Guidelines Dissertation Research Grants Up to $3,000 for graduate students who have advanced to PhD candidacy and who require funding to conduct their dissertation research.

Allowable expenses include research-related travel, subject payment, supplies, small equipment, and computers and related equipment. These grants do not support publication costs, student/PI supplemental compensation, normal living expenses, conference-related registration fees and/or travel expenses. Students may be awarded only one Dissertation Research Grant; prior awardees are not eligible.

Graduate Interdisciplinary Program (GIDP) students should contact Beth Stahmer to determine eligibility. See guidelines for further information. Pre-doctoral Research Grants Up to $600 for PhD and Master's level research activities.

Allowable expenses include research-related travel, subject payment, supplies, small equipment, and computers and related equipment. These grants do not support publication costs, student/PI supplemental compensation, normal living expenses, conference-related registration fees and/or travel expenses. Students may be awarded only one Pre-doctoral Research Grant; prior awardees are not eligible.

GIDP students should contact Beth Stahmer to determine eligibility. See guidelines for further information. Award Expenses and Activity Reporting All applicants receiving awards must report on their expenditures and activities via a final report in Arizona Cultivate after the end of the funding period.

If you have any questions about SBSRI's funding contact Beth Stahmer, Director SBSRI ( estahmer@arizona. edu ), before submitting a proposal or a report.