The Center for the Humanities supports small conferences on focused topics in the humanities.
Events such as film festivals, symposia, panel discussions, round-tables, paper and poster presentations, and the like, taking place over several days are eligible to receive small conference support of up to $5,000.
These guidelines do not stipulate the required format of Small Conferences. However, such an event may include:
Conferences funded in whole or in part by the Center for the Humanities must be free and open to all faculty, staff, and students at Drake; however, pre-registration may be required.
Registration fees may be charged for others to attend, including participants from other institutions, and fees may be assessed to fund events or activities that are not eligible for University funding (such as entertainment).
Center funds may be used to cover such costs as:
Note that the Board may exercise discretion in determining the amount of catering it can afford to cover on a case-by-case basis. This applies to other budget line items, as well.
Small Conference proposals should include two broad components.
The first should detail the topic of the conference, arguing for its significance in or to the Humanities, and should outline the intended goals and audience.
The second component should cover logistics, including timeline, planned (however tentatively) events and activities, participants to be invited, facilities required, and a budget. The proposal should explicitly state the amount of funding requested in its opening paragraph.
Because of the complexity of successful conference planning, those interested in proposing a small conference should consult with the Director for the Center. Proposals should be made well in advance of the conference date, preferably before it has been announced and participation formally solicited.
Spring 2021: The Board will meet on the first Friday of each month in spring 2021. Please submit funding requests one week in advance of any given meeting, to ensure consideration. Spring deadlines fall on Jan. 29, Feb. 26, March 26, and Apr. 30. In general, requests for retroactive funding will not be considered, but faculty may inquire with the Director if extenuating circumstances arise.
While the Board welcomes all proposals, it will be prioritizing individual/collaborative research over other activities and programming.