Funder: Cornell University
Due Dates: November 1, 2026 (Applications open) | January 25, 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to $12,000 per project; funds generally used within approximately two years
Summary: Seed Grants support Cornell faculty social science research with potential for external funding, collaboration, or significant scholarly or policy outcomes.
Key Information: Every applicant must review 3–5 peer applications by the review deadline or their own proposal is disqualified.
Description
Cornell Center for Social Sciences (CCSS) Seed Grants jump-start faculty social science research, with funding from CCSS and Cornell’s Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation. The program prioritizes projects likely to attract external funding, build collaborations among Cornell faculty, or produce significant scholarly or policy outcomes. Examples include completing a book, conducting new analysis for a revise-and-resubmit at a prominent journal, or achieving substantial policy impact.
Research spanning social science disciplines or university units is encouraged, as is interdisciplinary work led or co-led by social scientists. Awards support direct research activities and resources, including data collection, research assistance, research-site travel, replication and archiving, specialized equipment or software, and training directly connected to the proposed research.
