Luce/ACLS Collaborative Grant in China Studies

Program Overview

Between 2021 and 2023, ACLS convened more than 100 scholars, administrators, journalists, librarians, curators, and other stakeholders to identify critical challenges in the field of China studies. In response, ACLS launched the Collaborative Grant program to support innovative pilot initiatives that address pressing needs and drive long-term change in the field. 

Project teams may apply for a grant of up to $120,000 to design and implement initiatives over a period of 12-18 months. Proposed projects must aim to produce scalable and sustainable outcomes that strengthen the scholarly infrastructure of the field. Such outcomes may include pilot graduate training programs, open access digital platforms, cross-institutional partnerships, or OER materials that respond to current needs. Field-wide recommendations and best practices developed through grant-funded activities may be shared with the ACLS Research University Consortium, relevant member societies, and East Asian National Resource Centers.  

Applicants must submit a Letter of Intent prior to submitting a full proposal. Evaluation of applications will be undertaken by a selection committee.

Project Guidelines

Prospective applicants should review the Luce/ACLS Program in China Studies page, the 2023 China Studies in an Uncertain Age report, and the China Studies Digital Mapping Project to understand ACLS’ goals, the needs of the field, and the activities ACLS is already undertaking.  

Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals that address the following priority areas. ACLS particularly welcomes applications that prioritize international and inter-institutional partnerships, support under-resourced institutions, and strengthen the next generation of China scholars. ACLS will also consider innovative proposals that address pressing needs not captured in these categories. Please note that the Collaborative Grant does not support projects whose primary output is a traditional scholarly volume or conference.

• Enabling Productive Engagement – Building capacity among China scholars and academic institutions to engage policymakers, civil society organizations, and public discourse around China-related issues. Elements may include policy advocacy, public education initiatives, coalition building, and developing resources for academic and civic leaders. This strategic engagement may address issues of research security, barriers to international collaboration and exchange, or advocacy to support vulnerable researchers. 
  
• Teaching and Curricular Resources – Developing and enhancing course syllabi, teaching resources, and pedagogical materials that diversify undergraduate and graduate curricula on China. Projects may focus on creating accessible texts, media, and translated primary sources; supporting early career and teaching faculty; establishing best practices for China-focused instruction; fostering inclusive learning environments that encourage international student participation; or expanding programs that provide resources to populations that otherwise have limited access to China studies. 
  
• Open Access Resources – Expanding open access digital resources for teaching and research through digitization, preservation, and platform development, including increased accessibility to existing digital databases and strengthening print collections.
  
• Language Training – Expanding access to language training, especially for less commonly taught languages (e.g., Tibetan, Uyghur), for students and faculty at under-resourced institutions while building on new technology and best practices for language pedagogy and remote instruction. 
  
• Research Innovation – Training programs or resource development to address methodological gaps in traditional graduate education and provide emerging China scholars with skills and models for innovative, cross-disciplinary research. This may include digital humanities; artificial intelligence and machine learning applications that complement humanistic approaches; innovative archival and ethnographic methods; community-based research practices; or interdisciplinary frameworks that bridge China studies and other fields.

Grant Details

• Grant amount: Up to $120,000 (approximately $20,000 per group member for up to six members)
• Grants may support projects of 12-18 months in duration. Projects must be initiated between September 1, 2026, and December 31, 2026, and completed no later than June 30, 2028.
• Grant funds may be used for planning activities, living expenses, or research costs, including, but not limited to:
  • workshops or convenings for project teams
  • research leave, course releases, or summer salary
  • funds for research (e.g., research assistants, database access, travel to libraries)
• Grant funds may be disbursed in one of two ways: as a single grant to a host institution which will then administer all grant funds; or as separate awards (up to six) to each individual team member. If the grant is made as a single award, the host institution must be a US- or Canada-based institution.
• No indirect costs or institutional overhead is permitted.
• Other support may be accepted for the proposed project.
• A midterm report and a final report are required.

Eligibility

• Project teams may comprise up to six members.
• The project’s principal investigator must have a PhD in the humanities or social sciences or equivalent AND be based at an institution (e.g., college, museum, university, library) in the US or Canada.
• Project teams must represent more than one institution. Preference will be given to groups that include:
  1. Scholars in both well-funded institutions and institutions facing financial or other institutional constraints (evidence of which includes no sabbatical or leave policy and teaching loads greater than 2-2).
  2. A range of academic constituencies as relevant (e.g., administrators, adjunct faculty, language training specialists, graduate students, librarians, experts on digital humanities, pedagogy).
  3. Scholars working at universities in countries outside the United States.
  4. Members from different backgrounds with regard to national origin, educational history, and current university affiliation, as well as in disciplinary approaches, topics, and historical periods studied. We encourage engagement with the diaspora, as well as at-risk researchers. 

Application Guidelines

All project teams applying for the Collaborative Grant must submit a Letter of Intent. Following review of LOIs by the committee, a select number of project teams will be invited to submit a full proposal.

Application materials must be submitted through the online application form. Uploaded application materials should be written in English and formatted in Arial or Helvetica 11-point font. The application materials must be submitted as a single upload in PDF format.  

Letters of Intent – Due by 9:00 PM (Eastern Daylight Time) March 31, 2026

ACLS will provide brief feedback on the LOIs in early May.

LOIs must include the following components:

• Name and contact information for the principal investigator, who will serve as the main contact for the project.
• Draft narrative summarizing the proposed project, and its goals and activities (no more than one page).
• A preliminary list of project team members and affiliations (if known), summarizing their roles in the project and brief plan for collaboration (no more than one page).

Full Proposal – Due June 15, 2026

Full Proposals must include the following components:

• The name and contact information of the principal investigator, who will serve as the main contact for the project.
• An abstract of the proposed project (250 words). 
• A proposal (no more than five pages). The narrative must include:
  • Project Title: A brief, descriptive title.
  • Project Rationale: Applicants should explain the proposed project goals and demonstrate how they relate to the aims of the Luce/ACLS program. Applicants should describe the challenge or challenges the project will address and the project’s expected contribution toward the field. The rationale should provide evidence of demand for the proposed intervention and outline a concrete plan for adoption and implementation by the intended users, rather than assuming that simply creating a resource will lead to uptake. 
  • Workplan: Proposals should explain, briefly but specifically, what the project participants plan to do and why, the means and tools to be used to execute the project, and the specific outcomes and deliverables that will be produced by the end of the grant period.  
  • Collaboration: Applicants should outline each team member’s proposed contribution to the project and how the members will collaborate across their institutions, departments, initiatives, and/or external organizations. Examples of successful prior collaborations between the team members are encouraged.
  • Sustainability Plan: The application must address plans for project maintenance, scaling, or future development beyond the grant tenure, including strategies for the preservation of project assets and identifying long-term infrastructure produced through the project.
• A project timeline (no more than one page). Outline the development and execution of the project, including a description of tasks to be accomplished within the grant period. 
• A budget and budget justification (using provided budget template). The budget should provide a detailed account of the proposed use of grant funds. 
  • Project participants do not need to take a supported research leave (such as course buyout), although grant funds may be used toward this purpose if desired. If grant funds will support course buyout or another type of research leave for project team members, the budget must itemize the funds dedicated toward the salary and benefits replacement of each relevant team member. 
  • Grant funds must be distributed equitably amongst the team, taking into account the institutional resources available to each team member.
  • Grant funds may not pay for institutional overhead; direct administrative costs (e.g., office expenses, space rental, honoraria for office assistance) are allowed. 
  • The budget should reflect any proposed cost-sharing measures undertaken by a host institution or a third party. 
  • The budget justification should explain if the grant will be awarded to a host institution which will then administer all the grant funds, or in separate awards (up to six) to each individual. The rationale for the distribution of grant funds should be provided.
• A list of the names and institutional affiliations of project team members with a summary of each member’s role and capacities on the project, and two-page CVs for the principal investigator and each team member.
• An institutional statement of support from a senior administrator at the host institution (e.g., dean, provost, or president). This statement should confirm that the host institution is prepared to administer all grant funds and will support the activities to be undertaken. If the grant is to be disbursed as separate awards to individuals, an institutional statement of support is not required.  

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be reviewed by an external selection committee made up of scholars and experts in China studies.

• The importance of the challenge being addressed for the field of China studies.
• The demonstrated ability of the proposed project team to accomplish the project’s goals successfully.
• The feasibility of proposed project plans.
• The equitable distribution of resources in the project budget
• The project’s potential impact on the field.
• The project’s potential for implementation at scale and/or the project’s plan for long-term sustainability.

Contact

Please email [email protected] with questions. Before submitting an inquiry, please read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).