History of Economics Society Growth and Outreach Fund
The History of Economics Society was formally constituted in 1974 to promote interest in the history of economics and related disciplines; to facilitate communication and discourse among scholars working in the field of the history of economics; and to disseminate knowledge about the history of economics.
In 2013, the Society created the New Initiatives Fund, a broad and ambitious program designed to help fulfill our institutional mission. Over the years, the Fund helped numerous HES members develop projects that promised to result in a public good to the history of economics community. Initiatives funded have included summer schools, digital resources, online workshops, and a podcast series.
After ten years of experience, the Society decided it was time to rethink the program and sharpen its focus. We are thus proud to announce the launch of the new Growth and Outreach Fund, which aims to increase and strengthen the international community of scholars engaged with HES and foster institutional collaboration between HES and other institutions.
The Society welcomes proposals designed to expand the reach of our activities, attract new people to our community, and create scholarly interaction between members and non-members. This might take the form of broader international scope, cross-disciplinary engagements, dialogues with non-academic audiences, and increased diversity, among others. Initiatives directly connected to the HES annual conference, such as workshops and joint sessions, will be reviewed favorably, though this is not a requirement for eligibility. The location of the next two conferences is usually posted on the Society’s website. Applicants should not hesitate to contact the Secretary for further information regarding upcoming locations.
Only HES members are eligible to apply for funding. The Society allocates a total of $30,000 per year for this program and hopes to fund as many projects as possible. All participants involved in approved proposals must have become HES members by the time the funded initiative begins.
Proposals will be received and evaluated on a rolling basis by a committee appointed by the HES President; recommendations from this committee are then voted on by the Society’s Executive Committee. Applicants are encouraged to discuss the ways in which the project could support the mission of HES, as specified above.
Multi-year initiatives will be viewed more favorably if they include plausible plans for developing independent sources of ongoing funding. Funding from the Society is not an ongoing commitment but may be renewed at the committee’s discretion.
As a small academic nonprofit organization, it is the policy of HES not to pay overhead on grants unless in exceptional circumstances.
Guidelines and Proposal Format
Proposals should not exceed 1,500 words and must include the following:
- Cover page providing the names, mailing addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of all proposers.
- Proposal narrative addressing:
- Tentative dates, proposed location, as applicable;
- Major features and specific activities of the proposal, detailing how they promise to expand the scope and reach of HES;
- Personnel who will be involved and their roles.
- A detailed budget indicating how the dollar figure requested was determined, how the money will be used and when. Proposers should make clear the amount and type of professional services (including transportation and lodging) they require. Proposers must show that they have a good grasp of the amount and cost of the services they will require. (It is most helpful to include actual price quotes from providers.) Lastly, the proposers should indicate how they would curtail the scope of the proposal if they encounter higher than anticipated costs, or if their proposal is only partially funded.
- A one-page vita from each applicant, highlighting professional activities relevant to the proposal.
Each grant recipient must submit a report to the HES President following completion specifying how the funds were utilized, summarizing the activities, and reporting on evaluation results.
How to Apply
Proposals should be submitted electronically as PDF files to the History of Economics Society Office Manager at hes@uwosh.edu. They will be received on a rolling basis and evaluated within the shortest possible delay.
Mario Cedrini