International and Nuclear Security

2024 Nuclear Security Grant Program

This program is open to tenure-track junior faculty (untenured) or the equivalent at a research institute who are conducting nuclear security research as defined by the Foundation: an umbrella term that includes nuclear war, nuclear terrorism, nuclear proliferation, nuclear weapons, nuclear force posture, and, as it relates to security, nuclear energy. The Foundation will only fund proposals that have a primary and clear connection to nuclear security. Individuals or groups can apply for a single grant as long as it is clear who is the lead contact for the proposal and their intended contribution to the project. The program is open to both US and international scholars, excluding those based in Russia. Grants, which are expected to range from $25,000-$90,000 for one year, should be used for research that will result in a publishable product at the end of the grant period. Grant money will not be awarded solely for conference or travel expenses or for more than a half-time course buyout in any single year (with approval from the grant selection panel).

Application Process

The application process involves two stages.

STAGE 1

The purpose of Stage 1 is to determine the applicant’s eligibility for the grant – that is, whether the applicant’s position and intended research proposal meet the Foundation’s guidelines. Applicants should be assistant professors (or untenured associate professors where applicable) or the equivalent at a research institute at the time that they submit their application. All qualified applicants should send their CV and a 1-page description of their research plan to Erica Carere at ecarere@thestantonfoundation.org by July 1, 2024.

Specifically, the 1-page description should:

  • Answer the question: On what nuclear issue do you plan to work and why is it important?
  • Indicate the name of the lead contact and their expected contribution to the project if it is a group proposal.
  • Separately from the 1-page description, all research institute applicants should also include their institution’s policies on promotions and titles, if possible.

There is no need to include any budget information as part of Stage 1.

STAGE 2

The Foundation’s Advisory Panel will review each Stage 1 proposal and notify applicants by August 1, 2024 if they have advanced to Stage 2. Stage 2 requires applicants to submit a more detailed proposal and a budget, no more than 4 pages in total length. Grants will be awarded for projects that last one year and annual awards are expected to range from $25,000-$90,000 each year.

Specifically, each Stage 2 proposal should answer the following questions:

  1. What is the big question that you are seeking to answer about your chosen issue?
  2. How are you going to answer your question? What methods will you use and what evidence or cases will you explore?
  3. What is your hypothesized answer to the question you are asking? That is, what is your argument or conclusion even if it is still tentative at this point?
  4. How does your work fit into the existing work on your subject?
    • What alternative arguments or explanations exist and why is your answer superior?
    • How does your work add to or change our understanding of the issue that you are studying?
    • What do you see as your most important contribution?
  5. What policy implications might flow from your work?
  6. What concrete recommendations can you offer to policymakers?
  7. What is your budget? At a minimum, the budget should show salary/benefits, course buyout, and administrative costs. Administrative costs are limited to no more than 10% of the total budget.
  8. What is the start and end date of your project?

Finally, each Stage 2 proposal should also include your plan for publishing and otherwise disseminating the results of your work, and for all junior faculty applicants, a brief letter from the department head stating that they support the application. Stage 2 proposals are due by October 1, 2024.

Other Details

  1. Winning proposals will be notified by December 1, 2024.
  2. The start date for winning proposals may be any time between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025.
  3. All winning proposals will be expected to submit midterm and final project and financial reports.
  4. Successful international applicants will have to complete an Equivalency Determination (ED) application. This is required to show that the international institution is equivalent to a US public charity, which enables the Foundation to award the grant.
  5. Previous applicants who were not awarded a grant may reapply. However, the expectation is that the new proposal will be significantly modified from the original one.