Georgetown Americas Institute

The institute offers grants for students designed to increase understanding on issues relevant to the Western Hemisphere. Student grants support students in deepening their interest and understanding of the Latin American and Caribbean region. Priority will be given to graduate students working on their capstone projects or doctoral thesis and may include travel to participate in relevant conferences, support for an internship in the region, student-led initiatives on campus, and ongoing research. We will strongly encourage and favor applications for research grants that have identified and are already working with a faculty advisor. Examples of past awarded projects can be found on our below. 

Collaborative research grants fund faculty research, seminars, workshops, and conferences on the Western Hemisphere. Grants are designed to form a collaborative network within Georgetown on issues relevant to the region and bring faculty together with scholars and policy experts to advance research projects on topics related to Western Hemisphere. Projects address one or more of the institute's themes: governance and the rule of law, economic growth and innovation, social and cultural inclusion, and the environment and sustainability.

Student Grants

• Eligibility and Application Requirements
• All full-time undergraduate and graduate students in any of Georgetown’s schools and programs are eligible to apply for a student grant. Funding for international travel is contingent upon authorization by the Office of Global Services. Applications should include:
• • The name, CV, Georgetown email, and contact information of the student as well as their unofficial transcript and faculty advisor (if applicable);
• • A statement of purpose that clearly enumerates the deliverables or activities to be performed;
• • A timeline of deliverables and activities;
• • A section explaining how the overall rationale of the use of funds relates to the student's academic trajectory as well as Georgetown Americas Institute’s goals and mission;
• • An itemized budget with a clear line by line justification of use of the funds;
• • One letter of recommendation from a faculty member.
• Applications should not exceed five pages, single-spaced with 12pt. font and one-inch margins. Documents should be submitted in a single PDF file to americas@georgetown.edu.
• Grant Period
• Students must use grant funds within 12 months of the granting of support; an extension may be granted upon request.
• Scope
• Grantees can apply for up to $3,500. We encourage and welcome applications for smaller amounts and will be looking for a detailed justification and description of how the budget will be allocated. A clear justification of fund use will carry significant weight in GAI’s assessment of applications. Awards represent taxable income and will be reported to the relevant taxing authorities as required by the IRS. This should be considered when creating the project budget.
  
• Timing and Selection Process
• All applications will be subjected to a rigorous selection process conducted by the institute. Fall applications will open September 16 and will be due by October 25, 2024 at 11:59 p.m., and decisions will be announced mid-November. All work must be carried out within 12 months of receiving funds.
• Deliverables
• In addition to the proposed deliverables within the application, grantees should write a 150 to 250 description of their work summarizing the results to be posted on GAI’s website and submit it to GAI by the end of their grant period. During the grant period, grantees will be invited to a mandatory meeting to share their projects with GAI staff and other grantees.