2025 Lemann Center Research Grants for U of I Faculty

The Lemann Center Research Grants provide funding opportunities for University of Illinois (U of I) faculty members engaged in research related to Brazil. We are pleased to announce the 2025 grants, which offer up to two awards per year, with a maximum value of $20,000. The actual award value is determined based on the project's type, scope, and the budget approved by the Lemann Center. Please note that certain expenses may not be covered.

Eligibility: These grants are available to all full-time U of I faculty members who are actively developing research projects focused on Brazil. Applicants must demonstrate a sufficient command of Portuguese to successfully execute their proposed projects.

Restrictions: The grants can be used for on-campus research, airfare, in-country transportation expenses, living expenses, and other research-related costs. Comparative studies involving Brazil and other countries are permissible, but only the Brazilian portion of the research will be considered for funding. Please note that requests for released time for write-ups will not be considered. The expenses outlined in the research proposal are subject to review and approval by the Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies and the Illinois Global Institute business administration office. For further information, refer to the budget guidelines provided below.

Evaluation: Applications will be evaluated by an interdisciplinary committee of Brazilianists appointed by the Center.

Reporting: Grant winners must submit a 1,000-word report no later than six weeks after the tenure of their fellowship. Grant winners must also acknowledge the support received from the Lemann Center in publications flowing from the grant and must agree to discuss their Center-supported research in a seminar format.

Budget Guidelines: Please consult the research budget guidelines, which can be found here.

HOW TO APPLY:

The application process for the Lemann Center Research Grants is as follows:

  1. The competition takes place annually, and the deadline for the 2025 grants is February 11, 2025.
  2. Applicants must submit completed applications and proposals electronically, uploaded to Box.
  3. Proposals will not be accepted without all the application materials listed below. Please submit your application as a single PDF file.

Application Requirements:

  • Cover Sheet. The document can be downloaded from here.
  • A double-spaced 1,000-word proposal, plus a bibliography. The proposal should discuss hypotheses, relevant theories and methods, and the data employed.
  • A brief descriptive title and a 200-word summary of the project.
  • A detailed budget for the research and the amount requested from the Lemann Center.
  • A current curriculum vitae of the Principal Investigator (faculty member) and other research team members, if any.
  • An itinerary for any travel.
  • Evidence of a sufficient command of Portuguese to conduct the project.
  • A list of previous awards for the project, the dates of the awards, and any publications that have resulted from such awards.

The Grant Proposal: Applicants should explain in the proposal what they plan to do and why, making clear the relevance of the project to their professional experience and the significance of the project for Brazil as well as within their field of scholarship. They should bear in mind that the selection committee is interdisciplinary and composed of scholars who are not necessarily specialists in the applicants’ area.

Candidates should give a brief summary of the progress already made on the project and explain how it contributes to the present research. If the project is part of a cooperative undertaking, the relationship should be explained. Finally, candidates should include information on any publication arrangements already made.

The bibliography should be no longer than two pages and should be attached to the project description. Each page of the proposal and budget should be consecutively numbered, with the P.I.’s name in the upper right-hand corner of each page. The proposal should be headed with a brief descriptive title.

We look forward to receiving your applications and supporting your research endeavors as you contribute to advancing knowledge about Brazil!

For more information, please contact Elis Artz, Senior Program Coordinator for the Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies at