Conference

The Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy is pleased to issue a request for proposals for conferences that will take place between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027.

Proposals will be evaluated on their intellectual merit and coherence, and their judicious use of funding. These conferences must take place at Columbia University or at one of Columbia’s Global Centers. 

Conferences that are new, collaborative, and/or involve faculty from more than one discipline will be given special consideration. Priority will also be given to proposals that demonstrate support from other contributors. 

Please contact ISERP with any questions on this process.

Eligibility

Faculty, research scholars, and research scientists appointed within one of the six Social Science departments in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Columbia University or SIPA are eligible to apply for ISERP conference funding. At least one applicant per conference team must be a full-time faculty member.

Full-time visiting faculty and lecturers must be on appointments expected to extend beyond one year and last fully through the period of the award. If you are in this category, your department should confirm as part of your application.

Application Guidance

Funding can cover travel and lodging, refreshments or meals, a small stipend (calculated at an hourly rate) for graduate student coordinators, and honoraria.

If awarded, the Conference must be managed by the lead faculty organizer’s home department or another Columbia University center or institute. This unit should be noted in the proposal. If the conference will take place at a Columbia Global Center, please review additional requirements listed below. Organizers are required to note ISERP’s sponsorship on all conference announcements and materials. 

Applicants should submit

  • A two-page proposal that describes the proposed Conference, its goals and scholarly relevance, and its structure and organization.
  • A proposed list of speakers and panels.
  • A description of the Conference's intended audience, its size, and whether the Conference is open to the University community and/or to the public. ISERP-sponsored Conferences should generally be open at least to the University community.
  • A detailed budget and budget justification utilizing the budget sheet linked to this call. Please download a copy to complete and submit with the application. If you have confirmed or potential additional sponsors, include those sponsors and confirmed or potential amounts contributed in the budget justification; please only budget the amount specifically being requested from ISERP on the budget sheet. If you are applying for a Conference at a Columbia Global Center, please use the international conference budget sheet.
  • A conference administration commitment: an email from your department chair, with the department DAAF copied, stating the department’s commitment to administer the Conference if awarded. If the Conference will be administered by a different department (or center, institute, etc.), the email commitment should come from that unit’s chair/director. If the Conference will take place at one of Columbia’s Global Centers, please include a letter of support from that CGC and an administration commitment from your home department.
    • Full-time visiting professors and lecturers should also include an email from the department Chair or DAAF confirming your eligibility and length of appointment.
  • The department number and administrative contact for the unit administering the Conference should be included in the commitment email.

 

Proposals should be submitted electronically as a single PDF document here.

Duration: One (1) Year

Award Amount: Up to $25,000

Application Deadline: April 10, 2026

Award Period: July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027

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