RESEARCH & INNOVATION
Research & Professional Activity Fund
Mason Gross School of the Arts makes funding available for full-time members of its faculty to participate in research and professional activities that align with the mission of the school. (Lecturers are referred to the Lecturer Professional Development Fund, administered by the office of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.) Such activities may include travel to participate in conferences, to give performances, or to install exhibits; the purchase of materials, supplies, or services that further a specific research project; or other professional expenses relevant to specific research/creative activities.
Who is eligible to apply?
All full-time faculty are eligible to apply for funding to support professional activities. As of Fall 2025, full-time associate and full professors with research funds specified in their employment contract are no longer eligible for this fund.
How much funding can a faculty member request?
Maximum funding amounts are determined by the rank of the faculty member applying for support, with priority given to the professional development of pre-promotion research faculty:
- Group 1: assistant professors on the tenure track and professional practice track: $2,000
- Group 2: associate, full, and distinguished professors on the tenure track and professional practice track: $1,500
- Group 3: NTT lecturers, teaching-track instructors, and teaching-track assistant, associate, and full professors: $1,000
In a given fiscal year (July 1-June 30), an individual faculty member will receive no more than the maximum specified for their “Group” (see above). Faculty who do not receive the maximum funding amount for their “Group” may submit a new application in a subsequent application cycle within the fiscal year. Support is contingent upon the budget.
All school-supported travel must be approved by the Director/Chair in writing, submitted for pre-travel approval, and booked via the Rutgers Travel Online Booking Tool. For planning purposes, you are allowed to make purchases (using your own resources) through the Rutgers Travel Online Booking Tool before the application deadline. If you receive funds, you can then request reimbursement. Receipts for approved expenses must be submitted via Rutgers Expense Management, accessible through the myRutgers Portal, https://my.rutgers.edu, within 30 days of the expenditure and no later than June 30 of the academic year in which the funds are awarded. If receipts are not submitted by June 30 of that year, the funds will be counted against that faculty member’s professional activity expenses for the following year.
Process
Faculty members applying for support from the Professional Activity Fund must apply via the link below. The application will be reviewed first by the department chair/director and then by the director of research.
Beginning Fall 2025, three application cycles are being implemented with deadlines. All applications submitted by the deadline for a given cycle will be collectively reviewed within two weeks of the specified deadline. The budget is being allocated to ensure funds are available for each application cycle. The final decision on funding rests with the dean.
Annual Application Cycles & Deadlines:
- June 1 deadline for projects occurring July 1–October 31
- October 1 deadline for projects occurring November 1–February 29
- February 1 deadline for projects occurring March 1–June 30