1. General Information

   1. The Institute invites proposals for original research falling squarely within the field of Jewish Genealogy, broadly defined.

   2. Proposals may be in the categories of pure genealogical research, or inter-disciplinary research. They may also seek to provide Jewish genealogists and family historians with innovative “tools and technologies” to advance their work.

   3. For a list of six areas of research accorded priority by the Institute, applicants can refer to the 2008 list of “Preferred Areas for Research” (see link below).

   4. In the present cycle (towards the academic year of 2010-11), research proposals should be submitted by 31 May, 2010, strictly in the form indicated in Sections V and VI below. Only applications in correct form will be considered.

   5. Proposals should be for projects to be completed within one or two years. One year proposals will be preferred.

   6. Proposals will be adjudged by the Institute’s Academic Committee. The Committee’s criteria include:

      • Projects of broad interest to Jewish genealogists and a range of other scholars working in the humanities and social sciences.

      • Projects based on primary sources (or equivalent), whose scope goes well beyond information gathering and retrieval, or simple databasing.

      • Studies requiring a critical evaluation of the sources, analysis and synthesis of data.

      • Studies whose resultant narrative is firmly positioned in a pertinent Jewish Studies context, whether historical, social, economic, cultural, religious or other.

      • Projects that broaden the scope of Jewish genealogical inquiry - taking it, for example, into realm of the exact sciences, particularly computer science, in order to produce sophisticated tools and technologies for the Jewish genealogist.

      • Proposals that are interdisciplinary and envisage synergisms between Jewish genealogy and other disciplines, to the benefit of all concerned.

   7. Notification of the Academic Committee’s decisions will be sent to successful applicants by 1 September, 2010.

   8. Successful applicants will be expected to start their research no later autumn 2010.

   9. They will be required to sign a “Researcher’s Agreement” before commencing their research and before any funds are transferred to them (for a sample Researcher’s Agreement, subject to amendment as required, see the link below).

   10. They will be required to submit a “half-term” progress report six months after the project’s starting date, and a final report, suitable for academic publication, twelve months after the starting date.

   11. Applicants may submit only one proposal in each research cycle.

   12. A researcher may hold only one IIJG grant at any given time. Thus, a current grantee may submit a new research proposal only if his/her project will be complete by summer 2010.

   13. A revised proposal can be submitted a second time, subject the Academic Committee’s approval.

   14. A proposal that was not awarded a grant in two cycles may not be submitted a third time.

   15. The Institute does not support:

       • research into personal family trees;

       • ongoing research, including doctoral research, being funded by another body;

       • preparation and publication of books or monographs.

       • purchase of personal equipment, such as lap-tops and cameras, ostensibly for the conduct of the research project.

       • unjustifiable or disproportionate travel, ostensibly for the conduct of the research project.

   16. The Academic Committee’s decisions are final and not open to appeal. The Committee reserves the right to reject research proposals without explanation.

   17. Results of research done with the Institute’s support will be published under its auspices or with full and proper attribution in an alternative academic frame work (such as a scholarly journal), subject to the Academic Committee’s approval.

2. Eligibility

   1. The Institute invites research proposals from researchers on their own name, singly or as a research team.

   2. Researchers must be academically qualified as appropriate for the proposed research, preferably holders of an advanced degree or equivalent.

   3. They should also have the requisite language skills to carry out the proposed project.

3. Funding

   1. In the present cycle, maximal funding will be limited to up $10,000, over the time-period approved for the completion of the project (one or two years).

   2. The Academic Committee will decide on the actual size of the grant to be awarded.

   3. Maximal funding will not automatically be granted. Proposals seeking less than maximal funding will be preferred. Proposals seeking more than $10,000 will not be accepted.

   4. Continued funding of 2-year projects will be considered year by year, on the basis of progress made and the attainment of benchmark goals (see para. VI, 5 below).

   5. Funding may be revoked if the researcher fails to comply with these Instructions and/or the terms of the “Researcher’s Agreement” (sub-para. I, 6 above), and/or any further conditions set by the Academic Committee.

4. Proposals - General

   1. Research proposals should provide sufficient information for the Academic Committee to establish the following:

      • Objectives and merit of the proposed research (goals, importance, originality, etc.);

      • Qualifications of the researcher(s);

      • Suitability of methods/methodology to be employed; and adequacy of sources/resources available;

      • Level of funding needed to carry out and complete the research.

   2. Proposals should be written in English.

   3. Proposals not following these guidelines will not be considered.

   4. Proposals should be submitted electronically to Director@IIJG.org

   5. Proposals should contain:

      • Cover Page;

      • Abstract;

      • Detailed description of the research proposal, including research questions and working hypotheses;

      • Research plan and time schedule;

      • Detailed budget, pegged to the research plan;

      • Academic qualifications and curriculum vitae of the researcher(s);

      • Relevant publications of researcher(s) in the last five years;

      • Any additional relevant material;

      • Signatures.

5. Proposals - Details

   1. The Cover Page should include:

      • The full title of the research project, which should be brief and meaningful;

      • The names of the researcher(s) and the name(s) and address(es) of their institutions;

      • Keywords, that best describe the proposed research.

   2. The Abstract should include:

      • Brief title of the proposed project;

      • A précis of the proposed research, in about 400 words, that should be significant to specialists in the same or related fields and, at the same time, meaningful to non-specialists;

      • A statement, in about 200 words of the project's importance, originality and potential contribution to the field in general.

   3. The Research Plan should include:

      • Goals of the research;

      • Central research questions to be addressed together with working hypotheses to be tested;

      • A comprehensive plan of action and a description of the methodology to be used;

      • Details of available sources and resources;

      • Relevant bibliography on the research topic.

   4. The Time Schedule should include:

      • The project's overall time-frame, with a specific completion date;

      • Within that, defined “benchmarks” for the conduct of the research, coupled with target dates for achieving each of them.

   5. Budget Details should include:

      • A projection of the project’s overall cost;

      • Within that, a detailed break-down and justification of the costs per budget item;

      • A time-line for expected outlays (over one or two years).

      Note: The reference currency for the presentation of the Budget is US dollars.

   6. The academic qualifications and curriculum vitae of the researcher(s) – self-explanatory.

   7. Relevant publications of researcher(s) in the last five years – self-explanatory.

   8. Additional relevant material – self-explanatory.

   9. Signatures – the Researcher and, in the case of a team of researchers, by the Principal Investigator, is required to sign the last page of the proposal, which should be scanned and sent as an attachment to the covering email, transmitting the proposal.

6. Stipends

   1. In principle, IIJG funding is granted primarily for the conduct of the research project and not for researchers’ living expenses, especially in the case of projects where the researchers are receiving a regular salary from another institution.

   2. At the same time, the Institute will consider granting part of the award as a stipend for the researcher(s), if adequate justification is provided and if the request is approved by the Academic Committee.

Click here for the 2008 list of “Preferred Research Areas”.

Click here for the "Researcher's Agreement", to be signed by successful applicants (sample text, subject to amendment).