“Making Connections” Travel Fund

Program Purpose

The Radow College Making Connections Fund supports faculty travel to meet program officers from extramural grant-making agencies and foundations. Travel is intended to provide investigators a way to learn more about the mission or goals of the funding agency, to meet staff members who will be making funding decisions, and to discuss project proposals under development. Those who receive funding are expected to submit a grant or fellowship application within 1 year of travel. 

Travel must be to the sponsor’s national or regional headquarters. This includes travel to NIH, NSF, NEH, and other federal agencies. The fund can also be used for travel to major foundations, when doing so serves the indicated purpose. In exceptional circumstances, funds can be used supplement travel to other venues (e.g., professional conference), but only when travel is used to facilitate a meeting with agency staff who offer pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings.  

The Radow College Making Connections Travel Fund is not intended to support conference or professional development travel.

    • Eligibility: Radow College full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty
    • Focus: Travel to connect with staff and program officers at extramural funding agencies.
    • Application: Proposals accepted from September 1, 2024 –November 1, 2024 (subject to available funding)
    • Applicants must be tenured or tenure-track faculty members in Radow College, with preference given to assistant and associate professors.
    • Preference will be given to faculty who have not previously received a Making Connections award.
    • There is a limit of one (1) award per faculty member per fiscal year.  

  • Awardees must submit a written plan for encumbering/spending funds to RCHSSresearch@kennesaw.edu within 14 days of a funding decision.  Failure to submit a spending calendar within the 14-day window risks having the funds reclaimed by the college.  

    Funds are limited to one person for economy round-trip airfare. Travel outside the U.S. is not supported. 

    Funds can be used for up to two (2) night’s lodging, per diem, and other eligible costs. 

    All USG/KSU travel rules apply (https://fiscalservices.kennesaw.edu/travel/faqs.php).

    NOTE: All award funds must be expensed during the fiscal year and must observe Radow College year-end purchasing deadlines.  

    • An application is comprised of four (4) items:
    1. A completed application form (see below). 
    2. An email or letter confirming a formal appointment with sponsor staff, including date, time, & location.
    3. The letter of intent or pre-proposal to be presented at the appointment.
    4. A letter of support from department chair/school director.
    • Applications should be submitted as email attachments to RCHSSResearch@kennesaw.edu. The subject line should read “RCHSS Making Connections Fund”. 
  • Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of clarity of objectives in the letter of intent/pre-proposal and the promise that funded meetings will lead to submission of extramural funding proposals in a timely manner.
    • Funded faculty agree to participate in follow-on activities such as efforts to support future awardees, if requested.
    • Faculty who receive funding are expected to complete and submit a major grant or fellowship application within 1 year of travel. 
    • A report is due to the Radow College within 14 days of returning from travel.  Please email to RCHSSResearch@kennesaw.edu.
    • The report shall include an account of activities and expenditures.
    • The report shall also include a copy of the thank you letter sent to staff.
    • A project cannot be “closed” until the report has been received.  An investigator with an “open” project is not eligible for additional Radow College research funding.
    download application