Center for Latino Arts and Culture
122 College Avenue
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1165
clac.rutgers.edu
848-932-1263 (phone)
848-932-1589 (fax)
CLAC UNDERGRADUATE GRANT PROGRAM
Call for Applications for Academic Year 2013-2014
Application Deadline: Friday, November 29, 2013.
Award Amounts: Up to $1,000
Number of Awards: Approximately 3 per year
Notification: Friday, December 13, 2013
Eligibility: Fulltime undergraduate students at Rutgers University in good academic standing and majoring in
arts, humanities, and social sciences disciplines, or in interdisciplinary studies that include such disciplines.
The Center for Latino Arts and Culture (CLAC) at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey has established
the CLAC Undergraduate Grant to support projects that significantly advance undergraduate student creative
practice of Latino, Latin American, or Caribbean art (i.e. verbal art, folk traditions, literature, film, visual art,
music and dance, theatre, etc.) and/or that significantly advance student knowledge of Latino, Latin American
or Caribbean culture (broadly defined as the socially transmitted systems of beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and
behaviors and systems of social organization, production and exchange that define a people’s way of life).
The goal of the program is to encourage curiosity, creativity, risk-taking and scholarly investigation into a
project or subject of interest relevant to a student’s major. Senior-level capstone projects that draw on the
expertise of a faculty sponsor/mentor are preferred. Projects may be conducted as part of theses,
independent study, internships, research seminars, fieldwork, and similar activities. Grants must be used to
defray the costs of conducting the project and/or disseminating its results to the scholarly or artistic
community. Funds may not be used toward tuition at Rutgers or other institutions, or to cover expenses
normally incurred during regular coursework.
Some examples of fundable projects include: travel to access primary sources, texts, and works of art and/or
cultural sites; surveys of artistic practice or analysis of cultural practices, policies and institutions; creation of
performances, exhibitions, or media projects that are accompanied by a substantial research component; and
presentation of a student’s project findings and products at exhibitions, conferences or symposia. Projects
that explore linkages between Latino arts and culture and other fields such as health, social work, education,
media studies, and politics are also welcome.
Before undertaking a project, students should carefully examine their work load and the strength of their
commitment. They are also encouraged to contact faculty in Latino and Hispanic Caribbean Studies, Latin
American Studies or other relevant departments to discuss their projects. Students who wish to apply to the
grant are invited to contact CLAC Director Carlos Fernandez (cafernan@echo.rutgers.edu ) with their questions
or concerns.
Center for Latino Arts and Culture
122 College Avenue
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1165
clac.rutgers.edu
848-932-1263 (phone)
848-932-1589 (fax)
CLAC UNDERGRADUATE GRANT
Application Form
Submit applications to Center for Latino Arts and Culture, 122 College Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901. Deadline for
submission of applications is November 29, 2013. Incomplete applications and applications submitted after the deadline
will not be considered.
Instructions: Complete and return three copies of this application along with the following items, with the required
signatures, to CLAC Director, Carlos Fernandez at the address noted above, no later than November 29, 2013.
1. Grant Request (see pages 2-3 of this form)
2. Letter of support from faculty sponsor, including the role they will play over the course of your research/creative
project
3. Student Curriculum Vitae/Resume
4. Current copy of RU transcript
Student Information:
 Ms.  Mr. ______________________________
_______________________________________
First Name
Last Name
Address:
______________________________
________________
Address
City
Rutgers Affiliation:
_________________________
____________________
Department
Major
Current Class:
 Sophomore
 Junior
 Senior
Class at time of research:
 Junior
 Senior
Anticipated Graduation Date: ___________
Name:
____ _____________
State ZIP
___________________
Degree
Faculty Sponsor:
___________________________________
_______________________________________
Name
Department
Title of Proposed Research/Creative Project: _____________________________________________________________
Career Objectives: __________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Academic Awards and Honors: ________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Certification: I certify that I have read the terms of the grant and agree to abide by its terms.
In accepting the CLAC Undergraduate Grant, I certify that I have not conducted my proposed research prior to July 1,
2012, and that I will complete my research within the time period noted, otherwise I may forfeit my grant.
I give Rutgers University permission to publicize my abstract and research findings in an appropriate format.
_______________________________________
Student Signature
_______________
Date
GRANT REQUEST
The Grant Request itself should be no more than three (3) doubles-spaced pages. It should be typed in 12
point font and stapled to the Application Form, and include the following:




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Title of the project
Abstract, i.e. a concise (300 words or less) summary of your project, including description of the
research question or problem under investigation, or scope of the creative project; plan of the work,
including methodological approach/research design you plan to use; and anticipated results.
Time schedule for completing your project, including start and end dates, and estimated number of
hours per week you plan to dedicate to this work;
Significance of your project or the expected benefit of your research. Why is it important? How will the
project contribute to your understanding of Latino arts and culture? How will this opportunity
contribute to your academic career and professional development?
Describe your relationship with your research sponsor/mentor, his/her role in helping you develop
your project and how you will work together over the course of the project.
Itemized budget for how you will use the grant, which may include purchase of necessary equipment,
supplies, travel, and/or other justifiable expense.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE GRANT
Your research/creative project must be conducted and completed by June 30, 2014, for sophomores, during
the junior year, and for juniors, during the senior year. You must apply for a grant individually. Past grant
recipients are ineligible.
In addition, the proposed research/creative project:
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Project must be completed before graduation.
If it is research involving human subjects, it must adhere to RU procedures for Human Subjects
Research certification and Institutional Review Board (IRB) project review and approval. For more
information, please visit orsp.rutgers.edu.
Allowable expenses include expendable supplies and services directly related to the student’s
proposed project, including limited photocopying; research subject compensation; transportation and
lodging to visit special collections, libraries, archives, research sites, and other special resources; and
the purchase of books or other materials unavailable from RU libraries or through Interlibrary Loan.
Funds may not be used for meals, living expenses, tuition, stipends/per diem, or the purchase of
durable equipment (laptops, printers, etc.).
Grant recipients are required to:


Submit a written report of approximately three (3) pages no more than 30 days after the completion of
the project. The report should include a summary of the project, proposed goals, methods used in
pursuit of those goals, results and findings, and how the monies were used.
Present their project findings at a CLAC-sponsored public program during (or immediately following)
the semester that the project is completed.
Publication and Acknowledgements:
Any publication resulting from a project supported by a CLAC Undergraduate Grant shall include an
appropriate acknowledgement of assistance from Rutgers University and the Center for Latino Arts and
Culture. A copy of the publication shall be forwarded to the CLAC.
Fund Disbursement and Accounting:
 CLAC Undergraduate Grants may be in the form of checks – made payable directly to the student –
and/or in direct payments for services received. Checks are issued in the full amount of the award.
Other payments are dispersed on an as-needed basis up to the amount awarded.
 Funds are available approximately 4 weeks from notification of award. Students will be contacted for
pickup. Personal checks must be picked up in person.
 Only those items which were specifically delineated and approved in the student’s budget proposal
may be purchased using CLAC grant funds. If the student’s necessary expenses deviate from those
listed in the budget proposal, s/he must submit a revised budget to the CLAC Director for approval
prior to making the relevant purchase(s).
 Receipts must be collected for all expenses paid using CLAC grant funds. These receipts must be turned
in to the CLAC with the final report.
 Any remaining balance of more than $10 must be returned by the receipts deadline either via cash,
personal check, or cashier check made payable to “Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey” with
“CLAC Undergraduate Grant – unused balance” in the check’s memo line.
 Failure to adhere to these guidelines will risk a financial hold on the student’s account.
The following types of receipts are accepted for approved expenses:
a. Any itemized receipt from a business or store (including online stores) is valid.
b. Proof of transportation expenses can be submitted in the form of airline or train ticket stubs.
Taxi cab receipts and automobile mileages are also acceptable. NOTE: Receipts for gasoline are
not accepted; the university pays for vehicular travel at the rate of $0.31 per mile, which covers
both gasoline and general wear to the vehicle. In lieu of a receipt, the student is asked to use a
service such as Google or MapQuest to calculate the exact distance between the point of origin
and destination. The student should then hand in a printout of the directions, showing the
calculations for the round trip mileage and total reimbursement amount.
c. RU Library receipts for any copy cards purchased.