FMS Research Grant

• DEADLINE: Fall 5 p.m. October 1, 2025. Spring 5 p.m. February 15, 2026
• All undergraduate and graduate students majoring in the Film & Media Studies are eligible to apply.
• Students may receive up to $1,500.
• Students must have a faculty sponsor.
• As part of the project, students must include a public component such as a performance, exhibition, screening, or presentation - appropriate to the discipline of the project.
• Proposals will be reviewed by the FMS Faculty & Staff, who will make the final funding decisions
• Notification of awards will be made by October 15th (Fall), and March 1 (Spring).

Questions? See our FAQ or contact Rhiannon Cusolito.

The Film & Media Studies Research Project Grant Application is now on online form. You will be asked to provide

1. Your name, student ID, and contact info.
2. Project title.
3. A proposal not to exceed four single-spaced pages. This should be prepared in advance and uploaded when you complete the online form. -- You are welcome to include script, shooting schedule, break downs, pictures, video, etc.
4. A proposed budget, explaining how the grant funds will be spent
5. The name and email of your faculty sponsor from whom we can request a letter of reference.
6. If you have previously received a research grant from Film & Media Studies please include a section of your proposal summarizing what was accomplished under the previous grant and explain how the current project differs from the earlier one.

Applications for Film & Media Studies Research Project Grants are due by Fall 5 p.m. October 1, 2025. Spring 5 p.m. February 15, 2025

1. Do I need to have a major in the Film & Media Studies, or can this be a minor with a major in another School? Also, can I be employed by the Film & Media Studies, but majoring in another area?
   
   You must be a major within the Film & Media Studies in order to be eligible. Unfortunately, grant funding will not include majors in other schools with a minor/employment in the Film & Media Studies.
    
2. Can I be graduating in May and still apply for the grant?
   
   You must be enrolled during the time period of award including the completion of the project. You are eligible if you are graduating in May. However, you must complete the project prior to Stop Day in the Spring semester.
    
3. What semesters do I need to be enrolled for in order to be eligible for the grant?
   
   As above, you must be enrolled when you apply and during the time carry out the project. However, we do not require that the student be enrolled full time during the summer semester. 
    
4. How many hours do I need to be enrolled in to be eligible for a grant?
   
   You must be enrolled full time (at least 12 credits for undergraduates; at least 6 credits for graduate students). If you think an exception should be made, or if you have questions about the number of credit hours or your eligibility, please contact Rhiannon Cusolito.
    
5. How many grants will be awarded?
   
   Funding is available for approximately 4 grants each semester. The total number of grants awarded depends on the quality of proposals we receive.
    
6. Do I choose the Faculty Advisor? If so, does the faculty member have to be from my area, or emphasis? 
   
   You choose the faculty member who will act as your Faculty Advisor. The faculty member does not have to be in your area or emphasis, but they will need to be in Film & Media Studies.
    

7. When does the project need to be completed?

   You need to complete the project by Stop Day of the each semester.
    

8. Is this a group project?
   
   This is not a group project, because one person is applying for funding and is, ultimately, responsible for seeing that the project is completed and documented.  At the same time, multiple people could be involved in the execution of the project. The arts often involve a group effort and multiple contributions while also having a leader. Students are also encouraged to seek the help/advice from their faculty advisor as well as their outside contact (after the grant has been awarded).
    

9. When will I receive notification of award? 

   Notification of awards will be made by October 15th (Fall), and March 1 (Spring).
    

10. Can a student combine grants to use for this project?
    
    Yes, but please be upfront about any funding you have received.  Indicate which part of the project you will apply the FMS Research Grant funding toward, and which will provided by the alternate funding.
     
11. Will the grant be applied to any fines or tuition that I have not paid?
    
    You must pay any fines or tuition that you owe the University before the award of this grant. However, we are working with the KU Budget Office make sure that the award of this grant does not penalize students on federal assistance by raising the cost of attendance.
     
12. Do you have any tips for writing the proposal?
    
    Yes! Please see our Grant Writing Tips section for information relevant to these proposals.
     
13. What if I have a question that is not listed here?
    
    Please contact Rhiannon Cusolito in the Department of Film & Media Studies.

Explaining the purpose of a film/media project and submitting written proposals are essential parts film and media production. We hope the advice pointers below may help you to write your application to ensure that you represent your proposal well and that you cover the necessary material that will allow a full and fair evaluation of it by the Review Committee. The pointers assume that you have a generalized topic that connects to a theme such as, for instance, “How X impacts a local neighborhood” or “The story of X community” or “Engaging audience in X”. The pointers also assume that you have a specific task that can be called research proposal within that topic, such as,  “Make a fiction film about a first-year law student” or “Make a podcast about a flag football team in Kansas”, etc.  

Advice Pointers:

Write sincerely about why you are interested in this topic.

• Briefly describe your personal history of interest in the topic. Say specifically what got you interested in it and what sustained your interest. Or, show, if you can, that this interest was related to experiences in your education at KU (such as class material, seminar discussion, a recommended text, a museum exhibition, a field trip).  
• Write about the topic as you have observed it through your “life experiences” so far.

Write plainly about what you will actually do in your project.

• Say exactly what it is that you will do in this research proposal.
• A descriptive listing of your proposed activities is very useful. Sometimes this can be made more convincing by using a timeline.

Write about why this is a significant proposal.

• Tell the Committee why this is an important proposal for you at this time.
• Describe what is important about the proposal for the University community-- especially its scholarly or creative importance.
• Quotations or references to texts or other resources are very useful to inform the Committee of the scholarly or artistic value of your topic and proposal.

Write clearly about how you intend to exhibit the results of your project and its intended audiences.

• The public component plays a role in completing the work and helps you gain valuable insights about the creative and scholarly process. It also helps you to engage an audience, a hallmark of the creative process in the arts.
• You do not need to have the precise plans for the public component in your proposal. Indeed, your faculty sponsor should work with you to finalize these arrangements as part of the project. However, you should develop several concrete ideas for what you intend to do and how much it will cost. 

In a concluding paragraph, write imaginatively about what results you expect and how you will reflect on the outcomes of your project.

• Tell the Committee what new knowledge you personally expect to have about the topic after the research proposal is completed.
• An important part of the learning in research is the “reflection‟ component. Tell the Committee how you would evaluate or judge the success of your project.
• Add a Bibliography and a citation of relevant creative works from your discipline.