The National Council for Eurasian and East European Research (NCEEER) is pleased to announce, as part of its National Research Competition, the availability of funds for summer research proposals on the indigenous peoples of Russia. This fellowship supports collaboration of postdoctoral scholars and graduate students at universities in the United States with demonstrated experience in scholarship and/or outreach with indigenous communities and populations. Such scholars and students will conduct research at the Gorno-Altaisk State University (GASU) in the Altai Republic in Russia, a leading Russian university for the support of research on the indigenous peoples of Russia. Research may be conducted at other Russian universities, but only if the proposal demonstrates clear and established contacts for placement at the Russian university. All applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Projects involving the participation of Native American graduate students are particularly encouraged.

The principal investigator must hold a Ph.D. in any discipline of the humanities and social sciences. The maximum award is $38,000. Research topics will focus on the following issues: environmental protection and sustainability, environmental journalism, preservation of indigenous language and culture studies, educational and curricular reform for indigenous populations, issues of self-determination, sovereignty, and treaty rights, cultural preservation and enrichment, land rights, and the study of networking of indigenous populations and organizations in Russia. Placements may begin as early as June 1, 2011. Applicants must spend no less than two months in the Altai Republic or another Russian research venue.

• Program Requirements
• Administrative Fees
• Submission of Applications
• Application Components
• Deadlines
• Funding

Fellows will be required to submit to NCEEER a final report and a short working paper based on the results of their research. Successful applicants may be asked to present research results and other programmatic experiences to the Department of State. Research reports submitted to NCEEER for scholars' projects may also be considered for publication in the journal, Problems of Post-Communism.

Please note that NCEEER charges a 7% administrative fee for the management of grants negotiated directly between NCEEER and a successful grant applicant. If you wish to have your university administer your grant, please be advised that they are allowed to charge up to 10% of your grant for administrative costs. They could charge less. As such, applicants should check with their universities to see what the indirect charge is likely to be for your application. Applicants engaged in collaborative projects should work only through their universities. Those applicants engaged in individual research have the option of working with NCEEER directly. Please contact the NCEEER staff if you have questions.

Before beginning the application process, please thoroughly read the application guidelines.

You have three options to submit your proposal (all applications will be given equal weight, regardless of submission method):

1. Apply on-line using our on-line grant application system (Select "National Research Competition - Contract" or "National Research Competition - Grant")
2. E-mail the application form and associated files as a single zipped attachment (.zip file) to apply@nceeer.org. Indicate "NRC/RIPR Application: [your last name]" in the subject line.
3. Mail your documents via the Postal Service to the address at the bottom of this page.

All applications must include the following items:

1. Application form--If applying by e-mail or mail, download separately; if applying on-line, fill out via the on-line application system
2. A project proposal of no more than ten pages (double-spaced, 12-point font) describing the nature of the research to be conducted, including its relevance to contemporary concerns of U.S. policy-makers responsible for the formation of implementation of U.S. foreign policy
3. An estimated budget
4. A current Curriculum Vitae (CV) for each scholar, organized in chronological order and no longer than four pages.
5. A Human Subjects Review form, if relevant to your proposal
6. Two letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with your work and your proposal. These are to be sent directly to NCEEER by the referees and must include the referee's physical or digital signature.

The deadline for applications and all supporting materials is January 1, 2011. Documents sent through the Postal Service must be received by this date.

 NCEEER's peer review selection committee will review and evaluate the proposals. NCEEER will notify you regarding the status of funding for your proposal on or before March 15, 2011. NCEEER will not elaborate on the reasons given for the rejection of proposals.

NRC/RIPR Funding

Funding for the National Research Competition/Research on the Indigenous Peoples of Russia is provided under the Program of Research and Training for Eastern Europe and the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union (Title VIII), which is administered by the Department of State. Accordingly, fellowships are subject to Federal laws, and regulations, including the Intergovernmental Personnel Act, and OMB Circulars A-21, A-110, A-122, A-128, and A-133. Fellowships are also subject to the availability of funds.