Founders Endowment Awards

Founders Endowment funding is provided through the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The application and review process is conducted by the ad hoc Research Advisory Committee (RAC) of the UWT Faculty Assembly.

The Founders Endowment Awards have been awarded since 2021.  In 2022, money from the Founders Endowment was combined with additional donor funds to allow for the larger Catalyst Research and Scholarship Award Initiative. Historically, the EVCAA has provided $40,000 worth of funds from the Founders Endowment to support faculty scholarship needs to start a project, continue a project, or complete a project.  Award amounts have varied in the past few years from $5,000-$10,000 per award and awards have been available to all full-time academic ranks (assistant, associate, and full) and tenure-track and teaching appointments.  Generally, the awards are based on thematic areas:

Humanities & Creative Works - scholarship and related creative works in the areas of ancient and modern languages, literature, philosophy, religion, and audio and/or visual works, public art, and performing arts such as music and theatre.

STEM - scholarship that advances fundamental understanding or practical applications in areas of natural or physical sciences, engineering, computer science, or mathematics.   

Social Justice and Equity - In alignment with the university's mission and strategic plan, scholarship, research and praxis that addresses social justice issues with topical themes such as, but not limited to, decoloniality, anti-racism, and theories of intersectionality. These can be community centered, collaborative, and inclusive in their approach and practices. 

Social Sciences - scholarship that uses qualitative and/or quantitative methods to better understand and predict human behavior, conditions, learning, or experience within individual, small group and/or larger society contexts. 

Founders Endowment award applications are open to all faculty, based on each year's criteria. Our selection process follows the University of Washington nondiscrimination policy: The University of Washington prohibits discrimination, harassment and sexual misconduct in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns, make complaints, or direct inquiries to the Civil Rights Compliance Office. The statement of nondiscrimination is located at: uw.edu/civilrights/policies-and-guidance/statement-of-nondiscrimination/

The next funding opportunity will be announced here in January 2026.

 

Past Awards