Applications for Internal Support

Table of Contents

Internal Grants for Faculty, Staff, and Students

• Advisory Board Award for Research and Creative Activity
• Altoona Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (ASURF)
• Chancellor's Development Fund (CDF)
• Community-based Project Grant (CBPG)
• Research Development Grant (RDG)
• Senior Research Grant (SRG)
• Undergraduate Research Grant (URG)

Travel Grants for Faculty and Students

• Faculty Travel Grant in Support of Research and Creative Activity (Travel 1)
• 2025-2026 Undergraduate Research Conference Presentation Support
• OVPCC Student Conference Travel Funding Support

Internal Grants for Faculty, Staff, and Students

The Advisory Board Faculty Research and Creative Activity Award is intended to support meritorious research and creative activity by full-time faculty of the college. Awards will be announced at the last meeting of the academic year for the Penn State Altoona Advisory Board (typically in April). Faculty who have received other college support for their research or creative activity are eligible for this funding but this funding must be used for some identifiable supplementary activity.

• Eligibility: any full-time faculty member (non-tenure-line or tenure-line)
• Application Deadline: March 1 of each year to the Associate Dean for Research.
• Typical Award: $2,000

Apply for an Advisory Board Award for Research and Creative Activity

The Altoona Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (ASURF) supports undergraduate students in intensive research or creative work during the summer so they may immerse themselves in their research or creative work with fewer distractions. As such, the primary purpose of the ASURF program is to further the education and training of students through a research experience and professional development activities. Project proposals must be written by the student, and projects must be original, under the direct supervision of a faculty member, and provide research/creative activities experience in disciplinary focus, methodology, writing, and communication of results. Grants may be used to cover living expenses and project costs (supplies, materials, books, specialized software, etc.) but may not cover travel and associated costs or membership in professional organizations. Limit one fellowship per student per summer.

• Eligibility: See guidelines for details
• Application Deadline: February 16 of each year
• Typical Award: $3,500
• Number of ASURFs typically awarded per year: Seven

Apply for an Altoona Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship

The CDF supports projects promoting the development of the College’s instruction, students, administration, setting, and facilities. Monitored by the Associate Dean for Research, the Fund annually provides monies for competitive proposals from full-time members of the faculty and staff. The Fund will support travel expenses and the purchase of equipment and supplies that are directly related to project activities. For more details, download the CDF form.

• Eligibility: any full-time faculty (non-tenure-line or tenure-line) or staff member
• Application Deadline: August 10 and November 1 of each year to the Associate Dean for Research.
• Typical Award: $1,000–$3,000
• Expected Funding for 2025-2026: $5,000

Apply for the Chancellor's Development Fund

Penn State Altoona actively supports community-based faculty research, instruction, and service projects of interest to residents of Central Pennsylvania. Full-time faculty may request funding for direct costs associated with community-based projects.

• Eligibility: any full-time faculty member (non-tenure-line or tenure-line)
• Application Deadline: August 10 and November 1 of each year to the Associate Dean for Research.
• Typical Award: $1,000-$3,000
• Expected Funding for 2025-2026: $2,500

Apply for a Community-based Project Grant

The RDG program is a source of financial support for the research and scholarly creative activities of Penn State Altoona faculty members. It is intended to foster new activities rather than to sustain research programs. RDGs are not intended to support instructional improvement or course development. Emphasis is given to the funding of activities of junior faculty attempting to establish a research/scholarly program and efforts of more senior faculty to establish a new area of scholarship.

• Eligibility: any full-time faculty member (non-tenure-line or tenure-line), with priority given to tenure-track assistant professors
• Application Deadline: August 10 and November 1 of each year to the Associate Dean for Research.
• Typical Award: $3,000
• Expected Funding for 2025-2026: $12,000

Apply for a Research Development Grant

The SRG supports meritorious research by senior scholars. A senior scholar is defined as an individual who has been tenured and/or promoted by the college, has a substantial record of publication, has sought external funding from agencies or foundations appropriate to their field of study, and has a high probability of producing publishable scholarship.

• Eligibility: Senior non-tenure-track faculty and tenured faculty members
• Application Deadline: August 10 and November 1 to the Associate Dean for Research.
• Typical Award: $4,000
• Expected Funding for 2025-2026: $8,000

Apply for a Senior Research Grant

The primary purpose of the Undergraduate Research Grant (URG) is to further the education and training of students through a research experience or community-based project. To allow students to forgo employment so they may focus on their research projects, students may be awarded stipends up to $500 per semester and $1,500 for the summer. Faculty mentors must apply for a URG for their research mentees.

• Eligibility: Any full-time student who will be enrolled during the award period.
• Application Deadline: August 10 and November 1 to the Associate Dean for Research
• Average Award: $2,000
• Expected Funding for 2025-2026: $40,000

Apply for an Undergraduate Research Grant

Travel Grants for Faculty and Students

Up to $2,000 is available for a full-time faculty member for travel to support research, creative activity, or staying current in their field. If a faculty member would like to travel more than once, a separate application must be submitted for each trip. Priority will be given to faculty presenting at a conference, but any type of travel for research or creative activity purposes can be funded through these grants.

• Eligibility: All full-time faculty, tenure-track, tenured, or non-tenure-track
• Application Deadline: August 10, November 1, February 1, and May 1 each year

Apply for a Faculty Travel Grant in Support of Research and Creative Activity

Apply for Undergraduate Research Conference Presentation Support

OVPCC Student Conference Travel Funding Support

The Office of the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses is collaborating with the Office of Undergraduate Education to fund student conference presentations.

Travel Funding Opportunities:

• Travel to University Park: Up to $400
• Travel to a conference in any other location: Up to $800
• Additional funding support, if no matching fund is available: Up to $500 additional funds exceeding the cap

Eligibility Criteria:

• Students must be currently enrolled at a Penn State Commonwealth Campus.
• Applicants must provide written verification that they have been accepted to present at the conference.
• Presentations must relate to the student’s academic program.
• A letter of support from the student’s faculty mentor is required.

If the request exceeds the $800 cap (up to $500 additional), an additional letter of support from a campus-level administrator (e.g., Division Head, School Director, CAO, DAA, Chancellor, etc.) is required, confirming that the campus cannot provide matching funds for this travel. Funding will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to students who meet eligibility requirements, submit a complete application package, and until the allocated budget is fully expended.