Collaborative Research Projects: Call for Proposals

Deadline for Applications: March 9, 2026

All applications must be submitted using Slideroom The France-Stanford Center for Interdisciplinary Studies invites proposals for collaborative research projects to be held during academic year 2026-27 (September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027). Late applications are unlikely to be accepted. 

Notification of grant recipients will occur in late spring/early summer.

The France-Stanford Center sponsors collaborative research projects between French scholars and students and their counterparts at Stanford University. 

Applications are invited from scholars working in all fields of learning, and collaboration does not require co-authorship. There is also no requirement that the research address issues particular to France, the United States, or any specific country or region. 

Eligibility

The France-Stanford Center seeks to fund research projects across all disciplines

Collaboration and Interdisciplinary Priorities

Priority will be given to projects with the potential to develop new collaborations involving junior researchers, and to those leading to collaborative work on interdisciplinary issues. We are especially interested in “Two Cultures” projects bridging the sciences and humanities by drawing upon both humanistic and scientific methods and approaches. 

Researchers from francophone countries outside of France

We are also especially interested in considering projects involving researchers from francophone countries outside of France. 

Scholars from Stanford or a French institution seeking to explore future collaborations with researchers from francophone countries outside of France may apply for seed funding (up to $8,000). 

Joint applications

Applications must be submitted jointly by researchers affiliated with any Stanford department and a French educational or research institution who are eligible to serve as principal investigators. 

Citizenship

Please note that this program does NOT require specific citizenship: applicants need not have French or US citizenship.

Additional Program Details

Paris Sciences et Lettres – PSL Research University

PSL and the Center have agreed jointly to fund a number of collaborative research projects, subject to the same competitive review process that applies to all funding proposals. Researchers affiliated with PSL are thus especially encouraged to apply.

Proposal

The application should include a description of the proposed project, its implications for further research, and its potential for fostering long-term relationships between researchers. Your proposal should clearly state the aims, activities, and anticipated outcomes for the project. Please be concise and be sure to follow the instructions for submission.

Lead Teams

Each collaborative project must be led by program coordinators at Stanford and in France, or at Stanford in France and in another francophone country. They will be responsible for planning, coordinating the partnership, and submitting the application. Stanford PIs are responsible for contacting their departmental administrative support before submitting their application to confirm that administrative support can be provided for the project organization, should the proposal be selected.

Option to apply for a separate fellowship grant

Applicants for collaborative research projects are strongly encouraged to involve researchers who are currently graduate students, postdocs or junior scholars (no more than seven years from completion of the Ph.D.). Those who do are invited to apply for a fellowship. For details on the fellowship programs, please visit: Visiting Student Researcher Fellowship and Visiting Junior Scholar Fellowship.

Budget

Projects may be funded to a maximum of USD 20,000. 

Transfer of funds: The totality of the funds will be transferred to a Stanford University Research Award account. Once disbursed, funds must be administered by the financial manager of Stanford's department.

Duration of financial support and project monitoring

The Center allocates annual grants, whose commencement and completion track the academic calendar (September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027). A research and financial report must be sent to the center's program manager by December 31 of the year that the grant ends (namely, by December 31, 2027). Projects can be extended beyond the original date shown on the Notice of Award. A request for a No Cost Extension should be submitted to osr_intake [at] stanford.edu (osr_intake[at]stanford[dot]edu). View additional details on DoResearch.

Evaluation and non-technical summary of project

The France-Stanford Center Executive Committee will review and evaluate the proposals. The Committee consists of Stanford and France-based academics working across a very broad range of disciplines, including the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, engineering, and medicine. It is thus vital that you describe the project such that all members of the committee will be able to understand it. Therefore, the application asks you to draft a short (no more than 200 words) non-technical summary of the project. This summary should clearly identify the project’s significance and avoid disciplinary jargon.

Statement of compliance with ethical and environmental norms

All research proposals will be evaluated not only for their scientific merit, but also for their compliance with ethical rules of research and their respect for environmental integrity. All applications must include a statement (1) confirming compliance with ethical and environmental norms and (2) providing a summary account of how such compliance is to be attained.

Allowable and Unallowable Expenses

Grants awarded by the Center may be used only for expenses required specifically for this collaboration. 

  • The grant may be used for travel, lodging, and living costs (including childcare) associated with research or training, as well as for research-related services (e.g. duplication costs, purchases of microfilm, digitization of documents, production of questionnaires/surveys, human subject costs, data entry, transcriptions of interviews, running focus groups, etc.). 
  • The grant may not be used for the purchase of equipment (e.g. computers, recording equipment, etc.), supplies, or software. It may not be used to pay for tuition fees; the costs of book translations and book publishing; or to cover conference registration fees. 
  • It may not be used to provide salary payments in any form (e.g., to fund coordinators or principal investigators for their work in setting up collaborations, to fund administrative staff, or to provide stipends for post-docs involved in collaborations). 

Please note as well that the center sets strict limits on the price per ticket. These vary depending on the direction of travel and time of year. Please see the budget template for details.

Questions?

Questions can be directed to:

  •  fgriffit [at] stanford.edu (Fiona Griffiths), Center Director
  • emeng [at] stanford.edu (Emily Engstrand), Program Manager
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