Short-Term Travel Grants for Research in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Balkans

The Short-Term Travel Grant program is meant to support research that is relevant to United States policy towards Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Balkans. Applicants may apply a broad definition of “policy relevance.” Research that is “policy relevant” does not necessarily need to focus directly on a matter of current and intense concern to U.S. government policy makers. Projects in fields such as history, popular culture, and other matters that may be outside the immediate purview of government officials are eligible for funding, as long as the applicant explains convincingly why the research is relevant at some level, even indirectly, to the formation of policy.Short-term travel grants are individual grants to scholars or researchers which may be used for up to two months for the following purposes: 1) enabling scholars and researchers to get quick access to research resources in the relevant subregions; 2) use the travel grant for refresher visits on particular topics for already established research work; 3) research planning with colleagues from the subregions on broader multi-year projects already funded or to be funded by other sources; 4) creation of databases or research aids such as archival guides; and 5) on an exceptional basis, inviting scholars or researchers from the subregions to the United States for conferences special collaborative research opportunities.