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The Hellman Fellowships

The 2024-2025 Hellman Fellowships

The Hellman Fellowships grant competition has been made possible by a generous gift to Williams College by The Hellman Fellows Program.

Objectives of the Hellman Fellowship

  • These grants can be used to support any significant research endeavor, either in Williamstown or while traveling.
  • The grants can be used for purposes such as equipment, external grant matching, student research assistants, transportation, lodging, residency fees, and publication costs.
  • The only major restriction is that these grants may not be used as salary, and the proposed research project must be completed before a candidate earns tenure.
  • The amounts awarded are not pre-determined but may range from $2,000 to $20,000, depending on the scope of the proposal and the promise of significant results.
  • Availability of funding may also vary based on the level of competition within any given year and the quality of proposals submitted.
  • Awards will be made without regard for the apparent timeliness or popularity of the field of study proposed.

Eligibility

Hellman Fellowships are to be applied for and awarded to assistant professors who:

  • show promise for great distinction in their research,
  • have served for two years at Williams College but are at least a year away from submitting their tenure packet (typically those who are currently in their third or fourth year of serving at the college and on a typical tenure track), and preferably
  • have applied and been denied funding from external sources and/or
  • work in a field that is not supported substantially by other sources of funding

Application Instructions

The Hellman Fellowship Online Application (the 24-25 application period has closed)

Please click on the link above to submit an application for a Hellman Fellowship. You will then be prompted to fill in summary information and attach a short proposal and other supporting documents.

The following information will be required in the online application:

  • Project title and a very short summary.
  • One or two brief sentences on the research objective.
  • The proposal consists of three parts:
    1. Project description and timetable. Describe the basic ideas, problems, works, or questions to be addressed. Give an overview of the planned approach, methodology, and schedule for the project.
    2. Context statement. Review the relationship of the proposed work to your overall program of scholarship, placing it in the context of previous research. Clarify how this project will contribute substantially to the conduct of your research, advancing it beyond the scope possible without the support of a Hellman research grant.
    3. Budget. Using this sample budget guide and template, please provide a detailed budget request for anticipated research fees and expenses, and be sure to indicate the contribution (or not) of internal funds already at your disposal (e.g., divisional research funds, named chair funds, travel allowance, etc.). Please also list any applications you have made to have the proposed work funded by additional internal funds or any external granting agency and the results of those applications. We need to know whether your Hellman Fellowship application is a request for a backup or supplement to another grant or fellowship (see the third and fourth items in the eligibility criteria above). For guidance on budgeting and the uses of faculty travel and research funds, please see the detailed guidelines on the Controller’s website here.
  • Curriculum Vitae: Attach a current CV.
  • Statement of Department Support. Include a one-paragraph statement from the department or program chair on the feasibility of the project.

There is no set length for the proposal. Ideally, it should be thorough but concise and accessible to non-experts in the field. Supporting materials (e.g., bibliography) are welcome but not required.

Deadline:

This year, the application deadline will be December 1, 2023.

Awards will be announced in the early spring, and please note that the funds can be made available as of July 1, 2024.

Selection Process:

In determining the recipients of Hellman Fellowships and the size of the awards, the Dean of the Faculty will review applications with the Committee on Appointments and Promotions. Previous Hellman Fellows will be included in the selection process, as appropriate.

Stewardship Requirement:

All recipients of Hellman Fellowships will be required to write a brief report summarizing the work accomplished. The Hellman Fellows Program may contact fellows to survey them for more information about their experiences.