Faculty Research Resources

CDM and DePaul's Office of Research Services offer several funding opportunities for faculty to encourage research effort and support student involvement. Many of the grants emphasize interdisciplinary research and creative activities both across CDM and between different academic units within DePaul. Faculty also have opportunities to request funding for travel to research conferences.

Learn more about many of the programs below. You can also view announcements for select opportunities on the ORS website.

Academic Growth and Innovation Fund (AGIF)

The AGIF program was established to find, encourage, and support innovative academic ideas that will positively impact DePaul revenue within the next 3 years. The definition of “idea” is intentionally left rather open. It may involve new academic programs; revisions of existing programs; co-curricular enhancement; new advising systems or processes; experiences that bring new students to our university; ways to commercialize new or existing ideas; or any other academic innovation that may enhance revenue. Proposals may range from projects involving the collection of data needed to conceptualize an innovative idea to projects ready for full implementation. All full-time faculty and staff at DePaul are eligible to apply for an AGIF grant. The applicant submitting the proposal must also be the project lead. A faculty or staff member may be part of more than one proposal per submission cycle, provided that each proposal is distinct, but may serve on only one proposal as the project lead.

Public Service Council (PSC)

Five grants are currently offered through the PSC Grant Program. Eligibility to submit a proposal for a PSC grant is limited to tenured and tenure-track faculty. Proposals for the Community-Engaged Teaching Grant (Collaborative) grant may include term faculty in a team led by a tenured or tenure-track faculty member.

Quality of Instruction Council (QIC)

QIC Grant Program
Six grant programs are currently offered by DePaul’s QIC. Eligibility to submit proposals for these grants is limited to tenured and tenure-track faculty with the exception of the Competitive Instructional Grant. For some programs, term and part-time faculty may participate in faculty teams led by a tenured or tenure-track faculty member.

QIC Paid Leave Program
The QIC paid leave program supports extended curricular enhancement projects that would be difficult or impossible to undertake without suspension of other contractual responsibilities. QIC paid leaves support only curricular enhancements; other forms of leave (e.g., for illness, personal reasons, or a temporary position elsewhere) should be handled through college offices. Paid leaves are granted for one quarter or one semester at full pay; for two quarters at up to 83% of normal salary for the period; or for a full academic year (three quarters or two semesters) at 50% of contract salary. A faculty member who accepts a paid leave at less than full pay is understood to be amending his/her annual contract.

Research Assistant Programs

Graduate Research Assistant Program
The graduate research assistant program offers valuable learning opportunities and financial support to graduate students to assist and collaborate with faculty members in their research and creative work. This program is intended to provide students meaningful research experience assisting faculty on a research project or creative activity that is related to the students’ academic studies/pursuits.

Undergraduate Research Assistant Program
The Undergraduate Research Assistantship Program (URAP) has been created to support DePaul faculty in their pursuit of research and the creation of knowledge. This program provides valuable learning opportunities and financial support for undergraduate students to assist and collaborate with faculty members who conduct research projects and are engaged in creative and scholarly activities.

Summer Research Stipend Program

The College of Computing and Digital Media will award a limited number of summer stipends to full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty to recognize and support research projects and creative activities that have the potential of making an original scholarly or artistic contribution in their field. The goal of the Faculty Summer Research Stipend Program is to enhance the research environment and creative activities at CDM and to help faculty be more competitive when applying for external grants. The program is designed to support ongoing research and creative activities as well as to provide support for faculty who want to develop new projects.

University Research Council (URC)

URC Grant Programs
There are currently ten grant programs offered by the University Research Council. Eligibility to submit proposals for these grants is limited to tenured and tenure-track faculty, though term and part-time faculty may serve on the teams of Collaborative Research Grant projects.

URC Paid Leave Program
The URC paid leave program supports research projects that would be difficult or impossible to undertake without suspension of other contractual responsibilities. URC leaves support only research activities in the interest of faculty development; other forms of leave (e.g., for illness, personal reasons, or a temporary position elsewhere) should be handled through college offices. Paid leaves are granted for one quarter or one semester at full pay, for two quarters at up to 83% of normal salary for the period, or for a full academic year (three quarters or two semesters) at 50% of contract salary. A faculty member who accepts a paid leave at less than full pay is understood to be amending his/her annual contract.

Vincentian Endowment Fund Grant

The Vincentian Endowment Fund (VEF) was designed to enhance the Catholic, Vincentian Mission of DePaul University. The Division of Mission and Ministry annually provides DePaul Students, Staff, and Faculty the opportunity to apply for grant dollars awarded through VEF. VEF Grants in the past have supported such projects as: faculty research, hosting conferences or events on campus, and social justice and community service initiatives in Chicago.