Taft

Working Groups

Taft sponsors Working Groups that bring together faculty and graduate students with common research interests to share works-in-progress, discuss a common set of readings, organize workshops or other training needs, or invite outside experts to collaborate.

Working Groups will receive $1,000 per year, with potentially higher budgets in subsequent years, based upon demonstrated need. There is no expectation Working Groups will last beyond the year of award, though renewal is possible, based on demonstrated activity, progress, and need/plans. 

Groups must meet at least three times each semester and provide an end of year report from the convening faculty, on meetings and outcomes. This is a new program for AY26–27. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Program Director Sean Keating-Crawford with questions. 

Applications for Working Groups are due no later than 5pm October 19. 

Eligibility

Working Group convenors must be faculty who are tenured or tenure-track with primary appointments in either a Taft member unit or the College of Arts & Sciences with a terminal degree in a Taft member field, and be open to and include graduate students working on the same or related issues. Postdoctoral fellows, visiting scholars, faculty in other colleges, and non-tenure track faculty (part-time, educator, research, visiting, and adjunct) are welcome to participate in a working group, but cannot be the main convenor. 

Expanded Eligibility (2026–28)

As part of a two-year pilot program, we are expanding eligibility for all non-fellowship and non-professorship faculty award programs to include the following:

  • Educator, Research, and Practice Faculty with full-time appointments in a Taft unit;
  • Visiting Faculty with full-time appointments in a Taft unit;
  • Postdoctoral Fellows with full-time appointments in a Taft unit; 
  • Postdoctoral Fellows with full-time appointments in a College of Arts & Sciences Center or Institute who have terminal degrees in a Taft unit field. 

Application Procedures

Applications must be submitted by 5pm on the specified date to taft@uc.edu.

Complete applications are limited to 1,500 words and must include the following:

  1. Proposed subject or area of study;
  2. A list of other interested participants committed to the work, listing their position at UC;
  3. Potential outcomes;
  4. Proposed meeting schedule (with at least 1 meeting in fall 2026 and 3 for spring 2027);
  5. Budget (e.g., copying, book purchases, food expenses, or needed research tools, including methods or technique instruction).

Working Groups are not intended to support a lecture series and reliance on invited outside speakers should be highly limited.