The UCLA Bedari Kindness Institute (BKI) is pleased to announce a call for proposals to study kindness and related phenomena such as empathy, altruism, compassion and love. At a time of ever-increasing societal polarization, this call aims to generate a body of research that can be translated into effective models to promote kindness in local, national, and global environments. BKI seeks to provide support to a community of researchers who will establish UCLA as a major center of research on kindness.
Scope of Research
The Bedari Kindness Institute (BKI) is committed to supporting projects that range across disciplines (including, but not restricted to, the social sciences, humanities, arts, law, education, information and computer sciences, and physical, cognitive, and health sciences). A wide array of methods, including both qualitative and quantitative as well as cross-disciplinary approaches are encouraged, as are projects that demonstrate collaborations with other researchers across campus. The research that BKI seeks to support complements the work of the UCLA Initiative to Study Hate.
Expectations of Grantees
- The project PI must be available to attend a monthly seminar to assure exposure to and contact with fellow researchers across disciplines and methods.
- Researchers will be asked to submit a short mid-year progress report and a final report summarizing their research process and any relevant findings.
- BKI grantees are expected to participate in BKI-sponsored events on campus, including an opening orientation session, ongoing seminars, and an end-of-year symposium.
Guidelines
- Proposals may range from $10,000 to $25,000.
- Projects can include individual PIs or teams of researchers. Graduate student and postdoctoral scholar research applications are welcome, but there must be a sponsoring faculty member as PI.
- Funding can be used to support research that will result in a creative project.
- Funding cannot be used for faculty salary support. Support for student researchers and postdoctoral scholars is encouraged.
- Funding can be used to support research travel. Conference travel is ineligible for funding.
- Funding should be spent by the end of AY 2025-26.
Timeline
- Applications due by Friday, March 14
- Notification of decisions by Friday, April 4
- Disbursal of funds throughout April and May 2025
- Progress report due January 30, 2026
- Final report due August 1, 2026
Application Process
Applications should include the following:
- Project Title
- Project Abstract (up to 250 words)
- Project Description (up to 1500 words)
- A description of the project’s potential (up to 500 words) to contribute to the scholarly study (and promotion) of kindness or kindness-adjacent phenomena. The description should also address how you imagine contributing to an emerging BKI research community, as well as how your research might be translated into meaningful social or policy change.
- Project Budget (funds may not be used for faculty salary support)
- CVs of participants
- Name/Contact information of the department’s finance officer who will be responsible for receiving and managing the transfer, as well as submitting a close-out report
- Fund Manager name and contact information
Please note that all funds need to be spent in compliance with University policies and procedures. The applicant’s home department must endorse the Principal Investigator and will be responsible for managing funds.
The deadline for proposals is Friday, March 14 at 11:59pm PT.
For questions about proposals, please contact Professor David N. Myers at myers@history.ucla.edu.
Applications should be submitted online using this form: https://tinyurl.com/BKI2526