Apply for a Research Stipend

About the RAC Stipend Program

The RAC offers a competitive research stipend program that provides individuals (not institutions) up to $5,000 for reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses. The stipend can only be used to support research time at the RAC, not for research at other archival repositories or for tuition.

Applications are evaluated by an independent committee that considers an applicant’s project and the availability of relevant archival materials at the RAC. Anyone can apply for a research stipend, from any country of origin, field or discipline, and at any level of professional background.

How to Apply for an RAC Research Stipend

Please use our online form to apply for a research stipend. Applicants are not required to contact an archivist in advance to be eligible to apply. However, we encourage you to contact RAC Access archivists, who are available to answer questions and discuss your project and can be reached at archive@rockarch.org. Applicants should also consult our online collections discovery system, DIMES to identify relevant research materials.

The online application form will ask for information about your proposed research project and how research in the RAC collections would support it. Applicants should be prepared to write a brief narrative describing their research project, including a description of what they seek to find in the proposed materials.

The application form also requests the name and email address of at least one and up to two references who can recommend you for a research stipend. After the application is submitted, we will contact the references directly with information about how to submit their recommendation.

After Receiving an RAC Research Stipend

2025 stipend recipients will have from April 2025 through June 2026 to complete their research.

All stipend recipients are required to submit a report on the research conducted at the RAC within two months of completing their visit. View the full library of published RAC Research Reports here.

To be reimbursed for travel and accommodation expenses, stipend recipients must provide receipts following completion of the research visit. Digital versions of receipts are accepted.

The Commonwealth Fund’s Paul Engel Memorial Award Program

This award honors the memory of Paul Engel, director and curator of the Fund’s Harkness House from 2003 until his death in 2022. It provides individuals with up to $5,000 to reimburse travel and accommodation expenses for short-term research in the RAC’s Commonwealth Fund collections.

Paul maintained Harkness House, the Fund’s headquarters, as a welcoming space for staff and visitors. Holding bachelor’s degrees in fine arts and architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design and a master’s degree in architecture from Harvard University, Paul’s passions for interior design, architecture, historic preservation, and history were evident in his care for the building and his detailed knowledge of Harkness family history. This award aims to encourage the pursuit of knowledge about the foundation to which Paul devoted a large portion of his career.

Researchers at any level, from any country, working in any field for which the Fund’s collections are relevant are eligible to apply. Potential applicants should first contact the RAC at archive@rockarch.org with a description of their proposed research and indicate that their inquiry is for the purposes of applying for this award. RAC staff will help to identify and describe relevant archival materials and assist the applicant in estimating the time necessary to complete their research.

Applicants may then submit a formal request for consideration at RACstipend@rockarch.org. This should include a description of the project, the materials to be studied, expected outcomes or products of the research, and two letters of recommendation. Submissions are welcome at any time. Award decisions will be made within one month of the receipt of all application materials. Recipients must commence their research at the RAC within one year of being notified of the award.

The Fund has established the Paul Engel Memorial Award Program with an initial grant of $25,000. The RAC will accept additional donations in support of the program. If you would like to make a gift in honor of Paul, please contact RACstipend@rockarch.org for more information.

Special Stipend to Support Research in the Paul Ehrlich Collection

The RAC has available funds to provide individuals (not institutions) up to $4,000 for reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses to support short-term research in the Paul Ehrlich Collection, an important archive documenting the life and scientific research of Nobel Laureate Paul Ehrlich (1854-1915).

Anyone can apply for an Ehrlich stipend, regardless of country of origin. Please be aware that certain U.S Government requirements may apply to non-U.S. citizens.

Potential applicants for an Ehrlich stipend should contact the RAC at archive@rockarch.org with an initial description of the proposed research and indicating that the inquiry is for the purposes of applying for an Ehrlich stipend. RAC staff will respond with a description of relevant archival materials and an estimate of time necessary to complete the research.

Applicants should submit a formal request to be considered for an Ehrlich stipend by writing to RACstipend@rockarch.org. An application may be made at any time and should include two letters of recommendation. Awards will be made within one month of the RAC receiving both letters of recommendation.

Stipend recipients must commence their research at the RAC within one year of being notified of the award.

Stipend Through the Consortium for History of Science, Technology, and Medicine

The Rockefeller Archive Center is part of the Consortium for History of Science, Technology, and Medicine, which has a fellowship program offering support for research across the scholarly collections of the consortium. Please see the Consortium’s website for more details.