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Research & Innovation

Arts Research Board (ARB)

The key objective of the ARB is to cultivate a strong research base among the Faculties of Humanities, Social Sciences and Business. Specifically, the ARB supports:

  • research programs of new faculty;
  • new and/or collaborative, interdisciplinary and/or multidisciplinary research initiatives;
  • ongoing research that has a budget less than the minimum required for SSHRC applications;
  • research-related conference travel; and
  • publication of peer-reviewed manuscripts

It is expected that funding will lead to increased individual and group participation and success in external grant competitions. Seed funding is the Board Members’ priority. The following categories of grants (renamed following guidance from SSHRC in 2017) are supported by the ARB:

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for ARB funding an applicant must be affiliated with McMaster University and must be eligible for SSHRC funding under the SSHRC Institutional Grant (SIG) Program. The following will be considered affiliated with McMaster University:

  • Faculty members of McMaster University with a tenured or tenure-stream academic appointment.
  • Former faculty members of McMaster University who have retired while holding a tenured academic appointment.
  • Persons holding at least a one-year appointment at McMaster University. In the event the grantee’s appointment at McMaster ends, unspent funds remaining at that time will be returned to the Arts Research Board.
  • Postdoctoral fellows who are conducting scholarly activity in Humanities or Social Sciences fields, and who are supervised by a faculty member of McMaster University who holds a tenured or tenure-stream appointment.
  • Individuals who hold teaching track or non-tenure track positions are eligible to apply for ARB funding for research, provided they obtain explicit permission from their Faculty Deans.
  • Other persons, including Adjunct Professors and Professional Librarians, who hold permanent appointments at McMaster University and who meet SSHRC eligibility criteria for SIG funding.

Students and visiting fellows or scholars are NOT eligible to apply for ARB funding. However, SSHRC encourages the employment of students in SIG-funded research.

Emerging Scholars

Applicants may request consideration as emerging scholars. Applications from emerging scholars will be adjudicated separately from all other applications. To have their applications adjudicated as emerging scholars, applicants must demonstrate that they have not applied successfully, as principal investigator or project director, for a research grant offered from the Tri-Agency (SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR). However, may have previously held or currently hold knowledge mobilization grants and/or SSHRC Partnership Engage Grants. In addition, they must meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • Have completed their highest degree no more than six years before the competition deadline;
  • Have held a tenured or tenure-track postsecondary appointment for less than six years;
  • Have held a postsecondary appointment, but never a tenure-track position;
  • Have had their careers significantly interrupted or delayed for health or family reasons within the past six years.

As Postdoctoral fellows satisfy the eligibility criteria, they may be considered emerging scholars.

For the ARB Policy Guide, complete guidelines and application forms for each of the four categories above, please see the Forms & Templates page.

Final Report Requirement

To be eligible for future ARB funding, researchers who have been awarded ARB SSHRC Explore or Exchange funds previously must submit a final report to ROADS within six months of completing the project.

The ARB SSHRC Exchange and Explore final reports forms for each of the four categories above can also found on the Forms & Templates page.

If you have any questions about the ARB, please contact Muriel Gervais, Research Administration Analyst.