About the Award
     SPSP seeks personality and social psychologists from around the world to participate in its activities, striving to reflect the full range of human experiences and global diversity. The goal of this award is to serve as an incubator for testing creative ideas that would help build connections and communication across the world.

     Specifically, we invite creative proposals for ideas on how to increase internationalization within SPSP, with specific goals to promote communication, exchanges, and partnerships with scholars from countries currently underrepresented in SPSP and in mainstream personality and social psychology. Award selection criteria will focus on enhancing international diversity and global representation of the Society and more broadly of the field, as well as the proposal’s potential to build lasting exchanges and partnerships with scholars from underrepresented world regions. We encourage proposals that break boundaries and offer out-of-the-box solutions to foster SPSP’s mission to increase its global presence and reflect social and personality psychologists worldwide.

     Awardees will receive up to $1,500 USD to support the proposed activities (e.g., technology, marketing, membership fees for key collaborators from Low and Middle Income countries, if needed). For proposals that involve an in-person event (whether at the annual SPSP convention or self-organized in other locations), an additional $1,000 will be provided to cover the travel expenses of one or more primary organizers. One event organizer will additionally receive a complimentary SPSP membership.

     Recipients of this award will work with members of the SPSP International Committee to ensure the project’s feasibility and maximize the impact of proposed activities. At the end of the grant year, the individual or team awarded is expected to prepare a summary of the activity and any information that would be helpful to those planning similar events in the future.

     The types of activities this award would fund are flexible and they can be diverse and creative as long as they meet the award’s objectives. These activities can take place as part of the SPSP Annual Convention or fall outside of the scope of the convention.
 

 Eligibility
     Any SPSP member (or non-member) is eligible to apply for the International Bridge-Building Award. (A one-year membership will be granted for one organizer per award.) Priority will be given to applications that are spearheaded by and focus on scholars from underrepresented areas including most countries in Asia; the Pacific Islands; Oceania; Southern and Eastern Europe; Africa and the Middle East; and Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Our emphasis will be on those who are either based in those contexts or who can provide evidence of being in a good position to build bridges to them.

How to Apply
     Before the May 1, 2025 deadline, applicants will provide their current CV and a 1000-word proposal outlining the program/event (including a brief budget plan for the use of the $1500 award budget with timeline & activity description; same for the additional $1000 travel budget if applicable), describing how it would meet the goals described above, i.e. contribute to the internationalization of SPSP, and promoting communication, exchanges, and partnerships with scholars from countries currently underrepresented in SPSP and in mainstream personality and social psychology.   
 

Selection Process 

• Members of the SPSP International Committee will review the applications.
• The main selection criteria will be the proposed program’s ability to increase international communication, collaboration, and partnership with scholars from underrepresented countries.

Submissions deadline May 1, 2025.

Questions? Contact awards@spsp.org 

In 2017, inspired by discussion during the Increasing Diversity and Inclusiveness symposium at the 2017 Convention, the Society for Personality and Social Psychology launched the Community Building Grant Program.
SPSP members can apply to use these funds in their efforts to develop community and professional development among members of groups currently underrepresented in the field (including gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity and race, disability, and other underrepresented statuses).

Description
SPSP seeks to provide small grants to support personality and social psychologists at all levels. This financial support is intended to assist SPSP members from underrepresented groups in their efforts to develop and host meetings to build community and develop professional skills. Examples could include dinner with an invited speaker, sharing and critiquing job materials, workshopping papers, skills building workshops, building new networks, and other community building activities.

Community Building support is not to be used for individuals to attend the SPSP Convention, preconferences, speaker honorariums, or awards.

Grants may be awarded for an amount up to $2,000. Larger or more formal meetings/conferences should apply for the small conference grant.

Eligibility
To apply for the Community Building Grant, applicants must be members of SPSP with current membership in good standing at time of application.

Evaluation
Your application will be evaluated based on its unique merit and capacity to promote and grow one of our underrepresented communities (including but not limited to: gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity and race, disability).

Preference will be given to application that 1) build community (expanding participants’ professional networks) and professional development skills. 2) include activities that develop or build new communities within SPSP, and 3) serve undergraduate students, graduate students, and/or junior scholars. Priority will also be given to applications that are not continuations of formerly funded Community Catalyst Grants though past grantees may still apply.

Rider on Use of Funds
Funds will be made available in one of two ways:
1)     Directly payable to another hosting/sponsoring entity OR the recipient’s university. If this method is chosen, a W9 from the payee will be required. Under this arrangement, SPSP is a sponsor and will not be legally or financially responsible for the conference and no contract should be signed under the auspice of SPSP, Inc.

2)     Funds hosted at SPSP. If this method is chosen, SPSP will be the host of the meeting and will assume contractual responsibility, including financial, legal and tax responsibility. Organizers will maintain control of the program content and will work with SPSP staff on budgets/contracts.
In either payment scenario, if the conference does not occur within 12 months of award, the funds must be returned to SPSP.

How to Apply
Applications are accepted annually: the deadline has been extended to May 1, 2025.