Stella Blum Research Grant

Purpose To support a CSA Student Member (current undergraduate or graduate student) working in the field of North American costume. Description The Stella Blum Research Grant is named for Stella Blum, a costume curator, educator, writer, scholar and founding member and Fellow of CSA. Affiliated with The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute since 1940, she became curator in 1975. This grant was established after her death in 1985 and first awarded in 1987. Requirements Candidates must meet the following requirements: Students matriculating, at the time of their funded research, in a degree program at an accredited institution. Research projects in the field of North American costume. Costume Society members in good standing. Deadline Application deadline is May 1 of each year. Applicants will be notified of results by August 1. Request an application from CSA National Office or 800-CSA-9447. Completed applications and support material should be mailed to: Ann Wass CSA Stella Blum Research Grant 5903 60th Avenue Riverdale, MD 20737 Application Applications should include the following: A cover sheet (on form provided - original and 6 copies). A brief abstract (no more that 50 words) of the proposal. Full written proposal as outlined below (original and 6 copies). Budget (on form provided - original and 6 copies). Proof of current student enrollment. Typewritten recommendations from two persons who are familiar with the applicant's academic record, preferably faculty members. One will be the research project supervisor (on form provided, to be sent separately by advisors). Letters of permission must be included from a research site, museum or library, if the applicant intends to do research in their collections. The proposal should be typed double-spaced, no more than 1,000 words. The proposal should include the following: Introduction to research project; background and significance. Purposes and goals of the research; specific objectives of work to be accomplished; what questions will be answered. Qualifications of researcher; familiarity with subject; course-work completed and related courses to be taken during the project; previous research experience; how will the project benefit the student at this point in his/her academic career and in the long run. Methodology; structure of research design; name of research supervisor, project schedule. Application/scholarly presentation of results, and the value of this information to the field of costume research. Select bibliography and related resources. Criteria Significance of topic. Forwarding the field of costume. Feasibility. Time frame/work plan/ time table. Methodology. Bibliography. Budget. Applicant's qualifications. Funding $2,000 plus a travel component of up to $500 to attend National Symposium to present the completed research. Allowable costs include the following: Transportation to and from a research site (away from home or school). Living expenses at research site (away from home or school). Supplies such as film photographic reproductions, books, paper, and computer disks. Postage and telephone. Services such as typing, computer searches, graphics. Non-allowable expenses include the following: Living expenses while at home or school. Tuition and materials for course-work. Overhead or indirect costs to any institution. Salary. Equipment such as camera, typewriters, and tape recorders. Transportation to regional or national meetings of CSA. Expenses incurred prior to the date of the written notification of the award, including costs of preparing the application.