Love Ethic Collaborator Grant

Sponsored by a transformative grant from the John Templeton Foundation, the Notre Dame Institute Ethics and the Common Good (ECG) is seeking to support 5-10 collaborators who are conducting ambitious research projects connected to love-based ethics.

For futher explanation of this topic, including a list of potential research topics related to them, please see https://ethics.nd.edu/fellowships-and-grants/love-ethic-collaborator-grant/.

Love Ethic Collaborators should identify at least two other researchers within their institution to participate in the project.

Collaborators will receive a grant of up to $250,000 to complete a project between July 2026 and April 2030. They will conduct their research project at their home institution during this time, though occasional travel to Notre Dame and other sites will be required.

Note: Faculty working on love-based ethics who are looking for one-year residential fellowships on the Notre Dame campus should apply for a Faculty Fellowship.

Love Ethic Collaborations are open to scholars who are conducting a substantial research project that advances our theoretical understanding of a dimension of love-based ethical frameworks. Applicants from all academic disciplines are encouraged to apply, including—but not limited to—philosophy, theology, psychology, sociology, political science, law, literature, and the arts.

Successful applications will propose a set of defined deliverables (e.g., research papers, draft policy, teaching materials, and impact assessments) aimed at advancing the love-ethic framework.

Collaborators should be tenure-track / tenured faculty members or senior administrators who are working on their project in conjunction with at least two other researchers at their institution.

The project team should have a proven track record of research impact in their discipline and a commitment to engaging with other scholars who are working to advance love-based ethical frameworks.

We welcome applications from scholars who are based outside the U.S. We also welcome applications from scholars from a variety of faith and cultural traditions.

While many programs at the ECG are residential in nature, Love Ethic Collaborators are not expected to reside on the Notre Dame campus; instead, the research will be conducted at the Collaborator’s home institution. However, occasional travel to Notre Dame (and other locations) to participate in institute events will be required. At least one member of each collaboration team will be required to present at the two global conferences that anchor the fellowship (May 2028 and May 2030).

Love Ethic Collaborators will be awarded a grant of between $100,000 and $250,000 to conduct their project. Applicants should submit a detailed budget of their intended use of the funds at the point of application.

The grant funds will begin in July 2026 and projects must conclude by April 2030.

In addition to executing the research plan in accordance with the Collaborators’ proposal, they will be expected to do the following:

• Participate in the two global conferences that anchor the John Templeton Foundation grant (May 2028 and May 2030).
• Provide annual project evaluations in April of each year.
• Submit a summative report and presentation at the conclusion of their project.

Applications for Love Ethic Collaborations must be submitted through Interfolio and should include the following:

• Completed online application form
• Cover letter
• Curriculum vitae (no more than four pages, single-spaced)
• Proposal abstract (no more than 400 words)
• Research proposal (no more than six pages double-spaced; research proposals may include a works-cited or bibliography page, which does not count toward the six-page limit). In the research proposal, applicants should provide an explanation of the project they intend to pursue at ECG, including:
  • How the proposed research advances our understanding of a dimension of love-based ethical systems
  • Preliminary objectives for the research to be conducted (i.e., whether the research might result in a book, journal article, art work, etc.).
  • The proposed work plan (including what research or work has already been accomplished, what will be done during the fellowship period, the methodology to be employed, and the organization of the scholarly project, book, or other work)
• An itemized budget. Please use the budget proposal template here. An example budget proposal is in the “Budget Example” tab for your reference.
  • Note that expenses for participation in the two global conferences and the institute workshops should be built into the budget.
• A work timeline. Please use the timeline proposal template here. An example timeline proposal is included in the “Timeline Example” tab.
• Public-engagement proposal (no more than two pages, double-spaced). In the public-engagement proposal, applicants should explain how they plan to engage a public audience with their proposed research project (e.g., through a newspaper op-ed, public discussion, podcast episode, etc.).
• Two letters of reference. The letters should address the strength of the applicant’s proposed research project, its fit with the topic of love-based ethics, and the applicant’s collaborative potential and collegiality.

Finalists will be asked to be available for a brief Zoom conversation with committee members during the final stage of the selection process.