Award: One grant of up to $4,000 CAD
Application deadline: TBA, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time
Notification of results: TBA
About the Grant
The McGowan Research and Travel Grant in Canadian Catholic Archives supports original research into the history of Catholicism in Canada through the use of archival records held by the Catholic Religious Communities Archive (CRCA) at the John M. Kelly Library, University of St. Michael’s College, and/or the Archives of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto.
The grant encourages scholarly, public, and community-based research that deepens understanding of the Catholic Church, Catholic religious communities, Catholic institutions, and Catholic life in Canada.
The grant is jointly sponsored by the Canadian Catholic Historical Association and the University of St. Michael’s College and is administered through the John M. Kelly Library.
Award Value
One grant of $4,000 CAD will normally be awarded annually.
The grant is intended to support expenses directly associated with travelling to Toronto to undertake archival research, including:
- Transportation to and from Toronto
- Accommodation during the research visit
- Local transportation related to the research visit
- Other reasonable travel-related expenses, where approved
The grant does not support conference travel, publication costs, equipment purchases, salary replacement, tuition or fees, or general research expenses unrelated to travel and accommodation for the archival visit.
Who May Apply
The grant is open to anyone undertaking research related to the history of Catholicism in Canada, broadly understood. Eligible applicants include:
- Undergraduate and graduate students
- Faculty members and postdoctoral researchers
- Independent scholars
- Public historians and genealogists
- Archivists, librarians, and heritage professionals
- Community researchers
- Other researchers whose projects would benefit from the eligible archival collections
Applicants do not need to be members of the Canadian Catholic Historical Association. Preference may be given to applicants who must travel to Toronto to consult the relevant archival records.
Eligible Research Sites
Applicants must propose in-person research at one or both of the following repositories:
- Catholic Religious Communities Archive, John M. Kelly Library, University of St. Michael’s College
- Archives of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto
Applicants are not required to conduct research at both repositories.
The award does not guarantee access to restricted, closed, unprocessed, or otherwise unavailable records.
Before You Apply
Prospective applicants must contact the repository or repositories where they intend to conduct research before submitting an application.
This consultation is required to confirm:
- That the proposed research relates to available archival holdings
- That the relevant records are accessible
- Whether access restrictions, processing limitations, or appointment requirements apply
- That the proposed visit is feasible within the intended timeframe
Applicants must identify the repository representative with whom they communicated and provide evidence that the proposed research and access arrangements have been discussed.
For questions about research at the CRCA, contact specialcollections.kellylibrary@utoronto.ca.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on TBD.
Applicants should download and complete the application template. The completed application must include:
- Applicant and project information, including contact information, institutional affiliation if applicable, project title, proposed repository or repositories, anticipated visit dates, and the name of the archival representative consulted.
- A research proposal of approximately 700 words describing:
- The nature and purpose of the project
- Its relationship to the history of Catholicism in Canada
- The archival records or collections to be consulted
- Why in-person research in Toronto is necessary
- How the archival research will contribute to the project
- The anticipated research timeline
- Expected scholarly, educational, community, archival, or public-facing outcomes
- A preliminary budget, normally no more than one page, outlining anticipated travel, accommodation, local transportation, and other eligible travel-related expenses.
- A current curriculum vitae or résumé, normally no more than two pages.
- Written confirmation from the relevant archival repository or repositories that the applicant has discussed the proposed research and that the research visit is feasible.
Application materials should be combined into a single PDF and submitted by email to specialcollections.kellylibrary@utoronto.ca.
Applicants who require an accessible alternative or assistance combining their application materials may contact specialcollections.kellylibrary@utoronto.ca.
Applicants will receive confirmation that their application has been received. Late or incomplete applications may not be considered.
Selection Process
Applications will first be reviewed for completeness and eligibility. Eligible applications will then be considered by an adjudication committee with representatives from the Canadian Catholic Historical Association and the University of St. Michael’s College.
Applications will be assessed according to:
- Relevance to the history of Catholicism in Canada
- Demonstrated need to consult records held by an eligible repository
- Confirmation that the proposed archival research is feasible
- Clarity and significance of the research question or project
- Feasibility of the research plan and timeline
- Appropriateness of the proposed budget
- Potential contribution to scholarship, teaching, public history, community memory, archival understanding, or broader public engagement
The committee may decide not to make an award if no suitable application is received. Its decision is final.
Conditions of the Award
The successful applicant will be expected to:
- Undertake the research visit within twelve months of receiving the award, unless an extension is approved
- Use the award for eligible travel and accommodation expenses
- Arrange their own travel, accommodation, and appointments with the relevant repository
- Follow all repository requirements concerning registration, access, handling, reproduction, and citation
- Acknowledge the grant in publications, presentations, exhibitions, digital projects, and other resulting outputs
- Notify the Canadian Catholic Historical Association and the John M. Kelly Library of resulting publications or public outputs
- Submit a report of approximately 500 to 1,000 words within two months of completing the visit
- Where possible, participate in a brief public-facing activity related to the research, such as an interview, presentation, article, blog post, or researcher profile
The recipient’s name, project title, affiliation, if applicable, and a short description of the project will be publicly announced by the sponsors.
Payment will normally be issued as a single award after the recipient accepts the grant and completes the documentation required by the University of St. Michael’s College. The recipient is responsible for any personal tax implications associated with the award.
Questions
Questions about the grant or research at the Catholic Religious Communities Archive may be directed to:
Special Collections: Archives and Rare Books
Catholic Religious Communities Archive
John M. Kelly Library
University of St. Michael’s College
specialcollections.kellylibrary@utoronto.ca
416-926-2314
Contact Us
Telephone: +1 (416) 926-2314
Email: specialcollections.kellylibrary@utoronto.ca
Elizabeth Comper Special Collections Reading Room
John M. Kelly Library
Before visiting, you are warmly encouraged to review our Researcher Guidelines. Rare materials damage easily but if well-treated, they can last many generations and, in some cases, hundreds of years.