CURCA Funding

The Stevens Science Center at Westfield State University

For Students

CURCA Student Conference Fund

  • Intended to help students needing to travel to present or attend a conference directly related to their research or creative project can apply for funding.
  • Applicants should request funding at least one month in advance of attending the conference.

CURCA Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP)

CURCA-RAP

A collaboration between the Center for Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity (CURCA), faculty mentors, and Student Financial Services to provide work-study eligible, early-career students opportunities to gain mentored research or creative project experiences at Westfield State University.  

This program allows students to make a meaningful contribution to a research or creative activity project while learning about the process of scholarship in their field of interest. Faculty will gain a full member of their research or creative team at no additional cost to the faculty mentor or their department.  

What's the goal of RAP?

The goal of the program is to help facilitate relationships between incoming and current first-generation, low income, economically disadvantaged, commuter, or adult-learners who may otherwise not participate in applied experiences at WSU.  Students are eligible for CURCA RAP at any point in their undergraduate or graduate careers, but the program is particularly intended to serve freshman and sophomore students who are just starting out in their fields of interests.  

  • Faculty mentors provide project descriptions for student research positions. CURCA will assist as needed and will facilitate posting project descriptions, vetting of students, and payroll associated with work-study.
  • WSU undergraduate and graduate students who are eligible for federal work study are eligible to apply.

For Faculty

Faculty Facilitation Award (FFA)

  • The Faculty Facilitation Award (FFA) supports undergraduate research (UR) and creative activities (CA) that provide high-impact learning experiences for students at Westfield State University.
  • This grant supports the direct costs of research activities and creative scholarship, for example purchase of equipment and supplies; compensation for research participants; data analysis; and costs associated with performance, exhibition, publication, or
  • This grant does not cover travel costs for faculty or students.
  • Faculty cannot use an FFA to fund their own scholarly activities - the FFA is intended to support scholarly UR and CA projects by students that you are supporting as the faculty mentor.