Dean of the Faculty

Faculty Research Travel Fund

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Faculty Research Travel Fund

Faculty can apply for reimbursement for up to three conference- or research-related trips per academic year.

 

The Faculty Research Travel Fund (FRTF) is available to voting members of the Brown campus-based faculty for assistance in meeting the cost of professional travel. The FRTF is designated to support trips to attend conferences and to do scholarly research or fieldwork.  

Faculty may apply for reimbursement for up to a maximum of three trips per academic year, with a total reimbursement cap of $1,900 or less. Faculty are also eligible for a one-time supplement of up to $600 for a single trip to present a paper at an international conference or to conduct research internationally. This $600 supplement will not count against the $1,900 Faculty Research Travel Fund total. Faculty with more than $5,000 in University-provided (non-grant) research or startup funds available will have lower caps on total available support.

For trips that extend across two fiscal years, faculty may normally request reimbursement from either year, but not both. Exceptions will require approval from a Dean. Authorization and payment for expenses relating to trips taking place after July 1 will only be possible after April 1 of the prior fiscal year. Regardless of the dates of travel, requests will count against the funding cap for the year in which they are made.  Please make every effort to submit expense reports in the same fiscal year as the travel fund authorization. (I.e. for a trip in July, if an authorization is requested in May please submit expense reports for any available expenses before July 1.) A faculty member on sabbatical leave may apply to the FRTF for aid in supporting travel expenses for scholarly research incurred in the course of one trip during that leave.

Application Submission Deadlines

There are no longer any deadlines for submission of requests, but the fund is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis and may run out of money before the end of the fiscal year.

Limitations on Funding

Faculty with more than $5,000 in University-provided (non-grant) research funds (including start-up, endowed chair, GIF, annual research and departmental chair research funds) will have their maximum annual travel fund allocation reduced by $200; faculty with more than $10,000 in research funds will have the maximum allocation reduced by $500; and faculty with more than $20,000 will have their maximum allocation reduced by $1,000.

Please note that Brown requires prior authorization for use of per diem for travel of more than two weeks. For the full policy, please see the travel lodging policy and travel meals policy.

Application Requirements

  • Department Chair’s approval: Check the appropriate box to certify the approval of the department chair or center director.
  • International Travel: To request use of the one-time supplement of up to $600, check off the box on the application designated for that purpose.
  • Other available Funds: Faculty are encouraged to exhaust any research funds that can be used for the trip (startup, GIF, named chair research accounts, etc).

Approval Process

The applicant and department manager will receive email notifications as soon as the application is approved by the Office of the Dean of the Faculty. The department manager may then process FTF transactions through Workday Financials. Department managers should not charge the Faculty Travel Fund without prior approval from the Office of the Dean of the Faculty.

Travel Advances

For per diem and other daily expenses related to faculty research trips, Brown offers the option of travel advances.  The travel advance policy requires that requests be made at least two weeks (preferably more) before the departure, and they must be cleared within two weeks of returning from travel. Your departmental staff can help you with the travel advance process, and instructions are available within the policy page itself.

For flights or train trips, you may also use the University's travel agency (FCM Travel), which will allow you to book trips without paying upfront. Using FCM requires a booking fee (currently $35) and permission from the Controller's Office.  Use this form to request permission to book, and use the Faculty Travel Fund worktags if (and only if) you have an approved travel fund request. Your departmental staff will need your flight details, passport number etc. to work with the Controller's Office and FCM Travel. 

Reimbursement

  • Expense reports should be submitted within 60 days of purchase for items purchased in advance of travel.
  • Under no circumstances will payment be made for expense reports submitted more than 60 days after the last day of travel.

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