The National Coalition of Independent Scholars (NCIS)

NCIS welcomes people who are pursuing knowledge in or across any fields whose credentials demonstrate an active involvement in independent scholarship in any field, as evidenced by advanced degrees or presentations/publications. Further qualification is that the scholar not be employed on a full-time basis by an academic institution or other organization in the field to which their independent scholarly activity pertains. Graduate students intent on pursuing independent scholarship, adjunct faculty, and others tangentially associated with academic institutions who do not receive financial support for their scholarly activities are eligible.

NCIS was formed in January 1989 to facilitate the work of independent scholars. NCIS objectives are to:

  • Bring independent scholars together to share scholarly interests and expertise
  • Improve access to research libraries for independent scholars
  • Offer independent scholars information and advice about grants and fellowships and about publishing.
  • Encourage foundations and institutes to open competitions to independent scholars and to include them on review committees
  • Hold conferences and workshops of interest to independent scholars and to the public
  • Offer grants-in-aid to NCIS members and small grants to affiliates
  • Serve as administrator for members applying for grants
  • Encourage information exchange through publications and electronic communication
  • Aid organizations of independent scholars by collecting and sharing organization experience and by publicizing their work
  • Provide information for the creation of local organizations of independent scholars

 

Thinking of joining NCIS? Here are some of the additional benefits of membership:

  • Members have access to Foundation Center's Grants to Individuals Online, a service that provides access to thousands of grants available to independent scholars, grant writing training, and more.
  • Members are eligible for numerous grants that are limited to members of NCIS.
  • Members receive a Membership Card that can be used at research institutions and other places as a form of identification that indicates their membership in the organization.
  • Members may expand their network of scholars with similar research interests.
  • Members may get involved in the administration of NCIS, write articles or book reviews for our member publication, The Independent Scholar.
  • Members are eligible to have member web pages to showcase their talent or to serve as a tool for self-promotion.
  • Members may get an @ncis.org e-mail address to show their affiliation and to avoid unprofessional-sounding addresses from one of the many free e-mail services.
  • Members may order business cards that include the NCIS logo.
  • Members have access to our membership directory, enabling them to connect with other independent scholars in their local geographic area or within their areas of interest.

2011 Grants and Awards Recipients

 The National Coalition of Independent Scholars is pleased to announce the recipients of our 2011 awards.

Eisenstein-DeLacy Award: Mary Ann Irwin "Sex, War and Community Service"
published in Frontiers, A Journal of Women Studies v.32, Issue 1 May 2011.
 
 
Travel Grants:
 
Kelly M. McDonald to present the paper: “A House Divided? How the Sister Arts Define the Dashwood Sisters" at the 2011 Annual General Meeting of the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA), October 14-15,
2011, Fort Worth Texas
     
Kimberly Chrisman Campbell:"Beauty and the Beast: Animals in the Visual and Material Culture of the Toilette" American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies conference in Vancouver, March 17-20, 2011
 
C L Nash:"An Ontological Imperative: A Self-Emancipated Woman’s Challenge for Citizenship and Human Dignity," 96th Annual Convention of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) that will be held October 5-October 9, 2011 in Richmond, Virginia. (Award declined due to inability to attend.)

 

 

2012 Grants and Awards Applications

The National Coalition of Independent Scholars will soon invite applications for its 2012 Grants and Awards Committee. The Committee will award the Eisenstein-DeLacy Prize for the best published article by an NCIS member. This prize will be awarded with a $200 honorarium. Additionally, there will be three travel awards each of $200 for travel to an academic conference or to assist travel related to research.

All applications must include a CV. For the Eisenstein-DeLacy Award, a copy of the article to be considered must also be included, with information on place and date of publication. More than one article may be submitted. For the travel awards, a travel and expense budget and description of research project must be submitted. If the travel is to a conference, all related materials must also be included.

The deadline for submitting applications is July 15, 2012. The decisions of the Grants and Awards Committee will be announced by September 15, 2012 and will be posted on the NCIS website, along with profiles of the winners.

 

NCIS Tweets

Independent Scholars: Give us your NEWS! Share with colleagues and friends via NCIS #Twitter account - new email: ncistwitter@gmail.com
Mon, 08 Aug 2011 16:24:42

Several NEW benefits for NCIS members begin in AUGUST, including membership cards and letters of introduction. Stay turned for more!
Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:38:33

NCIS names RUTH FEIERTAG editor of The Independent Scholar. Expect the next issue in August - packed with news and announcements.
Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:26:49

Library Research Fellowship via American Philosophical Society. Great opportunity for Independent Scholars. http://t.co/9qTTPMH
Tue, 19 Jul 2011 19:51:35

NCIS Members: Cambridge Journals = 6 weeks free access! Begins 15 July. See journals.cambridge.org for details.

Copyright © 2012 National Coalition of Independent Scholars. All Rights Reserved.