What Funding and Opportunities Does CLACS at UC Berkeley Offer?

Updated

CLACS (the Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies at UC Berkeley) lists funding and opportunities in four main areas: conference travel grants, event series and working groups, a summer dissertation writing fellowship, and graduate affiliation. These are described on the center's Opportunities pages, and eligibility details for each program are not fully spelled out in the site overview, so check the individual program page before applying.

Funding for Research and Study

The center states that it "offers funding for research and study in Latin America and the Caribbean, with ongoing grant programs for students, faculty, and visitors." The named programs on the site are:

  • Conference Travel Grants — support for conference travel tied to the center's programs.
  • Summer Dissertation Writing Fellowship — a fellowship aimed at dissertation-stage graduate students.
  • Field Research — listed under the opportunities menu alongside the grant programs.

The site does not publish award amounts, deadlines, or eligibility rules in the overview text. Treat the list above as the starting point and confirm current terms on each program's page.

Events, Working Groups, and Fellowships

Beyond money, CLACS runs programming that students and faculty can join:

  • Event Series — the center presents events connecting Latin America and the Caribbean to educators, students, and community members at Berkeley and beyond.
  • Working Groups — listed as an opportunity category; the site does not detail membership criteria in the overview.
  • Fellows en Pedagogías de Lenguas Indígenas — a fellowship focused on Indigenous language pedagogies.
  • ORIAS Speakers Bureau — a outreach-related opportunity listed with the others.
  • Event & Conference Cosponsorships — support for events, governed by posted co-sponsorship policies.

If your goal is to present work or build a research community rather than secure a stipend, the event series and working groups are the more direct route.

Graduate Affiliation

Graduate Affiliation appears both as an opportunity and as a people category (alongside Graduate Affiliates). The site lists a "Graduate Affiliation" entry in the opportunities menu and a "Co-sponsorship Policies" page for event support. The overview does not state what affiliation includes, whether it carries funding, or how selection works — those details would need to come from the affiliation page or the center's staff.

How to Decide Where to Start

Your situation Most relevant CLACS offering
Presenting at a conference Conference Travel Grants
Writing your dissertation Summer Dissertation Writing Fellowship
Doing fieldwork in the region Field Research (listed under opportunities)
Wanting a research community Working Groups, Event Series
Organizing an event Event & Conference Cosponsorships
Seeking a formal connection to the center Graduate Affiliation

Practical Next Steps

  1. Go to the CLACS Opportunities section and open the page for the specific program you want.
  2. Check eligibility, deadlines, and required materials there — the overview page does not carry them.
  3. For events and affiliation questions, use the center's Contact Us page.
  4. To keep up with deadlines and new calls, the site offers a Newsletter Signup.

One caveat: the site's overview describes programs in general terms, and some pages (such as working groups and affiliation) may be sparse. If a program page lacks details, contact the center directly rather than assuming terms from the overview.