We organize workshop series, graduate student reading groups, area specific events, and graduate student socials in order to advance research, teaching, and community-building in the History Department at Stanford University. In addition, we provide funding for workshops, conferences, and stand-alone events organized by History faculty in collaboration with other Stanford units.
To request funding or nominal (no-cost) co-sponsorship for your Stanford event, please review the information below and submit your proposal at this link.
Sponsorship Categories & Application Deadlines:
HISTORY DEPARTMENT EVENTS
The Department provides funding, logistical support, and staff support for the following four types of events:
- Workshop Series are led by History Department faculty members, usually in collaboration with History graduate students. They bring together Stanford History affiliates to present and discuss their ongoing research. Workshops are expected to meet a maximum of 3 times per quarter. Workshop organizers should prioritize local speakers and works-in-progress from Stanford graduate students and faculty; external speakers should be included only exceptionally. Application deadline: June 30, 2025
- Budget Allocation: $8,000 Max.
- Grad student coordinator compensation is included in the $8,000 budget allocation.
- Workshop funding can be used only to sponsor workshop events; it cannot be re-allocated to cosponsor or co-organize events with other campus units.
- Please use this budget template for your financial planning.
- Workshop Organizers’ Responsibilities:
- Each workshop should have one faculty organizer and one graduate student coordinator. The graduate student coordinator is hired at $25/hr to help with workshop arrangements. Coordinator salary is included in the $8,000 allocation.
- Organizers submit a sign-up sheet listing participants after each session, and a 1-page report summarizing their activities by June 20, 2026. Event organizers are responsible for keeping track of the expenses and balancing the proposed budget in collaboration with the department's Assistant Director of Finance & Operations and Events & Communications Coordinator.
- The Faculty Organizer is responsible for leading the workshop programming, actively mentoring coordinators on programming issues, and reviewing and approving the biweekly coordinator time cards. The workshop programming should not be left entirely to the graduate students.
- The Graduate Student Coordinator manages all logistics for the workshop, including scheduling, speaker communication, ordering catering, reserving the venue, moderating the workshop as needed, coordinating between speakers and the Department administration, preparing and circulating event announcements, maintaining membership lists, and managing publicity outreach to other units. Students should review the University's Graduate Student Hourly Employment policy and consult with the Department's Assistant Director of Student Services before accepting a workshop coordinator position. Graduate student coordinators should not unilaterally decide on programming for the workshop; this should be done in consultation with, and approved by, the faculty organizer.
- The meeting schedule should be sent to the Events & Publicity Coordinator two weeks before the 1st week of each quarter. Delays may result in funding reductions.
- Department Responsibilities: processing reimbursements and purchases, providing guidance on event planning and execution
- Graduate Student Reading Groups are led by History Department graduate students in close consultation with History Department faculty members. Through the sessions, participants deeply engage with a particular topic and forthcoming/recent publications. Reading groups are expected to meet a maximum of 3 times per quarter. Reading groups do not host external, non-Stanford speakers. Organizers are encouraged to utilize digital resources that are available for free via the Stanford Libraries. Application deadline: June 30, 2025
- Budget Allocation: $4,000 Max.
- The Grad student coordinator compensation is included in the $4,000 budget allocation.
- The funding can be used only to sponsor workshop events; it cannot be re-allocated to cosponsor or co-organize events with other campus units.
- Stanford affiliates from other departments may participate in the reading groups. Majority of participants should however be History graduate students due to funding restrictions.
- Please use this budget template for your financial planning.
- Reading Group Organizers’ Responsibilities:
- Each workshop should have one faculty organizer and one graduate student coordinator. The graduate student coordinator is hired at $25/hr to help with workshop arrangements. Coordinator salary is included in the $4,000 allocation.
- Organizers submit a sign-up sheet listing participants after each session, and a 1-page workshop report by June 20, 2026. They are responsible for keeping track of the expenses and balancing the proposed budget in collaboration with the department's Assistant Director of Finance & Operations and Events & Communications Coordinator
- The Faculty Organizer is responsible for actively mentoring coordinators on programming issues, and reviewing and approving the biweekly coordinator time cards.
- The Graduate Student Coordinator manages all logistics for the workshop, including workshop scheduling, speaker communication, ordering catering, reserving the venue, moderating the workshop as needed, coordinating between speakers and the Department administration, preparing and circulating event announcements, maintaining membership lists, and managing publicity outreach to other units. Students should review the University's Graduate Student Hourly Employment policy and consult with the Department's Assistant Director of Student Services before accepting a workshop coordinator position.
- The meeting schedule should be sent to the Events & Publicity Coordinator two weeks before the 1st week of each quarter. Delays may result in funding reductions.
- Department Responsibilities: processing reimbursements and purchases, providing guidance on event planning and execution
- Area-specific events are organized by History Department faculty members to supplement research and teaching efforts in five particular fields: Modern British History, Post-Renaissance Modern Europe, Latin American History, North American/U.S. History, and Undergraduate/Graduate Student Thesis Mentorship Program. Certain funds may require visitor residencies. Questions can be addressed to the Department's Director of Finance & Operations. Application deadline: June 30, 2025
- Graduate Student Social Events are organized by the Department's Second Year Graduate Student Representatives in order to enrich community building among History graduate students. The Department may provide up to $3,000 per quarter. The representatives are encouraged to discuss their needs and plans with the Department's Assistant Director of Student Services before submitting quarterly or annual proposals. Application deadline: At least three months prior to the proposed event date.
CO-SPONSORED EVENTS:
The Department provides funding for the following two types of Stanford events. We do not undertake event planning, logistical arrangements, and financial reimbursements. Event organizers should plan to work with other Stanford units or Stanford Conference Services (more info) on the event organization (such as logistical arrangements, financial reimbursements, general event coordination). The event announcements are publicized to the Department affiliates to deepen interdisciplinary campus conversations. Application deadline: At least three months prior to the proposed conference date.
- Workshops/Conferences bring together multiple speakers for a one-day or longer event. The Department may provide up to $500.
- Stand-alone Academic Events bring an external speaker for a one-time speaking engagement. The Department may provide up to $500.
NOMINAL CO-SPONSORSHIP REQUESTS:
Nominal (publicity) co-sponsorship can be requested for events organized by Stanford units and that have relevance to the research & teaching conducted in the department. The Department circulates the event information to its affiliates without providing further logistical and financial support. The unit leading the event should tag History on the Stanford Events calendar for the event to show up on the History Department website. Application Deadline: At least two weeks prior to the event date.
Review Process:
A committee comprising History faculty members and staff review the applications. The committee may decline to review applications due to the funding availability, planning timelines, and programming relevance. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling-basis if funding is available.
