Urgent Request for Proposals
Congressional Subpoena Documents Analysis
Application Deadline: 15 June 2024
Period of Work: 1 July 2024 – 1 May 2025
CSSN is calling for proposals to conduct an analysis of newly released documents regarding the practices of major oil companies in the United States.
On May 1, 2024, the Senate Budget Committee held a hearing titled “Denial, Disinformation, and Doublespeak: Big Oil’s Evolving Efforts to Avoid Accountability for Climate Change. This hearing released the results of a multi year investigation by the House Oversight and Accountability Committee and the Senate Budget Committee. The results of this investigation were summarized in the committee report: DENIAL, DISINFORMATION, AND DOUBLESPEAK: BIG OIL’S EVOLVING EFFORTS TO AVOID ACCOUNTABILITY FOR CLIMATE CHANGE.
In addition to the report, several thousand pages of documents obtained by the investigation were released. These pages are available online at the following locations:
A complete history of this investigation and previous hearings is available online at https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/news/press-releases/new-joint-bicameral-staff-report-reveals-big-oils-campaign-climate-denial.
Request for Proposals
Given the recent release of documents as a result of the Congressional hearing on May 1, 2024, CSSN is seeking short-term research proposals for $5K to $20K to analyze and write a peer reviewed paper about what these new documents show about corporate behavior and climate obstruction.
Period of Work: 1 July 2024 – 1 May 2025
Guidelines
Successful proposals will have scientifically sound research plans that are explicitly rooted in relevant social science theory and literature, as well as the previous reports issued by the House Oversight Committee. Proposals will be evaluated using criteria of intellectual merit and their potential contribution to informing pragmatic and timely actions to address climate change.
Funding with a suggested minimum of $5,000 and a maximum amount of $20,000 is available. Applicants should submit a maximum three-page research proposal (plus appendices) containing the following items:
- Title, which should emphasize the sector and/or kinds of organizations of interest.
- Participating researchers, affiliations, nations, and email addresses.
- Abstract describing the overall project, time frame and budgetary requirements. This should be no longer than 250 words.
- Research Objectives
- Intellectual Merit of the Proposed Research, including how this research expands the peer reviewed literature regarding the practices of the major oil companies in the United States. Research grant proposals should include a detailed literature review; seed grants should include a detailed list flagging the most relevant pieces.
- Broader Political Importance, including value of the research to addressing climate change.
- Proposed Budget and Schedule, including intermediate outputs and planned peer reviewed publications.
Submissions should be submitted through our google form here.
Important Notes
This call for proposals is open to all members of the Climate Social Science Network. If you are not a member, contact us. We will not fund open access journal fees or conferences.
The application must be received by June 15, 2024.
Grant awardees will be required to report on their project’s outcomes at CSSN’s annual conferences in 2025, and in a brief final report.
Direct questions to: Timmons Roberts, Executive Director, CSSN at timmons@brown.edu.