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Carrie Chapman Catt Prize for Research on Women and Politics

The Carrie Chapman Catt Prize for Research on Women and Politics is an annual competition designed to encourage and reward scholars embarking on significant research in gender and politics, including civic education and engagement and the scholarship of teaching and learning. Since the first prize was awarded, a total of $166,000 has been awarded to 144 research projects.

Research projects submitted for prize consideration may address any topic related to gender and politics, including proposals in the areas of civic education and engagement and in the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Previous winners have included research in the fields of political science, government, international relations, communication, history, sociology, women’s studies, American studies, and Latin American studies. Scholars at any level may apply, from graduate students to tenured faculty members as well as adjunct faculty and independent researchers.

The winners of the Catt Prize are announced and awards are disbursed in February each year.

How to apply

The Carrie Chapman Catt Prize for Research on Women and Politics is an annual competition designed to encourage and reward scholars embarking on significant research in gender and politics. This includes proposals in the areas of civic education and engagement and in the scholarship of teaching and learning. Scholars at any level may apply, from graduate students to tenured faculty members as well as adjunct faculty and independent researchers.

Numerous proposals from a variety of academic disciplines are received each year. Proposals are double-blind peer reviewed by a committee comprised of faculty members in the disciplines represented.

The prize includes a $2,500 cash award for each project selected. Honorable mention prizes of up to $1,200 per project may also be awarded. Winners will be announced and awards disbursed in February 2026.

To be considered for the 2025 prize, applicants must complete the submission form by 11:59 p.m. CST on November 17, 2025. Required information on the form includes:

  • Contact information and biographical statement (750-character limit) for each author
  • Project description (5-10 pages, double spaced, 12-point font) in Adobe PDF or Microsoft Word format:
    • Proposal title
    • 150-200 word abstract summarizing its purpose and content
    • Discussion of relevant theory, contributions to literature in the field, and methodology; other relevant information may also be included
    • Statement and itemized budget describing how the Catt Prize will contribute to the research project
    • Timetable for completion of the project, taking into consideration the February 2026 disbursement of awards
    • Reference list of relevant literature (not included in the 10-page limit, but please include in the same document)

As proposals are double-blind peer reviewed, do not include identifying information such as author names or institutions in the project description.

Frequently asked questions

Scholars at any level may apply, from graduate students to tenured faculty members as well as adjunct faculty and independent researchers.

No, researchers from around the world are eligible.

Yes, proposals may have up to four co-authors.

Yes, but only for new research relating to gender and politics. Proposals may not be submitted for projects that previously received Catt Prize funding.

Proposals may be submitted for new or ongoing research, but the award money should be used only for new expenses, not to reimburse researchers for past expenses.

Catt Prize awards can be used to fund any part of a research project. Examples of how past awards have been used include (but are limited to) hiring graduate or undergraduate research assistants, travel expenses, translation services, survey expenses, and creating a website.

The Catt Prize awards are from private funds that were donated to support research on gender and politics. The Catt Center does not believe they should be treated as a grant with indirect costs associated with the prize, and does not provide indirect costs over the amount of the award.

In accordance with U.S. tax law, Catt Prize awards must be paid directly to the author of the proposal.

Payment for a Catt Prize award or honorable mention is considered income. The recipient will receive a 1099-Misc from Iowa State University and is liable for any taxes assessed.

Awards are paid to only one author per proposal. If you are a co-author on a winning proposal or an honorable mention, your team will be asked which author to disburse the award to, and then your team can decide how to apply that money to your project. The recipient will receive a 1099-Misc from Iowa State University and is liable for any taxes assessed. Please note that all co-authors will be credited as Catt Prize winners or honorable mentions on our website, in publicity materials, and in Catt Center records.

Catt Prize proposals must be submitted through the link provided above under How To Apply. The link appears only when the application period is open.

The biographical statement, which has a 750-character limit, should describe your current appointment, professional experience and education. As the review committee does not see the biographical statements before making their decision, it does not need to include a description of your qualifications for the project.

If the award money would cover only part of the expenses of a project, it is helpful to provide a higher-level description of your whole budget with a more detailed breakdown of how the award money would be used.

Proposals are double-blind peer reviewed by a committee composed of faculty members in the disciplines represented by the proposals. While many reviewers are faculty at Iowa State University, the reviewers represent a diverse array of institutions.

Yes. If you are interested in reviewing proposals, please contact the Catt Center at cattcntr@iastate.edu. Individuals may not review applications in a year in which they submit a proposal.

The review committee meets in late January/early February to select the winning proposal(s). Authors of both winning and non-winning proposals will then be notified. Information about the winning proposals is posted on the Catt Prize webpage in mid- to late February and announced in the Catt Center’s newsletter in March.

You can include this statement: “This project was funded (in part) by the Carrie Chapman Catt Prize for Research on Women and Politics, awarded in [YEAR].”