Kesher Grant Program

Program Overview

The Kesher Grant Program is a Dartmouth Kalaniyot pilot initiative supporting short-term travel to Israel to initiate new scientific collaborations. Competitive grants fund one-week visits that enable Dartmouth faculty to engage researchers at Israeli universities, explore shared interests, and establish pathways for collaborative research.

Program Benefits

• Duration: One-week research visit to Israel
• Grant Amount: $5,000 to support travel and related expenses
• Focus: Development of future collaborations, research presentations, integrative scientific engagement

Eligibility

• Fields Supported: Any department in the Science division of Arts and Sciences as well as EEES (Ecology, Evolution, Environment and Society), the Program in Quantitative Social Sciences, the Thayer School of Engineering, and the Geisel School of Medicine. Applicants from Environmental Sciences, Geography, Linguistics, Economics, and Government may also be eligible, depending on their research topic; interested candidates from these areas are encouraged to reach out to us.
• Academic Position: Current Dartmouth faculty member
• Potential Collaborator: Confirmed invitation from at least one potential collaborator that holds a faculty position at any Israeli university
• Engagement: Dartmouth faculty member must give at least one research presentation at a host institution and have a defined schedule of integrative scientific activities (e.g., meetings, workshops, lab visits)

Application Requirements

Please combine the following materials into a single PDF and email to kalaniyot.dartmouth@gmail.com:

• Curriculum Vitae
• One-page Letter of Rationale outlining the purpose of the visit and anticipated collaborative outcomes
• Letter of Invitation from at least one collaborator at an Israeli university confirming:
  • Dates of the visit
  • A research presentation
  • A schedule of integrative activities

Application Timeline

• Application Deadline: April 15, 2026
• Travel Window: Any time before April 14, 2027
• Review Process: Applications reviewed by DKS Advisory Board
• Notification: Decisions typically announced within 8-12 weeks

Selection Criteria

Kesher grants are awarded based on:

• Collaborative Potential: Strength of proposed Dartmouth-Israel collaboration
• Academic Impact: Potential for advancing knowledge in the field
• Institutional Fit: Alignment with Dartmouth research priorities

Awardee Expectations

Grant recipients are expected to complete the proposed visit, engage fully in collaborative activities, deliver the scheduled presentation, and acknowledge Kesher Grant support as appropriate.

Application Support

For questions about the application process or program details, please contact:

Program Administrator: kalaniyot.dartmouth@gmail.com

Faculty Leader: Dan Rockmore (William H. Neukom 1964 Professor of Computational Science, Mathematics and Computer Science)

Submission Instructions

Please combine all materials into a single PDF file and submit to kalaniyot.dartmouth@gmail.com. Incomplete applications will not be considered.