The Infinity Foundation is calling for project proposals to do research and/or develop educational materials, whose objective would be to improve the authenticity of portrayal of Indic traditions in the educational system. These projects would result in one or more of the following: books, curriculum development, articles, conferences, CD-ROMs, digital slide shows, Internet presentations, and audio/video materials. Topics covered may include: philosophy, history, religion, science, art and sociology, as they pertain to the educational curricula on Indic traditions.
These initiatives are in response to growing concern over inaccurate and damaging ‘Orientalist’ portrayals of India and India’s cultural legacy, portrayals that have persisted in educational curricula despite the scathing critiques leveled by post-modern scholars. In order to foster greater harmony among different peoples and cultures, The Infinity Foundation has been giving grants to various institutions with these same overall objectives.
While the Infinity Foundation will consider all proposals dealing with the authentic portrayal of Indic traditions, it particularly wishes to receive proposals on the following topics:
- The compilation and/or development of works detailing the contributions of India to world civilization in math, science, technology, philosophy, religion, art, etc.
- Explorations of India’s role in world history, including: the dissemination of literacy and/or spiritual values throughout Asia; the European exploration of the New World; the Rise of the Industrial Revolution; and the “Aryanization” of German national identity.
- The examination of India’s influence on modern and post-modern literature in the West, such on as the works of Emerson, Thoreau, Whitman, Browning, Eliot, Isherwood, Hesse, Ginsburg, Kerouac, diPrima, etc., so as to enrich the literature curriculum.
- The study of Indic contributions to modern psychology, cognitive sciences and the emerging worldview, including the influence on thinkers such as Schrodinger, Jung, Teilhard de Chardin, Wilbur, etc.
- Bringing to light India’s influence on the development of European and Asian languages and linguistics.
- The re-examination of the current social conditions of India, including women’s issues, caste, poverty, pollution, etc., in the light of its history over the past thousand years and imposition of foreign civilization, as opposed to the prevailing Orientalist attitude of holding its religions and/or indigenous traditions solely responsible.
- The critique of the portrayal of India in American educational materials such as textbooks, which might involve: pointing out stereotypes, inaccuracies, omissions, along with plans and activities to convince educational authorities and publishers to take corrective action.
- Review of media portrayals about India and Indian civilization, and/or critiques of these.
- The organization of conferences or composition of conference papers on these topics.
All grant applications must contain the following items:
- A detailed C. V. highlighting your demonstrable commitment to the topic area
- A typed proposal, 2 to 5 pages in length, detailing what is to be accomplished, the methodology that will be used, the time required for completion and the amount of funding requested.
Applications should be submitted by hard copy or faxed to:
The Infinity Foundation
174 Nassau Street
Princeton, NJ 08542
Phone: (609) 683-0548
Fax: (609) 683-0478
All applications should be clearly marked “GRANT PROPOSAL”. All complete applications will be considered on a merit basis either by the trustees of the Foundation or by an advisory committee appointed by it. All applications become the property of the Foundation. There is no deadline for submission. Awards will be made on a merit basis, judged on the importance of the project to the Foundation’s mission, and also upon the availability of funds. All decisions made by the Foundation will be final.
The following criteria will be followed:
- Grant recipients will not be chosen from any particular educational or scientific institution, or from any particular geographic location. A key criterion will be the potential recipient’s demonstrated commitment to the topic area.
- A grantee must be a scholar, teacher, visionary, or spiritual leader whose work in the topics above would be enhanced by a grant from the Foundation.
- The Foundation wishes to make known this availability of grants to traditional and nontraditional educational, scientific, cultural, and religious institutions.
- The Foundation will select grant recipients from among the individuals who submit completed applications, interviews or discussions as deemed appropriate.
- The Foundation will pay the grant funds directly to the grant recipient. Each grant recipient must agree in writing to use the grant funds to defray the expenses associated with the approved project.
- In those instances where the reports submitted under the grant, or other information (including the failure to submit reports) indicate that any part of a grant is not being used for intended purposes, the Foundation will investigate and will withhold further payments to the extent possible until it receives delinquent reports. If the Foundation learns that any part of a grant is being diverted from the intended purposes, it will take all reasonable and appropriate steps to recover the grant funds and/or to ensure restoration of the diverted funds to the purposes of the grant. This would include legal action if deemed appropriate under the circumstances.