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Exploring NEH Grants for Humanities

General Report December 7, 2024
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Summary
  2. Humanities Initiatives
  3. Institutes for Advanced Topics in the Digital Humanities
  4. Digital Humanities Advancement Grants
  5. Conclusion

1. Summary

  • Focusing on funding opportunities from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), this report delves into three major programs: Humanities Initiatives, Institutes for Advanced Topics in Digital Humanities, and Digital Humanities Advancement Grants. Aimed at enhancing education and research in the humanities, each program is meticulously analyzed for its funding logistics, eligibility requirements, and application processes, helping institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations understand how to apply and benefit from these resources. Key funding highlights include up to $150,000 per grant for Humanities Initiatives, $250,000 for Digital Humanities Institutes, and a tiered funding structure up to $350,000 for Digital Humanities Advancement Grants. These programs aim to bolster humanities education by supporting curriculum development, facilitating digital technology integration, and promoting experimental research in the humanities.

2. Humanities Initiatives

  • 2-1. Program Overview and Purpose

  • The Humanities Initiatives program, managed by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) under the Division of Education Programs, aims to strengthen the teaching and study of humanities in higher education institutions. The program encompasses five distinct initiatives focused on various types of educational institutions, including colleges, historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribal colleges, and community colleges. The application deadline for the program is May 7, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

  • 2-2. Funding Details

  • For Fiscal Year 2024, the anticipated funding for the Humanities Initiatives program is approximately $3,000,000, which is combined for all five programs. It is estimated that about 20 grants will be awarded per deadline, with award amounts reaching up to $150,000 each. Cost sharing is not a requirement, and the period of performance for awarded grants can range from one to three years, with start dates between February 1, 2025, and September 1, 2025.

  • 2-3. Eligible Applicants

  • Eligibility criteria for applying to the Humanities Initiatives program differ by specific initiative; however, they generally include nonprofit organizations recognized as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3), accredited public or nonprofit institutions of higher education, state and local governments and their agencies, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments.

  • 2-4. Key Program Features

  • The Humanities Initiatives program emphasizes developing new or enhancing existing programs, resources, or courses. It focuses on exploring, interpreting, and preserving diverse human cultures, ideas, and practices. Funded projects must address core humanities themes such as history, philosophy, religion, and literature while encouraging both modest and expansive scopes of work.

  • 2-5. Supported Activities

  • Included in the supported activities of the Humanities Initiatives program are curriculum development activities, such as the creation of courses and teaching materials. Additionally, student enrichment initiatives like internship programs and experiential learning opportunities, faculty development through shared reading programs and guest speakers, and partnerships with museums or libraries, are also supported.

  • 2-6. NEH Areas of Interest

  • The NEH has outlined specific areas of interest for projects related to the Humanities Initiatives program. These areas include: 1) 'American Tapestry: Weaving Together Past, Present, and Future,' focusing on democracy, equity, and climate change; 2) 'United We Stand: Connecting Through Culture,' aimed at combating hate-motivated violence; and 3) support for the 'Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative,' which documents the history of federal Indian boarding schools and promotes Native and Indigenous cultural efforts.

  • 2-7. Application Process

  • Applications for the Humanities Initiatives program must be submitted through Grants.gov. NEH provides resources such as a pre-recorded webinar and a live Q&A session to assist applicants. Detailed instructions for submitting applications are also made available.

  • 2-8. Review Criteria

  • While specific review criteria for the Humanities Initiatives program are not explicitly detailed, standard evaluation parameters typically include intellectual merit, the significance of the project, feasibility, and potential impact.

3. Institutes for Advanced Topics in the Digital Humanities

  • 3-1. Program Overview and Goals

  • The Institutes for Advanced Topics in the Digital Humanities (IATDH) program is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), specifically the Office of Digital Humanities. The primary purpose of this program is to strengthen the teaching and study of digital humanities by increasing the number of humanities scholars who utilize digital technology in their research. The program also aims to disseminate knowledge about advanced technology tools and methodologies for the humanities, foster relationships for future collaborations, encourage reflection on new digital media, multimedia, and text-based computing technologies, and teach current and future humanities scholars how to design, develop, and use digital tools.

  • 3-2. Funding Details

  • The IATDH program offers an award amount of up to $250,000 per grant, with an anticipated funding pool of approximately $850,000 per application deadline. The estimated number of awards is about five grants per deadline, and the period of performance for the grants is up to 36 months. Cost sharing is not required. The start dates for the 2023 deadline are between September 1, 2023, and September 1, 2024, while for the 2024 deadline, they are from September 1, 2024, to September 1, 2025.

  • 3-3. Eligible Applicants

  • Eligible applicants for the IATDH program include nonprofit organizations recognized as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3), accredited institutions of higher education (both public and nonprofit), state and local governments along with their agencies, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments.

  • 3-4. Program Features

  • The program features national or regional (multistate) training programs aimed at broadening knowledge of digital humanities among scholars, professionals, and advanced graduate students. It emphasizes the sharing of ideas and methods that advance humanities research and teaching through digital technologies. Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged, including a necessary range of expertise, while also considering the ethical implications of digital humanities for research, teaching, or public programming.

  • 3-5. Supported Activities

  • Supported activities under the IATDH program include workshops on specific computational methods (such as network analysis and spatial analysis), training programs targeting specific humanities disciplines or audiences, institutes on digital scholarly communication and publishing, programs on advanced geospatial applications, artificial intelligence, or physical computing, training on data design and visualization for humanities topics, creative approaches for implementing digital humanities methods at institutions with specific needs, innovative methods for engaging public audiences with digital humanities, as well as analysis and research on the impact of digital media and culture on society.

  • 3-6. Key Requirements

  • Key requirements for the IATDH program state that institutes must be hosted in the United States or its jurisdictions, provide suitable facilities for scholarship and collegial interaction, and that their format and duration should allow for comprehensive treatment of the topic. All participants must be engaged in the same format simultaneously unless accommodations for accessibility are needed.

  • 3-7. Application Process

  • The application process requires submission through Grants.gov, with an optional draft deadline available on December 15, 2022, and December 15, 2023. Detailed instructions are provided for application submission, and applicants must ensure their SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations are current, a process that may take up to one month.

  • 3-8. Review Criteria

  • Review criteria for the IATDH program focus on several factors: the intellectual significance and impact of the project, the appropriateness of the proposed format and curriculum, the qualifications of the project’s staff and faculty, the feasibility of the workplan, and the appropriateness of the project's budget.

4. Digital Humanities Advancement Grants

  • 4-1. Program Overview and Objectives

  • The Digital Humanities Advancement Grants (DHAG) program, administered by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), aims to support innovative and experimental work that contributes to critical infrastructure in humanities research, teaching, and public programming. The application deadlines for the grants are January 9 and May 22, 2025.

  • 4-2. Funding Levels and Duration

  • There are three levels of funding available under the DHAG program: Level I offers up to $75,000 for a duration of 24 months; Level II ranges from $75,001 to $150,000 for 24 months; and Level III provides between $150,001 and $350,000 for 36 months, with the possibility of an additional $100,000 in matching funds.

  • 4-3. Eligible Applicants

  • Eligible applicants for the Digital Humanities Advancement Grants include: nonprofit organizations recognized as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3), accredited institutions of higher education (public or nonprofit), state and local governments and their agencies, and federally recognized Native American Tribal governments.

  • 4-4. Key Program Features

  • Key features of the DHAG program emphasize innovation, experimentation, extensibility, reuse, replicability, and accessibility. Funded projects are required to analyze their workflow and publish results in a white paper. Additionally, the program focuses on projects that extend beyond established tools and methods.

  • 4-5. Application Process

  • The application process for the DHAG program involves detailed instructions for submission through Grants.gov. Applicants are required to provide project narratives, work plans, and other supporting documents as part of their applications.

  • 4-6. Review Criteria

  • Proposals for Digital Humanities Advancement Grants are evaluated based on several criteria: the intellectual significance of the project, the research questions and methods proposed, the qualifications of the project team, the workplan and completion timeline, and the expected final products and their dissemination.

Conclusion

  • The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) provides critical support for bolstering humanities education through its diverse array of grant programs. By investing in Humanities Initiatives, Institutes for Advanced Topics in Digital Humanities, and Digital Humanities Advancement Grants, the NEH demonstrates its commitment to fostering academic innovation, collaboration, and the exploration of digital applications in the humanities. Although these programs offer significant opportunities, potential applicants must navigate complex eligibility and application procedures, often requiring strategic collaboration and a detailed plan to align with NEH goals, such as enhancing accessibility and exploring new digital methodologies. Future prospects for NEH's grant programs show promise in adapting to technological advances and growing academic fields, ensuring continual support for dynamic research and educational endeavors. Practically, institutions that effectively leverage these grants can significantly enhance their curricular offerings and research capabilities, thereby advancing the greater field of humanities.

Glossary

  • National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) [Funding Agency]: The NEH is a federal agency that supports research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. It plays a critical role in funding initiatives that enhance the understanding and appreciation of human culture, history, and values. NEH funding opportunities are essential for institutions seeking to develop programs that foster learning and engagement in the humanities.

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