Download - NEH Mission
Application-Writing WorkshopJanuary 11, 2007
Co-sponsored by Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, and Washington University in St. Louis
NEH Mission
Because democracy demands wisdom, the National Endowment for the Humanities serves and strengthens our Republic by promoting excellence in the humanities and conveying the lessons of history to all Americans. The Endowment accomplishes this mission by providing grants for high-quality humanities projects in four funding areas: preserving and providing access to cultural resources, education, research, and public programs.
How NEH spends its money(Fiscal Year 2006)
Special Initiatives
$15,239,000
Federal/StatePartnership$30,926,000
Division of Preservation$18,368,000
Office of Challenge
Grants$9,649,000
Matching Funds
Division of Research
$12,692,000
Division of Public
Programs$12,381,000
Division of Education
$12,266,000
National Endowment
for the Humanities
$102M
Area Success Rates
1:2 – MO Historical Society (13 awards, 27 apps) 1:3 – Webster University (7 awards, 22 apps) 1:4 – WUSTL (88 awards, 367 apps) 1:4 – SIU-Carbondale (74 awards, 275 apps) 1:5 – U of MO, St. Louis (42 awards, 190 apps) 1:6 – SIU-Edwardsville (23 awards, 136 apps) 1:6 – St. Louis University (23 awards, 149 apps)
WUSTL Profile Balanced approach: 244 applications from
individuals and 123 from the institution Individuals performing at the average Summer Stipends test: 76 nominations out of
78 possible – excellent Challenge Grants test: 0
SIU – Edwardsville Profile Low number of submissions for institutional
grants (35 of 149) Faculty applying for grants are under-
achieving (1 award for every 6.5 individual grants)
Summer Stipends test: 45 nominations out of 78 possible – low
Challenge Grant test: 0
How we define “Humanities”According to the 1965 National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act, "The term 'humanities' includes, but is not limited to, the study of the following: language, both modern and classical; linguistics; literature; history; jurisprudence; philosophy; archaeology; comparative religion; ethics; the history, criticism and theory of the arts; those aspects of social sciences which have humanistic content and employ humanistic methods; and the study and application of the humanities to the human environment with particular attention to reflecting our diverse heritage, traditions, and history and to the relevance of the humanities to the current conditions of national life."
Challenge Grants
Institution-building grants to significantly improve humanities programs, carry out long-term plans for strengthening basic resources, and enhance financial stability.
One award at a time.
Steve Ross, Director
(202) 606-8309
Challenge Grants – November 1 & May 1
We The People Challenge Grants – February 1
Division of EducationGrants to support school teachers and college faculty who wish to strengthen teaching and learning through new or revised curricula and materials, collaborative study, seminars, and institutes.
Michael Poliakoff, Director (202) 606-8500
Faculty Humanities Workshops – September 15Teaching and Learning Resources – October 2
Institutional Grants for FDIs – June 15Landmark Workshop – March 15
Summer Seminars and Institutes – March 1
Division of Preservation
Grants to preserve archival holdings; enhance access to materials; and produce reference works for scholarly research, education, and public programming.
Ralph Canevali, Acting Director
(202) 606-8570
Assistance Grants – May 15Education and Training – July 3Access to Collections – July 17
Stabilization Grants – October 2US Digital Newspaper Program – November 1
Research and Development – July 3Reference Materials – July 17
Division of Public ProgramsGrants for the presentation of humanities scholarship for large and diverse public audiences. Grants typically support radio and television documentaries, exhibitions and interpretation of historic sites, reading and discussion series, lectures, symposia, and related components in support of such programs.
Tom Phelps, Acting Director
(202) 606-8270
Museum and Library Consultation and Planning Grants – September 12
Museum and Library Implementation Grants – January 23
Television Grants – November 1
Radio Grants – March 20
Division of Research
Grants support individuals and teams of scholars pursuing advanced research in the humanities that will contribute to scholarly knowledge or to the general public's understanding of the humanities.
Jane Aikin, Acting Director
(202) [email protected]
NEH Fellowships (including DHI Fellowships) – May 1Faculty Research Awards – May 1
Summer Stipends – October 1
Collaborative Research/Scholarly Editions – November 1Fellowships Programs at Independent Research
Institutions – September 1
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Grants to Individuals
Research Grants for Institutions
Research Grants for Institutions
Research Grants for Institutions
Research Grants for Institutions
Research Grants for Institutions
Research Grants for Institutions
Research Grants for Institutions
Research Grants for Institutions
Collaborative Research
Collaborative Research
Collaborative Research
Contact: Michael Hall, [email protected]
Collaborative Research
Contact: Michael Hall, [email protected]
Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions
Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions
Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions
Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions
Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions
Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions
Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions
Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions
Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions
Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions
Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions
Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions
How do I apply?Step One: visit
the NEH website (www.neh.gov) and READ THE GUIDELINES
Step 2: Visit Grants.gov
Register!!!!-Find out your AOR
-Get comfortable with the Grants.gov system.
Step Three: get samples and/or ask questions Step Four: draft your application and get
someone to read it. Step Five: submit your application by the
deadline and wait…these things take time.
…meanwhile, NEH peer review happens
Some common misconceptions about peer-review The same panelist kills my application year after
year Only the elite schools are funded Panelists don’t understand my field You have to know someone at NEH to get a grant My application won’t get funded because NEH
doesn’t fund new approaches or work in my field Only senior scholars get funded It’s too early
Additional Stages of Review
The staff role The National Council on the
Humanities The Chairman – Bruce Cole,
Distinguished Professor of Art History and Comparative Literature, Indiana University
“I didn’t get funded, now what?” Know what you are entitled to get: the “why-
not” letter with verbatim comments Receive feedback from the staff about your
application Become a panelist or reviewer Offer to read applications for your institution Resubmit the following year, but remember,
panelists will only know it’s a reapplication if you tell them and bitter words about the previous year usually distract from your argument and always take up space