NEH Collaborative Research Program

Most recent content update: September 6, 2024

Program Snapshot

The National Endowment for the Humanities' Collaborative Research grant program support teams of scholars working on a joint endeavor leading to a manuscript for print publication or to a digital product. NEH encourages collaboration with scholars working in the natural or social sciences, but projects must focus on humanistic content and employ humanistic methods. Proposed projects must aim to result in tangible and sustainable outcomes, such as a co-authored or multi-authored book; a themed issue of a peer-reviewed journal; a series of peer-reviewed articles; a born-digital publication; or an open-access website or other digital resource. All project outcomes must incorporate collaboration and interpretation to address significant humanities research questions.

• Funding categories & levels: 

  • Planning international collaboration: up to $25,000 
  • Convening: up to $50,000
  • Manuscript Preparation: 
    • up to $250,000
    • up to $300,000 for collaborations that include a community college or certain MSIs
  • Scholarly Digital Project: 
    • up to $250,000
    • up to $300,000 for collaborations that include a community college or certain MSIs

• Period of performance: 1-3 yrs

• Examples of expected outputs: livestreamed or recorded video of workshops or events, co-authored monographs, edited volumes, scholarly website, digital resource or tool that includes interpretive content

Timeline

(Accurate as of last content update)

• Sep. 18, 2024 by 9pm PST: Optional Draft

• Nov. 20, 2024*: Funder Deadline

*The full proposal is due to Stanford’s Office for Sponsored Research (OSR) five full business days before the draft deadline. Because the university, not the individual PI, is the lead applicant for such awards, OSR must submit the application on the PI’s behalf. 

Eligibility

• This award supports organizations, including institutions of higher education. 
• To apply through Stanford, project directors must have PI eligibility.
• Project personnel do not need to be U.S. citizens or U.S. residents, so long as the applicant institution is eligible.
• Collaborators may come from one or more institutions.
• An individual may be designated as the project director or co-director on only one application to the Collaborative Research program per deadline. 
• Project directors and collaborating scholars of funded applications may not hold concurrent full-time awards from the NEH Division of Research Programs—for example an NEH Fellowship.

Resources

RDO Proposal Writing Resources

SUNet id required for access.

NEH Program Information & Resources

• Program Page

• Program Solicitation (2024)

• Draft Template

• Sample Proposals

  • Planning International Collaboration
    • University of Rochester, Fedchenko: Eco-Biography of a Glacier
    • Syracuse University, Taj of the Raj?: Decolonizing the Imperial Collections, Architecture, and Gardens of the Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata
    • Rutgers University, Unboxing Artificial Intelligence: An International Collaboration Bringing Humanities Perspectives to AI
  • Convening
    • University of Colorado, Empire of Correspondence
    • Emory University, Tango in the Humanities: Examining a Multidimensional Art Form
      Across Disciplinary and Geographic Boundaries
    • University of South Dakota, Philosophy and Money: A Historical and Interdisciplinary Consideration of Economies and Worldviews
  • Manuscript Preparation
    • Marquette University, Spanish Civil War and Visual Culture
    • Pennsylvania State University, Sovereign Kin: A History of the Cherokee Nation
  • Scholarly Digital Projects
    • Purdue University, Mapping London’s Theater Districts, 1576-1642
    • University of Arizona, Shared Churches in Early Modern Europe, 1500-1800

• List of recent awardees

  • Recent Stanford awardees: 

    • The Senegal Liberations Project: A Scholarly Digital Collaboration - Rachel Jean-Baptiste & Richard Roberts 

    • Chinese Railroad Workers in North America: A Conference - Gordon H. Chang & Shelley Fisher Fishkin

    • The Marzamemi Church Wreck - Justin Leidwanger

Stanford Support for Proposals

The Stanford Research Development Office (RDO) provides proposal development support, including writing, editing, and project management for collaborative, complex, and strategic proposals. PIs in the Humanities, Arts, and Interpretive Social Sciences can contact Madison Priest for more information or to schedule a consultation.