Public Scholars

The Public Scholars program, administered by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), is a federal initiative aimed at supporting individuals working on humanities-based book projects intended for a broad audience. The NEH, an independent federal agency established in 1965, is dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. Through the Public Scholars program, the NEH encourages a deeper public engagement with the humanities by enhancing the scholarly rigor of nonfiction books that contribute to cultural and civic understanding. This grant program uniquely bridges academic and non-academic audiences. It provides support to writers, including both independent authors and scholars affiliated with institutions, who are developing nonfiction books rooted in humanities research. The program especially welcomes submissions from junior scholars and independent researchers and prioritizes works that interpret the American experience or explore Western civilization from antiquity to the present. For the 2026 cycle, eligible topics include any aspect of American history, culture, and government across all periods, as well as broad-ranging topics in Western civilization. Funding from the Public Scholars program is intended to strengthen the research foundation of projects and to help authors complete manuscripts that are accessible and engaging to general readers. Grant awards range from $30,000 to $60,000, depending on the length of the performance period and the scope of the proposed project. The estimated total program funding for this round is $900,000, with approximately 15 awards expected. This is a discretionary grant, and there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. Applications must be submitted by individuals, and collaborative or institutional applications are not accepted. There is no specific list of required components or application questions detailed in the announcement, but applicants are expected to submit a comprehensive proposal through Grants.gov by the posted deadline of April 22, 2026. All applications are evaluated for scholarly rigor, public accessibility, and potential impact on broader audiences. Although this program is recurring, its focus areas can vary from year to year. For 2026, the thematic emphasis is tightly focused on American history and culture and on Western civilization. The NEH Division of Research serves as the primary point of contact, and applicants may direct inquiries to the official program email (publicscholar@neh.gov) or by calling 202-606-8200. The agency’s offices are located at 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20506. Given the stated recurring nature of the competition and the current deadline, it is expected that a new cycle will open in Spring 2027. As such, interested applicants who are unable to meet this year’s deadline should monitor NEH’s website in early 2027 for updated guidelines and application dates.