Collaborative Research

The National Endowment for the Humanities Division of Research administers the Collaborative Research program, a federal funding opportunity designed to support teams of two or more scholars working together to advance humanistic knowledge. The program focuses on producing substantial interpretive outputs, including manuscripts for print publication, scholarly digital projects, or the planning of international collaborations. The initiative emphasizes rigorous research questions and encourages interdisciplinary collaboration, including projects that incorporate perspectives from multiple fields. For this funding cycle, eligible projects must focus specifically on American history and culture or Western civilization, spanning from antiquity to the present. The primary purpose of this program is to foster collaborative scholarship that results in meaningful contributions to the humanities. Projects must culminate in a defined interpretive product such as a monograph, digital publication, or structured research plan. The program offers three funding categories: Planning International Collaboration, Manuscript Preparation, and Scholarly Digital Projects. Each category supports a different stage of research development, from early planning through final production. The expected outcome across all categories is the advancement of humanistic knowledge through sustained collaboration among scholars. Funding amounts vary by category, with Planning International Collaboration awards providing up to 50000 dollars for projects lasting six to twelve months. Manuscript Preparation and Scholarly Digital Projects may receive up to 250000 dollars over one to three years, with annual funding caps depending on project duration. The total anticipated funding for the program is approximately 2500000 dollars, supporting around fifteen awards. Cost sharing is not required unless applicants request federal matching funds, in which case they must secure non federal contributions on a dollar for dollar basis. Allowable activities include research, writing, travel to archives or research sites, collaboration with experts, and development of digital resources with interpretive content. However, the program imposes strict funding restrictions. Funds may not be used for political or ideological advocacy, diversity or environmental justice initiatives, or the creation of non interpretive tools such as databases without analytical content. Additional prohibitions include equipment purchases, publication costs, and conference participation. These restrictions ensure that funding is directed toward substantive humanities research rather than ancillary or administrative activities. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations with 501c3 status, accredited public or nonprofit institutions of higher education, state and local governments, and federally recognized tribal governments. Individuals and for profit entities are not eligible. Applications must designate a project director affiliated with the applicant organization, supported by at least one collaborator. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov and includes multiple components such as a narrative, work plan, bibliography, resumes, and supporting materials. Strict formatting and completeness requirements apply, and incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Applications are evaluated through a competitive peer review process based on criteria including intellectual significance, methodological rigor, quality of collaboration, feasibility of the work plan, and expected outcomes. Reviewers assess the project’s contribution to humanities scholarship and its potential impact on both academic audiences and the broader public. Final funding decisions are made by the NEH Chairman following recommendations from peer reviewers and the National Council on the Humanities. The application deadline for this funding opportunity is September 16 2026 at 1159 pm Eastern Time. Award notifications are expected in July 2027, with project start dates between November 1 2027 and August 1 2028. Applicants are encouraged to ensure their registrations with SAM.gov and Grants.gov are active well in advance, as late submissions due to registration issues are not accepted. For inquiries, applicants may contact the Division of Research via email at collaborative@neh.gov or by phone at 2026068200. The program is recurring and represents a key federal investment in collaborative humanities research.

Focus on strong collaborative design clear humanities significance and feasible work plan aligned with outputs