Fellowships

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), a prominent independent federal agency, is committed to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. With a longstanding legacy of promoting intellectual inquiry and public understanding of cultural heritage, the NEH offers various funding opportunities aimed at scholars, institutions, and communities. Among its most prestigious offerings are the NEH Fellowships, designed to advance the humanities through support for individual scholars undertaking significant research and writing projects. The NEH Fellowships provide scholars the financial freedom and dedicated time necessary to pursue original humanistic research. These projects must demonstrate exceptional scholarly value and present rigorous analysis and clear writing. The agency places particular emphasis on ensuring that proposals articulate their broader impact—whether within the academic humanities community or for more general audiences. The awards are intended to support a wide range of project-related activities, including travel, archival research, and sustained writing. In 2026, NEH is accepting only projects focused on American history and culture or Western civilization, thereby narrowing its scope to support specific thematic areas of national interest. Applications are welcomed from individuals, including independent and junior scholars, without institutional affiliation. Projects may be at any stage of development, from early conceptual work to the final stages of writing. The funding offered through these fellowships is meant to cover periods of sustained work and does not require cost-sharing or matching funds. The expected number of awards is 60, with funding amounts ranging between $30,000 and $60,000, depending on the length and scope of the proposed project. The total anticipated funding for the program is approximately $3.6 million. The application process is facilitated through Grants.gov, where applicants can access the full set of application materials. A complete proposal should clearly outline the research plan, its significance, methodology, and intended outputs. Applications must be submitted no later than April 22, 2026. NEH encourages early submission and thorough review of all instructions to ensure compliance with formatting and content requirements. There are no pre-application stages such as letters of intent or concept papers required for this opportunity. Proposals will be evaluated on several key criteria: the significance of the proposed research, the clarity and quality of the applicant’s writing, the feasibility of the work plan, and the applicant’s qualifications. Selected fellows may begin their grant-funded projects according to their proposed schedule, with performance periods generally extending over several months. While notification and award timelines are not specified, typical NEH practice involves several months of internal review and panel evaluation prior to public award announcements. For further information or assistance, applicants are encouraged to contact the Division of Research at NEH via email at fellowships@neh.gov or by phone at 202-606-8200. Additional program details, including guidelines and examples of successful projects, can be found at https://www.neh.gov/grants/research/fellowships. This fellowship opportunity reflects NEH’s ongoing commitment to enriching public discourse and understanding through humanities scholarship.