Eligible Projects

Eligible Fields: According to NEH, “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, theory and criticism of the arts; those aspects of social science 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.” The field of the PROJECT, not the applicant, must fall within one of the above areas.

Ineligible Projects: Among other things, the stipend may NOT be used for the preparation of textbooks or works in the creative or performing arts.  

Resources Available

Internal Resources Available: There are many resources available to prepare a competitive application for the NEH Summer Stipend, which can serve as an excellent starting point for an NEH Fellowship application (with an annual deadline in April).

Recent NEH Summer Stipend winner Dr. Najnin Islam shared her experience in a June 2023 virtual session:

Link to recorded conversation with NEH Summer Stipend winner Dr. Najnin Islam   

Several additional resources are available in the “Recommended Preparation” section on the Advice on Key Funders page. In particular, I encourage faculty to review the February 2021 webinar “NEH Fellowship: Advice from Liberal Arts College Faculty,” which features Colorado College’s Professor Claire Oberon Garcia as one of the four panelists.

In addition, faculty interested in learning more about funders of the humanities and humanistic social sciences are invited to join an optional “small grant group gathering.” Dates will be determined in mid-June in consultation with those who express interest.

External Resources Available: In addition, in August 2023 NEH offered a webinar for prospective applicants, introducing the Summer Stipends program, describing the application and nomination process, and offering application-writing suggestions. A recording of it is available on the NEH Summer Stipends page. Those interested in applying should also closely review the guidelines in the “Summer Stipends Notice of Funding Opportunity” available there. The guidelines for the 2022 and 2023 deadlines are currently posted. Look for an updated version to be posted in early Summer 2024.

Submission Guidelines

Informal Internal Deadline: Monday, July 8^th at 6 p.m.  (If faculty opt into this, I will provide a review and feedback within one week)

Formal internal deadline: Friday, July 19^th at 6 p.m.

Please let me know that you are interested in submitting a proposal so that I can provide support and resources.

Applications, in line with NEH’s guidelines, should include the following

• 3-page, single-spaced narrative (no smaller than 11-point font) that provides an intellectual justification for the project, conveying the ideas, objectives, methods.

• 1-page work plan (relatively new component for NEH Summer Stipend application)

Proposals should be framed as a proposal to NEH, not Colorado College. Guidelines for each of the sections begins on page 11 of the “Summer Stipends Notice of Funding Opportunity, 2022-2023” posted in the Application Materials section of the NEH Summer Stipends page.

Please submit proposals electronically to tpowers@coloradocollege.edu by 6 p.m. on either July 8^th or July 19^th as described above.

 

Nomination Process

Two faculty members will be identified for nomination by August 5, 2024. They will also need to prepare:

• 1-page bibliography (single-spaced)
• 2-page resume (single-spaced)
• appendix for those eligible to submit additional materials (see NEH’s program description)

Faculty identified for nomination will also need to identify two reference letter writers who will have until mid-October to submit their letters.

The following five NEH criteria will be referenced during the selection process: 

1. intellectual significance of the project, 
2. quality or promise of quality of the applicant’s work, 
3. quality of the conception, definition, organization, and description of the project and the applicant’s clarity of expression, 
4. feasibility of the proposed plan of work,
5. likelihood that the applicant will complete the project.

The nominated faculty members will have about six weeks to revise and upload their proposal for submission on Grants.gov before the deadline anticipated for Sept. 18, 2024.  I will work closely with them during this process.

~ Tess Powers, Director of Faculty Research Support