The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency created in 1965. It is one of the largest funders of humanities programs in the United States. The proposed session will give attendees the opportunity to learn about NEH funding from representatives of the NEH’s seven divisions and offices: Challenge Grants, Digital Humanities, Education Programs, Federal/State Partnership, Preservation and Access, Public Programs, and Research Programs. Information about NEH’s grant programs is available on the agency’s website (www.neh.gov). The proposed session will present material that is not highlighted on the agency’s website.

The focus of this session will be on tips and techniques that historians can use to become involved in NEH projects beyond applying for a grant or serving as a project director. We will explore lesser-known opportunities to become involved with the NEH and the projects that we fund. Examples of these opportunities include serving as a peer review panelist, advising documentary films, producing websites and other digital media, evaluating archival collections, participating in educational seminars and institutes, conducting research with support of a fellowship from an independent research institution, or becoming involved in the work of state humanities councils.

The seven program officers from across the agency will each address two related questions:

1) What opportunities are available to historians?

2) What kinds of strategies can historians employ to take advantage of these opportunities?

Format

• David Weinstein will start the session with a brief overview of the Endowment’s divisions and offices.

• Representatives from each of the agency’s seven division or office will the deliver five-minute presentations.

• Program officers will take questions from attendees.

• NEH staff will be available for short introductory meetings with attendees after the session.

• The entire session would last approximately ninety minutes, though the format gives us flexibility in terms of length.

David Weinstein will chair the panel.

Participants:

Brandon Johnson, Senior Program Officer, NEH, Office of Challenge Grants, bjohnson@neh.gov

Julia Nguyen, Senior Program Officer, NEH, Division of Education Programs, jnguyen@neh.gov

Daniel Sack, Senior Program Officer, NEH, Division of Research Programs, Dsack@neh.gov

Jennifer Serventi, Senior Program Officer, NEH, Office of Digital Humanities, Jserventi@neh.gov

David Weinstein, Senior Program Officer, NEH, Division of Public Programs, Dweinstein@neh.gov

Joel Wurl, Senior Program Officer, NEH, Division of Preservation and Access, Jwurl@neh.gov

Meg Ferris McReynolds, Senior Program Officer, Office of Federal/State Partnership, mferris@neh.gov

Twitter: @nehgov

Website: www.neh.gov