Historians in a wide variety of settings—school teachers, university faculty, independent scholars, professional historians—frequently apply for grants to support their work. Many don’t have much experience in seeking grants, however; the process is rarely taught to humanists on campus. In the proposed session, officers from the National Endowment for the Humanities would help historians understand the process of grant-seeking, especially in laying the groundwork for a competitive and successful application. That would include finding the right funder, finding the correct grant program, developing relationships and partnerships, working with agency staff, and collaborating with institutional grant offices. NEH staff will also provide an overview of current cross-agency initiatives as well as specific grant programs focused on education, research, and preservation.

The session will engage participants in questions such as:

• How do you start the process and find the right grant program for your project?
• What does an ideal and realistic application development timeline look like?
• How can partnerships and collaborations can strengthen your project and/or proposal?
• How can service as a peer reviewer help you understand the review process and craft a better application?
• What kinds of resources and assistance does NEH offer applicants? How do you access those resources?

The NEH is an independent federal agency, one of the largest funders of humanities programs in the United States. For almost 60 years, NEH grants have supported the work of historians. The presenters for this session would be NEH program officers, most of them are also historians. At NEH, they work with applicants and grantees to ensure that projects fit with agency priorities and policies. They would share this experience—and their experiences in academic and other professional settings—to help participants understand the process of grant-seeking. Lessons learned from this session would be helpful for those exploring support from the NEH and from other grant-making organizations.

Format

• The chair will start the session with a brief overview of the Endowment and its grantmaking.
• Program officers will describe the stages of grant-seeking—from initial inquiries through project conclusion
• Presenters will discuss application-writing tips and resources for potential applicants.
• Staff members will take questions from attendees.

Time permitting, NEH staff will be available for short introductory meetings with attendees after the session.