NEH Grant Workshop University of Oregon November 5, 2010

Summary About the Endowment – How we spend our money – Our grant-making divisions, partners, and initiatives Application & Writing Strategies – Grants.gov – Tips & Tricks – Peer Review

How NEH spends its money NEH’s Overall Budget (2009): US $155 million $26M for administration (salaries, rent) $35M distributed to 56 state and territory-based humanities councils Remaining $94M given out as direct grants to US institutions—particularly to universities, libraries, and museums—and to individual scholars

NEH Grant-making Divisions & Offices Challenge Grants Office of Digital Humanities Public Programs Education Programs Preservation & Access Research Programs

Office of Digital Humanities – grants to support innovative start- up technology projects, training in digital humanities methods, and collaborative (national / international) technology projects. Office of Challenge Grants – matching grants for infrastructure (buildings, endowments). Division of Research – grants to scholars and institutions for research projects (individual & collaborative). Division of Education – grants for seminars for teachers, curriculum development, & learning resources. Division of Public Programs – grants for museum exhibits, library programs, & media projects (e.g. documentary films). Division of Preservation & Access – grants for preserving and providing access to humanities materials; digitization; development of reference materials.

Office of Digital Humanities (ODH) In 2006, the NEH launched the Digital Humanities Initiative (DHI) to help coordinate efforts in supporting and promoting digital humanities scholarship, teaching, and learning. In March of 2008, DHI was made into a permanent NEH office under the new name “Office of Digital Humanities” (ODH).

Recommendations from ACLS Cyberinfrastructure Report Federal funding agencies and private foundations should establish programs that develop and support expertise in digital humanities… (Our Cultural Commonwealth, p. 6.) Universities and university consortia should develop new and support existing humanities and social sciences computing centers. (p. 6) NSF, NEH, IMLS, the Mellon Foundation, and other funding agencies should support the development of tools for the analysis of digital content. (p. 7) The NEA, NEH, and IMLS should work together to promote collaboration…. (p. 7)

Core ODH Grant Programs Start-Up Grants – Developing innovative practices (analysis, communication, education) Institutes for Advanced Topics in the Digital Humanities – Developing expertise DFG/NEH Bilateral Digital Humanities Grants –Developing collaboration –Building infrastructure (data, tools, people) Digging Into Data –What do you do with a million…?

Digital Humanities Start-Up Grants Deadlines: February and October Designed to encourage innovations in the digital humanities. Relatively low-dollar grants during the planning stages –Level 1: up to $25,000 Proof-of-concept, initial stages, brainstorming –Level 2: from $25,001 to $50,000 Prototyping

Digital Humanities Start-Up Grants Research that brings new approaches or documents best practices in the study of the digital humanities. Planning and prototyping new digital tools for preserving, analyzing, and making accessible digital resources, including libraries' and museums' digital assets. Scholarship that examines the philosophical implications and impact of the use of emerging technologies. Innovative uses of technology for scholarly communication, including formal and informal learning, as well as new models of publication.

T-PEN Automated encoding; XML toolbox Editing tools: dictionaries, unicode character sets, abbreviation guides, etc. Digital image

Andrew J. Torget, University of North Texas Rada Mihalcea, University of North Texas Jon Christensen, Stanford University

20,000,00 0 pages of historical newspapers Me Profound Confusion

Text- Mining Digital Mapping Profound Insights

Adrian S. Wisnicki Project Director Michael B. Toth Program Manager Massacre in the Congo LivingstoneandStanley Fragile,fadingmanuscript DigitalImaging The Nyangwe Diary of David Livingstone: Restoring the Text

Collecting Online Music Project

Meeting of the heads of Music Libraries after the Music Library Association Meeting in March Develop a plan of action to begin addressing this growing problem. Collecting Online Music Project

RE-WRITINGSItalianFrenchSpanish English German RussianGermanTRANSLATIONSFrenchSpanishEnglishRussianGermanChineseJapanese INDIVIDUAL POEM INFORMATIONMeterDatePlaceSummaryKey-wordsTOOLSCommentariesParaphrasesAnnotationsComparisons Conceptual maps ARCHIVESLecturesEssays ARCHIVES Musical settings Iconography VERSIONS RERUM VULGARIUM FRAGMENTA OPOB

Translations Commentaries Multimedia Poem basic view in multiple languages keywords and summaries Rewritings OPOB

Flexible views OPOB

Institutes for Advanced Topics in the Digital Humanities Supports national or regional (multi-state) training programs on applications and approaches in humanities computing Brings together humanities scholars and digital technology specialists from different disciplines to share ideas and methods that advance humanities research through the use of digital technologies Prepares current and future generations of humanities scholars to design, develop, and use cyber-based tools and environments for research Deadline for applications to direct: February 16, 2011

Institutes Institute for the Digital Humanities Adrienne Russell & Lynn Clark, University of Denver –A series of three workshops held over 18 months for twenty humanities faculty and advanced graduate students on the use of digital media in scholarship and teaching. –Applications due December 15, 2010 Computer Simulations in the Humanities Martin Croy, University of North Carolina, Charlotte –A three week institute and follow up activities on the use of computer simulations and modeling techniques in the humanities for twenty four humanities scholars. –Applications due November 15, 2010.

Institutes NINES Summer Workshops: Emerging Issues in Digital Scholarship Andrew Stauffer, University of Virginia –A two year series of summer workshops engaging scholars and institutional administrators in concerns relating to peer review and evaluation of digital scholarship in the humanities. –Applications due December 1, 2010 Advanced Topics in TEI Encoding Julia Flanders, Brown University –A series of workshops to provide a more in-depth look at specific encoding problems and topics for people who are already involved in a text encoding project or are in the process of planning one. –Next workshop to be held at the University of Maryland in January 2011 –Applications were due November 1 st, but contact the project director if interested.

Institutes Institute for Globally Networked Learning in the Humanities Jon Rubin, SUNY, Albany –A three year institute for 60 humanities scholars and staff that includes a three day workshop, online discussion, and a capstone conference on developing international team taught courses in the humanities. Broadening the Digital Humanities: The Vectors CTS Summer Institute on Digital Approaches to American Studies Philip Ethington, University of Southern California –A four week summer institute to explore ways digital scholarship and new media publication can advance research in the fields of American Studies and Ethnic Studies.

DFG/NEH Bilateral DH Grants Designed to spur collaborations between US and German institutions to explore topics in the digital humanities. Applicants must apply as a team. Initiating or intensifying contact between distinguished scholars, junior researchers, scientists, librarians, information professionals, and others working on humanities projects. Deadline: November 16, 2010

Symposia/Workshops The "Big Digs" Go Digital (American School of Classical Studies at Athens and the German Archaeological Institute), on the application of digital technologies to better preserve, study, and make accessible the data from large-scale, long-term archaeological digs. Digital Music Notation Data Model and Prototype Delivery System (University of Virginia and Universities of Paderborn and Detmold), on developing methods, standards, and software for a scholarly music notation system.

Digging into Data Seeks to answer the question: “What do you do with a million books?” Apply data analysis techniques to large collections of diverse cultural heritage resources An international grant competition sponsored by four leading research agencies: JISC, NEH, NSF, SSHRC (perhaps additional ones in the future) Applications must be submitted by teams of researchers involving at least two of the countries represented by the funders

Railroads & the Making of Modern America William Thomas, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, NEH Richard Healey, University of Portsmouth, JISC

Key point: Even institutions that don’t receive a grant may well continue to work together. These joint calls-for-proposals serve as a motivator and stamp of approval for international collaboration

US Partnerships National Science Foundation –Digging into Data –Tools Curation Institute for Museum and Library Services –Start-Up Grants –Tools Curation Department of Energy –Humanities High Performance Computing

Library of Funded Projects

Other NEH Grant Opportunities Division of Preservation & Access – grants for preserving and providing access to humanities materials; digitization; development of reference materials Division of Research Programs – grants to scholars and institutions for research projects (individual & collaborative) Division of Public Programs – grants for museum exhibits, library programs, & media projects (e.g. documentary films) Division of Education Programs – grants for seminars for teachers, curriculum development, & learning resources Office of Challenge Grants – matching grants for infrastructure (buildings, endowments)

Preservation & Access Grants to preserve archival holdings; enhance access to materials; and produce reference works for scholarly research, education, and public programming.

Preservation & Access Humanities Collections & Reference Resources –Deadline: July 14, 2011 Research & Development –Deadline: May 2011

Preservation & Access Preservation Assistance Grants Education & Training Documenting Endangered Languages National Digital Newspaper Project

Research Grants support individuals and teams of scholars pursuing advanced research in the humanities that will contribute to scholarly knowledge or to the general public's understanding of the humanities.

Research NEH Fellowships –Deadline: May 3, 2011 Summer Stipends –Deadline: September 2011 Scholarly Editions / Collaborative Research –Deadline: October 2011

Public Programs Grants for the presentation of humanities scholarship for large and diverse public audiences. Grants typically support radio and television documentaries, exhibitions and interpretation of historic sites, reading and discussion series, lectures, symposia, and related components in support of such programs.

Public Programs America's Historical and Cultural Organizations: Planning and Implementation Grants –Deadlines: January and August America's Media Makers: Development Grants and Production Grants –Deadlines: January and August

Mission America

Education Programs Grants to support teachers to strengthen teaching and learning through new or revised curricula and materials, collaborative study, seminars, and institutes.

Education Programs Seminars & Institutes –Deadline: March 2011 Landmarks of American History & Culture –Deadline: March 2011 New programs to be announced in the next few months

Summer Seminars and Institutes 2011 Seminars and Institutes for College & University Teachers (updated list should be available soon) Adjunct and part-time lecturers are eligible to apply. Qualified independent scholars and those employed by museums, libraries, historical societies, and other organizations may be eligible to compete provided they can effectively advance the teaching and research goals of the seminar or institute. Up to two seminar spaces and three institute spaces are reserved for current full-time graduate students in the humanities.

Summer Seminars and Institutes for School Teachers Landmarks of American History and Culture for School Teachers Landmarks of American History and Culture for Community College Faculty

Office of Challenge Grants Permanent endowments, supporting ongoing and recurring costs such as salaries, honoraria for visiting scholars, fellowships, and maintenance One-time capital costs for items such as facilities equipment, and acquisitions Combined in “spend-down” funds that are invested, with both the income and the principal expended over a defined period of years Deadline: May 4, 2011

Application Strategies

How do I apply? Step One: Visit the NEH website ( and READ THE GUIDELINES.

How do I apply? Really— Read the Guidelines.

Step 2: Visit Grants.gov Register!!!! -Find out your AOR -Get comfortable with the Grants.gov system.

Step Three: get samples and/or ask questions Step Four: draft your application and get someone to read it. Step Five: submit your application by the deadline and wait…these things take time.

Additional Stages of Review The Staff The National Council on the Humanities The Chairman – Jim Leach 30 years representing southeastern Iowa in the U.S. House of Representatives & the John L. Weinberg Visiting Professor of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University

Improve your chances for success Get a “why” or “why-not” letter with verbatim comments made by the panelists Ask the staff to comment on a draft application Ask for sample proposals Become a panelist or reviewer

Improve your chances for success Read applications for your institution Panelists will only know you’re applying again if you tell them; bitter words about a previous submission usually distract from your argument and take up space If turned down, ask to see the panelists’ comments Reapply

NEH peer review Some common misconceptions about peer-review The same panelist kills my application year after year Only the elite schools are funded Panelists don’t understand my field You have to know someone at NEH to get a grant My application won’t get funded because NEH doesn’t fund new approaches or work in my field Only senior scholars get funded It’s too early

Spell-Checker Eye halve a spelling chequer; It came with my pea sea. It plainly marques four my revue; Miss steaks eye kin knot sea. Eye strike a key and type a word; And weight four it two say. Weather eye am wrong oar write, It shows me strait a weigh. As soon as a mist ache is maid, It nose bee fore two long. And eye can put the error rite, Its rare lea ever wrong. Eye have run this poem threw it; I am shore your pleased two no. Its letter perfect awl the weigh; My chequer tolled me sew. Sauce Unknown Spelling and Neatness Count!

Other Opportunities MacArthur Foundation –Digital Media and Learning Competition American Council of Learned Societies –Digital Innovation Fellowships

Remember! We’re here to help!

Thank you! General address: Brett Bobley, Director Michael Hall, Program Officer Jason Rhody, Program Officer Jennifer Serventi, Program Officer Subscribe to ODH RSS Feed or Follow NEH_ODH on Twitter

NEH Grant Workshop University of Oregon November 5, 2010