Application-Writing Workshop January 11, 2007 Co-sponsored by Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, and Washington University in St. Louis

NEH Mission Because democracy demands wisdom, the National Endowment for the Humanities serves and strengthens our Republic by promoting excellence in the humanities and conveying the lessons of history to all Americans. The Endowment accomplishes this mission by providing grants for high-quality humanities projects in four funding areas: preserving and providing access to cultural resources, education, research, and public programs.

How NEH spends its money (Fiscal Year 2006) National Endowment for the Humanities $102M Division of Education $12,266,000 Division of Public Programs $12,381,000 Division of Research $12,692,000 Office of Challenge Grants $9,649,000 Matching Funds Division of Preservation $18,368,000 Federal/State Partnership $30,926,000 Special Initiatives $15,239,000

Area Success Rates  1:2 – MO Historical Society (13 awards, 27 apps)  1:3 – Webster University (7 awards, 22 apps)  1:4 – WUSTL (88 awards, 367 apps)  1:4 – SIU-Carbondale (74 awards, 275 apps)  1:5 – U of MO, St. Louis (42 awards, 190 apps)  1:6 – SIU-Edwardsville (23 awards, 136 apps)  1:6 – St. Louis University (23 awards, 149 apps)

WUSTL Profile  Balanced approach: 244 applications from individuals and 123 from the institution  Individuals performing at the average  Summer Stipends test: 76 nominations out of 78 possible – excellent  Challenge Grants test: 0

SIU – Edwardsville Profile  Low number of submissions for institutional grants (35 of 149)  Faculty applying for grants are under- achieving (1 award for every 6.5 individual grants)  Summer Stipends test: 45 nominations out of 78 possible – low  Challenge Grant test: 0

How we define “Humanities” According to the 1965 National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act, "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, criticism and theory of the arts; those aspects of social sciences 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."

Challenge Grants Institution-building grants to significantly improve humanities programs, carry out long- term plans for strengthening basic resources, and enhance financial stability. One award at a time.

Steve Ross, Director (202) Challenge Grants – November 1 & May 1 We The People Challenge Grants – February 1

Division of Education Grants to support school teachers and college faculty who wish to strengthen teaching and learning through new or revised curricula and materials, collaborative study, seminars, and institutes.

Michael Poliakoff, Director (202) Faculty Humanities Workshops – September 15 Teaching and Learning Resources – October 2 Institutional Grants for FDIs – June 15 Landmark Workshop – March 15 Summer Seminars and Institutes – March 1

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

Ralph Canevali, Acting Director (202) Assistance Grants – May 15 Education and Training – July 3 Access to Collections – July 17 Stabilization Grants – October 2 US Digital Newspaper Program – November 1 Research and Development – July 3 Reference Materials – July 17

Division of 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.

Tom Phelps, Acting Director (202) Museum and Library Consultation and Planning Grants – September 12 Museum and Library Implementation Grants – January 23 Television Grants – November 1 Radio Grants – March 20

Division of 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.

Jane Aikin, Acting Director (202) NEH Fellowships (including DHI Fellowships) – May 1 Faculty Research Awards – May 1 Summer Stipends – October 1 Collaborative Research/Scholarly Editions – November 1 Fellowships Programs at Independent Research Institutions – September 1

Grants to Individuals

Research Grants for Institutions

Collaborative Research

Contact: Michael Hall,

Collaborative Research Contact: Michael Hall,

Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions

How do I apply? Step One: visit the NEH website ( and READ THE GUIDELINESwww.neh.gov

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.

…meanwhile, NEH peer review happens 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

Additional Stages of Review  The staff role  The National Council on the Humanities  The Chairman – Bruce Cole, Distinguished Professor of Art History and Comparative Literature, Indiana University

“I didn’t get funded, now what?”  Know what you are entitled to get: the “why- not” letter with verbatim comments  Receive feedback from the staff about your application  Become a panelist or reviewer  Offer to read applications for your institution  Resubmit the following year, but remember, panelists will only know it’s a reapplication if you tell them and bitter words about the previous year usually distract from your argument and always take up space