1. Texas Southern University Grants Workshop Texas Southern University Houston, Texas February 4, 2016

2. Wilsonia E. D. Cherry Deputy Director Division of Education Programs NEH 400 7 th Street, SW Washington, DC 20506 202/606-8500 wcherry@neh.gov

3. American History World History Economic History Political Science Philosophy Ethics History of Art History of Music Classical Studies Religious Studies Theology English Literature American Literature Foreign Language World Literature History of Science History of Mathematics The Humanities carry the voices of one generation to the next through the records of human civilization are the ideas that shape our world and define our roles as citizens ask big questions

4. How can I get an NEH grant? or How do I find the “sweet spot”? or Do you feel me?

5. Sources of Funding from NEH Research Public Programs Education 1010110 Digital Humanities Challenge Grants Preservation and Access State Humanities Councils

6.  Visit the NEH website and READ THE GUIDELINES

8. The NEH Grant Review Process Peer Review Panels: Invited scholars and experts review applications and identify exemplary proposals National Council for the Humanities: Review and Recommend Chairman: Funding decisions based on recommendations of panelists, staff, and Council

9. How will my application be evaluated? Intellectual quality of the project Significant humanities topics and texts Clear and persuasive rationale Quality of the project design/Feasibility Potential for significant results/Impact

10. DO read the program guidelines carefully. (You don’t want to hear comments like these: ) The description lacks considerable detail (and the structure does not seem to conform to the grant guidelines). This project is worth doing, but seems to fall outside the bounds of this competition.

11. DO some homework. Check out recent awards in the programs that interest you. Consult samples of successful proposals (PDFs online, or ask) and other resources (FAQs, etc.).

13. DON’T go it alone. Talk to us. Speak with an NEH program officer early in the process Phone a friend. Ask colleagues on your campus/in your field to review and critique your proposal Work together. Keep good connections between scholars and the sponsored programs office

14. DO submit a draft proposal. Give the NEH program officer ample time to review materials. Remain calm and carry on as the program officer offers suggestions. Have questions? Seize the moment!

15. DON’T forget to explain the significance of your project and its scholarly content. The intellectual rationale for this seminar is very clear and persuasive. The issue of globalization, and in particular the cross-border movement of people, is one of the most important of this century, and this proposal provides an excellent multidisciplinary humanities perspective on this phenomenon.

16. The proposal is very impressive for both its substance and clarity: the narrative situates the project within historical and theoretical contexts, and the bibliography features a reasonable number of representative texts from the ancients to the present day. …and not While I find this project rather captivating in itself, I am having some difficulty seeing in what way it would enhance research, teaching and learning.

17. DO include a work plan or schedule of activities. I wish there was a more detailed outline of the proposed research. The goals are very worthwhile, but the project is not clearly developed. The work load is fairly weak. The section of the application that reviews project content is too general. This application needs a detailed schedule.

18. DO attend to details. With no supporting reference letters, it is impossible to gauge the department and institutional support behind this project. While the potential is strong, the proposal indicates that it has not been as thoroughly thought out as one would like. More detail on the plan for the sessions should have been provided. The lack of a tentative reading list is one indication of this. Also, the case for the field trips and the role they would play was not sufficiently worked out.

19. DON’T irritate your readers. Write for a general audience – it will be read by people from varied backgrounds. Avoid jargon and “terms of art.” Use care in making claims. Reality check. I take strong issue with the comment that (fill in the blank) studies teachers are among the more reflective in the academy. I find them, generally, to be among the most dogmatic and least reflective.

20. and more... Avoid advocacy and “special pleading.” It seems that the motivations for this project may be separated into two categories: pedagogical and political. Both are noble, in my opinion, but the political goal of publicizing the plight of the oppressed in [XXX] seems to outweigh the pedagogical concerns.

21. DO proofread carefully. Minor errors chip away at the confidence your application should inspire: The proposal rambles a bit and is poorly proofread (somewhat troubling for a proposal to study literature). This elegantly-written proposal to explore an intrinsically interesting episode has a preliminary feel and lacks cohesion.

22. DON’T forget to describe likely benefits. I think the impact of this program on participants will be significant. As described, it will offer insights into the dynamics of immigration that are not readily found in textbooks. This appears to be an extremely worthy application that will impact directly—and with powerful implications both in the classroom and beyond—undergraduate students particularly in need of such creative approaches to the subject matter.

23. DON’T wait until the last minute to prepare and submit your proposal via Grants.gov If it is an institutional grant, make sure your institution is registered with Grants.gov. If it is an individual grant, then you will need to make sure you are registered!

24. Getting to “Yes” I see no reason to doubt that the goals of this institute are realistic. The infrastructure is in place, and a considerable amount of fairly detailed and thoughtful planning seems to have taken place already. This proposal is wonderfully conceived and organized. The focus is perfectly pitched — the institute provides an opportunity to master the contexts and writings of one important 20th century master.

25. Now what? Once you submit your application, wait.... These things take time. Whether or not you get the grant, ask the NEH to send you a “why” or “why not” letter that contains verbatim comments by the panelists. Consider serving as an NEH panelist yourself (send us an e-mail; sign up in PRISM online).

26. Division of Education Programs Grants that provide support for professional, curricular, and resource development to enhance teaching and learning in the humanities

27. Provide opportunities to: Create intensive one- to four-week programs that reach a national audience of college and university faculty or school teachers Engage in collegial study of significant texts and topics in the humanities Use the academic resources of libraries, museums, and cultural sites Deadline to propose a project for summer 2017: February 25, 2016 (Award amounts vary based on the length and type of project.) Deadline to apply to attend a project in summer 2016: March 1, 2016 (Participants apply directly to individual projects.) NEH Summer Seminars and Institutes

28. Top-Down Effects on Perception: Reasoning, Ethics, Politics, and Aesthetics (Cornell University) Ernest J. Gaines and the Southern Experience (Univ. of LA, Lafayette) The Visual Culture of the American Civil War and Its Aftermath (Graduate Center, CUNY) Extending the Land Ethic: Current Humanities Voices and Sustainability (Arizona State University—Northern Arizona University) On Native Grounds: Studies of Native American Histories and the Land (Community College Humanities Association—Library of Congress) NEH Summer Seminars and Institutes

29. NEH Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshops Provide opportunities to: Create intensive one-week programs that reach national audiences of school teachers Engage in collegial study of significant texts and topics in the American experience at historic sites Integrate the use of archival sources and material evidence into school curricula Deadline to propose a project for summer 2017: February 25, 2016 (Award amounts vary.) Deadline to apply to attend a project in summer 2016: March 1,2016 (Participants apply directly to individual projects.)

30. Deadline: June 23, 2016 Grant Amount: Up to $100,000 Duration: 12 to 36 months Humanities Initiatives at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges and Universities

31. A project to strengthen humanities education and scholarship at Tuskegee University by re-examining Booker T. Washington's influence in education, politics and civil rights, business, and literature and the arts Includes faculty-student research collaborations; enrichment of existing English and history courses; development of a new, interdisciplinary, team-taught course; a public symposium; creation of a new section of the Tuskegee University Archives website “A Critical Reappraisal of Booker T. Washington: A Tuskegee Humanities Initiative”

32. Division of Research Programs Grants to facilitate research and original scholarship

33. Fellowships: Grants to support uninterrupted study for 6-12 months $4,200 per month, with a 12-month cap of $50,400 Deadline: April 28, 2016 Summer Stipends: Grants to support uninterrupted study for 2 months 2 nominees per institution; one must be junior rank $4,200 per month Deadline: September 29, 2016 Fellowships and Summer Stipends

34. ... also from the Division of Research Programs Awards for Faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges and Universities Grants for faculty at these institutions to conduct academic research projects $4,200 per month; 2-12 months; full time/part time/combination Deadline: April 14, 2016 Fellowships Program at Independent Research Institutions Grants for post-doctorates and independent scholars Fellowships up to $4,200 per month of award tenure Deadline: Varies with FPIRI grantee, including Institute for Advanced Study, School of Historical Studies Institute for Advanced Study, School of Social Science John Carter Brown Library National Humanities Center Newberry Library Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, NY Public Library

35. ... also from the Division of Research Programs Public Scholar Program Grants for well-researched books in the humanities intended to reach a broad readership May present a narrative history, stories of important individuals, analyses of significant texts, a synthesis of ideas, among other modes $4,200 per month for up to 12 months ($50,400) Deadline: February 2, 2016

36. Division of Preservation and Access Grants to preserve and provide access to humanities resources

37. Preservation and Access Grant Categories Humanities Collections and Reference Resources Documenting Endangered Languages Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections National Digital Newspaper Program Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions Preservation and Access Education and Training Preservation and Access Research and Development Common Heritage

38. Division of Public Programs Grants for projects that, by deploying new ways of bridging the gap between the academy and the public, provide opportunities for millions of Americans to engage in lifelong learning through the exploration of significant humanities works, ideas, and events

39. Division of Public Programs The division supports outstanding humanities projects for the general public. Documentary films Radio programs Museums exhibitions Library and public discussion programs Digital projects Humanities in the Public Square

40. Division of Public Programs Grant Opportunities Museums, Libraries, and Cultural Organizations Supports: Museum exhibitions, public discussion programs, historic site interpretations Planning Grants: up to $75,000 Implementation Grants: up to $400,000 Chairman’s Special Award: up to $1,000,000 Position in Public Humanities: $60,000 Next deadline: August, 2016

41. Division of Public Programs Grant Opportunities Media Projects Supports: television and radio programs, podcasts, documentary films Bridging Cultures through Film: International Topics Supports: Documentary films with international focus and collaboration Development Grants: up to $75,000 Media Production Grants: up to $800,000 BCtF Production Grants: up to $650,000 Chairman’s Special Award: up to $1,000,000 Next deadline: August, 2016

42. Division of Public Programs Grant Opportunities Digital Projects for the Public Supports: digital games, websites, mobile tours Discovery Grants: up to $30,000 Prototyping Grants: up to $100,000 Production Grants: up to $400,000 (new for 2015) Next deadline: June 10, 2015 NEH On The Road Supports: Public programming at scaled down versions of NEH-funded exhibits $1,000 grants Applications submitted through Mid-America Arts Alliance Rolling deadline

43. Division of Public Programs Funded Projects August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand by Sam Pollard (American Masters, 2015)

44. Five films streaming online at createdequal.neh.gov Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle brings five outstanding films on the long civil rights movement (The Abolitionists, Slavery by Another Name, Freedom Riders, The Loving Story, Freedom Summer) to 500 communities across the United States in all 50 states. Created Equal encourages audiences across the country to revisit the history of civil rights in America and to reflect on the ideals of freedom and equality that have helped bridge deep racial and cultural divides in our civic life.

45. Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Historically Black Colleges and Universities The film investigates the pivotal role Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have played in American history, culture, and national identity. Planned for PBS broadcast, 2017 Directed and produced by the award winning filmmakers Stanley Nelson and Marco Williams http://firelightmedia.tv/firelight-films-launches-america-revisited

46. Office of Digital Humanities Grants that employ digital technology to improve humanities research, education, preservation, access, and public programming, given how digital technology raises new questions and radically changes the ways in which archival materials can be searched, mined, displayed, taught, and analyzed

47. . Standing Together: The Humanities and the Experience of War

48. The Common Good