Collaborative Research
Division of Research Programs
THE DEADLINE FOR THIS CYCLE HAS PASSED.
Updated guidelines will be posted in advance of the next deadline. In the meantime, please use these guidelines to get a sense of what is involved in assembling an application.
Grant Snapshot
Maximum award amount
Publication Grants: $250,000 (no more than $100,000 per year)
Open to
Expected output
Period of performance
Application available
Application due
Expected notification date
Project start date
Debate, exchange of ideas, and working together—all are basic activities that advance humanities knowledge and foster rich scholarship that would not be possible by researchers working on their own. The Collaborative Research program aims to advance humanistic knowledge through sustained collaboration between two or more scholars. Collaborators may be drawn from a single institution or several institutions across the United States; up to half of the collaborators may be based outside of the U.S. The program encourages projects that propose diverse approaches to topics, incorporate multiple points of view, and explore new avenues of inquiry in the humanities for scholars and general audiences.
The program allows projects that propose research in a single field of study, as well as interdisciplinary work. Projects that include partnerships with researchers from the natural and social sciences are encouraged, but they must remain firmly rooted in the humanities and must employ humanistic methods. Partnerships among different types of institutions are welcome. For example, research universities might partner with teaching colleges, libraries, museums, or independent research institutions.
Proposed projects must lead to tangible and sustainable outcomes such as co-authored or multi-authored books; born-digital publications; themed issues of peer-reviewed journals; a series of peer-reviewed articles in academic journals or articles in general audience publications or both; and open-access digital resources. All project outcomes must be based on and must convey interpretive humanities research.
What’s new in the Collaborative Research program in 2019
- Program staff will no longer review draft applications.
- Eligibility for this program has been restricted: individuals can no longer apply to this program.
- A special encouragement has been added: “A More Perfect Union”: NEH Special Initiative Advancing Civic Education and Celebrating the Nation’s 250th Anniversary.”
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Archaeological projects that are focused on fieldwork, rather than convening or publication, are currently suspended from the Collaborative Research program while the agency reexamines its funding in this area. During this hiatus, NEH-supported fellowships for archaeological research (publication and fieldwork) are available through the Archaeological Institute of America. For further information and application materials on the AIA-NEH grants, please use this link: https://www.archaeological.org/grant/neh-archaeological-research/.
- The narrative section of the application must be single-spaced and not exceed 10 pages.
- At least half of each type of participant—such as directors, collaborators, participants, technical assistants, and student assistants—must be U.S. citizens or residents.
- Applicants requesting federal matching funds should identify potential sources of gift funds.
Disclaimer: This list is not a complete list of all changes to this Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Collaborative Research 2019-2020: What’s New and Application Writing Tips Webinar
The webinar, Collaborative Research 2019-2020: What’s New and Application Tips, was held on November 21, 2019. You can access the video recording and a transcript of the entire webinar—presentation and Q&A session—below.
As soon as you know you're ready to apply for this grant, make sure you register for a SAM number/DUNS number, and for a grants.gov account as this is vital to the grants process. If you already have registered for these items, make sure they are up to date.
Begin by reading the full grant Notice of Funding Opportunity and studying the application. The files are linked below. You want to ensure you understand all the expectations and restrictions for projects delivered under this grant and are prepared to write the most effective application.
Download Application Materials
Collaborative Research Notice of Funding Opportunity (PDF)
Application Package on Grants.gov
Budget Resources
Program Resources
Collaborative Research Frequently Asked Questions, 2019 (PDF)
Collaborative Research Awards, 2017-2019
Certification Regarding Lobbying (PDF) *
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (PDF)
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities Instructions (PDF)
* This document may not open in your web browser. If this is the case, right click on the link to save the PDF to your desktop.
Sample Application Narratives
Indiana University, The Emergence of HIV/AIDS
University of Akron, British Asia and the British Atlantic Conference
University of Nebraska, Washington DC during the Civil War
Duke University, Convening Grant, Rediscovering Neglected Philosophical Works by Early Modern Women
Be sure to follow the instructions outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.
You will receive a confirmation from grants.gov when you've successfully submitted your application.
After you submit your application, Grants.gov will send you up to five e-mail messages confirming receipt of your application. These messages represent different stages in the application acceptance process. You should verify that you have received all confirmation messages. Please note that email filters may send these messages to your spam or junk folder.
