Archaeological and Ethnographic Field Research
Applicants to NEH for awards with expected issuance dates on or after October 1, 2024, should be aware of revisions to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR Part 200) effective from that date. All NEH awards issued on or after October 1, 2024, will be subject to the revised regulations. You may incorporate these changes into your applications now.
Additional information is available at https://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/2024-Revisions-to-2-CFR-200
The Archaeological and Ethnographic Field Research program makes awards to institutions and organizations conducting empirical field research to answer significant questions in the humanities. Archaeology and ethnography are important methodologies utilized by many disciplines across the humanities and social sciences that provide observational and experiential data on human history and culture.
Archaeological methods may include field survey and field-based remote sensing, documentation or visualization, and/or excavations in support of answering research questions in all aspects of the human past, including but not limited to ancient studies, anthropology, art history, classical studies, regional studies, epigraphy, and other related disciplines. Ethnographic methods may include participant observation, surveys and interviews, and documentation or recording in pursuit of research questions in anthropology, sociology, ethnolinguistics, oral history, ethnomusicology, performance studies, folklore studies, and related disciplines.
Projects may be led by individuals with institutional affiliation or by teams of collaborating scholars from the same or multiple eligible institutions. Awards provide up to three years of support for fieldwork and data processing. While the ultimate expectation of such awards is the dissemination of results through publications and other media, this program supports costs related to fieldwork such as travel, accommodation, and equipment as well as compensation for field staff and salary replacement for the project director and collaborating scholars. Applicants interested in publishing the results of field research are encouraged to apply to one of NEH’s individual fellowship programs or Collaborative Research.
A pre-recorded webinar for the 2024 competition can be viewed here.
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Application Instructions
Read the Notice of Funding Opportunity to ensure you understand all the expectations and restrictions for projects delivered under this program and are prepared to write the most effective application.
Application Materials
Notice of Funding Opportunity 2024 and 2025 (PDF)
Grants.gov application package
Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence for NEH Grant Proposals
Sample Narratives
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Follow the instructions outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity and in the Grants.gov instructions.
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