DFG/NEH Bilateral Digital Humanities Program:
Bilateral Symposia and Workshops

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.”

U.S.-German research can include research that involves interconnected topics that relate to the history and culture of the U.S. and Germany The phrase also refers to collaborative research involving scholars from the U.S. and Germany working together in any discipline of the humanities.

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation, or DFG) is the central, self-governing research funding organization that promotes research at universities and other publicly financed research institutions in Germany. The DFG serves all branches of science and the humanities by funding research projects and facilitating cooperation among researchers.

DFG and NEH are both prohibited from awarding grants to organizations from other countries. Thus, applicants submit a grant request to each agency, which is reviewed through a shared process, but result in independent decisions from each granting agency. Budgets submitted through the application process should detail separate funding requests to NEH and DFG, the combined total of which cannot exceed the allowed range from $20,000 to $100,000 (approximately €12,775 to €63,875) for up to one year. To enable equitable distribution of funds, applicants should endeavor to balance the amount of their requests to each agency as much as possible. See the Award Information section in the grant guidelines for specific details.

NEH does not award grants to foreign institutions or organizations, but this unique NEH/DFG funding opportunity allows German and U.S. experts to collaborate on an application and request funding from both agencies. If an application is successful, funding for the U.S. partner will be provided by NEH, while funding for the German partner will be provided by DFG. Applications from institutions or individuals in other countries are not eligible for support.

I would like to propose a conference that does not focus on the digital humanities. Is there another NEH grant program that could support this project?

Yes, the Collaborative Research Program of the NEH Division of Research Program supports “conferences on topics of major importance in the humanities that will benefit ongoing research.” Please consult the staff of the Division of Research Programs for additional information and guidance.

Yes. Applicants are encouraged to seek other financial support. We do ask that you tell us about proposals to other funding sources so we understand the project’s financial picture.

Yes, you may request additional support in a subsequent funding cycle.

No. To be considered, an application must be accepted by Grants.gov at or before the deadline.

Specialists and non-specialists will review your proposal. Show how the project relates to scholarship in the project’s field, and describe its methodology with reference to current standards and best practices, but explain the goals and procedures in simple, understandable terms for non-specialists.

What kind of detail should be included in the work plan?

Explain the tasks for the project’s staff and provide a schedule for the completion of the work, which may be presented as a narrative or a chart. The plan should be presented in enough detail to demonstrate that you have thoroughly considered each step of the project and that you are ready to begin. By describing in detail the responsibilities of the project’s personnel, you will justify the corresponding allocation of staff time, as shown in the project’s budget, and the qualifications and experience required of the project’s staff, as reflected in résumés and job descriptions.

My application was unsuccessful. Is there anything I may do to increase my chances for success next time?

You may request copies of the comments by evaluators. A revised application should take into consideration the issues they raised. However, a resubmitted application will be reviewed by persons who will not have knowledge of or access to the previous application file.