Date posted: July 1, 2008
Date modified: August 14, 2008 *
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) Number: 45.160
Questions?
Contact NEH’s Division of Research Programs at
202-606-8200 or TDFellowships@neh.gov. Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
Teaching Development Fellowships (TDF) support college and university teachers pursuing research aimed specifically at deepening their core knowledge in the humanities to improve their undergraduate teaching. The program has three broad goals: 1) to improve the depth and quality of humanities education in the United States; 2) to strengthen the link between research and teaching in the humanities; and 3) to foster excellence in undergraduate instruction.
Projects must improve an existing undergraduate course that has been taught in at least THREE different terms and will continue to be taught by the applicant. Proposals for new courses or for mere course preparation will NOT be considered. The research project must be closely related to the applicant's core interests as an interpreter of the humanities.
The research undertaken as a part of the project may involve engaging with fundamental texts or sources, exploring related subjects or academic disciplines, or cultivating neglected areas of learning. Projects may entail the acquisition of new language or digital skills as a means to performing the proposed research. The project must be directed primarily towards course improvement, not scholarly publication.
Research in any area of the humanities is welcome.
This highly selective new program anticipates awarding approximately twenty-four fellowships in its inaugural (2008) competition.
Fellowships may not be used for:
Other NEH Grant Opportunities in Research and Teaching
In addition to the Teaching Development Fellowships, there are a number of NEH-sponsored programs that offer support for research and teaching in the humanities.
Applicants whose projects focus primarily on utilizing or studying the impact of digital technology should consult
Digital Humanities Start-Up Grants and other NEH digital humanities grant programs.
Applicants whose projects focus primarily on implementing significant humanities programs or on creating instructional resources should consult
NEH education grant programs.
Applicants who seek professional development opportunities should
consult Summer Seminars and Institutes and other
NEH education grant programs.
Applicants whose focus is primarily on individual scholarly research leading to publication should consult Summer Stipends, Fellowships, and other NEH research grant programs.
Providing Access to Grant Products
As a taxpayer-supported federal agency, the NEH endeavors to make the products of its grants available to the broadest possible audience. Our goal is for scholars, educators, students, and the American public to have ready and easy access to the wide range of NEH grant products. For projects that lead to the development of Web sites, all other considerations being equal, the NEH gives preference to those that provide free access to the public.
The Endowment currently sponsors two agency-wide programs—We the People and Digital
Humanities—and one special initiative, Rediscovering Afghanistan.
Below is information on each.
The NEH encourages applications in these three areas of special interest.
Proposals will be evaluated through NEH’s established review process and will not receive special consideration.
We the People
To help Americans make sense of their history and of the world around them, NEH established the We the People program.
NEH encourages applications that explore significant events and themes in our nation’s history and culture and
that advance knowledge of the principles that define America. To learn more about We the People,
visit the program’s Web site.
Digital Humanities
NEH welcomes applications for humanities projects that use digital technology or study its impact.
Digital technologies offer humanists new methods of conducting research, conceptualizing relationships,
and presenting scholarship. Digital humanities projects deploy these technologies and methods to
enhance our understanding of a topic or issue. NEH also is interested in projects that study
the impact of digital technology on the humanities—exploring the ways in which it changes
how we read, write, think, and learn. Learn
more about the NEH Office of Digital Humanities.
Rediscovering Afghanistan
NEH invites applications for projects that focus on Afghanistan’s history and culture.
The special initiative is designed to promote research, education, and public programs
about Afghanistan and to encourage United States institutions to assist Afghanistan in efforts
to preserve and document its cultural resources. Learn
more about the initiative.
Teaching Development Fellowships cover periods lasting from three to five months at stipends of $4,200 per month. The maximum stipend is $21,000 for a five-month award period.
Applicants should request award periods that suit their schedules and the needs of their projects. A request for a shorter award period will not improve
one’s chances of receiving a fellowship.
Recipients may begin their award as early as June 1, 2009, and as late as March 1, 2010.
The award period must be continuous. Although recipients should ideally work full time on their projects, they may teach no more than ONE course per term during the fellowship period.
Those with questions are encouraged to contact the Teaching Development Fellowships staff at TDFellowships@neh.gov.
Cost Sharing
TDFs do not require cost sharing.
Concurrent Grants from Other Organizations
Recipients may simultaneously hold grants from sources other than NEH in support of the same project during their award period, including sabbaticals and grants from their own institutions.
Multiple Applications
TDF applicants may not compete concurrently in the following programs for individuals in a given calendar year:
TDF applicants may compete concurrently in the following programs for individuals in a given calendar year:
Applicants successful in more than one NEH-administered program may hold only ONE award for any given calendar or federal fiscal year.
The TDF program accepts applications from faculty members who carry full teaching loads at two-year or four-year colleges and universities. Applicants whose part-time teaching positions at different colleges or universities amount to the equivalent of full-time teaching loads are also fully eligible.
Applicants must have their department or program chair or dean certify in writing that the institution supports the proposed project and will offer the proposed course
(see Section V. no.5, below).
Applicants must have completed formal education by the application deadline. While applicants need not have advanced degrees, individuals currently enrolled in a degree-granting program are ineligible to apply. Applicants who have satisfied all the requirements for a degree and are awaiting its conferral may apply, but such applicants need a letter from the department chair or dean of the conferring school attesting to the applicant's status as of October 1, 2008. This letter must be faxed to the Fellowships Program at 202-606-8204.
Citizenship
All U.S. citizens, whether they reside inside or outside the United States, are
eligible to apply. Foreign nationals who have been living in the United States or
its jurisdictions for at least the three years immediately preceding the application
deadline are also eligible.
Ineligible applications will not be reviewed.
Applications must be submitted by the October 1, 2008, deadline.
Application Advice:
Prior to beginning, applicants should review the evaluation
criteria listed below in Section VI and consult the
Frequently Asked
Questions.
Because of the large number of applications, the Endowment staff is not able to read and comment on draft proposals. However, potential applicants may discuss with the staff specific concerns or questions that arise during the preparation of their proposals. Contact
NEH’s Division of Research Programs at 202-606-8200 or
TDFellowships@neh.gov.
Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
Once an application has been submitted, the staff will not comment on it except with respect to issues of completeness and eligibility.
NEH does not accept applications by e-mail or fax
You will prepare your application for submission via Grants.gov just as you would a paper application.
Format pages with one-inch margins and with a font size no smaller than eleven point.
Applications exceeding the page limits will not be reviewed.
In addition to forms described in Step 4 below,
your application should consist of the following five parts:
All applicants for Teaching Development Fellowships must submit their proposals through Grants.gov, the central federal government portal for all grant applications. To do so, applicants must have a computer with Internet access and the current version of the free Adobe Reader. Applicants have reported greatest success using PCs running Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape as their Internet browsers. What follows is a step-by-step guide for submitting your TDF application through Grants.gov.
STEP 1: Register with Grants.gov
All applicants must register with Grants.gov as individual users. If you have already registered as an individual and you have verified that your registration is still valid, you may skip this step. If not, follow the instructions below.
We strongly recommend you complete or verify your registration at least one week before the application deadline, as it takes
time for your registration to be processed.
If you have difficulties registering with Grants.gov, contact the Grants.gov help desk at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.
The registration process has two components. The first is to register with the Grants.gov Credential
Service Provider; the second is to record your username and password with Grants.gov
itself.
To register with the Credential Service Provider (i.e. obtain a username and password), go
to: apply07.grants.gov/apply/IndCPRegister and enter this Funding
Opportunity Number:
20081001-FW
Click the button that says “Register.” You are automatically redirected to the site of ORC, Inc.,
the Credential Service Provider for Grants.gov. Click on “Get Your Credential Here” and complete the
form provided. Submit the form and verify your information. You must create a username and password
that will be required when you submit your application to NEH. Your password must contain at least
one uppercase letter, one special character (such as # or %), and one number.
To record your new username and password with Grants.gov, go to: apply07.grants.gov/apply/IndGGRegister.
Enter your username and password to get to the User Profile page. Select “Individual.”
Please note that Grants.gov will automatically include a DUNS number for you.
Fill in your name, e-mail, phone, and title, and select “Submit.” You will receive on-screen confirmation
that you have registered successfully. You may now use your username and password to submit your application.
STEP 2: Download the current version of the free
Adobe Reader
To fill out your application, you will need to download and install the current version of the free Adobe Reader. To download the Reader or update
the Reader already installed on your computer, go to
www.adobe.com. Click on “Get Adobe Reader” and then “Download Now.” Once installed, this software will allow you to view and fill out Grants.Gov application packages for any federal agency.
STEP 3: Download the Application Package
Save the application package to your computer’s hard drive.
Like any other file on your computer, the NEH Teaching Development Fellowships application can be
selected, opened, and saved; you do not have to be online to work on it.
You can save your work by clicking the “Save” button at the top of your screen. Tip: If you choose to save your application package before you have completed it, you will receive a message indicating that your application is not valid.
Click “OK” to save your work and complete the package another time.
The application package contains two forms that you must complete in order to submit your application
In addition, you need to download the NEH Supplemental Information for Individuals form. This form—in Portable Document Format (.pdf)—can be found here.
STEP 4: Prepare the Application Forms
A complete application includes the following items:
How to Fill Out the SF424-Individual Form
Highlight the SF424-Individual form in the Mandatory Documents field of the application package.
Move it to the Mandatory Documents for Submission field using the right-facing arrow button.
Click the “Open Forms” button to begin using the form. Provide the following information:
Name of Federal Agency: This will be filled in automatically.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: This will be filled in automatically.
Date Received: Please leave blank.
Funding Opportunity Number: This will be filled in automatically.
Applicant Information: Supply the name, address, telephone, and other contact information for the applicant.
For question "e," please enter the number of your Congressional district.
For example, if you live in the 5th Congressional District of your state,
enter "5." If you don't have a Congressional district (i.e., you are in
a state or U.S. territory that doesn't have districts or you are in a
foreign country), enter a "0" (zero). To determine your Congressional
district, visit the House of Representatives Web site at
www.house.gov and use the "Find
Your Representative" tool.
Disclosure of all or part of your Social Security Number is optional. Funded applicants will be required to supply their full Social Security Number after the competition is completed.
Project Information: Enter the title of your project. Your title should be brief, descriptive, and informative to a non-specialist audience. Provide a description of your project not to exceed 1,000 characters written for a non-specialist audience and stating the importance of the proposed work to larger issues in the humanities. Enter the starting and ending dates for your project.
Check the box “By signing this Application. . . ”.
Use the “Close Form” button at the upper left of the form to save your work and return to the main menu.
How to Fill Out the NEH Supplemental Information for Individuals Form
This form can be downloaded and saved to your computer in Portable Document Format (.pdf)
here. Open the form and provide the following information:
Applicant's Field of Study: From the drop-down menu, choose the field of study that best describes your area of expertise.
Project Field of Study: From the drop-down menu, choose the field of study that best describes the field of your project.
Address Information: Please indicate if the mailing address given on the SF424-Individual Form is your home or work address.
Institution: If you are not affiliated with an institution, please click “No” and continue to the Reference Letter section. If you are affiliated with an institution of higher education, please complete the
information for that institution. Applicants are strongly encouraged to include their institution's DUNS number
and TIN/EIN number. These numbers are generally provided by an institution's sponsored research office and greatly
improve efficiency when processing your application.
Reference Letters: Provide the names, e-mail addresses, and
affiliations for your two recommenders. After the deadline, NEH will
contact these individuals, requesting that they write their letters of
recommendation. Letters must be submitted online not later than October 24, 2008.
How to Use the NEH Attachments Form
The component parts of your application must be attached to the Attachments Form in Portable Document Format (.pdf). NEH cannot accept attachments in their original word processing, graphic, or spreadsheet formats. If you do not have access to software to convert your files into PDFs, there are many low-cost and free software packages available. To learn more, go to www.neh.gov/grants/grantsgov/pdf.html
.
When you open the NEH Attachment Form, you will find 15 attachment buttons labeled "Attachment 1" through "Attachment 15." By clicking on a button, you will be able to choose the file from your computer that you wish to attach. You must name and attach your files in the proper order so that we can identify them. Please attach the proper file to the proper button as listed below:
ATTACHMENT 1 : To this button, please attach the completed NEH Supplemental
Information for Individuals form. Please name the file “NEHinfo.pdf”.
ATTACHMENT 2: To this button, please attach your project narrative. Please name the file “narrative.pdf”.
ATTACHMENT 3: To this button, please attach your course syllabus. Please name the file “syllabus.pdf”.
ATTACHMENT 4: To this button, please attach your bibliography. Please
name the file “bibliography.pdf”.
ATTACHMENT 5: To this button, please attach your résumé. Please name
the file “resume.pdf”.
No other attachments should be included. Applications submitted with additional attachments or with attachments that exceed the length limitations will not be reviewed.
STEP 5: Upload Your Application to Grants.gov
When you have completed the SF424-Individual Form and attached the component parts of your application to the Attachments form, save your work to activate the "Submit" button. You are now ready to upload your application package to NEH via Grants.gov.
To submit your application, click the “Submit” button. Your computer will automatically connect to the Internet, and you will be asked to supply your username and password (see Step 1 above). Once you have successfully entered your username and password, electronically sign and submit your application. When you click the "Sign and Submit Application" button, your application package will be uploaded to Grants.gov.
Please note: Past NEH applicants have reported slower response times from
Grants.gov during the high usage periods between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time.
After the upload is complete, a confirmation page, which includes a Grants.gov tracking number, will indicate that you have submitted your application to Grants.gov. Please print this page for your records. You will also receive a confirmation e-mail.
NEH suggests that you submit your application no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the day of the deadline.
That way, should you encounter technical problems, you will still have time to contact the Grants.gov help
desk for support. The Grants.gov help desk is open Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time
at 1-800-518-4726. You can also send an e-mail to support@grants.gov.
Applications for NEH Teaching Development Fellowships must be received by Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m.
Eastern Time on October 1, 2008. Grants.gov will date and time stamp your application
after it is fully uploaded. Applications submitted after that date will not be
accepted.
The Endowment expects grantees to provide broad access to all grant products, insofar as the conditions of the materials and intellectual property rights allow. For projects that lead to the development of Web sites, all other considerations being equal, the NEH gives preference to those that provide free access to the public.
Review and Selection Process
Knowledgeable persons outside NEH will read each application and advise the agency about its merits.
The Endowment’s staff comments on matters of fact or on significant issues that otherwise would be
missing from these reviews, then makes recommendations to the National Council on the Humanities.
The National Council meets at various times during the year to advise the NEH chairman on grants.
The chairman takes into account the advice provided by the review process and, by law, makes
all funding decisions.
Award notices
Applicants will be notified of the result of their application by letter or e-mail in early March 2009.
They may obtain reasons for the funding decision by sending a letter or e-mail to NEH,
Division of Research Programs, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Room 318, Washington, D.C. 20506
or TDFellowships@neh.gov.
Responsibilities of Award Recipients
Before submitting an application, applicants should
review NEH’s Research Misconduct Policy.
Award Conditions
The requirements for awards are contained in the General
Information on NEH Fellowships and any specific terms and conditions contained in the award document.
Reporting Requirements
A final performance report will be due within 90 days after the completion date of the
award period. The final report form is available
online and electronic submission is required via NEH’s Web site.
Recipients will be expected to submit a revised course syllabus, a bibliography, and other relevant
materials upon the completion of the fellowship. These materials may be posted on the NEH Web site.
If you have questions about the program, contact:
Division of Research
Room 318 National Endowment for the Humanities 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20506 202-606-8200 TDFellowships@neh.gov
Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
If you need help using Grants.gov (www.grants.gov), contact:
Grants.gov help desk: support@grants.gov
Grant.gov support line: 1-800-518-GRANTS (4726) Grants.gov customer support tutorials and manuals: www.grants.gov/applicants/app_help_reso.jsp. Privacy Policy
Information in these guidelines is solicited under the authority of the National
Foundation on the Arts and Humanities Act of 1965, as amended, 20 U.S.C. 956. The principal
purpose for which the information will be used is to process the grant application.
The information may also be used for statistical research, analysis of trends, and Congressional
oversight. Failure to provide the information may result in the delay or rejection of the application.
Application Completion Time
The Office of Management and Budget requires federal agencies to supply information
on the time needed to complete forms and also to invite comments on the paperwork burden.
NEH estimates the average time to complete this application is fifteen hours per response.
This estimate includes time for reviewing instructions, researching, gathering, and maintaining
the information needed, and completing and reviewing the application.
Please send any comments regarding the estimated completion time or
any other aspect of this application, including suggestions for reducing
the completion time, to the Office of Publications, National Endowment for
the Humanities, Washington, D.C. 20506; and to the Office of Management and Budget,
Paperwork Reduction Project (3136-0134), Washington, D.C. 20503. According to the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection
of information unless it displays a valid OMB number.
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