Date posted: February 21, 2007

Date modified: March 9, 2007 *

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) Number: 45.160

Questions?

Contact NEH's Division of Research Programs at 202-606-8200 or fellowships@neh.gov. Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.

NEH Digital Humanities Fellowships are intended to support individuals pursuing advanced research or other projects in the humanities that explore the relationship between technologies and the humanities; or produce digital products such as electronic publications, digital archives, or databases, advanced digital representations of extant data using graphical displays such as geographic information systems (GIS) or other digital media, or digital analytical tools that further humanistic research.

Fellowships support full-time work on a humanities projects for a period of six to twelve months. Applicants may be faculty or staff members of colleges, universities, or they may be independent scholars or writers.

Applicants for Digital Humanities Fellowships are not permitted to apply to the May 1, 2007, deadline for NEH Fellowships or Faculty Research Awards.

NEH Partners and Initiatives

NEH collaborates with two organizations to offer, support for scholarly research projects:

• Library of Congress
  Research projects in the humanities or social sciences that draw on the collections of the Library of Congress (LOC) are eligible for support by LOC. Only applicants who qualify as junior scholars are eligible for support. A junior scholar is one who has received a terminal advanced degree in the humanities, social sciences or a professional field (such as architecture or law) within the past seven years. Exceptions may be made for individuals without continuous academic careers. Interested applicants planning to work with LOC's holdings should apply directly to LOC's Kluge Fellowships Program (www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/).
• Japan-United States Friendship Commission
  Research projects in the social sciences on subjects such as the modern Japanese political economy, international relations and society, and United States-Japan relations are eligible for joint support from NEH and the Japan-US Friendship Commission (JUSFC) through the NEH Fellowships Program. Applicants are also eligible to apply to the Advanced Social Science Research on Japan Fellowships Program, which is supported by JUSFC and administered by NEH. Applicants may also wish to consult the JUSFC Web site.

NEH currently sponsors three special initiatives:

• We the People
  To help Americans make sense of their history and of the world around them, NEH has launched a special program: We the People. 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.. Proposals will be evaluated through NEH's established review process and will not receive special consideration.
• Digital Humanities Initiative
  NEH has recently launched a Digital Humanities Initiative, of which the Digital Humanities Fellowships is one facet. As part of the initiative, NEH is interested in receiving applications for projects that use or study the impact of digital technology. Digital technologies offer humanists new methods of conducting research, conceptualizing relationships, and presenting scholarship. NEH is interested in fostering the growth of digital humanities and lending support to a wide variety of projects, including those that employ digital technologies and methods to enhance our understanding of a topic or issue; those that study the impact of digital technology on the humanities—exploring the ways in which it changes how we read, write, think, and learn; and those that digitize important materials thereby increasing the public's ability to search and access humanities information.
• 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.

• studying teaching methods or theories;
• surveying courses and programs;
• preparing institutional curricula;
• works in the creative and performing arts, i.e., painting, writing fiction or poetry, dance performance, etc.;
• projects that seek to promote a particular political, philosophical, religious, or ideological point of view;
• projects that advocate a particular program of social action; or
• doctoral dissertations or theses.

Digital Humanities Fellowships cover periods lasting from six to twelve months at a stipend of $4,200 per month up to a maximum of $50,400 for a period of 12 months. Should the application be approved for funding, the fellow may also request at the time the award is offered a research allowance up to $25,000 in addition to the base fellowships stipend, to cover specific expenses related to the project. Research allowances might include living expenses while at a computing center, equipment, books, and supplies. The maximum fellowship award, therefore, is $75,400. It is the responsibility of the fellow to make necessary tax arrangements. The NEH does not withhold taxes nor provide tax advice.

Applicants should request tenure periods that suit their schedules and the needs of their projects. The earliest that recipients may begin tenure is January 1, 2008; the latest date is July 1, 2009. A request for a shorter tenure period will not improve your chances of receiving an award.

The award period must be continuous, and award recipients must in most cases work full time on their projects. Teaching assignments or other major activities may not be undertaken during the fellowship period. In exceptional circumstances, NEH may permit part-time awards. Such circumstances might include unusual institutional administrative duties that cannot be relinquished or hardships unforeseen at the application deadline. Teaching is NOT considered an exceptional circumstance. An applicant should not include a request for part-time tenure in the application. Should an award be offered, recipients may present their request for part-time tenure to the NEH staff; arrangements will be made at that time.

Applicants for Digital Humanities Fellowships may be faculty or staff members of colleges or universities, or independent scholars or writers.

All applicants must have completed their 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 dean of the conferring school attesting to the applicant's status as of May 1, 2007. This letter must be faxed to the Fellowships Program at 202-606-8204.

The following eligibility requirements also apply to Digital Humanities Fellowships:

• Citizenship

  U.S. citizens are eligible to apply. Foreign nationals who have been living in the United States or its jurisdictions for at least the three years prior to the application deadline are also eligible.

• Other Grants

  Fellows may not hold any other major grant or fellowship while on tenure of an NEH Digital Humanities Fellowship, with the exception of awards of $10,000 or less from a fellow's own institution.

  Applicants may apply to only one of the following fellowships programs in a given year: NEH Fellowships, Faculty Research Awards, and Digital Humanities Fellowships. However, applicants for Digital Humanities Fellowships may compete concurrently in the NEH Summer Stipend program and the competitions for both Kluge Fellowships and fellowships sponsored by the Japan-US Friendship Commission. Applicants successful in more than one of these programs are not permitted to hold both awards.

• Cost-Sharing and Matching

  Digital Humanities Fellowships do not require cost-sharing or matching.

• Projects Previously Supported by NEH

  You may apply for funding for a project that has previously received NEH Fellowship support. NEH will ask evaluators to review the accomplishments from the prior fellowship and determine if the project warrants additional support.

Ineligible applications will not be reviewed.

Applications must be submitted between March 1 and the May 1, 2007 deadline.

Because of the large number of applications, the 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.

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.

Preparing an application

Prior to beginning, applicants are encouraged to review the "Frequently Asked Questions."

All applicants for Digital Humanities Fellowships should submit their proposals through Grants.gov, the central federal government portal for all grant applications. What follows are comprehensive instructions that will guide you through the five steps of applying:

• Step 1: Register with Grants.gov
• Step 2: Download the free PureEdge Viewer software
• Step 3: Download the application package for NEH Digital Humanities Fellowships
• Step 4: Prepare your application
• Step 5: Upload your application to Grants.gov

Each of these steps is discussed in detail below.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Applications to NEH must be submitted via Grants.gov. Once registered, you can apply for any government grant for individual applicants listed on the Grants.gov Web site.

If you have already registered, you may skip this step. If not, follow the instructions below. We recommend you complete your registration at least one week before the application deadline, as it takes time for your registration to be processed. If you have problems registering with Grants.gov, call the Grants.gov help desk at 1-800-518-4726.

The registration process has two components: the first is to register with the Grants.gov Credential Service Provider; the second is to register with Grants.gov itself.

To register with the Credential Service Provider (i.e. obtain a username and password), go to: http://apply.grants.gov/IndCPRegister

Enter the Funding Opportunity Number for NEH Digital Humanities Fellowships:

Once you've entered in this code, 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. Once completed, submit the form and verify your information.

You are now asked to create a username and password for yourself. Your password must contain at least one uppercase letter, one special character (such as # or %), and one number. Once you have successfully submitted this information, you may register your username and password with Grants.gov.

To register with Grants.gov, go to: https://apply.grants.gov/IndGGRegister

Enter your username and password from the previous step to get to the User Profile page. Select "Individual." You will note that it will fill in a dummy DUNS number for you. That is OK. If the DUNS number is not automatically filled in, cancel out, go to the Web site address in the preceding paragraph and try again. (DUNS numbers are unique identifiers of organizations that interact with the federal government. Because NEH Fellowships are awarded to individuals only, no DUNS number is required).

Fill in your name, e-mail, phone, and title, and then click "Submit." You will receive on-screen confirmation that you have registered successfully. In a few minutes, you should receive an e-mail confirmation as well. You can now use your username and password to submit your application.

In order to fill out a Grants.gov application package, you will need to download and install the free PureEdge Viewer software. This software is available at no charge from the Grants.gov Web site at http://www.grants.gov/DownloadViewer. Once installed, this software will allow you to view and fill out Grants.gov application packages for any federal agency.

If you have a problem installing the PureEdge Viewer, it may be because you do not have permission to install a new program on your computer. Many organizations have rules about installing new programs. If you encounter a problem, contact your system administrator.

To submit your application, you will need to download the application package from the Grants.gov Web site. You can download the application package at any time. (You do not have to wait for your Grants.gov registration to be complete.) Click the appropriate button below to download the package.

Save the application package to your computer's hard drive. To open the application package, select the file and double click. You do not have to be online to work on it.

You can save your application package at any time 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 may receive an error message indicating that your application is not valid if all of the forms have not been completed. 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:

1. Application for Federal Assistance SF424-Individual—this form asks for basic information about the project and the applicant.
2. NEH Attachment Form—this form allows you to attach your narrative, résumé, bibliography, and appendix.

In addition, you need to copy to your computer the NEH Supplemental Information for Individuals form. This form-in Portable Database Format (.pdf)— can be found here.

A complete application includes the following items:

• A completed SF424-Individual form
• A completed NEH Supplementary Data Sheet for NEH Grant Programs
• An Attachment form that includes a project narrative, résumé, bibliography, and supplementary materials (the contents of these attachments are described at length in the program guidelines)

How to Fill Out the SF424-Individual Form

Select the form from the menu and double click to open it. Please provide the following information:

Name of Federal Agency: This will be filled in automatically with "National Endowment for the Humanities."

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: This will be filled in automatically with the CFDA number and title of the NEH program to which you are applying.

Date Received: Please leave blank.

Funding Opportunity Number: This will be filled in automatically.

Applicant Information: In this section, please supply the name, address, telephone, and other contact information for the applicant. For question "e," please put the number of your Congressional district. For example, if you live in the 5th Congressional District of California, put a "5." If you don't have a Congressional district (e.g., you are in a state or U.S. territory that doesn't have districts or you are in a foreign country), put a "0" (zero).

Disclosure of Social Security Numbers is optional. NEH uses them for internal application processing only. Funded applicants will be required to supply their Social Security Number after the competition is completed.

Project Information: Provide the title of your project. Your title should be brief, descriptive, and substantive. It should also be informative to a non-specialist audience. Provide a brief description of your project. The description should be written for a non-specialist audience and clearly state the importance of the proposed work and its relation to larger issues in the humanities. List the starting and ending dates for your project.

Check the box "By signing this Application. . . ".

How to Use the NEH Attachments Form

The component parts of your application MUST be attached to the NEH Attachment Form and MUST be in Portable Document Format (.pdf). We cannot accept attachments in their original word processing or spreadsheet formats. If you don't already have software to convert your files into PDFs, there are many low-cost and free software packages available. To learn more, go to http://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 résumé. Please name the file "resume.pdf".

ATTACHMENT 4: To this button, please attach your bibliography. Please name the file "bibliography.pdf".

ATTACHMENT 5: To this button, please attach your appendix. Appropriate appendices include translation samples and/or graphics files. Please name the file "appendix.pdf".

No other attachments should be included. Applications with additional attachments or with attachments that exceed the size limitations will not be entered into the competition.

Preparing Your Application

ATTACHMENT 1: Supplemental Information for Individuals Form

This form can be downloaded and saved to your computer in Portable Document Format (.pdf) here. [You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader version 6.0 or above to use this form; the Reader can be downloaded here.] Open the form. Please 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.

Reference Letters: Provide the names, e-mail addresses, and affiliations for your two recommenders. Once your application has been successfully submitted and an internal log number has been issued, NEH will contact these individuals, requesting on your behalf that they write letters of recommendation. Letters must be submitted online to NEH not later than June 6, 2007. Although the message sent to your referees will include the brief description of your project, NEH cannot provide referees with full access to your application materials. Therefore, applicants are strongly encouraged to contact their referees prior to submission to insure that they have what they need to submit a thoughtful letter.

Reference letters should provide important information about you and your project. Referees should discuss the project's significance to the field, the intended audience, the likely outcome, the general quality of your work, and your ability to carry out the project successfully. Ideally, no more than one referee should be from your home institution. There is no length restriction on reference letters. Referees may submit their letters once they receive their e-mail messages from NEH.

Nominating Official: Please leave this section blank.

ATTACHMENT 2: Project narrative

Name this file narrative.pdf

This attachment is required and must not exceed three single-spaced pages.

Write your narrative in a word processing program before converting it to a .pdf file using Adobe Acrobat. NEH evaluators will have access to only three pages of your narrative, so staying with the page limit is vital.

The narrative should convey the ideas, objectives, and methods of the project. It should also communicate the project's substance and potential contribution to the humanities. A simple statement of need or intent is insufficient. Because some evaluators will not possess specialized knowledge of the proposed field of study, the description should be free of jargon.

While your application narrative should discuss the relationship between your subject matter and the technology you hope to employ, it should not make the technology the centerpiece at the expense of the humanities content.

There is no formula for writing a successful narrative. However, past applicants have typically addressed the following questions:

• What are the basic ideas, problems, or questions examined by the study? Explain the planned approach or line of thought. If the area is a new area of research, explain the reasons for working in it.
• For what part or stage of your project are you seeking support? Provide an overview of the project and describe what part of the study you will undertake during the award period.
• What will be accomplished during the award period? Supply a brief work plan.
• How will the project complement, challenge, or expand relevant studies in the field? Explain what makes the study distinctive.
• What contribution will the project make to the humanities?
• What is your competence in the languages needed for the study?
• Where will you conduct the study and what materials will you use?
• Do you have access to archives, collections, or institutions with the necessary resources?
• Who is the intended audience for the results of the study?
• What are the intended results of the project? Indicate plans for articles, conference papers, books, etc.
• How is your inquiry improved, enhanced, and/or made possible through the use of digital technologies?

Successful fellowships applicants have typically written their proposals as narrative essays and not as a set of answers to these questions. These questions should be regarded only as prompts to constructing a narrative.

ATTACHMENT 3: Résumé

Name this file resume.pdf

This attachment is required and must not exceed two single-spaced pages.

Your résumé or curriculum vita should provide information such as

• Current and past positions
  Describe your current position, including title, institution or organization, department, and a brief description of your duties. If your position is part-time, include the status of your current contract.
• Education
  List institutions, degrees, dates awarded, and titles of any theses or dissertations.
• Technology Background
  Describe your technology background and training.
• Awards
  List the awards and grants you have received, including sources, dates of tenure, dollar amounts, and terms of leave provided by such awards and grants. In the case of grants for purposes other than individual study and research, describe their purpose and the activities undertaken. If you have previously received a Fellowship or Faculty Research Award to support your proposed project, indicate the dates of tenure and the results.
• Publications
  List your publications including books, articles, and book chapters, particularly those publications most relevant to the proposed project. Include page numbers for journal articles and book chapters.
• Additional Information
  Provide other relevant information about your professional activities and accomplishments that will help reviewers assess your application.

ATTACHMENT 4: Project bibliography

Name this file bibliography.pdf

This attachment is required and must not exceed one single-spaced page.

Your bibliography should consist of primary and secondary sources that relate directly to the project. It is usually advisable to include works that pertain to both the project's substance and its theoretical or methodological approaches. Titles cited in the application narrative do not have to be included in the bibliography. Evaluators will use the bibliography to assess your preparation in the subject area and your approach to the topic.

ATTACHMENT 5: Appendix

Name this file appendix.pdf

This attachment is optional and should be used only for applications that require visual materials and proposals for editions, translations, or database projects.

If your proposal requires visual materials, you may include one page of visuals. Please note that this page must be in pdf format (not .jpg or other common graphic format).

If you are proposing an edition or a translation, you must provide a sample of the original text and your edited/translated version. Neither the original text nor the translation should exceed one single-spaced page.

For database projects, provide a sample entry not to exceed one single-spaced page.

When you have completed all three forms, use the right-facing arrow to move each of them to the "Mandatory Documents for Submission" column. Once they have been moved over, the "Submit" button will activate. You are now ready to upload your application package to Grants.gov.

When you have completed your application, you must submit the application using your chosen username and password.

To submit your application, your computer must have an active connection to the Internet. To begin the submission process, click the "Submit" button. A page will appear asking you to sign and submit your application. At this point, you will enter your username and password. When you click the "Sign and Submit Application" button, your application package will be uploaded to Grants.gov. Please note that it may take some time to upload your application package depending on the size of your files and the speed of your Internet connection.

After the upload is complete, a confirmation page, which includes a tracking number, will appear indicating 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 a technical problem of some kind, 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 Digital Humanities Fellowships must be received by Grants.gov by midnight on May 1, 2007. Grants.gov will date/time stamp your application after it is fully uploaded. Applications submitted after that date will not be accepted.

Evaluators are asked to apply the following criteria in evaluating applications:

1. The intellectual significance of the project to the humanities, including its potential contribution to knowledge and learning.
2. The quality or promise of quality of the applicant's work as an interpreter of the humanities.
3. The quality of the conception, definition, organization, and description of the project.
4. The feasibility of the proposed plan of work and the likelihood that the applicant will complete the project.
5. The rationale for using digital technology and the integration of that technology into the larger project.
6. The accessibility and usefulness of the final product for the intended audience.

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 December 2007. 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 fellowships@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 financial and 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. Fellows awarded a research allowance will be required to submit the Final Financial Status Report for Individuals and refund to NEH any unused funds.

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
fellowships@neh.gov

If you have questions about how to submit your application through Grants.gov, contact the Grants.gov help desk at 1-800-518-4726. The help desk hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Eastern Time. You may also send the Grants.gov help desk an e-mail message at support@grants.gov.

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.