Collaborative Research

The Collaborative Research program administered by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Division of Research supports groups of scholars pursuing interpretive research that advances humanistic knowledge. NEH, an independent federal agency established in 1965, promotes excellence in the humanities by funding projects that deepen understanding of culture, history, and ideas. Through this program, it encourages interdisciplinary collaboration and diverse perspectives among academic institutions, museums, libraries, and research centers. The program emphasizes the production of tangible scholarly outcomes that contribute to humanistic inquiry and interpretation at a national and international level. This initiative funds two categories of projects: Planning International Collaboration and Manuscript Preparation. Planning International Collaboration awards help teams establish new research partnerships between U.S. and international scholars through meetings, workshops, and travel for exploratory research. Manuscript Preparation awards support the completion of co-authored books, edited volumes, or themed journal issues resulting from established collaborations. All projects must address significant humanities questions and lead to a public product that interprets and contributes to the field. NEH requires that U.S.-based scholars play a substantial role even in internationally oriented efforts, ensuring that federally supported humanities research reflects national participation. Funding may be used for activities integral to project completion, such as salary replacement for research time, compensation of collaborators and research assistants, fringe benefits, travel to archives or field sites, and consultant services. Allowable periods of performance range from six to twelve months for Planning International Collaboration projects and from one to three years for Manuscript Preparation projects. The maximum award is $25,000 for planning and up to $250,000 for manuscript preparation, with a total estimated FY 2025 program funding of $2.5 million distributed across approximately fifteen awards. NEH does not require cost sharing unless the applicant requests federal matching funds; voluntary cost share is permitted but not evaluated in review. Eligible applicants include U.S. nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, accredited public or private institutions of higher education, state and local government entities, and federally recognized Native American Tribal governments. Individuals and for-profit entities are ineligible. International collaboration is welcomed, provided NEH funds are not sub-awarded to foreign institutions. Applicants must have current SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations and submit proposals through Grants.gov under opportunity number 20251119-RZ by November 19, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Projects must start between October 1, 2026 and September 1, 2027. Late or incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Applications consist of required forms (SF-424, Supplementary Cover Sheet, Project/Performance Site Location, Research and Related Budget) and attached PDFs such as the narrative, work plan, résumés, and bibliography. The narrative must follow a ten-page structure addressing significance, methods, collaboration, work plan, and dissemination. Reviewers evaluate proposals on five weighted criteria: significance, methods and execution, collaboration quality, work plan and completion feasibility, and outcomes and access. NEH assesses risk before award issuance and evaluates performance through required annual and final reports in its online grant system. The NEH anticipates notifying applicants in August 2026. Selected projects will begin after that date and may continue for up to three years. Funded projects must acknowledge NEH support and comply with federal regulations on accessibility, nondiscrimination, and research integrity. The primary contact for this program is the NEH Division of Research, reachable at collaborative@neh.gov or 202-606-8200. This program typically receives around 135 applications per competition and funds roughly 12 percent, awarding an average of 16 grants annually. Applications reopen each fall, continuing NEH’s long-standing effort to sustain collaborative scholarship in the humanities.