Collaborative Research

The Collaborative Research program, administered by the Division of Research at the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), supports projects that deepen humanistic understanding through meaningful scholarly collaboration. The program invites applications from teams of two or more scholars who aim to produce interpretive research outputs such as manuscripts for print publication or establish early-stage international research partnerships. The intent is to foster interdisciplinary and cross-institutional inquiry that advances knowledge and addresses significant questions in the humanities. While international participation is welcomed, U.S.-based scholars must make substantial contributions to all supported projects. Two funding categories are available. The Planning International Collaboration category supports preliminary activities such as virtual or in-person meetings, exploratory site visits, and the drafting of future research plans. Awards of up to $25,000 are available for performance periods of six to twelve months. The Manuscript Preparation category supports the development of scholarly manuscripts through research, writing, and collaboration. Awards of up to $250,000 may be requested for up to three years, with annual limits ($100,000 for years one and two; $50,000 for year three). Allowable expenses include salary replacement, compensation for collaborators and consultants, travel, fringe benefits, and other direct research costs. Publication-related expenses, conferences, and equipment purchases are not permitted. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, accredited public or nonprofit higher education institutions, state and local governments and agencies, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. Projects must begin between October 1, 2026, and September 1, 2027. NEH does not fund foreign organizations directly, and individuals are not eligible to apply. Subrecipients must also comply with eligibility and documentation standards, and indirect cost rates must be properly justified or negotiated. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov using opportunity number 20251119-RZ by the deadline of December 3, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Applicants must ensure current registration with SAM.gov and Grants.gov, which can take several weeks. The application must include specific attachments such as a project narrative, work plan, bibliography, résumés, and other supporting documents, all in PDF format with strict formatting requirements. Page limits are enforced, and the use of optional materials must adhere to clear relevance criteria. Evaluation will be based on five criteria: significance of the research, methods and execution, quality of collaboration, feasibility of the work plan, and dissemination strategy. Awards are expected to be announced in August 2026, subject to congressional appropriations. NEH encourages broad access to funded research outputs and prioritizes open dissemination. Ongoing reporting and compliance with applicable federal guidelines will be required throughout the award period. In case of questions, applicants can contact the Division of Research at collaborative@neh.gov or 202-606-8200.

Align outputs with humanities questions; avoid unallowable costs (e.g., publishing, conferences); U.S.-based scholars must lead; adhere to strict formatting and file naming requirements to avoid rejection.