Scholarly Editions and Translations

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) DThe Scholarly Editions and Translations program, administered by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Division of Research Programs, offers funding to collaborative teams working to edit, annotate, and translate foundational humanities texts that are either inaccessible or only available in inadequate editions or translations. The program supports projects in any humanities field and welcomes proposals for both print and digital formats, with a strong preference for free public access to digital materials. Editions and translations must be in English or in the original language, and must include substantial scholarly apparatus such as introductions, annotations, and critical context. Since its inception in 1966, the program has funded editions and translations of historically significant literary, philosophical, musical, and other humanities-related works. Eligible activities vary depending on the funding level sought. Planning awards, with a maximum of $65,000 for one to two years, support the preparatory phase, including scoping the corpus, collecting documents, establishing editorial and translation policies, and developing dissemination strategies. Implementation awards, available for one to three years, offer up to $100,000 annually in outright funds plus $50,000 in matching funds, with a maximum of $450,000. These support direct editorial and translation work, verification, annotation, and digital encoding. The Chairman’s Special Awards in American History and Culture provide up to $1,000,000 over five years for projects of exceptional significance focusing on major historical or cultural figures in American history. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, accredited public or nonprofit higher education institutions, state and local government agencies, and federally recognized Native American Tribal governments. Cost sharing is not required unless federal matching funds are requested. Matching funds must be raised from third-party, non-federal sources on a dollar-for-dollar basis. Individuals, for-profits, foreign organizations, and federal entities are not eligible to apply directly. All projects must designate one scholar as project director, with at least two scholars collaborating on the project. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov, following detailed formatting and content guidelines, and includes a narrative, work plan, list of key personnel, résumés, bibliography, samples, and optional appendices. Deadlines for optional draft submissions are September 30, 2024, and September 29, 2025, with final applications due December 4, 2024, and December 3, 2025. Projects funded in 2024 must start between October 1, 2025, and September 1, 2026; those funded in 2025 must start between October 1, 2026, and September 1, 2027. Anticipated award announcements are in August 2025 and August 2026, respectively, with an estimated $5 million available each year for approximately 20 awards. Proposals are evaluated on significance, methodology, collaborator qualifications, feasibility and productivity, and publication goals. Unallowable activities include tool development, translations into languages other than English, publication of previously published works without new scholarly apparatus, and projects involving living authors. The NEH encourages applications from minority-serving institutions, and projects must adhere to professional best practices in editing and translation, as recommended by the Association for Documentary Editing or the Modern Language Association. Applicants can find resources and a pre-recorded webinar on the NEH program page. Program inquiries may be directed to editions@neh.gov or 202-606-8200, with additional administrative or cost-related questions directed to grantmanagement@neh.gov or 202-606-8494. The program’s official funding opportunity number is 20241127-RQ, with the Federal Assistance Listing Number 45.161. ivision of Research Programs is accepting applications for the Scholarly Editions and Translations program. This program supports collaborative teams who are editing, annotating, and translating foundational humanities texts that are vital to generating new scholarship but are inaccessible or only available in inadequate editions or translations.