The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), with support from the Mellon Foundation, invites applications for the Digital Justice Development Grants. These grants support projects that critically engage with the experiences and histories of historically marginalized communities through the ethical use of digital tools and methods. Projects are expected to move beyond early-stage development and demonstrate clear plans for technological, financial, and intellectual growth. Each grant award ranges from $50,000 to $100,000 and supports workplans of 12 to 18 months, beginning between July 1 and December 31, 2026.
This funding opportunity aims to strengthen the ecosystem of digital scholarship, especially for projects rooted in the humanities and interpretive social sciences. It prioritizes work that supports Black, Latinx, Indigenous, queer, trans, disabled, and other historically underrepresented communities. Eligible projects may include pedagogical initiatives that integrate digital humanities methods, community partnerships for digital infrastructure development, and collaborations across academic and cultural heritage institutions. The initiative explicitly addresses inequities in access to digital resources and support, particularly for scholars working in institutions with limited capacity for digital projects.
To qualify, at least one principal investigator must be a scholar in the humanities or interpretive social sciences. Projects must show meaningful preliminary work, sustained engagement with public or scholarly audiences, and commitments to open-access dissemination. Grants must be administered by a U.S. institution of higher education. The program does not fund the creation of creative works like novels or films, textbooks, or solely pedagogical efforts, and indirect institutional costs are not covered.
Applications are due by 9:00 PM EST on November 20, 2025, and must be submitted via ACLS's online grant administration portal. Required materials include responses to structured narrative prompts, a project timeline, budget, budget justification, staffing description, and (if applicable) statements from community partners. Intellectual property produced under the grant must be open-source or distributed under liberal Creative Commons licenses, and ACLS must be updated on compliance with these terms.
All applicants receive financial coaching from the Nonprofit Finance Fund to support long-term sustainability planning. Grant decisions will be announced in spring 2026. Questions can be directed to digitaljustice@acls.org. The program is recurring and part of ACLS's broader suite of digital justice initiatives.
Use ACLS’s supplementary templates and ensure IP commitments are understood. Consider open access and long-term sustainability in planning.
