Humanities Research Centers on Artificial Intelligence

The National Endowment for the Humanities, through its Division of Research Programs, has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity titled Humanities Research Centers on Artificial Intelligence. This opportunity is designed to support the establishment of new research centers that focus on exploring the implications of artificial intelligence from a humanities perspective. The program recognizes that AI is transforming society in profound ways that extend beyond technology, reaching into civil rights, liberties, cultural practices, and human flourishing. NEH emphasizes that the humanities disciplines, including history, philosophy, law, linguistics, ethics, and related social sciences, are crucial to developing deeper understanding of the cultural and social consequences of AI. The grant will fund centers that act as hubs of sustained collaboration among multiple scholars and institutions. Each center must propose a research focus tied to the social and cultural dimensions of AI and demonstrate how its findings will advance national leadership and public discourse. Centers are expected to design at least two major activities such as collaborative research, writing projects, symposia, lecture series, or digital tools that support humanistic inquiry into AI. Projects must also develop plans for disseminating results widely, through publications, events, or digital resources. Allowable costs include personnel salaries, compensation for collaborators, postdoctoral researchers, consultants, computing equipment, travel, and convening expenses. The NEH specifies that existing AI centers are not eligible, ensuring that only new initiatives or subcenters within broader humanities or ethics centers may apply. The program encourages centers to strengthen public understanding of AI by incorporating education and outreach. Applicants are urged to develop programming for K-12 schools, universities, and the broader public, thereby contributing to AI literacy and training future scholars. Outputs should include at least two major deliverables such as curricula, workshops, lecture series, multi-authored publications, or digital infrastructure. Outcomes may extend beyond the grant period and are expected to generate lasting institutional capacity, new collaborations, and broader public awareness of AI’s humanistic implications. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov and comply with strict formatting and submission requirements. The closing deadline for applications is October 1, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Projects may request up to $500,000 in outright funds over a 36-month period, with no more than $200,000 per year, and applicants may request an additional $250,000 in federal matching funds if they secure third-party contributions. Approximately five awards will be made from a total funding pool of $2.5 million, with awards anticipated in April 2026. The period of performance must begin between May 1, 2026, and April 1, 2027. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, accredited public or nonprofit higher education institutions, state and local governments, and federally recognized Native American Tribal governments. Individuals, for-profit organizations, and foreign institutions are ineligible. Only one application per institution is permitted, though branch campuses count as separate institutions. Current recipients of this program are barred from reapplying. International collaboration is welcome, provided that U.S. institutions retain leadership and oversight of the proposed center. Applications will be evaluated by peer reviewers based on five criteria: significance of the research focus, feasibility and appropriateness of activities, qualifications of project participants, clarity and achievability of the work plan, and dissemination and long-term vision. Applications judged incomplete, ineligible, or nonresponsive, or those exceeding page limits, will not be considered. Successful applicants will be notified in April 2026, and awards will be issued through NEH’s grant management system. Awardees must comply with reporting, accessibility, and federal cost principles, and they are expected to make research products publicly accessible under NEH policy. For questions, applicants may contact the NEH Division of Research Programs by email at AICenters@neh.gov or by phone at 202-606-8200. Administrative questions may be directed to the NEH Office of Grant Management at grantmanagement@neh.gov or 202-606-8494. Applicants needing technical support with registration or submission are advised to contact the Federal Service Desk for SAM.gov issues or Grants.gov Applicant Support for electronic submission. The notice was published on July 8, 2025, under OMB control number 3136-0134, with an expiration date of October 31, 2027:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}:contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.