Spotlight on Humanities in Higher Education 2025

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), an independent federal agency, is the funding body behind the "Spotlight on Humanities in Higher Education" grant opportunity. The NEH supports research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. This grant aligns with NEH’s broader mission of promoting excellence in the humanities and providing Americans opportunities to engage with history, literature, philosophy, and other key areas of study that foster understanding and cultural awareness. This forecasted grant opportunity is part of NEH's strategic focus on enriching the humanities in post-secondary education, particularly at institutions that are often under-resourced or serve historically underserved student populations. The core purpose of this grant is to support projects that enhance the teaching and study of the humanities at one or more colleges or universities that enroll fewer than 10,000 undergraduate students. Eligible institutions must fall into at least one of four categories: community colleges, minority-serving institutions (MSIs), rural colleges and universities, or colleges and universities where more than 40 percent of enrolled students receive Pell grants. Funding through this program will be distributed via grants of up to $60,000, with an estimated program total of $1,000,000 to support approximately 26 awards. The award floor is listed as $1, though this appears to be a placeholder rather than a functional minimum; in practice, project funding is expected to fall within the ceiling limit. Notably, cost sharing or matching is not required, lowering barriers for participation among smaller or less-resourced institutions. NEH funding under this opportunity is provided through its Division of Education, under Assistance Listing 45.162—Promotion of the Humanities: Teaching and Learning Resources and Curriculum Development. The application process is not yet open but is expected to begin on July 7, 2025, with the full application due by October 7, 2025. The review period will extend through early 2026, with awards anticipated by April 30, 2026, and funded projects expected to begin on June 1, 2026. While no specific pre-application deadlines or concept paper stages are noted, applicants are advised to thoroughly review the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) when released, and to check for any Q&A sessions or webinars that NEH may schedule. All information will be made available via NEH’s program page. Eligible applicants include a wide array of institutional and governmental entities such as public and private institutions of higher education, state and local governments (city, county, township, and special district), federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations excluding higher education institutions. Additional details regarding eligibility will be specified in Section C of the forthcoming Notice of Funding Opportunity, and all interested applicants are encouraged to verify their eligibility in detail upon its release. For questions or further information, prospective applicants may contact the NEH Division of Education directly at spotlight@neh.gov or by phone at 202-606-2324. Correspondence can also be directed to the NEH office located at 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20506. Full program details and updates will be posted at https://www.neh.gov/program/spotlight-humanities-higher-education.