Rediscovering Our Revolutionary Tradition

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), through its Division of Preservation and Access, has announced the Rediscovering Our Revolutionary Tradition program. This grant opportunity is being offered in recognition of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. The program is designed to support the preservation and improved access to primary source materials that document both the history of America’s independence and the establishment and functioning of American government at federal, state, and local levels. Eligible materials include archival records, rare publications, art and material culture, as well as photographs, sound recordings, and other sources that illuminate this foundational era of U.S. history. The scope of activities that may be funded is broad, but all projects must enhance preservation or expand accessibility to primary sources. Allowable activities include conservation treatment, rehousing of materials, cataloging and descriptive processing, digitization for online access, transcription or translation of documents, updating of existing digital collections, and creation of indexes, databases, or other tools to support research. Projects may also include advanced imaging and associated data collection to enhance the scholarly value of collections. However, there are restrictions: NEH funds cannot be used for activities such as purchasing collections, newspaper digitization, oral history projects, records management, construction or renovation, or projects outside the humanities. Funding is offered under two categories: Individual Institution awards of up to $350,000 for projects lasting no more than two years, and Consortium awards of up to $750,000 for projects of up to three years. NEH anticipates awarding approximately $14,000,000 in total across about 30 grants for this opportunity. Applicants are not required to provide cost-sharing or matching funds, though voluntary cost share is permitted. Funds may be used for direct preservation and access work, as well as modest outreach and dissemination activities that help ensure broader awareness of project outcomes. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based nonprofit organizations recognized as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3), accredited public or nonprofit institutions of higher education, state and local government agencies, and federally recognized Native American Tribal governments. Individuals, for-profit entities, foreign organizations, and federal agencies are not eligible to apply. Consortia applications are permitted as long as one eligible organization serves as the lead applicant and takes programmatic and financial responsibility for the award. All applicants must maintain active registration in both SAM.gov and Grants.gov before submission. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov under funding opportunity number 20250904-PQ. The first application deadline is September 4, 2025, with projects starting between June 1 and September 1, 2026. The second deadline is January 15, 2026, with projects starting between November 1, 2026, and January 1, 2027. Anticipated award announcements are April 30, 2026, for the first cycle and August 31, 2026, for the second cycle. NEH requires all application materials to follow strict formatting guidelines and to include key components such as a narrative, work plan, résumés, and budget documents. Missing required materials or exceeding page limits may result in disqualification. Applications will be evaluated based on significance, soundness of methods, quality and feasibility of outputs, sustainability and outreach plans, qualifications of staff, and reasonableness of budget. Peer reviewers with subject expertise will assess proposals against these criteria, and final award decisions rest with the NEH Chairman, informed by recommendations from the National Council on the Humanities. Reporting obligations for grantees include annual progress and financial reports, and final reports upon project completion. Applicants with questions should contact the Division of Preservation and Access at preservation@neh.gov or by telephone at 202-606-8570. Administrative and cost-related inquiries may be directed to the Office of Grant Management at grantmanagement@neh.gov or 202-606-8494. Telecommunications relay services are available via 7-1-1. Additional information, including application instructions and program background, is available at the official NEH program resource page.

NEH advises ensuring registrations are current, submitting early to correct errors, and following page limits and formatting rules