Collaborative Research

Overview

The Collaborative Research program aims to advance humanistic knowledge through collaboration between two or more scholars. The program encourages projects that propose diverse approaches to topics, incorporate multiple points of view, explore new avenues of inquiry in the humanities, and lead to manuscripts for print publication or to scholarly digital products.  

You may propose a research project in a single field of study or interdisciplinary work. NEH encourages collaboration with scholars working in the natural or social sciences, but projects must focus on humanistic content and employ humanistic methods. Collaborations among different types of institutions are welcome. For example, research universities might partner with teaching colleges, libraries, museums, or independent research institutions. NEH encourages applications from Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Tribal Colleges and Universities.  

Scholars may be drawn from one or more institutions. NEH welcomes international collaboration, but scholars at U.S. institutions must contribute significantly to the project.

You must propose tangible and sustainable outcomes as the end goal of the project, even if completion lies beyond the award’s period of performance. Such outcomes may include, but are not limited to, co-authored or multi-authored books; born-digital publications; themed issues of peer-reviewed journals; a series of peer-reviewed articles in academic journals or articles in general audience publications or both; and open-access scholarly digital projects. All project outcomes must address at least one stated humanities research question and convey interpretive humanities work. You must present a plan to disseminate the project’s results. 

Funding categories  
The Collaborative Research program has four funding categories that support different types of collaborative projects and collaborative projects at different stages of development:  

• Planning International Collaboration: Planning International Collaboration supports initial meetings to brainstorm, plan, and establish new scholarly collaborations. This category is for early-stage projects involving collaborators based in the U.S. and in one or more foreign countries. Scholars at U.S. institutions must contribute significantly to the project. Examples of funded activities include, but are not limited to, research time to correspond and exchange ideas through videoconferencing; joint travel for collaborators to a relevant site, archive, library, or collection to investigate a project’s feasibility; exploratory workshops or working group meetings for collaborators; and writing time to complete a plan for future research and publication. 
• Convening: The Convening category supports a single scholarly conference, symposium, or seminar that is open to members of an intellectual community broader than the invited attendees, or up to two working group meetings that advance a single project and may be restricted to primary collaborators. If you propose working group meetings of primary collaborators alone, you must explain why this is necessary. Convening projects should gather participants, virtually or inperson, to sharpen an already established collaborative research topic and work towards subsequent print publications or scholarly digital projects. 
• Manuscript Preparation: The Manuscript Preparation category supports the completion of collaborative manuscripts in preparation for print publication. Examples include, but are not limited to, co- or multiauthored monographs and edited volumes; a series of peer-reviewed articles; and themed issues of peer-reviewed journals. Typical funding requests include, but are not limited to, compensation for research and writing time; joint travel for collaborators to a relevant site, archive, library, or collection to conduct research; and compensation for consultants. The Manuscript Preparation category does not support travel or venue costs for a conference, symposium, or seminar.
• Scholarly Digital Projects: The Scholarly Digital Projects category supports the preparation of born-digital scholarly publications, resources, or tools designed to address explicitly stated humanities research questions. The digital project must include significant, integral humanities interpretation or advance an argument. The project must serve an intellectual community beyond the collaborators. Proposals may involve one or more lead scholars collaborating with digital humanities specialists, librarians, or archivists to prepare a digital publication or project using preexisting platforms, programs, or other technological infrastructure. Scholarly resources and tools may include, but are not limited to, open-access databases with interpretive content, GIS mapping projects, and content-rich websites.

An institution may submit multiple applications for separate and distinct projects under this notice. However, an individual may not be the project director or co-director on more than one application to the program per competition.

Award information: 

• Planning International Collaboration: Six to twelve months Up to $25,000 
• Convening: Six to twelve months Up to $50,000 
• Manuscript Preparation: One to three years Up to $250,000 (up to $100,000 per year for years one and two and up to $50,000 for year three) Up to $300,00 for projects proposed by, or including a subaward to, a community college or certain minority-serving institutions 
• Scholarly Digital Projects: One to three years Up to $250,000 (up to $100,000 per year for years one and two and up to $50,000 for year three) Up to $300,000 for projects proposed by, or including a subaward to, a community college or certain minority-serving institutions

You may begin your period of performance between October 1, 2024, and September 1, 2025.

Deadline for Optional Draft September 18, 2023, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

Pre-Application Webinar Thursday, August 24, at 2:00 PM Eastern. The link to register is here: Collaborative Research pre-application webinar.