Collaborative Research

Overview

This notice solicits applications for the Collaborative Research program overseen by the Division of Research. The Collaborative Research program aims to advance humanistic knowledge through collaboration between two or more scholars. The program encourages projects that incorporate multiple points of view, explore new avenues of inquiry in the humanities, and lead to manuscripts for print publication. 

You may propose a research project in a single field of study or interdisciplinary work. 

Scholars may be drawn from one or more institutions. Collaborations among different types of institutions are welcome. For example, research universities might partner with teaching colleges, libraries, museums, independent research institutions, or tribal organizations. 

NEH welcomes international collaboration, but scholars at U.S. institutions must contribute significantly to the project. (See C3. Other Eligibility Information.) If your project includes international collaborators, see NEH’s Partnership Opportunity Notifications for sources of additional support from external partners. 

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. Outputs may include, but are not limited to, co-authored or multi-authored books; themed issues of peer-reviewed journals; or a series of peer-reviewed articles in academic journals or articles in general audience publications or both. All project outputs 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 two funding categories that support different types of collaborative projects and collaborative projects at different stages of development: 

• Planning International Collaboration 
• Manuscript Preparation 
• a written plan for collaborative research activities and future print publications or digital scholarly projects 
• livestreamed or recorded video of workshops 
• web-posted papers 
• co-authored monograph 
• edited volume 
• a series of peer-reviewed articles 
• themed issue of a peer-reviewed journal 

You must identify only one category for funding, even if your project is part of a complex research agenda that includes multiple project types. You may submit follow-up applications for subsequent stages of the same project.

A Planning International Collaboration award is not a prerequisite for a Manuscript Preparation application.

Program Outputs and Outcomes 

The outputs of a Planning International Collaboration award may include: 

The outputs of a Manuscript Preparation award may include:

The outcome of a Collaborative Research award will be the advancement of humanistic knowledge through collaboration between two or more scholars.

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.

Summary of Funding

• Planning International Collaboration: Up to $25,000. Six to twelve months
• Convening: up to $50,000 

Manuscript Preparation: Up to $250,000 (up to $100,000 per year for years one and two and up to $50,000 for year three). One to three years