Media Projects

Overview

The Media Projects program supports the development, production, and distribution of radio programs, podcasts, documentary films and television programs that engage general audiences with humanities ideas in creative and appealing ways. Projects must be grounded in humanities scholarship and incorporate an approach that is thoughtful, balanced, and analytical. The Division of Public Programs encourages media projects that promote a deeper understanding of American history and culture as well as those that examine international themes and subjects in the humanities. Proposals must demonstrate the potential to attract a broad general audience and should be intended for national or regional distribution.

Film and television projects may be stand-alone documentaries or a series of programs. Radio and podcast projects may be single programs, a series, or segments within an ongoing program.

Projects may include supplementary components such as discussion programs or websites.

All Media Projects proposals must:
• build on sound humanities scholarship
• deepen public understanding of significant humanities questions
• approach a subject analytically, presenting a variety of perspectives
• involve humanities scholars in all phases of development and production
• involve appropriate media professionals
• employ appealing and accessible formats that will actively engage the general public in learning
• demonstrate the potential to attract a broad general audience

Funding categories: Media Projects offers two levels of funding: Development and Production.

Development -- Development awards (up to $75,000) enable film and television producers to collaborate with scholars to develop humanities content and other program elements. Awards should result in a script or detailed treatment(s). You may also use a Development award to plan for outreach and public engagement.
Development awards are available only for film and television projects. Radio and podcast projects cannot apply for Development awards, but they may apply for Production.

Development awards may support activities such as:
• meetings with scholars
• preliminary interviews
• preparation of program treatments or scripts
• production of a work-in-progress or trailer
• creation of partnerships for outreach activities and public engagement
• archival and other scholarly research to further development of script and humanities themes

Production -- Production awards (up to $700,000 for film and $350,000 for radio and podcast programs) must result in the production and distribution of radio, podcast, television, and documentary film projects.

Production awards may support activities such as:
• archival research and rights clearances
• meetings with scholars
• additional script development
• production (including filming, recording, and editing) and distribution
• development of related resources that explore the humanities content and themes central to the project (e.g., websites and curriculum materials)
• outreach and public engagement

Chair’s Special Awards -- Within the Production level, NEH will occasionally make Chair’s Special Awards (up to $1,000,000) for projects of exceptional significance, audience reach, and complexity. A Chair’s Special Award should examine important humanities ideas in new ways and demonstrate the potential to reach especially large audiences. These goals can often be accomplished by combining a variety of program formats, forming creative collaborations among diverse institutions, and significantly expanding the scope and reach of the project. Chair’s Special Awards are rare; NEH typically awards no more than one per year.

If you are seeking a Chair’s Special Award, your application must highlight the elements of your project that demonstrate exceptional significance, audience reach, and complexity, as described above. Submit a budget for up to $1,000,000. If you are not selected at this level, your application will still be considered at the $700,000 maximum amount.

NEH encourages projects that include Native American organizations and communities as applicants and project partners.

You may submit multiple applications for separate and distinct projects under this notice, but you may not submit multiple applications for the same project at the same deadline.

Award Amounts: 
Development: Up to $75,000
Production: Up to $700,000 (up to $1,000,000 for Chair’s Special Awards)

Period of Performance:
Development: six to twelve months
Production: one to three years

Draft Deadlines:
The draft deadline for the August 2024 competition is July 10, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
The draft deadline for the January 2025 competition is December 4, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
This optional review is not part of the formal selection process and has no bearing on the final funding decision.

Application Deadlines:
This notice covers the August 2024 and January 2025 Media Projects competitions. The deadlines are:
August 14, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time
January 8, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time