Updated September 24, 2026
Humanities Research Grants and Fellowships
Open grants and fellowships for humanities scholars in history, literature, philosophy, religion, languages, and the arts. A live list, updated daily.
Humanities scholars have always worked with less funding than their colleagues in the sciences, and 2026 has made the gap wider. Federal support through the National Endowment for the Humanities and the state humanities councils it funds has been cut back and disrupted, and many universities have trimmed internal research and travel budgets at the same time. For historians, literary scholars, philosophers, and others, finding the right external fellowship now matters more than ever.
Featured grants
Updated automatically from Atom's grant databaseGrants for Humanities Scholar Research Fellowships
This grant funds Oklahoma-based humanities scholars at accredited institutions to support original research in fields like history, literature, philosophy, and related disciplines.
General Research Grants: Scholarships – Research Scholarships (Postdoctoral & Senior Scholars in the Historical Humanities)
The Gerda Henkel Foundation funds independent historical humanities research for postdoctoral and senior scholars through its General Research Grants: Scholarships program.
Humanities Program
Supports institutional projects advancing humanist scholarship and artistic achievement in fields like history, literature, philosophy, and the arts, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary and historically grounded approaches.
The good news is that humanities funding is spread across a deep bench of private sources. Research foundations, residential fellowship centers, learned societies, and state humanities councils all fund scholarly work, from short research trips and archival visits to full-year fellowships that buy time to finish a book. Many of these programs are small enough that a well-matched application has real odds, and several welcome independent scholars and those outside tenure-track positions.
This collection gathers open grants and fellowships for humanities research across foundations, societies, and public funders. It updates as new calls open and deadlines pass. Fellowship cycles in the humanities often close a full year before the award begins, so it pays to look early.
General Research Grants: Scholarships – Research Scholarships (Postdoctoral & Senior Scholars)
The Gerda Henkel Foundation's General Research Grants support postdoctoral and senior scholars in the historical humanities to pursue independent, original research projects.
Fellowships
North Carolina Humanities Fellowships support NC-based scholars with summer funding to pursue intensive humanities research and produce substantial scholarly work.
Humanities Innovation Grants: Workforce Equity
The Modern Language Association's Humanities Innovation Grants: Workforce Equity funds projects that advance workforce equity and improve working conditions in humanities departments.
Residential Fellowships
The National Humanities Center’s Residential Fellowships support advanced humanities research by providing scholars with in-residence resources, community, and collaborative opportunities.
Fellowships
The National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships support individual scholars conducting research and writing on American history, culture, or Western civilization.
Grants for Humanities Discussions
Oklahoma Humanities Major Grants fund public programs across Oklahoma that foster community engagement and dialogue through humanities-based events and scholarly discussions.
Humane Studies Fellowship
The Humane Studies Fellowship from the Institute for Humane Studies funds PhD and postdoctoral research projects advancing scholarship in the liberal tradition.
Fellowships 2027-2028
NFAH fellowships fund innovative art history research projects by mid-career and contingent faculty at U.S. institutions, supporting diverse scholarship through year-long and multi-year non-residential awards.
Grants for Media Projects
Supports innovative media projects that engage Oklahoma audiences with humanities topics through formats like radio, podcasts, publications, and videos.
ACLS Fellowships
ACLS Fellowships from the American Council of Learned Societies fund innovative humanities and interpretive social science research by postdoctoral scholars across diverse disciplines.
Awards for Faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities
The National Endowment for the Humanities supports HBCU faculty and staff pursuing research or scholarly projects in the humanities, focusing on American history, culture, or Western civilization.
Higher Learning Grants
Mellon Higher Learning Grants fund innovative, humanities-led research and programs that expand knowledge and elevate underrepresented voices in U.S. academic and public life.
ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowships
ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowships support HBCU faculty in the humanities and interpretive social sciences with funding, mentorship, and research time for innovative scholarly projects.
Humanities for All Quick Grants
The Humanities for All Quick Grants by California Humanities fund participatory public humanities projects in California that encourage community engagement and exploration of cultural and historical topics.
History of Art Grants
The History of Art Grants from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation support research and scholarly projects that deepen understanding of European art and architecture from antiquity to the early 19th century.
The Arnold L. and Lois S. Graves Awards in the Humanities
The Arnold L. and Lois S. Graves Awards in the Humanities support early-career humanities faculty in transformative research and teaching projects, funded by the American Council of Learned Societies.
Research Grant (Research Fellowship) at the Historisches Kolleg, Munich
This fellowship from the Fritz Thyssen Foundation allows leading historians to spend a year at the Historisches Kolleg in Munich to complete major research projects without teaching duties.
Frequently asked questions
The National Endowment for the Humanities and state humanities councils are the main public funders. Private sources include research foundations such as the Gerda Henkel Foundation, residential fellowship centers such as the National Humanities Center, and learned societies across disciplines.
Many programs welcome independent scholars and researchers outside tenure-track positions, though some require a university affiliation. Each listing's eligibility section specifies who can apply.
Common awards cover research travel, archival and library visits, summer research, conference organizing, publication subventions, and full-year fellowships that buy time to write a book.
Early. Many fellowship deadlines fall nine to twelve months before the award period begins, especially for full-year and residential fellowships.