[American Council of Learned Societies](https://www.acls.org)

November 2026

$50,000–$100,000 per award; project duration 12–18 months

Supports digital projects advancing scholarship on marginalized communities, emphasizing ethical digital methods, inclusion, and capacity building in the humanities.

--- ## Description The program provides funding for digital projects that critically engage with the interests and histories of people of color and other historically marginalized communities through ethical use of digital tools and methods. Designed for projects moving beyond the prototyping or proof-of-concept stage, the grant helps teams articulate the next financial, technological, and intellectual development phases. The initiative encourages openness to new sources of knowledge, strategic content building, and knowledge dissemination, as well as capacity building through pedagogical initiatives, public engagement, and collaboration across institutions. Projects should address inequities in digital scholarship and support inclusion and sustainability in the digital transformation of humanistic inquiry. Awardees also receive financial planning coaching to help envision long-term support for their projects. --- ## Due Dates - November 2026 (anticipated/projected) *All dates are projected based on the annual cycle; check the program page for updates.* --- ## Funding Amount - Awards range from $50,000 to $100,000. - Grant terms last 12–18 months, with the project start date typically between July and December following the application deadline. - Funds may be used for direct project costs such as equipment, software, research assistants, and event planning. - Institutional indirect costs are not covered. --- ## Eligibility - At least one principal investigator must be a scholar in the humanities and/or interpretive social sciences. - Projects must demonstrate significant preliminary work and a record of engagement with scholarly and/or public audiences. - Projects must be made as widely available as possible, ideally under open-source or Creative Commons licenses appropriate to the content. - The administering institution must be a U.S.-based institution of higher education. - ACLS does not fund projects whose sole focus is the production of creative works (e.g., novels or films), textbooks, straightforward translations, or purely pedagogical projects. --- ## Application Process - Applications must be submitted through the ACLS online fellowship and grant administration system. - Required components include: - Responses to application prompts (project overview, activities, digital tools, audience engagement, data ethics, etc.) - Bibliography (max 1 page) - Project timeline (max 1 page) - Budget and budget description (max 1 page each) - Project staffing list (max 2 pages) - Institutional verification (submitted separately by a senior institutional official) - Intellectual property agreement (commitment to open-source and broad dissemination) - Statement of support from community partners (if applicable) - Appendix for visuals (optional) - Sample application materials and budget templates are available on the program site. --- ## Additional Information - Projects should demonstrate engagement with marginalized communities and consider long-term sustainability, data stewardship, and open access. - Financial planning coaching is provided to all grantees. - Institutional indirect costs are not permitted, but direct administrative costs may be included in the budget. --- ## External Links - [ACLS Digital Justice Development Grants program page](https://www.acls.org/competitions/acls-digital-justice-development-grants/) - [FAQ for ACLS Digital Justice Grants](https://www.acls.org/faqs/acls-digital-justice-grants/) - [Sample budget templates and application materials](https://www.acls.org/digital-justice-grants-supplementary-materials/) --- ## Contact Information | Purpose | Contact | |------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | Program Inquiries | [digitaljustice@acls.org](mailto:digitaljustice@acls.org) | | General ACLS Inquiries | 212-697-1505 | | Support Page | [ACLS Support](https://www.acls.org/support/) |

ACLS Digital Justice Development Grants - American Council of Learned Societies

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