[National Endowment for the Humanities](https://www.neh.gov/)

January 15, 2026

Up to $325,000 per award | Approx. $2.5M total funding | 2-year project period | ~10 awards expected

Supports the digitization and public dissemination of historically significant U.S. newspapers (1690–1963) as part of a national digital resource.

--- ## Description The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP) funds projects to digitize and make accessible historically significant newspapers published in the United States and its jurisdictions between 1690 and 1963. These projects contribute to a freely accessible, searchable online database maintained by the Library of Congress, known as [Chronicling America](https://www.loc.gov/collections/chronicling-america/). The program encourages collaboration among state and jurisdictional partners to select, digitize, and disseminate newspaper content that illuminates local and national history, with a focus on broadening perspectives and increasing public access. --- ## Due Dates - Application Deadline: January 15, 2026, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time *All applications must be submitted via Grants.gov. Late or incomplete submissions are not accepted.* --- ## Funding Amount - Maximum award: **$325,000** per project (direct + indirect costs) - Estimated total program funding: **$2,500,000** - Expected number of awards: **~10** - Project period: **Up to 2 years** (starting September 1, 2026) - **No cost sharing or match required** --- ## Eligibility Eligible applicants include: - Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding for-profit and foreign entities) - Accredited public or private institutions of higher education - State, county, city, township, and special district governments - Federally recognized Native American tribal governments **Additional notes:** - Only U.S.-based organizations are eligible. - Each organization may submit only one application per cycle. - Applications from consortia are permitted, but the lead applicant must be eligible and substantively involved. - Individuals and for-profit/foreign organizations are not eligible. For detailed eligibility, see [Section C of the Notice of Funding Opportunity](https://www.neh.gov/grants/preservation/national-digital-newspaper-program). --- ## Application Process 1. **Register** your organization with [SAM.gov](https://sam.gov/) and [Grants.gov](https://www.grants.gov/). 2. **Prepare application materials** as detailed in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, including: - Narrative (max 15 pages) - Work plan - Résumés for key personnel - List of consultants/advisory board members - Budget and budget justification - Additional supporting documents (as needed) 3. **Submit your application** through [Grants.gov Workspace](https://www.grants.gov/) by the deadline. 4. **Review and selection:** Applications are peer-reviewed based on criteria such as historical significance, project methodology, dissemination plans, team qualifications, and budget reasonableness. 5. **Notification:** Award decisions are expected in August 2026. **Important:** Allow several weeks for required registrations. NEH will not extend the deadline for incomplete registrations. --- ## Additional Information - Projects must digitize approximately 100,000 newspaper pages (preferably from microfilm) per award, adhering to Library of Congress technical standards. - Projects must include an advisory board with relevant expertise (e.g., scholars, librarians, teachers). - Dissemination and outreach activities are encouraged but must align with the program’s primary goal of creating a national digital resource. - Restrictions include: - Only newspapers (as defined by LOC) published between 1690–1963 and in the public domain are eligible. - No support for activities promoting political, religious, or advocacy positions; creative writing; or non-humanities research. - No cost sharing is required, but voluntary contributions are allowed. - See the [full Notice of Funding Opportunity (PDF)](https://api.atomgrants.com/storage/v1/object/public/grants3-sources/NDNP%202026%20NOFO%20082025.pdf) for formatting, required documents, and detailed instructions. --- ## External Links - [Program Page & Application Instructions (NEH)](https://www.neh.gov/grants/preservation/national-digital-newspaper-program) - [Apply via Grants.gov](https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/358394) - [Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers](https://www.loc.gov/collections/chronicling-america/) - [Funded Project Examples](https://www.neh.gov/our-work/listing?f[0]=content_type%3Aproject) - [State Humanities Councils](https://www.neh.gov/about/state-humanities-councils) --- ## Contact Information | Purpose | Contact | |--------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Program questions | Division of Preservation and Access
National Endowment for the Humanities
400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20506
Phone: 202-606-8570
Email: [preservation@neh.gov](mailto:preservation@neh.gov) | | Administrative | Office of Grant Management
National Endowment for the Humanities
400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20506
Phone: 202-606-8494
Email: [grantmanagement@neh.gov](mailto:grantmanagement@neh.gov) | | Grants.gov help | [support@grants.gov](mailto:support@grants.gov) or 1-800-518-4726 | ---

National Digital Newspaper Program

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