MIT Human Insight Collaborative (MITHIC)
MIT’s MITHIC grants fund interdisciplinary research, arts, and educational innovation across the humanities, arts, and social sciences, fostering collaborative projects with real-world impact.
Funder: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Due Dates (Anticipated): October 2026 (Humanities Cultivation Fund, SHASS Education Impact Fund) | March 2027 (SHASS+ Connectivity Fund full application)
Funding Amounts: SHASS+ Connectivity Fund: up to $2M/year across projects; Humanities Cultivation & SHASS Education Impact Funds: up to $500K/year each; typical individual awards up to $200K (full proposals), $30K (planning grants), one-year duration.
Summary: Supports interdisciplinary research, teaching, and educational innovation in the humanities, arts, and social sciences at MIT through multiple annual internal funding programs.
Key Information: All dates are projected; check the program page for final deadlines and application details.
Description
The MIT Human Insight Collaborative (MITHIC) is an internal MIT initiative that aims to advance research, artistic practice, and educational innovation by fostering interdisciplinary collaborations across the humanities, arts, social sciences, and other schools at MIT. MITHIC operates several competitive funding programs: the SHASS+ Connectivity Fund, Humanities Cultivation Fund, and SHASS Education Impact Fund. These funds support projects that deepen human-centered understanding, build community, and catalyze innovative approaches to research and teaching with real-world impact.
Each fund has its own focus area:
- SHASS+ Connectivity Fund: Cross-disciplinary projects between MIT’s School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS) and other MIT schools.
- Humanities Cultivation Fund: Research and creative work in the humanities and arts, especially projects that leverage MIT’s unique environment.
- SHASS Education Impact Fund: Transformative educational initiatives that address systemic challenges and advance SHASS pedagogy or curriculum.
Awards are available for both full proposals (up to $200K) and smaller planning grants (up to $30K), with an annual total pool of $2M (Connectivity Fund) or $500K (Cultivation and Education Impact Funds). Projects are typically funded for one year, with flexibility to extend spending over two or three years if justified.
