Harvard Mellon Urban Initiative
The Harvard Mellon Urban Initiative funds interdisciplinary research on the social, political, design, and historical aspects of urban life, with a focus on collaborative and humanistic approaches to understanding cities.
Funder: Harvard University
Due Dates (Anticipated): August 2026 (Call for Proposals) | January 2027 (Call for Proposals)
Funding Amounts: Up to $3,000 per project; typically one-year duration.
Summary: Supports interdisciplinary research projects exploring urban life, structures, design, and history.
Key Information: Forecasted dates—confirm deadlines on program page before applying.
Description
The Harvard Mellon Urban Initiative (HMUI) provides funding to support research projects that deepen and broaden understanding of urban life, with an emphasis on the social and political structures, design, and history of cities. The initiative is particularly focused on fostering interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches, encouraging projects that draw together scholars from multiple fields to address complex urban issues. Research may include archival work, data-driven analysis, production of teaching or dissemination materials, and course-related programming. The program welcomes proposals that link humanistic inquiry with spatial investigations of built environments.
