Public Scholars

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Description

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Public Scholars program provides grants to individual authors for research, writing, travel, and related activities leading to the creation and publication of well-researched nonfiction books in the humanities, written for a broad public audience. The program is open to both academic and non-academic writers, with a strong emphasis on making humanities scholarship accessible and engaging to general readers.

For the 2025–26 cycle, the program especially encourages projects that promote a deeper understanding of America’s heritage in honor of the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, but projects on any humanities topic are eligible. Books must be authoritative, accessible, and clearly written, with wide appeal beyond academic specialists.

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Due Dates

• Application Deadline: August 6, 2025, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time
• Reference Letters Due: September 17, 2025 (solicited by NEH after application submission)
• Anticipated Award Notification: April 2026
• Project Start Window: June 1, 2026 – October 1, 2027

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Funding Amount

• Maximum Award: $60,000 (for 12 months of full-time work)
• Minimum Award: $30,000 (for 6 months of full-time work or equivalent part-time)
• Stipend Rate: $5,000 per full-time month (pro-rated for part-time)
• Number of Awards: Approximately 25 per deadline
• No cost sharing or matching required

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Eligibility

• Eligible Applicants: Individuals only (not organizations)
• Citizenship: U.S. citizens (domestic or abroad) or foreign nationals who have lived in the U.S. or its jurisdictions for at least three years prior to the deadline
• Prior Publication Requirement: Applicants must have:
  • Published a nonfiction book with a university or trade press, or
  • Published at least three nonfiction articles or essays in general-interest publications with a large national/international audience (not self-published, not academic journals)
• Not Eligible: Current students in degree programs, projects based on dissertations/theses, or those who do not meet the publication requirement
• No advanced degree required
• Collaborative Projects: Each co-author must apply separately and meet all eligibility requirements

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Application Process

1. Review the Notice of Funding Opportunity (PDF) and program page for full details.
2. Register on Grants.gov as an individual applicant.
3. Prepare required application components:
   • Narrative (3 pages max)
   • Work plan (1 page)
   • Bibliography (1 page)
   • Résumé (2 pages, must list qualifying publications)
   • Writing sample (up to 20 pages)
   • (Optional) Publisher’s letter of interest/commitment
   • (If applicable) Explanation of delinquent federal debt
4. Submit application via Grants.gov by the deadline.
5. Provide names and contact info for two references; NEH will solicit letters after submission.
6. Monitor status of reference letters and application via NEH’s secure portal.

Note: Applications must strictly follow formatting and page limits. Incomplete or non-compliant applications will not be reviewed.

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Additional Information

• Special Focus: Projects related to the 250th anniversary of American independence are especially encouraged for 2025–26, but all humanities topics are eligible.
• Ineligible Projects: Textbooks, fiction, children’s/YA books, anthologies, edited collections, translations, scholarly editions, digital archives, documentary films, and projects primarily for academic specialists.
• Payment: As of August 2024, awards are paid directly to personal bank accounts (not institutions).
• Concurrent Funding: Applicants may hold other non-NEH fellowships or publisher advances, but may not accept overlapping NEH individual awards for the same project period/tasks.

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External Links

• NEH Public Scholars Program Page
• Notice of Funding Opportunity (PDF)
• Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
• Sample Funded Projects
• Grants.gov Application Portal

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Contact Information