Opportunity Information: Apply for 20110927 HD
Apply for 20110927 HD
- The National Endowment for the Humanities in the humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Digital Humanities Start Up Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 45.169 Promotion of the HumanitiesOffice of Digital Humanities.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 13, 2011 and posted on Jul 14, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 27, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $50,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Special district governments City or township governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education County governments State governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), through its Office of Digital Humanities, offered the Digital Humanities Start Up Grants program to spark new and genuinely innovative work in the digital humanities. The core idea is to provide relatively small, early stage funding so teams can plan, test, and prove out promising concepts before attempting a larger build or long-term implementation. NEH frames this as an innovation-focused, high risk/high reward opportunity, meaning applicants are expected to take informed risks on fresh approaches that could significantly benefit humanities research, preservation, interpretation, teaching, and public engagement.
Projects must focus on the planning or initial phases of digital humanities initiatives in any humanities area. NEH highlights several eligible directions: research that introduces new approaches or documents best practices in digital humanities work; planning and prototyping of new digital tools that preserve, analyze, or increase access to digital resources (including assets held by libraries and museums); scholarship that studies the practical or philosophical implications of emerging technologies within humanities disciplines or across interdisciplinary collaborations; creative uses of technology for public programs and education that blend traditional and new media; and new digital publication models that broaden and strengthen the dissemination of humanities scholarship for academic audiences as well as learners in informal, K-12, and higher education settings. A defining requirement is that the proposal must center on an approach, method, tool, or idea that has not been used before in the humanities.
The program offers two funding levels, and applicants must clearly state which level they are requesting. Level I is intended for the earliest stage work, such as brainstorming sessions, workshops, conference-style convenings, early alpha prototypes, and exploratory planning. Beyond simply preparing to build something, Level I proposals are expected to sharpen the underlying problem or research question, map a research agenda, and identify appropriate methods and technologies. Typical Level I outputs include plans for next steps, reports, and position papers, and NEH expects applicants to describe how these outcomes will be broadly shared. Level II supports projects that are more mature and ready to move toward implementation, with a more detailed work plan and concrete deliverables like working prototypes, test beds, proofs of concept, or demonstration projects.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity from NEH (Funding Opportunity Number 20110927 HD) in the humanities funding area (CFDA 45.169, Promotion of the Humanities). The opportunity listed an award ceiling of $50,000 and no cost sharing or matching requirement. Eligible applicants included a wide range of public and nonprofit entities, such as state, county, city/township, and special district governments; federally recognized tribal governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; and 501(c)(3) nonprofits that are not institutions of higher education. Key dates in the posted announcement included a posted date of July 14, 2011, with an application deadline of September 27, 2011 (and an archive date of October 27, 2011). Program details were available via NEH guidance, and applicant questions were directed to NEH Office of Digital Humanities staff at odh@neh.gov.
Digital Humanities Start Up Grants (NEH) - FAQs
What is the NEH Digital Humanities Start Up Grants program?
The Digital Humanities Start Up Grants program, offered by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) through its Office of Digital Humanities, provides relatively small, early-stage funding to spark new and genuinely innovative work in the digital humanities. The program is designed to help teams plan, test, and prove out promising concepts before attempting a larger build or long-term implementation.
What is the main purpose of these grants?
The core purpose is to support planning and initial-phase efforts that explore innovative ideas in digital humanities. NEH frames the program as innovation-focused and high risk/high reward, meaning applicants are expected to take informed risks on fresh approaches that could significantly benefit humanities research, preservation, interpretation, teaching, and public engagement.
What kinds of project phases are supported?
Projects must focus on the planning or initial phases of a digital humanities initiative. The program is intended for early-stage work that helps clarify the underlying problem or research question and supports exploration, planning, prototyping, or early testing rather than full-scale implementation.
What types of activities or project directions are considered eligible?
NEH highlights several eligible directions, including:
- Research that introduces new approaches or documents best practices in digital humanities work
- Planning and prototyping new digital tools that preserve, analyze, or increase access to digital resources (including assets held by libraries and museums)
- Scholarship that studies practical or philosophical implications of emerging technologies within humanities disciplines or across interdisciplinary collaborations
- Creative uses of technology for public programs and education that blend traditional and new media
- New digital publication models that broaden and strengthen dissemination of humanities scholarship for academic audiences and learners in informal, K-12, and higher education settings
What is the key innovation requirement for proposals?
A defining requirement is that the proposal must center on an approach, method, tool, or idea that has not been used before in the humanities.
What are the two funding levels, and how do they differ?
The program offers two funding levels, and applicants must clearly state which level they are requesting:
- Level I: Intended for the earliest-stage work (for example, brainstorming sessions, workshops, conference-style convenings, early alpha prototypes, and exploratory planning). Level I proposals are expected to sharpen the underlying problem or research question, map a research agenda, and identify appropriate methods and technologies.
- Level II: Supports projects that are more mature and ready to move toward implementation, with a more detailed work plan and concrete deliverables such as working prototypes, test beds, proofs of concept, or demonstration projects.
What are typical outputs or deliverables for Level I projects?
Typical Level I outputs include plans for next steps, reports, and position papers. NEH expects applicants to describe how these outcomes will be broadly shared.
What are typical outputs or deliverables for Level II projects?
Level II projects are expected to produce more concrete deliverables such as working prototypes, test beds, proofs of concept, or demonstration projects, supported by a detailed work plan.
How much funding is available?
The opportunity listed an award ceiling of $50,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants included a broad range of public and nonprofit organizations, including:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Federally recognized tribal governments
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- 501(c)(3) nonprofits that are not institutions of higher education
What government identifiers are associated with this opportunity?
This was listed as a discretionary NEH grant opportunity with Funding Opportunity Number 20110927 HD in the humanities funding area. It referenced CFDA 45.169 (Promotion of the Humanities).
What were the key dates for the posted opportunity?
- Posted date: July 14, 2011
- Application deadline: September 27, 2011
- Archive date: October 27, 2011
Where could applicants find program details?
Program details were available via NEH guidance, as referenced in the posted announcement.
Who can be contacted with questions about the opportunity?
Applicant questions were directed to NEH Office of Digital Humanities staff at odh@neh.gov.
How does NEH describe the risk profile of this program?
NEH describes the program as a high risk/high reward opportunity. Applicants are expected to take informed risks on innovative approaches that could meaningfully advance humanities research, preservation, interpretation, teaching, and public engagement.
Does the program support work connected to libraries and museums?
Yes. NEH specifically mentions planning and prototyping new digital tools that preserve, analyze, or increase access to digital resources, including assets held by libraries and museums.
Does the program support educational or public-facing digital humanities work?
Yes. NEH includes creative uses of technology for public programs and education that blend traditional and new media, as well as digital publication models that expand dissemination to academic audiences and learners in informal, K-12, and higher education settings.
What is the expected difference in planning detail between Level I and Level II?
Level I focuses on early exploration and definition, including clarifying the problem or research question and identifying methods and technologies. Level II is for more mature efforts, requiring a more detailed work plan and resulting in concrete deliverables like prototypes or proofs of concept.
Do applicants need to specify which funding level they are applying for?
Yes. Applicants must clearly state whether they are requesting Level I or Level II funding.
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