Opportunity Information: Apply for 20081113 AQ
Apply for 20081113 AQ
- The National Endowment for the Humanities in the humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Enduring Questions Pilot Course Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 45.163 Promotion of the HumanitiesProfessional Development.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 11, 2008 and posted on Sep 11, 2008.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 13, 2008. (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 $25,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education City or township governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Enduring Questions Pilot Course Grants opportunity, offered by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), is designed to help colleges and universities create new undergraduate courses built around classic, big-picture questions that cut across academic boundaries. The core idea is to bring faculty and students into sustained, serious engagement with foundational humanities texts and thinkers, stretching from earlier historical periods to the present, so that students experience an intensive conversation across generations. These grants emphasize questions that do not belong to any single discipline and that invite multiple defensible answers, making them accessible and meaningful to students regardless of major, career plans, or personal background.
A key feature of the program is its focus on what NEH calls "enduring questions." These are pre-disciplinary questions that have long mattered to young people and continue to animate humanistic inquiry. Examples provided in the announcement include: What is the good life, what is justice, what is mercy, what is freedom, what is happiness, what is friendship, and what is dignity. The program also points to questions about human nature, the limits of scientific understanding, humanity's relationship to the natural world, the existence of right and wrong, the nature of good and evil, what constitutes good government, the origins of the modern world, and the meaning and purpose of liberal education. The list is meant to be illustrative rather than restrictive, leaving room for institutions and instructors to define questions that fit their educational goals while still aligning with the program's spirit.
Funding is intended to support the full lifecycle of launching a new humanities course at the undergraduate level. This includes course design and preparation, the actual teaching of the course, and assessment of course outcomes. NEH also allows support for related activities that build intellectual community between faculty and students, as long as they strengthen the sustained, discussion-driven culture the program is aiming to foster. While these are humanities-focused courses, the opportunity is deliberately open to a wide range of instructors: courses may be taught by faculty in traditional humanities departments or by faculty in fields outside the humanities such as biology, economics, mathematics, medicine, psychology, law, or astronomy, provided that humanities sources are central to the course and the reading-and-discussion model remains at the center of the learning experience.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant program in the humanities (CFDA 45.163, Promotion of the Humanities Professional Development). The award ceiling is $25,000, and there is no stated minimum award amount. The program does not require cost sharing or matching funds, which can make it easier for institutions to participate without needing to commit additional non-federal dollars. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, state governments, city or township governments, and nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education).
For the specific competition described in the source data, the opportunity was posted on September 11, 2008, with an application deadline (closing date) of November 13, 2008, and an archive date of December 13, 2008. Applicants seeking official guidance and full requirements were directed to the NEH program page at http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/EnduringQuestions.html, and the listed contact point was the NEH Division of Education Programs (Room 302, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20506; phone 202-606-8380; email education@neh.gov).
Enduring Questions Pilot Course Grants (NEH) - FAQs
What is the Enduring Questions Pilot Course Grants program?
The Enduring Questions Pilot Course Grants opportunity from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) supports colleges and universities in creating new undergraduate courses built around classic, big-picture questions that cut across academic boundaries. The aim is to bring faculty and students into sustained engagement with foundational humanities texts and thinkers, creating an intensive conversation across generations.
What does NEH mean by "enduring questions"?
"Enduring questions" are described as pre-disciplinary questions that have long mattered to young people and continue to animate humanistic inquiry. They are questions that do not belong to any single discipline and that invite multiple defensible answers, making them accessible and meaningful to students regardless of major, career plans, or personal background.
What are examples of enduring questions mentioned in the opportunity?
Examples provided include: What is the good life? What is justice? What is mercy? What is freedom? What is happiness? What is friendship? What is dignity? The announcement also points to questions about human nature; the limits of scientific understanding; humanity's relationship to the natural world; the existence of right and wrong; the nature of good and evil; what constitutes good government; the origins of the modern world; and the meaning and purpose of liberal education.
Is the list of example questions restrictive?
No. The examples are presented as illustrative rather than restrictive. Institutions and instructors have room to define questions that fit their educational goals, as long as they align with the program's emphasis on sustained, serious engagement with humanities texts and discussion-driven inquiry.
What is the main purpose of the courses supported by this grant?
The supported courses are intended to create an intensive, discussion-centered learning experience where students engage deeply with foundational humanities sources across historical periods, from earlier eras to the present, and participate in an ongoing conversation about major human questions.
What level of education is this grant focused on?
The opportunity is focused on the creation of new undergraduate-level humanities courses.
What activities can the grant funds support?
Funding is intended to support the full lifecycle of launching a new undergraduate humanities course, including course design and preparation, teaching the course, and assessing course outcomes. NEH also allows support for related activities that build intellectual community between faculty and students, as long as those activities strengthen the sustained, discussion-driven culture the program is designed to foster.
Does the course have to be housed in a traditional humanities department?
No. While the courses are humanities-focused, the opportunity is deliberately open to a wide range of instructors and fields. Courses may be taught by faculty in humanities departments or by faculty in fields outside the humanities, provided that humanities sources are central and the reading-and-discussion model remains at the center of the learning experience.
Can faculty outside the humanities teach an Enduring Questions course?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly notes that faculty in fields such as biology, economics, mathematics, medicine, psychology, law, or astronomy may teach these courses, as long as humanities sources are central to the course and the course follows a reading-and-discussion approach.
What kind of course format or teaching approach does NEH emphasize?
The program emphasizes a sustained, serious, reading-and-discussion model focused on foundational humanities texts and thinkers. The intent is to cultivate an intensive, conversation-based classroom experience.
How much funding is available per award?
The award ceiling is $25,000. No minimum award amount is stated in the provided information.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states that cost sharing or matching funds are not required.
What type of grant program is this?
This is described as a discretionary grant program in the humanities (CFDA 45.163, Promotion of the Humanities Professional Development).
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants listed include: public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; state governments; city or township governments; and nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education).
Where can applicants find the official guidelines and requirements?
Applicants were directed to the NEH program page for official guidance and full requirements at: http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/EnduringQuestions.html
What were the key dates for the specific competition described?
For the competition referenced in the provided information, the opportunity was posted on September 11, 2008. The application deadline (closing date) was November 13, 2008. The archive date was December 13, 2008.
Who is the contact for questions about this opportunity?
The listed contact point is the NEH Division of Education Programs: Room 302, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20506; phone 202-606-8380; email education@neh.gov.
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