Opportunity Information: Apply for 20090915 AQ
Apply for 20090915 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 Jul 6, 2009 and posted on Jul 6, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 15, 2009. (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: Special district governments Private institutions of higher education City or township governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) State governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education County governments.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Enduring Questions Pilot Course Grants opportunity, offered by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), funds the creation of a new undergraduate course built around a single broad, timeless humanities question meant to spark sustained discussion and a strong intellectual community among students and faculty. The central idea is to structure a course around an "enduring question" that has attracted serious thought across centuries, invites multiple reasonable answers, and cannot be claimed by any one academic discipline. The course is expected to bring students into a deep reading experience that puts influential thinkers from different eras in conversation with one another and with the present day, helping undergraduates engage in the kind of cross-generational dialogue that is often hard to cultivate in modern campus life.
NEH describes enduring questions as fundamentally predisciplinary: they often existed before modern academic fields were formed, and they remain relevant regardless of a student’s major, career plans, or background. Examples provided include questions like: What is the good life, what is freedom, what is happiness, what is friendship, what is beauty, whether there is a human nature and what it is, how humans relate to the natural world, how science and ethics connect, whether right and wrong exist, how to think about good and evil, and what good government looks like. The list is meant to be illustrative rather than limiting, signaling that applicants can propose other questions as long as they fit the same spirit: big, enduring, intellectually contested, and deeply rooted in humanities inquiry.
The grant supports the work of a faculty member as they design, prepare, and assess this new course, and it requires that the course be taught at least twice during the grant period. While the course must be grounded in humanities sources and methods, NEH explicitly allows the instructor to come from any humanities department or, in some cases, from outside the humanities (for example, astronomy, biology, economics, law, mathematics, medicine, or psychology) as long as the humanities materials remain central to the syllabus and the way the question is explored. In addition to the core work of course development and evaluation, funds may also be used for related activities that strengthen faculty-student intellectual community, such as museum visits or attending artistic and cultural events that connect meaningfully to the course theme.
From an administrative and funding standpoint, this is a discretionary grant (Funding Opportunity Number 20090915-AQ) under CFDA 45.163 (Promotion of the Humanities - Professional Development). The award ceiling is $25,000 and there is no stated minimum award amount. Cost sharing or matching is not required, which can reduce barriers for institutions that do not have extra funds to commit. Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities, including public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher ed institutions), and various government bodies (state, county, city or township, special district governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments). The opportunity was posted July 6, 2009, with an application deadline of September 15, 2009, and it was archived October 15, 2009.
For reference and official guidance, NEH provided an additional information link at http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/EnduringQuestions.html and listed the Division of Education Programs as the contact point, reachable by phone at 202-606-8463 or by email at enduringquestions@neh.gov, with a mailing address at Room 302, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20506.
Enduring Questions Pilot Course Grants (NEH) - FAQs
What is the Enduring Questions Pilot Course Grants opportunity?
It is a discretionary grant opportunity from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) that supports the creation of a new undergraduate course built around one broad, timeless humanities question intended to generate sustained discussion and a strong intellectual community among students and faculty.
What is the main goal of the grant?
The main goal is to help a faculty member design, prepare, and assess a new course organized around a single "enduring question" that invites serious, long-running debate and cannot be owned by any one academic discipline. The course is meant to foster deep reading and cross-generational dialogue by putting influential thinkers from different eras in conversation with one another and with present-day concerns.
What does NEH mean by an "enduring question"?
NEH describes enduring questions as big, timeless, and intellectually contested questions that have attracted serious thought across centuries, invite multiple reasonable answers, and are not claimed by a single discipline. NEH also characterizes these questions as "predisciplinary," meaning they existed before modern academic fields were formed and still matter regardless of a student's major or background.
Are there examples of enduring questions provided by NEH?
Yes. Examples listed include: What is the good life? What is freedom? What is happiness? What is friendship? What is beauty? Is there a human nature, and what is it? How do humans relate to the natural world? How do science and ethics connect? Do right and wrong exist? How should we think about good and evil? What does good government look like?
Is the list of enduring questions limited to the examples given?
No. The examples are described as illustrative rather than limiting. Applicants may propose other questions as long as they fit the same spirit: broad, enduring, rooted in humanities inquiry, and open to multiple reasonable answers.
What kind of course does the grant support?
The grant supports a new undergraduate course structured around a single enduring question, designed to immerse students in deep reading and sustained discussion. The course is expected to connect thinkers across different eras and bring their ideas into dialogue with contemporary life.
What work does the grant fund?
The grant supports the work of a faculty member to design, prepare, and assess (evaluate) the new course. The grant also allows funding for related activities that strengthen faculty-student intellectual community when they connect meaningfully to the course theme.
Does the course have to be taught during the grant period?
Yes. The course must be taught at least twice during the grant period.
Does the course have to be humanities-based?
Yes. The course must be grounded in humanities sources and methods, and humanities materials must remain central to the syllabus and to how the enduring question is explored.
Do instructors have to be from a humanities department?
No. While the course must be humanities-centered, NEH allows the instructor to come from any humanities department or, in some cases, from outside the humanities (examples mentioned include astronomy, biology, economics, law, mathematics, medicine, or psychology), as long as humanities materials remain central.
What are examples of additional activities that can be supported by the grant?
The grant may support activities that build intellectual community connected to the course theme, such as museum visits or attending artistic and cultural events that meaningfully relate to the course.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is $25,000.
Is there a minimum award amount?
No minimum award amount is stated for this opportunity.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. Cost sharing or matching is not required.
What type of grant is this?
This is a discretionary grant opportunity.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is 20090915-AQ.
What is the CFDA number and program name?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 45.163, Promotion of the Humanities - Professional Development.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions), and various government entities, including state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments.
When was this opportunity posted, and what were the key dates?
The opportunity was posted on July 6, 2009. The application deadline was September 15, 2009. It was archived on October 15, 2009.
Where can applicants find the official guidelines and additional information?
NEH provided an additional information link at: http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/EnduringQuestions.html
Which NEH office is listed as the contact point for this opportunity?
The contact point listed is the NEH Division of Education Programs.
How can someone contact NEH about this opportunity?
By phone at 202-606-8463 or by email at enduringquestions@neh.gov. A mailing address is also provided: Room 302, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20506.
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