Funding Opportunity for

Organizations

Humanities Initiatives at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Maximum award amount

Up to $150,000

Expected Output

Community Partnerships; Curriculum; Faculty Development; Teaching Resources

Period of performance

One to three years

Applicants to NEH for awards with expected issuance dates on or after October 1, 2024, should be aware of revisions to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR Part 200) effective from that date. All NEH awards issued on or after October 1, 2024, will be subject to the revised regulations. Exemption Note: While awards to individuals do not include budgets, indirect costs, or single audits, broader revisions to 2 CFR 200 may be applicable. 

Additional information is available at https://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/2024-Revisions-to-2-CFR-200

Historically Black Colleges and Universities are an important segment of the American education system and possess a rich history of service to their students and communities. Humanities Initiatives grants can help strengthen the teaching and study of the humanities at HBCUs by supporting the development of new or enhancement of existing programs, educational resources, or courses that explore, interpret, and preserve the diversity of human cultures, ideas, and practices, past and present.

Past recipients have planned workshops, curricular enhancements, and public events about literary icons like Zora Neale Hurston, Ralph Ellison, and Albert Murray; integrated college history into humanities courses; and digitized and contextualized the papers of African-American writer Margaret Walker Alexander.

By supporting projects like these, Humanities Initiatives at HBCUs grants can help institutions better serve current students and position themselves to build on success for the future.

NEH welcomes applications for projects that are modest in scope, duration, and budget, as well as applications for expansive, long-term projects.

Recorded Webinar:

Live Q&A: 2:00 pm Eastern on March 12, 2024.

Optional Draft Review: Submit your materials as attachments to @email by 11:59 pm Eastern on March 26, 2024 to receive feedback from NEH staff.  

Examples of Projects Funded by this Grant Program

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Application Instructions

Review your application package

Read the Notice of Funding Opportunity to ensure you understand all the expectations and restrictions for projects delivered under this program and are prepared to write the most effective application. 

Application Materials

Notice of Funding Opportunity 2024 (PDF)

Grants.gov application package

Program Resources

Frequently Asked Questions, 2024 (PDF)

Recent Awards

Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence for NEH Grant Proposals

Sample Application Narratives

Grambling State University, Creating an Interdisciplinary Minor in Digital Humanities

Claflin University, Classical and Contemporary Literature from South Asia

Tuskegee University, Literary Legacies of Macon County and Tuskegee Institute: Zora Neale Hurston, Ralph W. Ellison, and Albert Murray

Hampton University, Black History Matters: Documenting the Legacy of Charles H. Williams on the Campus of Hampton University

Sample Budget Form and Justification

Register for a SAM number and an account on Grants.gov

When you are ready to apply, register for an account with SAM.gov and Grants.gov; both are required. If you already have completed the registrations, make sure they are current. 

Complete your application package

Follow the instructions outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity and Grants.gov. 

Submit your application package on Grants.gov

You will receive a confirmation from Grants.gov when you’ve successfully submitted your application. Subsequently, you will receive up to five more notices confirming different stages in the application process. Verify that you have received all confirmations. Note that email filters may send these messages to your spam or junk folder.