Barnard Library Research Grants

OVERVIEW: Barnard Library Research Grants support research conducted at the Barnard University Library in New York City.

IP TAKE: Barnard Library Research Grants support research conducted by students, faculty and others using Barnard’s various collections and archives. Areas of interest include women’s history, feminist movements, modern dance history and zine culture.

These grants are for individual researchers and scholars working in women’s history, feminist movement and modern dance and zine history. Grants are accessible and transparent, but very competitive given how few grants are available to researchers in this space and given that only two of these research grants are available a year. What’s also great about these grants is that they’re holistic - grants understand that in order for women to do their best work, they need childcare, which the grants cover while conducting research.

Application due dates typically fall in early March each year. Make sure to have a research or academic colleague, or university grants office, read over your proposal.

PROFILE: Established in 2014 at Barnard University, a women’s college in New York City, Barnard Library Research Grants support the use of the universities various collections and archives. The grantmaking program’s goal is to “expand social justice and feminist research by sharing with activists, artists, independent scholars and academics the material at Barnard.”

Grants for Humanities Research and Women and Girls

Barnard Library Research Grants are intended for students, adjuncts and faculty at the university, as well as journalists and independent scholars working with Barnard Library’s collections. The library’s holdings include materials documenting the history of Barnard, writings and materials of the second and third wave feminist movements, materials relating to the feminist punk movement Riot Grrrl, a collection on 20th century girlhood, a collection on 20th century women’s education, modern dance history relating to New York City and “contemporary zine culture,” especially “zines by women of color.” Grants are generally unrestricted and may be used for “whatever will facilitate the researchers work,” including travel expenses and childcare. Recent grantees have conducted research in the fields of dance, cultural anthropology, health sciences and African-American studies, among others.

Important Grant Details:

Barnard Library Research Grants are typically awarded in the amount of $2,500, and the library has typically awarded two grants each year. For information about past grantees, see the program’s webpage.

This program last accepted applications in 2019, although an online application portal still exists for the program. Application due dates have typically fallen in early March. Questions about the program may be directed to the Barnard Library via email or telephone at (212) 854-3953.

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