National Humanities Center
/OVERVIEW: The National Humanities Center is an independent nonprofit institute that hosts research fellowship residency programs at its North Carolina campus.
IP TAKE: The National Humanities Center is a unique funder with limited offerings, but still potentially an excellent resource for scholars and researchers working in the humanities. Its grants take the form of residency fellowships at its campus in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park that come with a salary-replacement stipend. While NHC is open to funding humanities research in all manner of fields, it does earmark a certain amount of donor funding for specific research topics, such as Early Modern China or technology in the arts, or scholars of select backgrounds like those who teach at HBCUs or are refugees.
NHC is a transparent funder that posts names and profiles of current and former fellows, along with brief explanations of the books and projects they worked on or completed during their residency. It is also a very accessible funder that accepts applications for its fellowship online (although note that candidates for the Summer Residency must be nominated first). Any scholar or researcher already holding a Ph.D. is eligible to apply, including independent scholars not affiliated with a university. However, those whose work or background align with one NHC’s “unique opportunities” may have a leg up, as they will be facing less competition.
PROFILE: The National Humanities Center was established in 1976 by three professors from Harvard, Princeton, and Cornell who had previously attended the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences and wished to create a similar institute for research in the humanities. With the support of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Council of Learned Societies, the institute was able to establish a campus within North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park. It welcomed its first group of fellows in 1978 and still claims to be “the only major independent institute for advanced study in the world dedicated to the humanities.” The institute’s main form of grantmaking is its fellowship residency program.
Grants for Humanities Research
The National Humanities Center’s signature grant program is its Residential Fellows program. Scholars and researchers at any stage of their career may apply for one-year or semester-long residencies at the institute’s campus in Durham, North Carolina.
The exact value of the fellowship is not stated, as it may vary by fellow. The fellowship is intended as a salary replacement for the academic year and in many cases NHC expects that the fellow’s home institution will supplement funding.
While taking part in the residency, fellows will have access to NHC’s library and facilities and network with other current and former fellows.
Fellows must have a specific project, such as a book or research project, in progress that they intend to complete over the course of the residency.
Within the broader ambit of the Residential Fellows program, NHC reserves a certain amount of funding, usually at donors’ direction, for scholars pursuing research in specific field or coming from a specific background. Currently, these include opportunities for Scholars from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Scholars Studying Early Modern China, Scholars Studying Science, Technology, and the Arts, International Scholars, and At-risk and Refugee Scholars.
NHC also offers a shorter Summer Residency Program “intended to assist in jump-starting or making substantial progress on a current project.” Scholars may not apply to this program directly and must be nominated by their home institution. Summer residences receive hotel accommodation and access to the library and facilities like academic-year fellows.
Important Grant Details:
NHC does not provide stated values for its grant amounts, as these are determined on an individual basis. Grantseekers may review the institute’s FAQ for more information on its granting process.
The National Humanities Center primarily supports scholars and researchers based in the United States, but it has funds earmarked for international and refugee fellows.
NHC accepts applications online, with deadlines generally falling in October. The application consists of a brief project proposal, bibliography, CV, and short outline, as well as three letters of reference.
Applicants must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent credentials. The residency is not intended to support the completion of a dissertation.
Funding is intended as a salary replacement and residents are responsible for their own travel, housing, and food outside of the institute.
NHC does not accept direct applications for the Summer Residency Program; applicants must be nominated by their home institutions.
Grantseekers may reach out to NHC by email at info@nationalhumanitiescenter.org.
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