Humanities Connections | 20240905 AKA AKB

Humanities Connections (NEH) Grant - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Humanities Connections grant?

Humanities Connections is a discretionary grant program from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), offered through NEH's Division of Education Programs. It supports projects that strengthen and broaden the role of the humanities in undergraduate education by intentionally connecting humanities teaching and learning with other fields.

What is the main purpose of this opportunity?

The central purpose is to strengthen and expand how the humanities appear in undergraduate curricula by funding projects that build meaningful, integrated connections between humanities disciplines and non-humanities disciplines. The goal is for students to see how humanities perspectives and methods can inform, complement, and deepen work in other areas of study.

Who is this grant designed for?

This opportunity is designed for two-year and four-year colleges and universities that want to create partnerships between humanities faculty and faculty in non-humanities areas to develop interdisciplinary curricular experiences for undergraduates.

What kinds of projects does Humanities Connections fund?

Funded projects are expected to either plan or implement undergraduate curriculum that links the humanities to one or more non-humanities fields. Projects should be intentionally designed to connect humanities teaching and learning with another discipline area, rather than treating the humanities as separate or incidental.

Does the program fund planning projects, implementation projects, or both?

Based on the program description, projects funded under Humanities Connections are expected to either plan or implement curriculum that links the humanities to one or more non-humanities fields.

What does it mean to "connect" the humanities to other fields in this program?

The program expects meaningful integration, not just parallel courses. The curriculum should be built so students actively engage with humanities questions, materials, and interpretive frameworks while also working with the concepts, tools, or professional contexts of the partner non-humanities discipline. The result should be genuinely interdisciplinary rather than a simple add-on or a general education requirement in name only.

Which non-humanities disciplines can be included as partners?

The opportunity is broad about non-humanities partners. It specifically points to areas such as physical and natural sciences, pre-service and professional programs (including fields like law and business), and technology-oriented disciplines such as computer science, data science, and related areas.

Is the partnership requirement focused on faculty collaboration?

Yes. The program emphasizes building meaningful partnerships between humanities faculty and faculty in non-humanities areas, with active collaboration across disciplines as a core expectation of competitive projects.

What educational level is the curriculum focused on?

The opportunity focuses on undergraduate education, supporting curricular experiences that strengthen the place of the humanities for undergraduate students.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to institutions of higher education, including public and state-controlled institutions as well as private institutions of higher education.

What is the awarding agency?

The awarding agency is the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

Which NEH office administers the program?

The program is offered through NEH's Division of Education Programs.

What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?

The funding instrument is a grant.

What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is $150,000 per award.

How competitive is the program?

NEH anticipates making approximately 18 awards under this opportunity, which suggests a competitive national program with a defined number of expected funded projects.

What is the Funding Opportunity Title?

The Funding Opportunity Title is "Humanities Connections."

What is the Funding Opportunity Number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is 20240905 (also referenced as AKA AKB).

What is the application deadline?

The original application closing date is September 5, 2024.

When was the opportunity record created?

The opportunity record was created on June 21, 2024.

What is the CFDA number associated with this program?

The program is associated with CFDA number 45.162.

What is the program trying to achieve for students?

The program aims to create undergraduate curricular experiences that demonstrate how humanities perspectives and methods can shape, enrich, and deepen students' engagement in other disciplines, including scientific, professional, and technology-oriented fields.

Does the program require that humanities content be fully integrated rather than separate?

Yes. The description makes clear that the expectation is not simply that a humanities course exists alongside a non-humanities course. The project should integrate approaches and learning activities from both sides so the humanities component is central to the interdisciplinary experience.

Are professional and pre-service programs explicitly included?

Yes. The opportunity specifically mentions pre-service and professional programs, including examples such as law and business, as potential non-humanities partners.

Are technology-focused fields explicitly included?

Yes. The opportunity specifically mentions technology-oriented disciplines such as computer science, data science, and related areas as potential non-humanities partners.

Do projects need to show interdisciplinarity beyond a general education requirement?

Yes. The opportunity emphasizes that the curriculum should be genuinely interdisciplinary and not treated as an add-on or a general education requirement in name only.