Social Science & Humanities Grants
Last updated October 30, 2026
Grantable tracks 1,106 active social science & humanities grants in its free grants database, drawn from federal and foundation sources and updated daily. 28 of them have a verified open deadline or accept applications on a rolling basis. 684 list an award amount, with a median of $5,000.
- Grants tracked
- 1,106
- from 421 funders
- Median award
- $5,000
- middle half $2,000–$25K
- Total listed funding
- $42.5M
- across 684 grants that list an amount
- Rolling deadlines
- 14
- 51 with a published date
On this page: Federal Foundation · Updated daily
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| ★ | Grant |
|---|---|
| Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) Research (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) National Institutes of Health · Federal Nov 18, 2026 · Varies The purpose of this NOFO is to invite Research Project (R01) applications that propose to study the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of human genetics and genomics. | |
| Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) National Institutes of Health · Federal Nov 18, 2026 · Varies The purpose of this NOFO is to invite Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (R21) applications that propose to study the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of human genetics and genomics. | |
| The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Public Impact Grants in Buddhist Studies American Council of Learned Societies · Foundation Nov 20, 2026 · $10K – $50K The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Public Impact Grants in Buddhist Studies, supported by the American Council of Learned Societies, aim to enhance public understanding of Buddhism by funding projects that engage communities and… | |
| KF Exchange Program to the U.S. The Kosciuszko Foundation Inc · Foundation ~November · Varies | |
| Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation: Operations Grants Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation Inc · Foundation ~November · $1K – $75K The Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation provides Operations Grants to support arts and humanities organizations in Central Indiana. | |
| Appalachian Forest Grants Program (Major Grants) Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc · Foundation ~November · $3K – $20K | |
| Distinguished Service Award History of Economics Society · Foundation ~December · Up to $1K | |
| Dissertation Fellowships (2026-2027) Center for Engaged Scholarship · Foundation ~December · $35K The Center for Engaged Scholarship's mission is to contribute to social and environmental justice by mobilizing the ideas and energies of engaged scholars. | |
| CES Dissertation Fellowship Center for Engaged Scholarship · Foundation Dec 1, 2026 · $40K The Center for Engaged Scholarship (CES) awards Dissertation Fellowships to Ph.D. students in the social sciences and humanities doing 'engaged scholarship' — rigorous research addressing pressing social problems and injustices. | |
| Lois W. Newman Essay Award American Historical Print Collections Society · Foundation ~December · $750 | |
| Archaeology Program Senior Research Awards U.S. National Science Foundation · Federal Dec 1, 2026 · $6,000,000 total The Archaeology Program supports anthropologically relevant archaeological research to increase understanding of past behaviors. This means that the value of the proposed research can be justified within an anthropological context. | |
| Ewell L. Newman Book Award American Historical Print Collections Society · Foundation ~December · $2K | |
| Teagle Foundation: Knowledge for Freedom Grant The Teagle Foundation · Foundation Dec 1, 2026 · $10K – $300K The Teagle Foundation's Knowledge for Freedom initiative aims to empower underserved high school students through transformative experiences in the humanities. | |
| Collections Stewardship National Endowment for the Humanities · Federal Dec 15, 2026 · $50K – $500K The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Division of Collections & Infrastructure is accepting applications for Collections Stewardship, a program to advance the preservation and availability of physical and digital collections… | |
| Major Grants Wisconsin Humanities Council Inc · Foundation ~December · Varies Wisconsin Humanities offers Major Grants to support larger cultural and educational programs around the state. | |
| Khyentse Foundation Award for Outstanding PhD Dissertation in Buddhist Studies Khyentse Foundation · Foundation ~December · $8K The Khyentse Foundation Award for Outstanding PhD Dissertation in Buddhist Studies is given annually to the author of a doctoral dissertation in the field of Buddhist studies, defended during the previous 2 academic years. | |
| Rubin Grants Program Rubin Museum of Art Aka the Shelley & Donald Rubin Cultural Trust · Foundation ~December · $3K – $25K The Rubin Museum of Art supports artists, creatives, and scholars in the field of Himalayan art with an annual grant program that aims to expand awareness and understanding of Himalayan art globally and the rich cultural legacy and living… | |
| Governor's Awards for the Arts & Humanities Georgia Humanities Council Inc · Foundation ~December · Varies The Governor's Awards for the Arts & Humanities recognize and honor individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the civic or cultural vitality of Georgia. | |
| John and Barbara Grant Awards - Organization Grants Saint Andrews Society of Los Angeles Inc · Foundation ~December · Up to $3K SASLA offers a matching grants program to provide financial assistance to organizations in the Southern California community who wish to further enhance their work in Scottish history, traditions, crafts and other cultural pursuits. | |
| Green-Wood Research Award in Human/Nature Interactions The Green-Wood Historic Fund Inc · Foundation ~January · Up to $4K This award provides support for emerging investigators and designers to conduct original research or design work that utilizes the location, landscape and/or collections of Green-Wood Cemetery and Historic Fund to advance the study of the… | |
| Linguistics U.S. National Science Foundation · Federal Jan 15, 2027 · $6,000,000 total The Linguistics Program supports basic science in the domain of human language, encompassing investigations of the grammatical properties of individual human languages, and of natural language in general. | |
| Dissertation Fellowship Science History Institute · Foundation ~January · Varies The Institute's primary collections focus on: | |
| Short-Term Fellowship Science History Institute · Foundation ~January · Varies The Institute's primary collections focus on: | |
| Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Science History Institute · Foundation ~January · Varies The Institute's primary collections focus on: |
Showing 1–24 of 1,097
Social science & humanities grants by the numbers
How deadlines work
- Rolling or ongoing
- 14 1%
- Upcoming date published
- 51 5%
- Stated cycle, no date yet
- 115 10%
- No deadline published
- 926 84%
When dated deadlines fall
Share of the 51 grants with a published date, by quarter.
Funders with the most active social science & humanities grants
- American Historical Association 37 active
- The Newberry Library 24 active
- American Council of Learned Societies 17 active
- American Philosophical Association Inc 16 active
- American School of Classical Studies at Athens (ASCSA) 15 active
- Archaeological Institute of America 15 active
421 funders have at least one active grant in this category.
Source: Grantable's grants database, compiled from funder websites, Grants.gov and state grant portals. Figures cover all 1,106 active social science & humanities grants (with a deadline today or later, or none published) as of October 30, 2026, and refresh daily. Award amounts are each grant's listed maximum; 1 listed amounts over $10M are left out, since they're usually program-wide totals rather than single awards.
About humanities grants
Humanities grants support scholarship, public programs, education, preservation, and digital projects in fields like history, literature, philosophy, and cultural studies. The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is the primary federal funder, supporting research, public programming, and infrastructure through its divisions and the Office of Digital Humanities. The Mellon Foundation is a leading private funder of the humanities, and state humanities councils distribute funds to local organizations.
A long list is the starting point, not the shortlist. Our grant prospecting guide shows how to narrow social science & humanities grants down to the funders most likely to say yes, using their giving records.
Humanities Grants by state
Browse humanities grants available to organizations in 9 states.
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This page is a snapshot. Funders change, and a list stops being true the day it's made. A grants department keeps looking for you, and tells you when it finds something that fits — with the grant history it reasoned from attached.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money do social science & humanities grants award?
Of the 1,106 social science & humanities grants Grantable lists as of October 30, 2026, 684 publish an award amount. The median listed award is $5,000, and the middle half fall between $2,000 and $25K. The largest is $7.5M. Amounts are each grant's stated maximum, so a typical award can be smaller.
Which funders offer the most social science & humanities grants?
By number of active listings, the leading funders are American Historical Association (37), The Newberry Library (24), American Council of Learned Societies (17), American Philosophical Association Inc (16), and American School of Classical Studies at Athens (ASCSA) (15). In all, 421 funders have at least one active grant in this category.
When are social science & humanities grants due?
Of 1,106 grants listed, 14 accept applications on a rolling basis, 51 have a published upcoming deadline, 115 run on a stated cycle (such as annual or quarterly) without a published date, and 926 don't publish a deadline, so check the funder's site. Among dated deadlines, 61% fall in October–December.
What grants are available in the humanities?
Humanities funding supports scholarly research, public programs, curriculum and teaching, preservation and access, and digital humanities projects. The NEH offers many grant programs spanning fellowships, public programming, preservation, and digital infrastructure, while the Mellon Foundation and state humanities councils support research, institutions, and community-based humanities work.
Who funds the humanities?
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is the leading federal funder, and the Mellon Foundation is among the largest private sources of arts, culture, and humanities funding in the country. State humanities councils re-grant federal funds to local organizations, and universities, libraries, and private foundations provide additional research and programming support.
Do humanities grants go to individuals or institutions?
Both. The NEH and other funders award fellowships and stipends directly to individual scholars, writers, and educators, while many larger grants support nonprofit institutions such as universities, libraries, museums, and humanities councils. Individuals pursuing organizational grants often partner with an eligible nonprofit or use a fiscal sponsor.
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