Richard Maass Research Grant

Richard Maass Research Grant

Funder: The Manuscript Society

Purpose: Established to encourage the use of original manuscripts for academic research. Named in memory of legendary collector and founding member Richard Maass (1919-1998). First grant awarded for academic year 1999-2000.

Award Amount: $5,000 (nonrenewable)

Geographic Scope: United States and International (institutions with Manuscript Society membership)

Eligibility

• Applicant Status: Graduate students pursuing a graduate degree at an accredited college or university
• Institutional Requirement: Must be enrolled at an institution that holds institutional membership in The Manuscript Society as of January 1, 2026
• Academic Level: Preference given to doctoral candidates
• Sponsorship: Must be formally sponsored by the institutional member

Eligible Institutions

Over 60 member institutions including: Arizona State University, Auburn University, Boston College, Boston University, Brown University, Columbia University, Duke University, Harvard University, Indiana University, Louisiana State University, New York University, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, Princeton University, Stanford University, University of Chicago, University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania, University of Virginia, Washington University in St. Louis, and many others.

Fund Usage

Money is to be used for expenses related directly to research using original manuscripts, including:

Travel

Food and lodging

Document reproduction

Other research-related costs

Disbursement Model: Funds are paid to the sponsoring institution, which must disburse all monies to the recipient. The university does not retain any funds.

Post-Award Requirements

1. Submit a detailed report to the Scholarship Committee upon research completion
2. Acknowledge The Manuscript Society's support in any publication resulting from the research

Contact Information

Scholarship Committee Chair: Dr. Ellen H. Myers

Email: myers@manuscript.org

Application submissions: ManuscriptSocietyGrant@manuscript.org

General Inquiries:

Website: https://manuscript.org/projects/scholarship-activities

Executive Director: Shirley Sands, 14003 Rampart Court, Baton Rouge, LA, 225-753-4988, executivedirector@manuscript.org

Background

First established for academic year 1999-2000, the grant has awarded funds to numerous scholars including Kim Todt (2009), Kristen McCabe Lashua (2012), Kameliya Atanasova (2014), Christopher Gillett (2015), Kyle Bond (2018), LeNie Adolphson (2022), Maxwell Pingeon (2023), and Santiago Conti (2024).