Robert W. Prichard Prize

The Robert W. Prichard Prize recognizes an outstanding Ph.D., Th.D., or D.Phil. dissertation which considers the history of the Episcopal Church (including 17th and 18th century British colonies which became the United States) as well as the Anglican church in the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Dissertation Focus

• The dissertation need not focus solely, or even principally, on the history of the Episcopal Church or Anglicanism
• The selection committee welcomes dissertations which place Episcopal/Anglican history in conjunction with other strands of church history, or even in dialogue with non-ecclesial themes of American history
• The Episcopal or Anglican element of the work should be constitutive, not peripheral

Award

• Prize Amount: $2,000
• Additional Benefit: Recipient may be invited to be a guest of the Historical Society during a churchwide event to publicly receive the award

Eligibility

• Degree Types: Ph.D., Th.D., or D.Phil. dissertations
• Defense Date: Successfully defended between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2027
• Submission: May be submitted by the author or on their behalf

Award Cycle

• Next Prize: 2028
• Submissions open: February 1, 2028

Post-Award Expectations

• The Prichard recipient is expected to write an appropriate article for Anglican and Episcopal History based on part of, or the whole of, the dissertation
• If there are other contractual obligations for the dissertation, the recipient will work with the AEH Editor to determine publishing possibilities

Geographic Scope

• No geographic restrictions (international submissions welcome)

Contact

• Organization: Historical Society of the Episcopal Church
• Phone: (920) 383-1910
• Address: PO Box 197, Mineral Point, WI 53565-0197

Application Process

Deadline: February 1, 2028 (submission opens this date)

Format: PDF preferred

Submit to: Grants and Research Committee Chair (contact info at hsec.us)

Required Materials

1. Statement (no more than 500 words)
   • Describe how the Episcopal or Anglican element of the work is a constitutive (not peripheral) part of the dissertation
2. Complete Digital Version of the Dissertation
   • Must include all scholarly apparatus
3. Curriculum Vitae (concise)
   • Of the dissertation author
4. Indication of How You Learned About the Program
   • Statement of how you learned about the Historical Society's grants program
5. Certification of Successful Defense
   • Letter from the dissertation committee chair or member
   • Must confirm defense between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2027

Submission

• Submissions should be a full electronic version of the dissertation, complete with all scholarly apparatus
• May be submitted by the author or on their behalf