National Endowment for the Humanities

Grants for Teaching and Learning Resources and Curriculum Development support projects that improve specific areas of humanities education and serve as national models of excellence. Projects must draw upon scholarship in the humanities and use scholars and teachers as advisers. NEH is especially interested in projects that offer solutions to problems frequently encountered by teachers.

Projects may:

• help schools, colleges, and universities develop (or revise) and implement significant humanities programs, curricula, courses, and materials for teaching and learning; or
• develop materials and tools for classrooms that enhance the acquisition of advanced knowledge and understanding of the humanities, especially materials that apply digital technologies.
• Support is available for two types of projects: curriculum development and materials development. Since they have different goals and products, applicants should choose carefully the type of grant most appropriate for their proposed project.
• Curriculum development projects typically bring together faculty within an institution or from cooperating schools, colleges, and universities to prepare, implement, and evaluate new or revised curricula that can serve as models for humanities teachers nationwide. These projects often involve collaboration among schools and institutions of higher education or organizations such as libraries or museums and regional and national consortia.

* Materials development projects involve groups of teachers and scholars working collaboratively to create resources, such as sourcebooks, document collections, or teaching guides, on specific humanities topics and texts. The development of the materials should have a significant impact on humanities instruction nationwide. Such materials may use print or electronic formats, but the preparation of traditional textbooks is ineligible for funding.

Projects must produce specific teaching and learning resources and include plans for maintaining or expanding the results of the grant after the funding ends.

As part of a project, applicants may design, produce, and test interactive educational software and other electronic technologies. Projects involving digital materials must run on multiple platforms and must include provisions for long-term access and maintenance. http://www.neh.gov/grants/index.html
> www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/teachinglearning.html

Coming Up Taller

Coming Up Taller Awards recognize outstanding community arts and humanities programs that celebrate the creativity of America’s young people by providing them with learning opportunities and chances to contribute to their communities. These awards focus national attention on exemplary programs currently fostering the creative and intellectual development of America’s children and youth through education and practical experience in the arts and the humanities. Accompanied by a cash award, the Coming Up Taller Awards not only reward these projects with recognition but also contribute significant support to their continued work.

This Awards program is a project of the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. It was started in 1998.

Each year, ten awards of $10,000 each are presented to Coming Up Taller Awards honorees. In addition, a Certificate of Excellence is given to all semifinalists. Museums and libraries are encouraged to apply. For more information, see www.cominguptaller.org

AASL Humanities Grant

Joan Oleck -- 11/15/2006
Media specialists particularly proud of their humanities programs should take note: The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) is offering a $4,000 grant to a school library with an "exemplary program or program series in the humanities."

The Sara Jaffarian Award will provide a cash grant and plaque to the winner . The winning library will also participate in a national training opportunity to highlight its program as a national model.

Elementary or middle school libraries serving grades K-8 are eligible. Applicants must have conducted their humanities programs during the previous school year. Any subject–from social studies to music–is eligible. Programs should "focus on broadening perspectives and helping students understand the wider world and their place in it," says AASL.

Jaffarian is a retired school librarian and long-time ALA member who made a donation to the organization to establish the award. Award guidelines and applications are available at www.ala.org/jaffarianaward

We the People Bookshelf on Becoming American

As part of its We the People initiative, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is collaborating with the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office to present the We the People Bookshelf, a program to encourage young people to read and understand great literature while exploring themes in American history.

Please use the links below to review grant guidelines and complete an online application. With questions contact the Public Programs Office at 312-280-5045 or publicprograms@ala.org