National Endowment for the Humanities: Humanities Connections Implementation Grants

The Humanities Connections program seeks to expand the role of the humanities in undergraduate education at two- and four-year institutions. Awards will support innovative curricular approaches that foster productive partnerships among humanities faculty and their counterparts in the social and natural sciences and in pre-service or professional programs (such as business, engineering, health sciences, law, computer science, and other technology-driven fields), in order to encourage and develop new integrative learning opportunities for students.

Competitive applications will demonstrate:

• That the proposed curricular projects expand the role of the humanities in addressing significant and compelling topics or issues in undergraduate education at the applicant institution(s)
• That these projects develop the intellectual skills and habits of mind cultivated by the humanities
• That faculty and students will benefit from meaningful collaborations in teaching and learning across disciplines as a result of the project

Humanities Connections projects have four core features:

1. Substantive and purposeful integration of the subject matter, perspectives, and pedagogical approaches of two or more disciplines (with a minimum of one in and one outside of the humanities)
2. Collaboration between faculty from two or more separate departments or schools at one or more institutions
3. Experiential learning as an intrinsic part of the curricular plan
4. Long-term institutional support for the proposed curriculum innovation(s)

If the project addresses core or general education requirements, or requirements for specific pathways or pre-professional programs, it must incorporate a fresh approach in doing so. For example, applicants might consider:

• Filling a new or unmet curricular gap in which the humanities will play an integral role
• Opening up a new interdisciplinary minor or certificate
• Transforming existing curricular pathways
• Connecting existing fields of study to new or emerging disciplines

Implementation Grants support the interdisciplinary collaboration of faculty from two or more separate departments or schools (a minimum of one in and one outside of the humanities), with the implementation of a sustainable curricular program or initiative as the outcome. Implementation grant proposals must show unambiguous evidence of prior planning and present a defined rationale with clear intellectual and logistical objectives that are supported by institutional commitment. The award gives applicants the opportunity to build on faculty/administrative or institutional partnerships and to develop and refine the project’s intellectual content, design, and scope. For example, the applicant should be able to demonstrate potential commitments of any partners or collaborators; outline preferred approaches to curriculum building/consolidation; and explain outreach strategies that will be employed to attract students to the new educational opportunity. The outcome of an Implementation Grant should be a project that has completed its pilot phase.

Implementation Grants may be used to:

• Convene a core faculty team and develop working groups on issues central to project rationale
• Engage outside experts on issues pertinent to project content, design, and sustainability
• Develop, implement, assess, and refine curriculum (such as new courses, modules, and pathways) and instructional models for effective pedagogy
• Develop and implement pilot projects and activities for student experiential learning (such as individual or collaborative undergraduate research projects, or a structured experience with community-based, project-based, or site-based learning)
• Create and implement outreach strategies to attract students to new educational opportunities
• Conduct mid- and long-range feasibility studies

Amount: Awards will range up to $100,000 for a period of performance of 18-36 months.

Eligibility: U.S. two- or four-year public or private 501(c)(3) tax-exempt institutions of higher education.

Link: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=318773

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