Humanities Initiatives at Tribal Colleges and Universities

The Humanities Initiatives at TCUs funding opportunity is cancelled for FY2026 and is not accepting applications.

Tribal Colleges and Universities are essential partners in their communities, serving as centers for the preservation and study of Indigenous histories, cultures, and languages, and fostering student growth and achievement. Humanities Initiatives grants can help strengthen the teaching and study of the humanities at Tribal Colleges and Universities by supporting the development of new or improvement of existing humanities programs, educational resources, or coursework, often grounded in Indigenous knowledge. Projects must address a core topic or focused set of themes drawn from humanities areas such as history, philosophy, religion, languages and literature, or humanities-informed composition and writing skills.  

Past recipients have developed online databases and instructional materials to document and preserve endangered languages like Iñupiaq; created a student podcast series about Red Lake Ojibwe language, culture, and history; and established an interdisciplinary bachelor's degree program in tribal historic preservation.  

By supporting projects like these, Humanities Initiatives at Tribal Colleges and Universities grants can help institutions better serve current students and position themselves to build on success for the future. 

NEH welcomes applications for projects that would take between one and three years to complete, and projects of varying scope and duration are judged equally. 

Recorded Webinar

Live Q&A: The Live Q&A has been cancelled, but please feel free to send your questions to hi@neh.gov. 

Optional Draft Review: Submit your materials as attachments to hi@neh.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern on March 25, 2025 to receive feedback from NEH staff.