The NSF Dynamic Language Infrastructure – NEH Documenting Endangered Languages (DLI-DEL) grant is a funding initiative jointly administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The program is dedicated to advancing knowledge and scientific research related to the documentation, preservation, and study of endangered human languages. Given that nearly half of the approximately 7,000 languages spoken today are at risk of disappearing, this initiative seeks to support efforts that develop computational tools, digitize linguistic materials, and establish sustainable archives for these languages. The program also aims to train a new generation of researchers in linguistic documentation and computational linguistics.

Funding is available for senior research projects and conference proposals related to endangered languages. The grant supports activities such as fieldwork, digital recording of spoken languages, preparation of lexicons and grammars, and data management and archiving. It also encourages interdisciplinary collaboration among linguists, anthropologists, cognitive scientists, and computer scientists to improve technological infrastructure for language research. Computational approaches, including the development of machine learning tools and language processing technologies for under-resourced languages, are also eligible for funding. However, the grant does not support language revitalization or educational programs aimed at teaching endangered languages.

The total anticipated funding for the program is approximately $4.8 million, with 20 to 25 awards expected to be distributed annually. The maximum award size for individual research projects is $450,000 for a duration of up to three years. Collaborative projects are subject to the same funding cap. Conference proposals must be submitted at least a year in advance of the event. The program requires applicants to submit proposals through Research.gov or Grants.gov, as submissions via FastLane are no longer accepted. Cost-sharing is not permitted, and indirect cost limitations do not apply.

Eligibility is limited to U.S.-based institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations engaged in research activities, and tribal organizations dedicated to Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian language research. Proposals from international branch campuses of U.S. institutions must justify why the project cannot be conducted within the U.S. For-profit organizations are not eligible but may participate as collaborators. Each principal investigator (PI) may only submit one senior research proposal per review cycle, though conference proposals do not count against this limit.

The evaluation of proposals follows NSF’s standard merit review process, considering both intellectual merit and broader societal impacts. Specific review criteria include the urgency of the documentation effort, the linguistic, historical, or cognitive significance of the language(s) being studied, and plans for archiving and public accessibility of the research outputs. The program prioritizes projects that provide training for native speakers in linguistic documentation methods.

Proposal deadlines occur twice annually, on February 15 and September 15. This cycle will continue in subsequent years. Grant awards are subject to compliance with NSF and NEH reporting requirements, including data management plans and archival commitments. Principal investigators must submit annual and final project reports through Research.gov. Successful projects are expected to create sustainable digital repositories of endangered language data and contribute to broader efforts to document linguistic diversity.