The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is offering grants through its Scholarly Editions and Translations program to support collaborative efforts in editing, annotating, and translating significant humanities texts that are either inaccessible or available only in inadequate versions. This funding is intended to assist scholars in creating annotated editions or translations that can contribute to new scholarship. The program welcomes projects from any area of the humanities, including historical, literary, philosophical, and musical works, and has been a key part of NEH's support since its inception in 1966.

Grants support projects with a duration of one to three years, during which time grantees may work full-time or part-time. Typical expenses covered include salaries for research and editorial work, travel to collections to verify sources, and fees for translation, consultation, and digital implementation. The final products can be digital, print, or a combination of both, but they must include new scholarly elements such as critical annotations, introductions, and other scholarly apparatus. Two types of funding are available: planning and implementation grants, with the latter being the default for projects that do not apply for planning grants.

The funding available ranges from up to $300,000 in outright funds, with a potential maximum of $450,000 if at least $150,000 in matching funds is secured. To qualify for the full funding amount, matching funds must be raised and certified six months before the project’s end date. New rules for 2024 include a restriction that the project director of a Scholarly Editions and Translations project cannot lead another project under the same program during the grant period, though they may co-direct other projects. Undergraduate students are not allowed to perform translation work, and projects focused on anthologies or sourcebooks are ineligible for support.

There is a notable new opportunity for international collaboration, especially for projects involving U.S.-based scholars working with counterparts in Greece or Israel. Special Partnership Opportunity Notifications (PONs) may provide additional funding for such collaborations.

The application process for the 2024 cycle begins on July 25, 2024, with an optional draft due by September 30, 2024, and a final application deadline of December 4, 2024. Award notifications are expected by August 31, 2025, and projects can start on either October 1, 2025, or September 1, 2026. Applicants must submit through Grants.gov and are encouraged to review the detailed program guidelines and application instructions available on the NEH website.