Long-term Research Fellowships
About
The Massachusetts Historical Society will award at least two long-term MHS-NEH fellowships for the academic year 2025-2026. The stipend, governed by an NEH formula, is $5,000 per month for a minimum of four months and a maximum of 12 months. Applicants must specify the number of months for which they are applying. Tenure must be continuous. Note that requesting a shorter tenure will not improve a project's chances of receiving support.
Within the constraints of the NEH's guidelines, the MHS will supplement each stipend with a housing allowance of up to $500 per month plus an allowance for professional expenses. MHS-NEH fellowships are open to U.S. citizens and to foreign nationals who have lived in the United States for at least three years immediately preceding the application deadline. New NEH guidelines require prospective fellows to have completed their training for the terminal degree in their field (ordinarily the Ph.D.) by the application deadline. NEH-sponsored fellowships are not available to graduate students. There is no geographic limitation on applicants for this fellowship. Individuals within the Greater Boston Area are welcome to apply.
The awards committee will pay special attention both to the quality of proposed projects and to their relationship to the Society's collections. Note that these fellowships can also be used for writing time although the project should still make use of MHS sources. The successful applicant need not spend the entirety of their tenure working on source materials as long as they can clearly state how the time allocated to secondary work or writing will help them advance their project. Selection committee members are asked to assess the proposed projects on their originality, contributions to our understanding of the past and/or the humanities, and fit with the MHS collections.
The selection committee will give preference to candidates who have not held a long-term grant during the three years prior to the proposed fellowship term. PLEASE NOTE that two recommendation letters are also due by January 15.
***Applicants are encouraged to contact the Director of Research, Kanisorn Wongsrichanalai (kwongsrichanalai@masshist.org), with any questions. Dr. Wongsrichanalai can offer feedback on application materials ahead of the submission deadline. However, note that no MHS staff members participate in the selection of NEH Long-Term Fellows. An outside committee made up of different scholars every year is solely responsible for evaluating the proposals for selection. Research Department staff can also connect them with MHS librarians whom applicants should consult about collections information prior to submitting an application. Limited and general feedback may be available at the end of the selection process. Please contact Research Department staff for information.
How to Apply for a Long-term Fellowship
Application Requirements
Apply here with the below materials
- A cover letter.
- A current curriculum vitae.
- A project proposal approximately 1,000 words in length.
The proposal should include:
a) a description of the project;
b) a statement explaining the historiographical significance of the project;
c) an indication of the specific MHS collections the applicant wishes to consult. - A short project description approximately 100 words in length.
- A "Certification for Participants" form available for download here.
- Two letters of recommendation. Please note that letters are due at the application deadline. You may initiate your recommendation request through our application portal at any time - you do not need to wait until your application is complete.
Deadline
Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM EST on 15 January 2025.
Questions?
Please direct questions to fellowships@masshist.org, (617) 646-0577. Stay informed about fellowship deadlines and follow all our other activities on Twitter @MHS_Research.
