Deadline: 01-Dec-2025

This open call invites higher education institutions to submit concepts for humanities-grounded research and curricular initiatives focused on three categories: Cultures of U.S. Democracy, Environmental Justice Studies, and Social Justice and Disciplinary Knowledge.

The focus areas for this opportunity include Cultures of U.S. Democracy, Environmental Justice Studies, and Social Justice and Disciplinary Knowledge.

Funding awards will range from $250,000 to $500,000 for a duration of up to four years, with the exact amount determined upon full proposal submission and review based on institutional readiness and the scope of proposed projects.

Eligible institutions include accredited, non-profit, four-year degree-granting colleges and universities in the United States, with preference given to minority-serving institutions and those that have not recently received funding from the Foundation. Institutions may submit no more than three concept papers, and finalists will be invited to submit full proposals following review.

This opportunity enables institutions to envision transformative humanities projects that engage students, faculty, and communities in inquiry around democracy, environmental justice, and disciplinary knowledge. The Foundation seeks to broaden access to humanities funding and support work that addresses both academic and public dimensions of these critical areas.

For more information, visit Mellon Foundation.