The Rhode Island Council for the Humanities
Welcome! The Rhode Island Council for the Humanities (RICH) is an independently
administered state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Since 1973, the Committee has supported a broad range of public programs
that have strengthened public understanding and appreciation of the humanities.
The mission of The Rhode Island Council for the Humanities is to inspire
and support intellectual curiosity and imagination in all Rhode Islanders
through lifelong learning in the humanities. RICH carries out this mission
by awarding grants to other non-profit organizations and implementing
its own programs. With the recent introduction of the Independent Research
Grant, RICH also awards grants directly to individuals to assist in bringing
an individual’s ideas to life and to the public.
The RICH Independent Research Grant
In the spring of 1999, RICH initiated a new grant category: the Independent
Research Grant (IRG). Much to our delight, RICH has received many imaginative
and varied applications since the category was announced.
The Independent Research Grant category is designed to encourage individuals
who would like to conduct original research or have already begun original
research in the humanities. A strong project will promote life-long learning
in the humanities and ultimately have a significant public impact. Members
of the public with or without an academic institutional affiliation are
encouraged to apply, but affiliated scholars should not seek funds for research
time expected by their institution.
This grant category awards up to $2,000. Grant funds will be paid directly
to the applicant in two installments of 75% and 25%. As with all other RICH
grants, the amount of the grant award must be matched. The match may include
cash and/or in-kind contributions of time, materials, and services. A detailed
budget is not required, but we ask for estimated project costs and justification
of your request for RICH funds. A final written report will be required
at the end of the grant period. As part of the grant project, RICH also
expects grantees to arrange a public presentation of their findings. Upon
request, RICH may be able to assist you with publicizing such an event.
The Humanities
The humanities are areas of study distinguished by their focus on the uniquely
human elements of our world. They examine and interpret the individual’s
place in the entire human enterprise, in relationship to our past, our present,
and our future. Although the humanities have much in common with the arts,
they are analytical rather than descriptive, more critical than celebratory.
Collectively, the humanities reflect our curiosity about ourselves and our
desire to understand the many subtleties of human culture.
In its grant-making activity, The Rhode Island Council for the Humanities
subscribes to the definition of the humanities set forth by Congress in
the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965. In preparing
your application and activities, you should consider the humanities to include
the study of the following:
Language, both modern and classical; linguistics; literature; history; jurisprudence; philosophy; archaeology; comparative religion; ethics; the history, criticism and theory of the arts; and those aspects of the social sciences which employ historical or philosophical approaches. This last category may include cultural anthropology, sociology, political theory, international relations and other subjects concerned with questions of value and not with quantitative matters.
Unfundable Activities
Unfundable activities include the following: academic fees or other degree-related expenses; academic research; fellowships or scholarships; courses; foreign or extensive domestic travel; book publication and for-profit generating activities; restoration work; performances in the arts; construction work; equipment purchases; direct social action, such as counseling, legal or medical services or economic development activities. Other restrictions may apply.
Application and Deadlines
This year's deadline for this grant category is May 1st, 2003, but you must contact staff to discuss your application and the appropriateness of the project before submission. Applicants are also strongly encouraged to submit a draft for comments. Because we can not guarantee feedback immediately before the deadline, we ask that you contact us by April 1st, 2003.
Please limit your application to three (3) double-spaced typed pages. If you have any questions, please contact the RICH office at 401-273-2250. You must answer all of the following questions in order and number your responses. Please indicate that you are applying for an Independent Research Grant at the top of your application and include a project title. RICH does not accept electronic submissions.
Questions:
1. What do you want to do? Tell us about the kind of research you have in mind.
2. What is your research plan?
3. What will be your public product or program?
4. What exactly is your subject? Why is your subject a humanities subject? Tell us about your interest in 75 words or less.
5. What are your qualifications to undertake this project? (If you are currently affiliated with an academic institution, please describe this affiliation with particular regard to the period covered by this grant request.)
6. Who else will participate? (Additional participants are not essential.)
7. Where will you conduct your research?
8. How much money do you need?
9. How do you plan to spend this money? How will you match funds?
(Please include a workplan/timeline and expected budget. Approximate expenditures are sufficient.)
10. Your name, address, phone number, e-mail address
11. Signature
385 Westminster Street Providence, Rhode Island 02903.
Completed applications must be submitted by May 1, 2003.
Applicants will be notified of awards in June, 2003.
* Grant-related information on copyright: Production of original material in connection with this grant project should be copyrighted by the project director. However, if an award is made, the project director gives to RICH non-exclusive license to use and reproduce for government or educational purposes, without payment, any such copyrighted material.