Terminal degree + significant Folger collections use
No terminal degree or Folger collections need
Conditional fit
Policy / international affairs01
Wilson Center Research Fellowship
Conditional fit
Deadline · source timezone
2026-09-30 11:59 PM ET
Award
$10,000/month · 12 months
Primary gate
PhD + book/5+ articles, or equivalent professional distinction
Main no-go
Outside four policy pillars / partisan advocacy
Full eligibility & application details
Who can apply
Academia: PhD in hand and a book beyond the dissertation or 5+ substantial peer-reviewed articles/chapters. Government, policy or nonprofit applicants: equivalent professional distinction, typically 10+ years and substantial impact/publication/leadership.
Main no-go
Project is partisan, advocacy-led, or outside strategic competition, economic statecraft, technology and innovation, or regional studies.
Logistics
Non-residential. Twelve months, June 1, 2027–May 30, 2028. Wilson Center pays for a DC trip at the start and end. English proficiency required.
Application pieces
Interfolio application including project proposal and letters of recommendation; official guidelines govern the complete submission.
You need to confirmYour publication/professional record; pillar alignment; passport/visa readiness; ability to balance other responsibilities. Independent applicant: Yes
Science / humanities / arts02
James Smithson Fellowship
Conditional fit
Deadline · source timezone
2026-10-15 4:59 PM ET
Award
See official source
Primary gate
U.S. citizen, ≤5 years post-PhD + Smithsonian advisor
Main no-go
No available advisor or Smithsonian-resource need
Full eligibility & application details
Who can apply
U.S. citizen; postdoctoral researcher no more than five years beyond the doctorate (terminal professional degrees also eligible); an eligible and available Smithsonian advisor identified before review.
Main no-go
No suitable Smithsonian advisor, or the project does not require Smithsonian experts, facilities, collections or resources.
Logistics
Independent research with Smithsonian resources. Research allowance is discussed in the application, but the current public program page does not state the fellowship stipend, so no award amount is headlined here.
Application pieces
One-page abstract; research proposal up to 6 pages; timetable; budget/justification; bibliography up to 2 pages; CV up to 5 pages; terminal-degree transcript(s); two non-Smithsonian references.
You need to confirmCitizenship; doctorate date; advisor eligibility and availability; specific Smithsonian resources needed. Independent applicant: Yes; advisor required
European humanities before 170003
Solmsen Fellowship
Conditional fit
Deadline · source timezone
2026-10-22 11:59 PM ET
Award
$60,000 + health benefits if on UW payroll
Primary gate
Pre-1700 European humanities + Madison residence
Main no-go
Cannot reside in Madison / J-1 ineligible
Full eligibility & application details
Who can apply
Humanities project on European history, literature, philosophy, politics, religion, art, music or culture in the classical, medieval or early modern period before 1700. Independent scholars are eligible.
Main no-go
Cannot live in Madison for the academic year; UW–Madison faculty; international applicant cannot qualify for J-1; project is mainly an edition, anthology or translation without supported fit.
Logistics
Residential. Weekly Monday seminar, regular campus-office use and one IRH seminar presentation. Award cannot be deferred.
Application pieces
Project proposal up to 1,500 words; CV; two recommendation letters; 100-word abstract in Interfolio. All applicant and recommendation materials due at the deadline.
You need to confirmProject period/field; Madison relocation; J-1 eligibility if applicable; two recommenders. Independent applicant: Yes
Black intellectual history04
AAIHS C.L.R. James Research Fellowship
Conditional fit
Deadline · source timezone
2026-11-01 11:59 PM EST
Award
Two $2,000 awards
Primary gate
AAIHS member + Black intellectual history dissertation/book
Main no-go
Board member / membership or qualifying-exam gate fails
Full eligibility & application details
Who can apply
Graduate students, independent scholars and faculty at any rank researching Black intellectual history toward a dissertation or book. AAIHS membership is required; graduate students must have passed qualifying exams.
Main no-go
Current AAIHS board member; not an AAIHS member; graduate student has not passed qualifying exams; project is outside Black intellectual history or not toward a dissertation/book.
Logistics
Research support may cover domestic/international travel or other research expense. Funds must be used by December 30, 2027; recipients submit a detailed report.
Application pieces
One PDF with CV up to 3 pages, 3–5-page double-spaced project proposal and budget; one recommendation letter sent separately to awards@aaihs.org.
You need to confirmAAIHS membership; board status; qualifying-exam status if a graduate student; dissertation/book fit. Independent applicant: Yes
Early modern humanities05
Folger Long-term Scholarly Fellowship
Conditional fit
Deadline · source timezone
2026-12-15 11:59 PM ET
Award
$35,000 / 5 months OR $70,000 / 9 months
Primary gate
Terminal degree + significant Folger collections use
Main no-go
No terminal degree or Folger collections need
Full eligibility & application details
Who can apply
Terminal degree and a project whose research would significantly use Folger printed books, manuscripts or digital resources. Choose the 5-month or 9-month duration.
Main no-go
No terminal degree by the fellowship start, or the project cannot justify significant Folger collections use.
Logistics
Full-time research. Up to 1 month virtual for a 5-month award or 3 months for a 9-month award, with justification.
Application pieces
250-word abstract; 1,500-word project description and work plan; 2-page CV; 1–2-page Folger materials list; one recommendation letter (missing letter disadvantages but does not formally disqualify).
You need to confirmTerminal-degree timing; duration choice; Folger materials; residential/virtual work plan. Independent applicant: Yes
Our method
The conditions are part of the opportunity.
A useful shortlist makes its limits visible. Every record includes the official source and the date it was checked. Check the original terms before applying; a check date does not guarantee they are unchanged.
01
Start at the source.
We read the funder’s own terms. Deadlines keep their stated timezones; missing amounts and unclear rules stay explicit.
02
Surface the gates.
Affiliation, degree, citizenship and location can change the answer. We bring the likely no-go conditions into the first pass.
03
Leave room to check.
Applicant-held facts still need confirmation. Spot a changed term? Email the call URL and the issue so the source can be checked again. Record attribution stays with the operator who checked it.
A more particular question
Tell us what you’re researching.
A short, source-cited first pass can surface calls worth checking—and the conditions that might rule them out.
Helpful context for your email:
Your field and career stage · citizenship and residence · degree status · travel or relocation constraints · target deadline
Share only what the first pass needs. Do not send passwords, government IDs, unpublished sensitive research or financial account details. We use AI research operators. We are not a funder or human adviser.