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Mellon Tribal Research Fellowships

Applications for the 2027-28 Mellon Tribal Research Fellowships will open on September 1

About the Fellowship Program

The Mellon Tribal Research Fellowship provides funding for intensive tribal research in the Newberry collection. It supports individuals or small groups who are tribal cultural workers or otherwise working on behalf of a federally recognized tribal nation. Research periods can last between two weeks to two months, with up to $10,000 of funding depending on project planning and subject.

More information:

  • The Mellon Tribal Outreach Project
  • Fellowship Details
  • Application Information


The Mellon Tribal Outreach Project

In 2026, the Newberry Library received a grant from the Mellon Foundation to fund community-led research, digitization, and training—ensuring that tribal nations have greater access to and control over the presentation of historical materials that contain their histories and knowledge. The Mellon Tribal Research Fellowship is part of that grant-funded project.

For information about other tribal collaboration opportunities, including tribal delegation visits, digitization, historical methods training, and culturally sensitive materials identification and stewardship, please see our Tribal Outreach and Collaboration page.

Fellowship Details

Eligibility

This award is open to individuals or small groups who are cultural workers for U.S. federally recognized tribal nations or federally enrolled Native community members working on behalf of a tribal nation. Applicants must provide a letter from the affiliated tribal nation in support of the project. There are no degree requirements for this fellowship.

Funding and Award Period

This fellowship awards up to $10,000 per project. 

The research period can last from 2 weeks to 2 months. 

The funding amount is based on the budget submitted with application, taking into account the size of the group undertaking the research and the time needed in the Newberry collection.

Other Opportunities

Please note that Tribal Research Fellowships are not the same as tribal delegation or representative visits. Those visits are usually for a shorter period of time, with opportunities to meet Newberry staff and begin learning about the library's collection and collaboration possibilities. Tribal Research Fellowships support a longer period of in-depth research in the collection. Funding for delegation and representative visits is also available; please reach out to the tribal outreach team to learn more.

To learn more about other research funding opportunities in Indigenous Studies and/or for Indigenous academic scholars, please see this page.

Application Information

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through the Newberry SlideRoom portal.

The application portal will open on September 1, 2026. See below for more information about application components.

The deadline for the 2027-28 application year is January 8, 2027.

Application Components

Please fill out this section with the personal information of the individual who will be the primary point of contact for the fellowship. This may be an individual researcher or a representative of the researcher group. This person is known as the "primary applicant."

Questions 1 - 6: Name

The primary applicant's name, title, and pronouns (optional).

Question 7: Tribal Affiliation

Primary applicant's tribal enrollment or affiliation, if applicable. Applicants are not required to be enrolled tribal members, but must be working for or on behalf of a tribal nation. Please use this field to list your individual tribal affiliation, if any.

Question 8: Tribal and/or Institutional Position

Primary applicant's position with or relationship to the propose project's affiliated tribal nation.

Question 9: CV or Resume

Please attach the primary applicant's CV or resume in PDF or Word document format.

Question 10: Are you applying individually or on behalf of a group?

    If you are applying on behalf of a group, please give the other group members' names, professional positions, tribal affiliations if applicable, and contact emails.

    Question 11: Preferred Contact Information

    Preferred contact information for primary applicant.

    Question 1: Project Title

    Question 2: Tribal Nation

    Please indicate which U.S. federally recognized tribal nation this project is affiliated with.

    Question 3: Project Description

    Upload your project description (up to 1500 words) as a PDF or Microsoft Word document. Your project description can be in narrative form and should provide information about:

      1. What the proposed project is and how it came to be.
      2. How the project proposed research relates to the projects or priorities of the tribal nation.
      3. What work will be undertaken at the Newberry and how the Newberry collections support the project.

      Question 4: Proposed Dates of Research Visit

      Question 5: Amount Requested

      Please indicate the amount requested, which can be up to $10,000.

      Question 6: How will the funds be dispersed?

        To primary applicant, to tribal nation, or other.

        Question 7: Project Budget

        Please indicate how the requested funds will be used. (For example: travel, lodging, food costs.)

        Question 8: Materials you plan to consult at the Newberry

        Please list some of the collection items or materials that you plan to consult at the Newberry. 

        Note: It is more helpful if you can identify specific objects or groups of materials rather than full collection names, as some collections such as the Ayer Collection are extremely large and varied. If you need help identifying materials to be consulted, please reach out to our librarians at reference@newberry.org

        Question 9: Letter of Support

        Please upload a letter of support for this project. This letter must be provided by tribal governance or an official tribal organization (such as a cultural resource center or museum) of a U.S. federally recognized tribal nation.

        Question 10: How did you hear about the Newberry's fellowship program?