NCAIS Fellowships and Grants
Researchers from Newberry Consortium in American Indian and Indigenous Studies (NCAIS) member and affiliate institutions are eligible for awards to support their work at the Newberry and elsewhere.
About
Faculty members and graduate students from Newberry Consortium in American Indian and Indigenous Studies (NCAIS) Member and Affiliate Institutions are eligible to apply for funding to support projects in American Indian and Indigenous Studies.
These awards support researchers whose work aligns with the methodologies and core ethics of the field of Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS), namely: relationality, data sovereignty, reciprocity, and accountability to Indigenous communities.
See below for detailed information about each NCAIS opportunity:
- Long-Term Faculty Fellowship
- Short-Term Faculty Fellowship
- Graduate Student Research Award
NCAIS Long-Term Faculty Fellowship
About
This fellowship provides 4 to 9 months of support to a faculty member at an NCAIS institution who is working on a project in American Indian and Indigenous Studies. Preference will be given to scholars at an early stage of their career.
Fellows may be in continuous or intermittent residence at the Newberry or may complete the fellowship entirely offsite, conducting research in existing digital collections or the collections of other institutions.
Funding and Award Period
The fellowship provides a stipend of $5000/month for a period of 4 to 9 months, to be taken during the academic year (between September and May).
How to Apply
Applications are submitted through the Newberry SlideRoom portal, which will open on September 9, 2026. See below for more information about application components.
The deadline for the 2027-28 application year is January 15, 2027.
NCAIS Short-Term Faculty Fellowship
About
This award provides a stipend of $5,000 to support one month of research for a project in American Indian and Indigenous Studies.
NCAIS Application Information
How to Apply
Applications for all NCAIS awards are submitted through the Newberry SlideRoom portal. The deadline for the 2027-28 application year is January 15, 2027.
Results will be shared in March 2027.
Application links:
[ADD]
Application Components
Project Title
The current or proposed title of your project.
Project Abstract
A brief summary of your project, describing its subject and significance. No more than 300 words (2000 characters).
Project Description
A description that elaborates on your abstract, with a maximum of 1,500 words. Around 2/3 of this description should contextualize your project, such as by referencing specific published scholarship with which your project engages. The final third should explain the research to be conducted during your fellowship/award period.
This document should be uploaded in Word or PDF format. Do not embed images in your document.
Materials you plan to consult at the Newberry
Optional
If you are planning to conduct research at the Newberry, please list some of the collection items or materials that you plan to consult.
Selective Secondary Source Bibliography
A one-page document listing secondary sources related to and/or contextualizing your project.
This document should be uploaded in Word or PDF format.
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
No more than 5 pages. Please use the following terms to describe any forthcoming publications:
- “In progress” – not yet completed or submitted
- “Submitted” – currently under review at a journal or press
- “Accepted” – contracted for publication; currently under revision
- “In press” – in the hands of a copy editor, typesetter, or printer
This document should be uploaded in Word or PDF format.
Months Requested
- NCAIS Long-Term Faculty Fellowships applications provide 4 to 9 months of funding.
- NCAIS Short-Term Faculty Fellowships provide 1 month of funding.
- NCAIS Graduate Student Research Awards provide 1-2 months of funding.
Where do you intend to spend your fellowship months?
NCAIS faculty fellows can apply to be in continuous or intermittent residence at the Newberry or complete their fellowships entirely offsite, conducting research in existing digital collections or the collections of other institutions. NCAIS graduate student fellows can elect to visit the Newberry as part of their research award, but it is not required.
- Continuous residence at the Newberry
- Intermittent residence at the Newberry
- Entirely offsite
Budget
Graduate Research Award Only
Please provide a brief budget outlining how you will use the Research Award. Examples of expenses might includes research travel, lodging, and meals.
This document should be uploaded in Word or PDF format.
Previous Fellowships
You will be asked to provide information about recent fellowships and research awards at any institution, as well as whether you have applied for or been awarded any Newberry or NCAIS research funding in the past. The answers to these questions will not affect your fellowship eligibility.
These short answer questions ask you to position your work in relation to the field of Native American and Indigenous Studies and to the Native people and communities which your project engages. All answers should be a maximum of 250 words (1500 characters).
- What is your relationship to the field of Native American Indian and Indigenous Studies and the communit(ies) you write about? If your project is community-facing, please explain the nature of this relationship.
- In what ways does your project attend to any community protocols or guidelines in place to protect Indigenous stories and intellectual property? If this is not relevant to your project, please explain why.
- In what ways is your project accountable to Indigenous people?
- How does your work center the voices of Native people?
- Graduate Research Award Only: Which faculty who work within the field of Native American and Indigenous Studies are you working with as an advisor or committee member?