ACLS Digital Justice Seed and Development Grants 2026-2027: Funding for Humanities Projects

The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is offering the Digital Justice Seed and Development Grants for 2026-2027. This program supports scholars in the humanities and interpretative social sciences who are working on digital projects that critically engage with the experiences of people of color and other marginalized communities. The grants aim to promote equity in access to digital tools and resources for scholars across different institutions and research areas.

Application Closing Date: November 3, 2026
Location: United States (grant funds administered by a US institution)
Programme Duration: Not specified
Stipend: Seed Grants: $10,000-$25,000; Development Grants: $50,000-$100,000
Minimum Qualification: Scholar in the humanities and/or interpretative social sciences

About the ACLS Digital Justice Seed and Development Grants

The ACLS Digital Justice Seed and Development Grants are designed to foster a more inclusive and sustainable digital transformation within the humanities and social sciences. Funded by the Mellon Foundation, these grants specifically support projects that use digital tools and methods to explore the histories and interests of historically marginalized groups. The program recognizes that access to digital resources and support can be unevenly distributed among scholars.

This initiative seeks to bridge that gap by providing funding for projects at different stages of development. Whether you are just starting a proof-of-concept or have an established project with demonstrable impact, there is an opportunity for you. The program encourages projects that make their findings widely available, ideally through open-source or Creative Commons licenses, to maximize their intellectual contribution.

About ACLS

The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is a private, nonprofit partnership of scholarly societies. It is a leading private institution supporting humanistic scholarship and education. ACLS works to advance the understanding of human history, culture, and society by supporting scholars and scholarship.

Available Grant Opportunities

The ACLS Digital Justice Seed and Development Grants offer two distinct funding streams:

• Digital Justice Seed Grants: These grants are intended for projects that are in the initial start-up or prototyping phase. They provide funding to help get new digital initiatives off the ground.
• Digital Justice Development Grants: These grants are for projects that have already moved beyond the proof-of-concept stage. They support projects that have shown significant preliminary work and have a track record of engagement with scholarly or public audiences.

What the Grants Offer

Successful applicants will receive financial support to advance their digital humanities and social science projects. The grants provide funding to help cover project costs, research expenses, and potentially personnel support. Beyond the financial award, recipients of both grant types will have the opportunity to receive general financial planning coaching from the Nonprofit Finance Fund. This coaching is aimed at helping scholars plan for the long-term stewardship and sustainability of their digital projects.

Programme Duration and Location

The specific duration for projects funded by the ACLS Digital Justice Seed and Development Grants is not explicitly stated. However, the grants are intended to support projects through their start-up or development phases. All awarded grant funds must be administered by an institution of higher education located in the United States. This means the principal investigator must be affiliated with a US-based university or college that can manage the grant.

Minimum Requirements

To be eligible for the ACLS Digital Justice Seed and Development Grants, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• The project’s principal investigator must be a scholar in the humanities and/or the interpretative social sciences.
• Projects must be designed to be made as widely available as intellectual property constraints allow, with a preference for liberal open-source and Creative Commons licenses.
• Grant funds must be administered by an institution of higher education in the United States.
• For Seed Grants, the project must be within the start-up or prototyping phase of development.
• For Development Grants, projects must show evidence of significant preliminary work and a record of engagement with scholarly and/or public audiences.

Competencies Required

While specific competencies are not listed as formal requirements, successful applicants will likely demonstrate:

• A clear vision for their digital project and its contribution to the humanities or social sciences.
• The ability to critically engage with the histories and interests of people of color and other marginalized communities.
• Proficiency in using digital tools and methods relevant to their research.
• Strong project management skills to oversee the development and sustainability of their work.
• A commitment to open access and sharing research findings.

Who Should Apply?

This grant opportunity is ideal for scholars in the humanities and interpretative social sciences who are passionate about using digital tools to explore critical social justice issues. If you are working on a project that centers the experiences of historically marginalized communities and aims to increase access to digital scholarship, this grant could provide the necessary support. It is particularly suited for those who may have faced barriers to digital research funding or who are seeking to develop sustainable digital projects.

Required Documents

Applicants should prepare the following documents for their grant application:

• A detailed project proposal outlining the research questions, methodology, and expected outcomes.
• A budget that clearly itemizes how the grant funds will be used.
• Evidence of preliminary work and engagement, especially for Development Grant applications.
• Documentation of affiliation with a US-based institution of higher education that will administer the grant.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) for the principal investigator and any key project personnel.
• Information on the proposed licensing for the project’s intellectual property.

Specific document requirements may be detailed on the ACLS application portal.

How to Apply

Interested applicants can submit their completed applications through the ACLS online fellowship and grant administration portal. The application deadline is 5:00 PM EST on November 3, 2026. Ensure all required sections of the application are completed accurately and all supporting documents are uploaded as instructed.

Click here to apply for the ACLS Digital Justice Seed and Development Grants

Important Notes

• Only shortlisted candidates may be contacted for further information or interviews.
• Applications must be submitted by the stated deadline; late submissions will not be considered.
• Applicants must ensure their project aligns with the goals of digital justice and serves the interests of marginalized communities.
• The administering institution in the United States must be able to manage the grant funds according to ACLS guidelines.

Closing Date

The closing date for the ACLS Digital Justice Seed and Development Grants 2026-2027 is November 3, 2026.

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