Best History Grants in Massachusetts

Historians and scholars needing in-depth research time with Houghton Library’s special collections in Massachusetts can apply for visiting fellowships supporting projects on its archival holdings. Focused on historical and cultural studies, Harvard Public Library Trust offers US $4,500 awards to doctoral students, academics, independent scholars, and collection professionals from any country.

Massachusetts nonprofits, educational institutions, and government organizations can receive up to US $1,800 from Mass Humanities to host public readings of Frederick Douglass’s “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”. Massachusetts history organizations can access funding through this grant for direct project costs, using a one-to-one match that may be entirely in-kind.

Researchers and scholars in history and related humanities fields working in Massachusetts can apply for New England Regional Consortium Fellowships, offering US $5,000 for at least eight weeks of archival research across multiple institutions. Grants from Harvard University help support projects using collections at Houghton, Baker, Schlesinger, Law School, and Harvard University Archives.

Massachusetts nonprofit organizations planning capital projects in history, historic preservation, or related visual arts can apply for the Amelia Peabody Charitable Fund’s grants, awarding US $800,000 - US $10,000,000 for major capital purchases. Eligible groups must be well-established, based and operating in Massachusetts, and able to show strong community support and diversified funding.

Nonprofits, community groups, and cultural organizations in Massachusetts can seek funding for local arts, humanities, and history projects through this program. With a mission to support community-driven cultural activity, Mass Cultural Council provides local cultural councils with funds to regrant more than US $250 to eligible history, museum, archives, and related initiatives statewide.

History-focused 501(c)(3) organizations in Massachusetts and across New England that create cultural or arts experiences or preserve important historical elements of Maine may be eligible for project-specific support from the Davis Family Foundation. Eligible projects must primarily benefit Maine learners or residents and align with the foundation’s education, medical, or cultural/arts priorities.

Doctoral students at U.S. universities working on 19th–early 21st century Russian or Soviet historical studies can receive up to US $28,000 for dissertation research or completion, including projects based in Massachusetts. With a mission to advance Slavic, East European, and Eurasian studies, the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies offers fellowships, including one focused on women’s and gender studies.

Doctoral and postdoctoral scholars in history and related fields can receive short-term fellowships to conduct primary-source research in North America. Focused on German, European, German-American, and North American history, the German Historical Institute supports researchers based at North American or European institutions, which may include Massachusetts universities and research centers.

Authors and publishers with scholarly books on the history of American law and society can apply for the Littleton-Griswold Prize, a US $1,000 award, including those based in Massachusetts. Focused on American history, the American Historical Association honors the best 2025 copyright book and recognizes winners at its annual meeting.

Authors or publishers with 2025 English-language history books on the United States, Latin America, or Canada can apply for the Beveridge Family Prize, awarding US $1,000 for distinguished historical writing. This American Historical Association prize may benefit Massachusetts historians whose work employs innovative methods or reexamines key interpretive problems.

Massachusetts history researchers can access funding through the Curtis Gates Lloyd Research Fellowship to conduct on-site work at the Lloyd Library and Museum in Cincinnati. Fellows with at least a bachelor’s degree receive US $2,000 - US $3,000 per month for one to three months to study topics like history, history of science, or natural history.

Students pursuing history-related studies, including museum studies, archival management, library science, historic preservation, archaeology, anthropology, or traditional arts and trades, can receive scholarship support for college or advanced training. Focused on history fields, Community Foundation of Carroll County invites applicants, including those in Massachusetts, to apply for the Jay A. Graybeal Scholarship awarding US $1,000.

The Hench Post-Dissertation Fellowship, offered by the American Antiquarian Society, provides a unique opportunity for scholars to refine their dissertations for publication. This prestigious fellowship includes a $40,000 stipend and up to $4,000 for health insurance. Applicants must be within three years of earning their doctorate and focus on topics relevant to American history and culture through 1900. The program fosters collaboration and feedback from leading scholars, enhancing the academic community in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Postdoctoral scholars and graduate students researching American history and culture through 1876 can receive $2,000 - $4,000 in fellowship support from the American Antiquarian Society, based in Massachusetts. Focused on historical scholarship, these short-term Peterson Fellowships fund one to two months of research using the Society’s printed and manuscript collections.

Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars researching American history, Black American or Indigenous heritage, or related fields can apply for the Brown Family Collection Fellowship, awarding US $2,200 - US $4,400 for short-term research in Massachusetts. This American Antiquarian Society fellowship supports projects that closely engage the Brown Family Collections and other relevant archival materials.

Postdoctoral scholars researching the American eighteenth century can receive short-term fellowship funding for archival work in Massachusetts. The American Antiquarian Society’s AAS-American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies Fellowships provide one- to two-month residencies with a $2,200 monthly stipend for projects in American history, literature, art, music, politics, and related fields using the Society’s collections.

Postdoctoral scholars and graduate students researching nineteenth-century American education can receive $2,200 to $4,400 for short-term archival work in Massachusetts. Focused on historical scholarship, the American Antiquarian Society invites researchers in history, American studies, literature, political science, art, music history, and related fields to use its collections on U.S. history through 1900.

Postdoctoral scholars and graduate students researching American historical prints can receive US $2,000 - US $4,000 in fellowship support in Massachusetts for projects on eighteenth- and nineteenth-century American prints or using prints as primary sources. The American Antiquarian Society and the American Historical Print Collectors Society jointly fund this history-focused academic research opportunity.

Postdoctoral scholars and graduate students researching the history of the book in American culture can apply for Stephen Botein Fellowships, offering US $2,200 - US $4,400 for one- to two-month residencies in Massachusetts. Grants from American Antiquarian Society support projects using its pre-1900 American collections in fields like history, literature, and American studies.

Postdoctoral scholars and doctoral candidates researching American history before 1900 can apply for the David Jaffee Fellowship in Visual and Material Culture from the American Antiquarian Society, with awards of US $2,000 - US $4,000. This Massachusetts-based fellowship supports short-term research using AAS collections, including visual and material culture resources.

The Lapides Fellowship in Pre-1865 Juvenile Literature and Ephemera, offered by the American Antiquarian Society, supports research on American printed and manuscript materials aimed at children and youth up to 1865. This fellowship encourages projects that explore various aspects of juvenile literature and ephemera from the Puritan Era to the Civil War. The stipend of $2,000 per month is available for a term of one to two months, promoting scholarly inquiry in related fields.

The Jay and Deborah Last Fellowships, offered by the American Antiquarian Society, support research in American art and visual culture that utilizes graphic materials as primary sources. The fellowships provide a stipend of $2,200 per month for terms of one to two months, available from June 1 to May 31. Eligible applicants include postdoctoral scholars and graduate students from various academic fields, with preference given to those without recent long-term fellowships.

The Legacy Fellowship, offered by the American Antiquarian Society, supports scholarly research in American history and culture through 1900. Funded through contributions from former fellows, this fellowship provides a stipend of $2,000 per month for a term of one to two months. It is open to postdoctoral scholars and graduate students, prioritizing those who have not held long-term fellowships in the past three years. Applications are encouraged from various academic fields related to American studies.

The Reese Fellowship, funded by the William Reese Company, supports research in American bibliography and the history of the book in America. The American Antiquarian Society encourages postdoctoral scholars and graduate students from various fields to apply. With a stipend of $2,200 per month for a term of one to two months, this fellowship prioritizes individuals who have not held long-term fellowships in the last three years, promoting a rich scholarly environment.

The Justin G. Schiller Fellowship, offered by the American Antiquarian Society, supports research on American children's books published before 1876. This fellowship is open to postdoctoral scholars and graduate students from various academic fields, promoting a diverse range of inquiries into the production and historical context of these works. With a stipend of $2,000 per month, the fellowship term lasts one to two months, providing vital support for scholarly research.

The Joyce Tracy Fellowship, offered by the American Antiquarian Society, supports research on newspapers and magazines, providing a stipend of $2,000 per month for one to two months from June 1 to May 31. This fellowship encourages postdoctoral scholars and graduate students, particularly those in fields like history and literature, to utilize primary documentation in their projects. Preference is given to applicants who have not held long-term fellowships in the past three years.

The John Ben Snow Prize, awarded by the North American Conference on British Studies, recognizes the best book by a North American scholar focusing on British Studies from the Middle Ages to the eighteenth century. This prestigious annual award includes a $500 prize and encourages authors who are U.S. or Canadian citizens or permanent residents to submit their works. Nominations can be made by authors or publishers, with discretion advised for multiple entries.