Best History Grants in Indiana

Doctoral candidates at Big Ten Academic Alliance universities conducting Smithsonian-based research in areas like American history or history of science can receive up to US $50,000, including a research allowance. Eligible students enrolled at member campuses in Indiana may benefit from this fellowship for 3–12 months of dissertation research.

Indiana history and arts organizations can access funding through the Indiana Arts Commission’s America250 Grant for projects in any arts discipline that celebrate American history and connect participants to that history. This one-time program supports Indiana-based arts projects with awards up to US $5,000, funded by the NEA and the Indiana General Assembly.

Academic researchers and graduate students studying geography education in Indiana can apply for US $5,000 - US $10,000 to support non-commercial research projects. Grants from National Geographic Society help higher-education scholars explore educational approaches, tools, and outcomes tied to geography, including work that intersects with history, human cultures, and community heritage in the 2026–2027 academic year.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations working on mental health and substance use disorder treatment or prevention in Indiana and across the U.S. can apply for Elevance Health Foundation’s Behavioral Health Grant. Funding supports programs that expand treatment access, emphasize prevention and early intervention, and reduce social isolation and loneliness among affected individuals.

Doctoral students at U.S. universities working on 19th–early 21st century Russian/Soviet historical studies can receive up to US $28,000 for dissertation research or completion, including projects based in Indiana. 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 candidates (ABD) and postdoctoral scholars in history and related fields can apply for German Historical Institute fellowships to conduct primary-source research in North America. Focus areas include German and European history, German-American relations, and North American history. Indiana-based researchers at North American or European institutions may be eligible.

Authors and publishers with scholarly books on the history of American law and society may be eligible for this US $1,000 prize, including those based in Indiana. Focused on American legal history, the American Historical Association honors the best 2025 copyright book, offering national recognition and an award presentation at its annual meeting.

Authors and publishers of distinguished English-language history books on the United States, Latin America, or Canada can apply for the Beveridge Family Prize, a US $1,000 award recognizing outstanding historical writing. The American Historical Association honors 2025 copyright biographies, monographs, and interpretive works, which may include projects connected to Indiana history or scholars based in Indiana.

Indiana history and history of science researchers with at least a bachelor’s degree can receive US $2,000 - US $3,000 per month to conduct on-site work at the Lloyd Library and Museum. Topics may include history, history of science, natural history, conservation, and related fields, with fellowships lasting one to three months in 2027.

Students pursuing history-related college, undergraduate, or postgraduate studies, or traditional arts and trades certifications, can receive US $1,000 in scholarship support. Focused on history and related fields, Community Foundation of Carroll County invites Indiana students and others studying areas like museum studies, archival management, library science, archaeology, or historic preservation to apply.

Indiana history scholars should note this grant is only for Harvard University Ph.D. candidates in American history using historical methodology. Harvard’s Charles Warren Center offers up to US $3,000 for summer travel necessary for dissertation research, requiring passage of general exams and a supporting letter from the dissertation adviser.

With a mission to support advanced historical scholarship, Harvard University provides Indiana American history graduate researchers with term-time dissertation funding. Eligible applicants are Harvard Ph.D. candidates in American history who have passed general exams and will be G-6 or below, seeking a one-semester stipend to focus on research without teaching duties.

Harvard University American history PhD candidates needing support to finish their dissertations can receive a ten-month completion grant covering stipend, facilities fee, and health insurance. With a mission to support advanced historical research, Harvard University provides eligible scholars, including those from Indiana, with funding to complete two remaining chapters free from teaching duties.

Indiana colleges, universities, and research-focused organizations working in American history, culture, or Western civilization can access funding through the National Endowment for the Humanities’ Scholarly Editions and Translations program. Awards of US $65,000 - US $1,000,000 support collaborative teams editing, annotating, and translating foundational humanities texts to make them available for new scholarship.

Authors of history, literature, or cultural studies books on British topics from the Middle Ages through the eighteenth century can receive recognition and support in Indiana and across North America. The North American Conference on British Studies awards the John Ben Snow Prize, a US $500 annual prize for the best eligible book by a U.S. or Canadian scholar.

Scholars in Indiana and across North America publishing on gender and sexuality in British culture may be eligible for the Judith R. Walkowitz Article Prize, which awards US $1,000 for a single article. Offered by the North American Conference on British Studies, this prize supports work in British and European history and related fields.

Graduate students in stand-alone M.A. history or related programs in Indiana and across the U.S. and Canada can receive US $500 for original research essays. With a mission to support British studies, North American Conference on British Studies provides emerging scholars with recognition and a potential publication opportunity in Broadsides.

Undergraduate students at U.S. or Canadian colleges who wrote history or British studies essays in the 2025–26 academic year can apply for this prize, which awards US $100. Grants from the North American Conference on British Studies help recognize outstanding work on British history, literature, or culture, which may include topics of interest to Indiana history students.

Indiana historians whose usual residence is in North America and who publish English-language books on Italian history, Italian cultural history, or Italo-American cultural relations can apply for this US $1,000 prize. History scholars may submit 2024 copyright books, with authors or publishers eligible to nominate works for recognition by the American Historical Association.

Authors or publishers of major scholarly books in European intellectual and cultural history since 1500 can receive US $1,000 for outstanding work, including those based in Indiana. The American Historical Association’s George L. Mosse Prize honors works of exceptional research accuracy, originality, and literary merit, with eligible titles carrying a 2025 copyright.

The Bergel Institute Fellowship - FS1: Cutting Edge or Pseudoscience? invites individuals to explore the intersection of science and human potential. This immersive program seeks to rigorously analyze over a century of scientific advancement, examining theories from quantum mechanics to consciousness. Through intensive research and mentorship, fellows will develop a comprehensive study that aims to redefine the applications of validated scientific theories, fostering public understanding and contributing to the evolution of human knowledge.

The AAFP Foundation's Center for the History of Family Medicine Oral History Grant offers up to $3,000 annually for oral history interviews in family medicine. Aimed at researchers, physicians, and students, it encourages the documentation of family medicine's history in the U.S. The grant supports travel and research expenses to enhance the oral history collection, ensuring a diverse representation of experiences and perspectives in the field.

The Award for Graduate Study in American History, offered by the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the State of Illinois (NSCDA-IL), provides $3,000 annually to a graduate student. This award supports research that enhances understanding of America's development from colonial times to the present, with a preference for those intending to teach. NSCDA-IL fosters appreciation for our national heritage through educational initiatives and historic preservation.

The James Madison Graduate Fellowship supports U.S. citizens pursuing master's degrees focused on the Constitution, enhancing their constitutional knowledge for teaching. Fellows are required to teach American history, government, or civics at the secondary level for one year per funding year. Financially, the fellowship awards up to $24,000, covering tuition and fees, and must be repaid if fellowship conditions are unmet. This program ensures future educators embody constitutional principles in their teaching.

This funding opportunity aims to enhance the development of medical products in rare diseases through innovative natural history studies. By generating high-quality data, the FDA seeks to bridge critical knowledge gaps and eliminate barriers in rare disease research. The initiative focuses on diseases with unmet needs, fostering significant impacts for those affected and facilitating the development of effective therapeutic solutions.

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History offers $3000 short-term research fellowships for doctoral candidates, faculty, and independent scholars in American history. Founded in 1994, this nonprofit enhances history education through diverse programs in all 50 states, providing access to over 60,000 historical documents. The fellowships support research at New York City archives, fostering scholarship and recognition by esteemed organizations, ultimately benefiting thousands of teachers and millions of students.

The AMS Graduate Fellowship in the History of Science, offered by the American Meteorological Society, supports graduate students completing dissertations on atmospheric or related sciences. With a stipend of $20,000 for one year, this fellowship encourages close collaboration between historians and scientists. It aims to enhance diversity by welcoming applications from women, minorities, and disabled students traditionally underrepresented in these fields, fostering a more inclusive academic environment.