Final Decision on MiniGrants

The final decision for the History Commons mini-grants will be made on or before December 1. We are doing an initial sort of the applicants now. I am not at liberty to say anything specific, but I will note two things:

1. The roster of applicants is VERY strong.
2. If you feel you ought to submit supplementary sample entries (not generic writing samples) to strengthen your application, then by all means do so NOW. We may ask individual applicants to submit further sample entries as well.

We will inform each applicant as soon as a decision is reached. Thanks for everyone’s patience!

Advertisement

Mini-Grants–Apply NOW!

Okay, researchers, writers, and citizen journalists. The History Commons is offering you money on the barrelhead to write for us.

The deadline is November 15. If you’re going to apply, do it now!

You can go to this page for all the information about the History Commons Mini-Grant program. An application for a grant is available here, as is all the technical and legal stuff that you need to know before signing on. But here’s the basics: we are looking to expand our coverage of events and issues beyond what we are currently presenting. We need you to write it up. Simple!

If you’re interested, either fill out the application or post a comment below. We’ll get back to you fast.

It’s not the easiest task in the world–it requires some commitment of time and effort, and a willingness to learn the ropes. But that’s what the money’s for…. We can help you get into the flow, so don’t let the seeming difficulty of submitting entries (style manual, I’m looking at you) daunt you. It’s not as hard as it seems.

You can receive between $800 and $2500 for your hard work and laudable efforts. The deadline for applying is November 15, which by my count is about three weeks from the day I write this, so get on the ball before the deadline comes or the grant money dries up, whichever comes first.

What to write about? Well, we have a long and extensive list on the Mini-Grant page under the heading “New Topics for Investigation,” so go check it out. The headings for the various groups of suggested topics are, in no particular order: Economic Issues, Executive Branch Power, Civil Liberties, The US-led war in Afghanistan and Pakistan, The US-led war in Iraq, The Energy Industry, The Environment, US Electoral Politics, Health and Well-being, US Foreign Policy, and US Domestic Issues. And if you have a burning desire to write about something else that isn’t listed, put in an application or post a comment below, and we’ll consider it.

Step up and go for it!