The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) invites applications for the 2026–27 ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowships and Grants. This program supports faculty members — including part-time and adjunct instructors — at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who are pursuing significant research and creative projects in the humanities and related social sciences. The deadline is 11 November 2026, 5:00 PM ET. This guide covers ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowships & Grants in full — funding, eligibility, deadlines and how to apply.
Award Types & Benefits
- Fellowships: $30,000–$50,000 for a 15- to 27-month award term to support sustained time and engagement with a significant research project
- Project Grants: Up to $10,000 for early-stage project design and smaller-scale project development (12–15 months)
- Institutional Grant: An additional $2,500 is awarded to the awardee’s home institution to support humanities programming or infrastructure
- Award Size: ACLS will award up to 8 fellowships and up to 12 grants in the 2026-27 cycle
- Funds can support semester or year-long research leaves, summer salary, course releases, and other project-related activities
Eligibility
- Faculty members (including part-time and adjunct instructors) primarily employed at an accredited HBCU
- Must hold an MA or PhD in the humanities or related social sciences, conferred by the application deadline
- Must remain employed at an accredited HBCU for the entire duration of the award term
- Projects focused on K-12 teaching and learning are not eligible; postsecondary teaching projects are welcome
ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowships & Grants: key details
How to Apply
- Deadline: 11 November 2026, 5:00 PM ET
- Apply through: ACLS Competition Portal (acls.org)
- Applicant office hours: October 13 (10:00 AM ET) and November 2 (2:00 PM ET)
This is a transformative program designed to support the careers and scholarship of faculty at HBCUs, institutions that have historically been underfunded yet are home to exceptional researchers and educators. If you are a humanist at an HBCU looking for time and resources to advance your research, this is an opportunity worth pursuing.
Always verify deadlines and details on the official ACLS website before applying.
Related scholarships
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- Luce/ACLS Early Career Fellowships in China Studies 2026–27 – Up to $45,000 for Humanities & Social Sciences Scholars – Apply by 5 November 2026
- [Closed] ACLS Fellowship 2026–2027 – Up to $60,000 Stipend for Humanities & Social Sciences Postdoctoral Scholars – Apply by 17 September 2026
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- Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellowship 2026–27 – $42,000 Stipend + $8,000 Research Funds for PhD Students in Humanities & Social Sciences – Apply by 28 October 2026
- Harry Ransom Center Research Fellowships 2027–28 at UT Austin – $3,500/Month Humanities Fellowships for Scholars Worldwide – Apply by 6 November 2026
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