Arts and Humanities Initiative (AHI) Program is offered by the Office of the Vice President for Research at the University of Iowa to support creative and scholarly work advancing humanist principles.

Three grant categories are available: individual or collaborative grants up to $7,500 for humanities scholarship and creative, visual, and performing arts work; and larger awards up to $30,000 for novel projects fostering new collaborations.

Eligible applicants include tenure-track, tenured, clinical track, research track, and instructional faculty, as well as staff with at least 50% university appointments and primary research responsibilities. Applications for Spring 2026 closed March 10, 2026.

Arts and Humanities Initiative (AHI) Program | Office of the Vice President for Research - The University of Iowa Arts and Humanities Initiative (AHI) Program The Office of the Vice President for Research invites applications for the Spring 2026 Arts & Humanities Initiative (AHI) Program. Three grant types are available to support creative and scholarly work that advances humanist principles.

The deadline for Spring 2026 applications is 11:59 p. m. on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.

Questions? Email vpr-rdo@uiowa. edu Available Grant Categories Support up to $7,500 is available for individual or collaborative grants that focus on humanities scholarship and work in the creative, visual, and performing arts.

Provides funding up to $30,000 for novel projects to develop new collaborations and enable the PI/PD to submit competitive applications for external grants or leverage substantial unit/departmental/collegiate support. OVPR seeks to identify applications that are highly innovative and impact the field, discipline, or broader community defined in the proposal.

Major Project applications are expected to emphasize innovation, collaboration and interdisciplinarity. Awards are given to highly scored projects whose scope, cost, complexity and potential impact are demonstrably greater than those associated with the production of the usual academic publication, creation, or performance.

This award is available, not for merely expensive projects, but for complex projects that promise to have an especially broad impact. AHI Major Conference Grant Provides funding up to $10,000 in support of new conferences, symposia, seminars, colloquia, or workshops.

Preference may be given to humanities conferences designed to result in a scholarly product and to arts conferences designed to result in a public display or representation. Applications that focus on existing conferences or have very limited participation are not considered responsive to this request for proposals. Proposed conferences must be held at the University of Iowa.

At the time of application, the following UI personnel in the arts and humanities disciplines are eligible to apply: Tenure-track or tenured faculty, Instructional faculty, or Staff members whose primary job responsibilities include research and scholarship and have at least a 50% university appointment during the academic year of the project.

Adjunct faculty, visiting faculty, postdoctoral fellows or scholars, associates, fellowship trainees, and graduate students are not eligible. To begin the submission process, go to the InfoReady Review Arts & Humanities Initiative (AHI) Program Spring 2026 and click "Apply" from the top or bottom of your screen. Sign-in with your Hawk ID and password via the blue "University of Iowa Login" button .

InfoReady Application Form The electronic application form will be submitted through InfoReady and requires completion of the following sections: Applicant demographics and project details. Abstract/Project Summary (2000 character limit): Provide a brief overview of the proposal. Include the main procedures and activities of the project that are comprehensible to non-specialists and, if successful, the expected impact of the project.

Justification for AHI Support Justification (2000 character limit): Describe why AHI support is needed. Elaborate on how existing sources of support will be leveraged to expand, extend or innovate towards a new or novel research, scholarly or creative project. Identify new collaborations, if applicable, that extend your project into areas that have not previously been established.

Provide details about how your proposed work will respond to departmental, collegiate or institutional strategic priorities. Type font must be 11-point (or larger) Times, Times New Roman or Arial, and margins must be at least . 75 inches.

See "Project Narrative Guidelines" below for more detailed information. Budget and Budget Justification Enter budget line items and costs in the provided and required budget template. Be as specific as possible, listing each travel site, each piece of equipment, services, supplies, etc. In the budget justification, explain why the requested item is essential for the proposed work and upload as either a Word Document or PDF.

New for Spring 2026: The budget must be approved by a departmental/collegiate research administrator. A letter/email stating it has been reviewed and approved will be required and must be uploaded to the InfoReady application portal. Curriculum Vitae of PI/PD and Internal/External Collaborators A Curriculum Vitae (CV) (no more than four pages in length) is required for the PI/PD and all key collaborators.

All CVs are to be combined and uploaded where indicated in the application form. Some material requested may appear to be redundant with the Project Narrative, but the text box information (Abstract/Project Summary and Budget Information) should be considered as the Executive Summary of the proposal.

Project Narrative Guidelines The required Project Narrative must contain sections 1-6 in the order indicated, with each section clearly identified. Type font must be 11-point (or larger) Times, Times New Roman or Arial, and margins must be at least . 75 inches.

3. Collaboration (not required for Standard Grant applications) 4. Feasibility and Timeline Page Limitations: The narrative may not exceed five single spaced pages, inclusive of all sections, diagrams, images, graphs, and bibliography.

Narratives that exceed the page limitation will be returned without review . Narrative Content: The content of the Project Narrative should address the questions outlined in the review criteria specifically applicable to the AHI grant under application. See "Review Criteria" below for details.

Narrative Language: It is essential that applicants write their proposals in a language that is comprehensible to nonspecialists. To that end, limit the amount of highly discipline-specific jargon. Remember that most reviewers will not be experts in your field of study.

Your objective is to assist the reviewer in understanding the goals, feasibility and overall impact of your project. Supplemental Materials (Optional): Applicants proposing audio-visual or digital projects may insert a link to web hosted materials within the narrative. Alternatively, applicants may upload the appropriate file where indicated in the online form related to audio, visual or digital projects.

Since reviewers tend to be most attentive to the narrative, applicants should be sure to develop a narrative that can stand on its own. Letters of Support (Optional): One to two brief (no more than one page in length) letters of support may be included at the end of the narrative packet and are not counted against the narrative page limitation. Only one resubmission will be allowed for any application.

A one-page “Response to Reviewers” must be included with the revised submission. The revised proposal will be considered only if significantly improved over the original submission and comments from the initial review are appropriately addressed. Applications must be resubmitted within one year.

Submissions beyond the permitted single revision or revised applications submitted as new will be returned without review. Curriculum Vitae Guidelines A Curriculum Vitae (CV is required for the PI/PD and all key collaborators. All CVs are to be combined and uploaded where indicated in the application form.

Each CV should be no more than 4 pages in length. Office of Undergraduate Research ICRU Fellowship The Office of Undergraduate Research is excited to partner with the Arts and Humanities Initiative and offer faculty the opportunity to apply for an ICRU fellow to compliment their AHI application.

Successful applications will show how an undergraduate scholar will work with the faculty member and gain skills in their field in the pursuit of the larger research project. Students should be engaged in meaningful work and have regular meetings with the faculty mentor. Please see the OUR Fellows page for more information on fellowship details.

Faculty do not need to have a student identified at the time of application, however it is important to note that students may only participate in one fellowship at a time through the Office of Undergraduate Research and must be enrolled as a full time student.

Details needed at time of application: Number of hours expected for the student When to expect to use funds (Summer or Academic Year) Upload required application document where indicated within the InfoReady application portal. Faculty and fellows will be notified at time of AHI award.

Shortly after the submission deadline, the OVPR will send an automatic email from the InfoReady Review system to the PI/PD’s DEO with a link to the endorsement form. Applicants do not need to request a DEO endorsement prior to submission; however, it is strongly recommended to consult with your DEO prior to submission to inform them of your project.

If the DEO is also an applicant, the request will instead be sent to the applicant’s collegiate associate dean for research. DEO endorsement comments are required and are considered by the review panel as part of the evaluation process. All budget requests are for a 12-month period.

Amounts requested are negotiable and awards may reflect a budget lower than originally requested. Extensions will not be granted unless there are extenuating circumstances (i.e., health concerns, family emergencies, etc. and will be discussed on a case-by-case basis). The award is made to only one individual.

Co-PIs are not allowed. An applicant may appear as PI/PD on only one proposal per application cycle, but may be listed as a collaborator or consultant on other proposals. Enter budget line items and costs in the provided and required budget template.

Be as specific as possible, listing each travel site, each piece of equipment, services, supplies, etc. In the budget justification, explain why the requested item is essential for the proposed work. Justification for each budget item should answer the question: “Why is this specific person/item necessary for the proposed project? ” Note: a description of the person/item is not a justification.

The budget must be approved by a departmental/collegiate research administrator. A letter/email stating it has been reviewed and approved will be required and must be uploaded to the InfoReady application portal. Applications will be evaluated by peer-review teams composed of University of Iowa faculty and professional staff.

Recommendations will be made to the Vice President for Research, who will make the final determination of awards. Applications will be reviewed based on the criteria listed below. AHI Standard Grant Review Criteria Standard grant applications should be responsive to the specific review criteria below.

OVPR seeks to identify applications that are both innovative and impact the field, discipline, or broader community defined in the proposal. Applications will be evaluated by peer-reviewed teams composed of University of Iowa faculty and professional staff. Recommendations will be made to the Vice President for Research, who will make the final determination of awards.

Is the goal or central problem of the project clearly identified? How does the project complement, challenge, or expand relevant studies in the field? What is the major contribution of the project?

Is the research plan clearly described? Will this project result in a completed work, or the completion of a stage in the development of a work? If applicable, what are the results from previous AHI Grants?

Is a short list of bibliographical references relevant to the application included? What is the novel, unique, or creative component of the project? If the project brings together individuals from diverse disciplines, how does the proposed work enhance those disciplines and what is the benefit of the collaboration?

If the project stems from a single scholar or artist, describe how the proposed work enhances the PI/PD’s scholarship or creative experiences. Collaboration (Not required for Standard Grant applications) What new key collaborations are identified? How does the application bring together individuals from other disciplines to develop and advance a scholarly, creative, or research project?

Are the qualifications, competencies, and achievements of the PI/PD (and collaborators, if appropriate) suited to carry out the project? Does the proposal address access to essential resources, environment (personnel, space, facilities), and budget to support the desired outcomes? Is it likely that the project will be completed in the proposed timeline?

What critical milestones are provided to assure progress along the timeline? What is the overall impact of the project? Who derives direct or indirect benefit from the project?

What are the next steps for the project once internal funding has been completed? Does the applicant include a specific plan for pursuing external sources of funding, including sponsor names and deadlines? What is the likelihood that the project will attract external grant funding?

Has the applicant considered opportunities to share discoveries with a wider public or audience? Response to Reviewers (one-page limit -- resubmissions only) How has the revised proposal been significantly improved and how has the proposal addressed comments from the initial review? AHI Major Project Review Criteria Major Project applications should be responsive to the specific review criteria below.

Funding is provided to support preliminary work for novel projects to develop new collaborations and enable the PI/PD to submit competitive applications for external grants or leverage substantial unit/departmental/collegiate support. OVPR seeks to identify applications that are highly innovative and impact the field, discipline, or broader community defined in the proposal.

Major Project applications are expected to emphasize innovation, collaboration and interdisciplinarity. Awards are given to highly scored projects whose scope, cost, complexity and potential impact are demonstrably greater than those associated with the production of the usual academic publication, creation, or performance.

This award is available, not for merely expensive projects, but for complex projects that promise to have an especially broad impact. Applications will be evaluated by peer-reviewed teams composed of University of Iowa faculty and professional staff. Recommendations will be made to the Vice President for Research, who will make the final determination of awards.

What is the new big idea of the major project? Is the proposed scholarly, research, or creative project clearly described? Are important elements of originality and significance identified?

Are the approach and methodology sound and clearly described? How will the impact of the project be evaluated? Is a short list of bibliographical references relevant to the application included?

What is the novel, unique, or creative component of the project? How does the innovative idea promote new research directions, scholarly capabilities or creative works? What new key collaborations are identified?

How does the application bring together individuals from other disciplines to develop and advance a scholarly, creative, or research project? Are the qualifications, competencies and achievements of the PI/PD and collaborators suited to carry out the project? Does the proposal address access to essential resources, environment (personnel, space, facilities), and budget to support the desired outcomes?

Is it likely that the project will be completed in the proposed timeline? What critical milestones are provided to assure progress along the timeline? What is the overall impact of the project?

Does the applicant include a specific plan for pursuing external sources of funding, including sponsor names and deadlines? What is the likelihood that the project will attract external grant funding? Is the project the outcome of a new idea or is it incremental in nature?

What is produced at the end of the project? Who derives direct or indirect benefit from the project? What outreach and engagement to broader communities and disciplines is provided?

What are the next steps for the project once internal funding has been completed? Response to Reviewers (one-page limit -- resubmissions only) How has the revised proposal been significantly improved and how has the proposal addressed comments from the initial review? AHI Major Conference Review Criteria Major Conference applications should be responsive to the specific review criteria below.

Funding is in support of new conferences, symposia, seminars, colloquia, or workshops. Preference may be given to humanities conferences designed to result in a scholarly product and to arts conferences designed to result in a public display or representation. Applications that focus on existing conferences or have very limited participation are not considered responsive to this request for proposals.

Proposed conferences must be held at the University of Iowa. Applications will be evaluated by peer-reviewed teams composed of University of Iowa faculty and professional staff. Recommendations will be made to the Vice President for Research, who will make the final determination of awards.

Why is the proposed new conference needed? Is the proposed conference clearly described? What is the importance and significance of the conference from the perspective of the discipline or area of focus?

Who is the target audience? How will the impact of the conference be evaluated and assessed? What is new and novel about the proposed conference or meeting?

How does the conference bring together individuals from cross- or multiple disciplines? Who benefits from the proposed conference? Are the qualifications, competencies and achievements of the PI/PD and collaborators suited to carry out the project?

Does the proposal address access to essential resources, environment (personnel, space, facilities), and budget to support the project’s desired outcomes? Is it likely that the project will be completed in the proposed timeline? What critical milestones are provided to assure progress along the timeline?

What is the overall impact of the conference? What is the benefit to the target audience? What outreach and engagement to broader communities and disciplines is envisioned as a result of the conference or meeting?

If the conference will continue in future years, what mechanisms are developed to sustain funding for the conference? Does the applicant include a specific plan for pursuing external sources of funding, including sponsor names and deadlines? Response to Reviewers (one-page limit -- resubmissions only) How has the revised proposal been significantly improved and how has the proposal addressed comments from the initial review?

The Arts & Humanities Initiative (AHI) program is administered by the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) and applications are peer-reviewed by University of Iowa faculty and professional staff. Review terms are served "at will" and are reviewed annually to ensure disciplinary balance on the panel. Terms are generally 1-3 years in duration.

If you are interested in serving as a AHI reviewer, please email vpr-rdo@uiowa. edu.

The following faculty and staff are currently serving as AHI reviewers for the Fall 2025 cycle: History/African American Studies Journalism & Mass Communication CLAS Grant Support Office Associate Professor, Director of Graduate Studies Obermann Center for Advanced Studies Languages, Linguistics, Literatures, and Cultures Past Review Panel Members The OVPR is indebted to the following faculty who contributed their time, effort and expertise in service on previous AHI review panels: Associate Professor, Anthropology College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Professor, Theatre Arts College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Director, Iowa Center for Research by Undergraduates Office of the Vice President for Research Associate Professor, French & Italian College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Dean for the Arts and Humanities College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Assistant Professor, History College of Liberal Arts & Sciences College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Clinical Professor, Teaching & Learning Professor, Art & Art History College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Professor, Art & Art History College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Professor, Music College of Liberal Arts & Sciences ​Associate Professor, Art & Art History College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Professor, Cinematic Arts College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Professor, German College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Professor, Library & Information Science Director, Grant Support Office College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Assistant Professor, Cinematic Arts College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Professor, English College of Liberal Arts & Sciences College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Professor, Communication Studies College of Liberal Arts & Sciences ​Associate Professor, Music College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Professor, Art & Art History College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Professor, Theatre Arts College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Professor, Dance College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Professor, Dance College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Professor, Art & Art History College of Liberal Arts & Sciences College of Liberal Arts & Sciences College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Professor, Spanish & Portuguese College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Assistant Professor, Art and Art History College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Professor, Religious Studies College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Professor, Religious Studies College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Director, Grant Wood Art Colony Associate Professor, School of Music College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Professor, History and Geography College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Professor, American Studies College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Professor, Occupational and Environmental Health Associate Professor, English College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Professor, Spanish & Portuguese College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Professor, French & Italian College of Liberal Arts & Sciences ​Associate Professor, Religious Studies College of Liberal Arts & Sciences ​Associate Professor, History College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Professor, African American Studies College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Professor, American and African American Studies College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Gender, Women's & Sexuality Studies; Art & Art History College of Liberal Arts & Sciences College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Notification and Project Period of Award Reviews for the Spring 2026 application cycle will take place in April and award notifications sent in May.

The project period is 1 year from the date of the award letter. If your project is constrained by outside factors dictating a different funding period, you should apply during the funding cycle that more closely matches the project's required timeframe. A final report will be required at the end of the project period.

If an extension is granted, a progress report will be required at the end of the original project period, followed by a final report at the conclusion of the extended period. Contact Associate Vice President for Research Kristy Nabhan-Warren or email vpr-rdo@uiowa. edu .