ACLS Digital Justice Grants 2026-27 in the USA
Applications are now open for the ACLS Digital Justice Seed and Development Grants 2026-27. Offered by the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) with generous support from the Mellon Foundation, the program provides funding for innovative digital projects in the humanities and interpretive social sciences.
The grants support projects that use digital tools and methods to critically engage with the histories, experiences, and interests of people of color and other historically marginalized communities. The program also aims to expand access to digital research tools and resources for scholars working with under-studied materials or at institutions with limited support for digital projects.
For the 2026-27 competition, ACLS is offering two types of awards: Digital Justice Seed Grants of $10,000 to $25,000 and Digital Justice Development Grants of $50,000 to $100,000.
The application deadline is November 3, 2026, at 5:00 PM EST.
What Are the ACLS Digital Justice Grants?
The ACLS Digital Justice Grants Program supports scholars and collaborative teams developing digital projects that address inequities in digital humanities and social science research.
The program recognizes that scholars do not have equal access to digital tools, technical expertise, funding, or institutional infrastructure. It therefore seeks to provide opportunities to researchers working across different fields and at institutions where digital project support may be limited.
Projects should use digital technologies and methods in ethical and meaningful ways while contributing to greater inclusion, openness, and sustainability in scholarly work.
Degree Level
- Undergraduate
Available Subjects
- All subjects
Benefits
Types of ACLS Digital Justice Grants
The program offers two funding categories.
Digital Justice Seed Grants
Seed Grants provide $10,000 to $25,000 for projects that are in the early stages of development.
Funding can support activities such as:
Planning workshops
Prototyping
Testing digital products
Exploring new research materials
Experimenting with new methodologies
Developing new research agendas
Initial project planning and capacity building
The Seed Grant is intended for projects that are still in the start-up or prototyping phase.
Digital Justice Development Grants
Development Grants provide $50,000 to $100,000 for projects that have already progressed beyond the proof-of-concept or prototype stage.
Applicants for Development Grants should demonstrate:
Significant preliminary work
Evidence of project development
Engagement with scholarly or public audiences
Previous impact or meaningful audience engagement
A clear plan for the next stages of technological, intellectual, and financial development
These grants are designed to help established projects move toward their next phase of development and sustainability.
What Projects Does ACLS Support?
ACLS Digital Justice Grants support projects that use digital methods to address important questions involving historically marginalized communities and expand participation in digital scholarship.
Eligible projects may:
Engage critically with the histories and interests of people of color.
Work with Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and other historically marginalized communities.
Address the experiences of people with disabilities.
Engage with queer, trans, and gender nonconforming communities.
Develop ethical approaches to digital research.
Create new digital sources of knowledge.
Develop innovative approaches to content creation and dissemination.
Train students in digital humanities methods.
Build technological infrastructure with community partners.
Connect scholars across universities, libraries, museums, archives, and cultural heritage institutions.
The program encourages projects that make knowledge more accessible and strengthen the long-term sustainability of digital scholarship.
Capacity Building and Community Engagement
An important feature of the ACLS Digital Justice Grants is its emphasis on capacity building.
Projects may incorporate educational activities that train students in digital humanities techniques. Other projects may collaborate directly with community organizations to develop technological infrastructure or create resources that serve public audiences.
Trans-institutional projects are also encouraged. These projects can bring together scholars and professionals from universities, libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions.
Through these approaches, the program aims to expand participation in digital humanities beyond institutions that already have extensive technological resources.
Financial Planning Support
In addition to grant funding, all successful grant recipients can receive general financial planning coaching from the Nonprofit Finance Fund.
This support is intended to help recipients think about the long-term financial management and sustainability of their projects.
Applicants should therefore consider not only how the grant will support the immediate project but also how the resulting digital resources, infrastructure, and activities can be maintained over time.
Eligible Nationalities
Open to domestic students.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants should carefully review the official program requirements before applying.
The principal investigator must:
Be a scholar working in the humanities and/or interpretive social sciences.
Lead a project that meets the Digital Justice Grants program objectives.
Demonstrate that the proposed project is appropriate for either the Seed or Development Grant category.
In addition:
An institution of higher education in the United States must administer any awarded grant funds.
Projects should be made as widely available as intellectual property restrictions permit.
Projects should ideally use an appropriate liberal open-source or Creative Commons license for the underlying content.
Seed Grant projects must be in the start-up or prototyping stage.
Development Grant projects must demonstrate substantial preliminary work and evidence of scholarly and/or public engagement.
Projects That Are Not Eligible
ACLS grants do not support projects whose sole or primary purpose is:
Producing creative works such as novels or films
Producing textbooks
Straightforward translations
Purely pedagogical projects
Institutional indirect costs are also not covered by these grants.
Applicants should ensure that their project has a strong research, digital humanities, interpretive social science, public engagement, or knowledge-building component rather than simply focusing on educational delivery or creative production.
Grant Period
Awarded projects must begin between July 1, 2027, and December 31, 2027.
The proposed work plan should last between 12 and 18 months.
Applicants should therefore develop a realistic timeline that explains how the grant funding will be used throughout the project period.
Application Deadline
The deadline to apply for the ACLS Digital Justice Grants 2026-27 is:
November 3, 2026, at 5:00 PM EST
Late applications are not expected to be considered, so applicants should submit their materials well before the deadline.
ACLS Digital Justice Grants Webinar Series
ACLS is organizing a series of webinars during the application period to help prospective applicants understand the program and prepare competitive applications.
The webinar series includes:
General information sessions with ACLS program staff
Topic-specific sessions
Discussions about data ethics
Capacity-building guidance
Data stewardship
Sessions involving former reviewers and grant recipients
The first general information session is scheduled for August 20, 2026, at 2:00 PM EDT.
Applicants are encouraged to participate in the webinars to better understand the program's goals and expectations
Application Procedure
Required Application Materials
Applicants should review the official application instructions and prepare all required materials before beginning the application.
ACLS provides supplementary materials, including examples of application components, to help applicants understand what is expected.
The completed application must be submitted through the ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration system (OFA).
How to Apply for ACLS Digital Justice Grants 2026-27?
Follow these steps to apply:
Step 1: Review the Eligibility Requirements
Make sure you and your project meet the eligibility requirements for the Digital Justice Grants program.
Step 2: Choose the Appropriate Grant
Determine whether your project is better suited to a Seed Grant ($10,000–$25,000) or a Development Grant ($50,000–$100,000).
Step 3: Prepare Your Project Proposal
Develop a clear proposal explaining the project's purpose, digital methods, communities or materials involved, expected outcomes, and broader scholarly or public impact.
Step 4: Review Supporting Materials
Check the ACLS supplementary materials and examples of application components to ensure that your application addresses the program requirements.
Step 5: Complete the Online Application
Submit the application through the ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration system.
Step 6: Submit Before the Deadline
Complete and submit your application no later than 5:00 PM EST on November 3, 2026.
Why Apply for the ACLS Digital Justice Grants?
The ACLS Digital Justice Grants provide more than project funding. They offer scholars an opportunity to develop digital research infrastructure, explore innovative methodologies, collaborate with communities, and make scholarly resources more accessible.
The program can be particularly valuable for researchers who are:
Developing a new digital humanities project
Working with under-used or under-studied source materials
Building digital tools or platforms
Collaborating with historically marginalized communities
Developing community-engaged digital projects
Creating sustainable digital research infrastructure
Connecting scholars across institutions
Expanding public access to humanities and social science research
Final Thoughts
The ACLS Digital Justice Seed and Development Grants 2026-27 offer significant funding for scholars developing digital projects in the humanities and interpretive social sciences. With awards ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, the program supports projects at different stages of development, from early experimentation and prototyping to more advanced initiatives.
Researchers interested in applying should carefully determine which grant category matches their project's current stage and ensure that their proposal clearly addresses digital justice, inclusion, ethical digital practices, and long-term sustainability.
The application deadline is November 3, 2026, at 5:00 PM EST.
