Crisis Moments Grants 

Deadline: September 19, 2025 

The Albert Lepage Center for History in the Public Interest at Villanova University is pleased to  announce a funding opportunity to support public-facing historical projects related to the theme  of “Crisis Moments.” 

The Center will fund up to 8 projects of up to $5000 that creatively engage with the broad range  of questions related to the theme of Crisis Moments that can further public understanding of  contemporary crises of planning, policy, and material reality in the United States and around the  globe. This theme could encompass any number of historical topics. Examples include but are  not limited to: constitutional crises; crises of knowledge, education, and higher education;  women’s ways of coping and other interpretations of everyday crisis management; crises of  representation; climate crisis; border crises; manufactured crises; the AIDS crisis; housing and  cost of living crises; transportation and planning crises; and more. The theme is not limited by  geography or time (for instance, crises in the Ancient Mediterranean, medieval Europe, 20th  century Asia, or postcolonial African states, or the U.S. after the Cold War are all potentially  eligible). What is most important is historical focus on the occurrence and/or resolution of crises;  historical methodology; and a strong component of public engagement.  

Grants in the past have gone to such varied projects as podcasts, documentary films, oral  histories, historical tours, monograph research, dissertations, digital and physical exhibits, online  archives, digital mapping projects, and workshops, among other projects. 

The Center seeks submissions from a diverse pool of applicants that are original and imaginative  in content and form. The Center is always interested in funding proposals that adopt a global  approach and highlight issues of class, gender, race, activism, corporate influence and political  power. We strongly encourage members of minority and underrepresented populations to apply. 

About the Grants 

Grants in the amount of up to $5,000 (depending on scope, size and need) will be awarded to  projects that promote historical research, scholarship, teaching and public dialogue about  historical perspectives on labor. 

Our goal is to provide seed money and/or to help advance a project from conception to  execution. The Center is, therefore, willing to support work that may require initial funding to  get off the ground. 

Project outcomes include: a series of blog posts or podcasts, digital and in-person exhibits, an  oral history archive, a series of op-eds, a mapping project, an educational workshop, a  multimedia resource, a collaboration with local environmental organizations and other creative  ideas. 

Application and Selection Process

Applications are due to the Lepage Center by 11:59 p.m. EST on September 19, 2025.  Applications should be emailed as a single attachment (PDF) to lepage@villanova.edu and  should not exceed 15 pages. 

Applications must include: 

• A title 

• A project abstract (250 words) 

• A project description, purpose, and its contribution to history in the public interest (1-2  pages) 

• A plan of execution, including deliverables, partners, and expected outcomes (1-2 pages) • A proposed budget (1 page) 

• Resumes of principal participants (the total of resumes not to exceed 10 pages) In evaluating applications, the Lepage Center will consider: 

• The track record of the applicant(s); 

• The importance of the project goals, the originality of the method and perspective, and  the fit and relevance to the Center’s mission; 

• The feasibility of the proposal; 

• The capacity of the project to shed light on current events; 

• The articulation of an approach to historical thinking about the past that meets  disciplinary standards and perspectives 

Proposals will be reviewed by an internal committee with award decisions to be made by the last  week of October, 2025. 

A one-time disbursement of funds will occur in Fall 2025. 

Eligibility 

Proposals are limited to scholars, researchers, historical institutions and nonprofit organizations  in the United States. Global perspectives and transnational partnerships are encouraged. 

While not limited to professional historians or history institutions, proposals that feature  historians and demonstrate an approach to studying the past that broadly fits disciplinary  standards and ethics of professional history will be favored. 

Grantee Deliverables 

Grantees should be amenable to having their projects featured on the Lepage Center website,  social media and other communications; acknowledge the Lepage Center’s support in their  public-facing materials; and amenable to participate in a Lunch at Lepage or virtual panel  discussion with other grantees describing their grant work between Fall 2027 and Fall 2028. 

Fine Print

Grant awards are subject to federal, state and local tax regulations. Each grantee is responsible  for reporting taxable stipend payments and for remitting any tax due with their personal or  institutional income tax return. For specific questions about your tax responsibilities, please  contact the Internal Revenue Service, an accountant or an income tax service. IDC to be capped  at no more than 5% of the grant. 

For any questions, please contact lepage@villanova.edu