Research fellowships
To promote the interpretation of Virginia history and access to its collections, the Virginia Historical Society, funded by
a matching grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and gifts from individuals, offers fellowships of up to three weeks a year.
Awards include the Andrew W. Mellon Research Fellowships, the Betty Sams Christian Fellowships in business history, the Frances Lewis Fellowship in Gender and Women's Studies, and the Reese Fellowships in American Bibliography and the History of the Book
in the Americas. We make awards on the basis of the applicants' scholarly qualifications, the merits of their proposals, and the
appropriateness of their topics, as demonstrated by citation to specific sources in our collections. Applicants whose research
promises to result in significant publication, including the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, will receive primary
consideration.
Because the program is designed to help defray travel expenses, residents of the Richmond metropolitan area are not eligible.
We award a few grants ($150 per week) for mileage to commuting researchers who live outside that area. The majority of
awards ($500 per week) go to those who live farther away and incur greater expenses. We expect recipients to work on a
regular basis in our reading room during the period of their award. We welcome applications from doctoral candidates.
Undergraduates, master's students, and graduate students not yet admitted to Ph.D. candidacy are not eligible.
Applicants should send an original and three copies of the following: a cover letter, a résumé, two letters of recommendation (which may be sent separately), and a description of their research project not longer than two double-spaced pages that also states the length of the award requested. The deadline for applications is 1 February 2009; awards will be announced by 15 March 2009. The committee will make partial awards and will consider reapplications. For repeat fellowships, the maximum number of awards is limited to four within a ten-year period.
Founded in 1831, the VHS is a private, nonprofit, educational institution supported by membership dues and endowment. Its
wealth of cataloged materials includes books, paintings, photographs, maps, broadsides, newspapers, artifacts, and more than 7
million manuscripts.
Send applications to:
Dr. Nelson D. Lankford
Chairman, Research Fellowship Committee
Virginia Historical Society
P.O. Box 7311
Richmond, VA 23221-0311
Telephone 804.342.9672
Fax 804.355.2399
E-mail:
nlankford@vahistorical.org
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