Slots: 1
Deadlines
Internal Deadline: Friday, February 7th, 2025, 5pm PT Contact RII.
LOI (Grants.gov deadline): March 24, 2025, 11:59pm ET
External Deadline: April 3, 2025, 11:59pm ET
Award Information
Award Type: Grant
Estimated Number of Awards: 20
Anticipated Award Amount: $100,000 – $300,000
Link to Award: https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/FY26-Research-Labs-Program-Guidelines.pdf
Process for Limited Submissions
PIs must submit their application as a Limited Submission through the Research Initiatives and Infrastructure (RII) Application Portal: https://rii.usc.edu/oor-portal/. Use the template provided here: RII Limited Submission Applicant Template
Materials to submit include:
- (1) Two-Page Proposal Summary (1” margins; single-spaced; standard font type, e.g. Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, or Georgia typeface; font size: 11 pt). Page limit includes references and illustrations. Pages that exceed the 2-page limit will be excluded from review. You must use the template linked above.
- (2) CV – (5 pages maximum)
Note: The portal requires information about the PIs in addition to department and contact information, including the 10-digit USC ID#. Please have this material prepared before beginning this application.
Purpose
The NEA Research Labs program is a funding opportunity under the NEA’s Research Awards portfolio. The program funds projects (referred to herein as NEA Research Labs, or Labs) that support transdisciplinary research teams to build public knowledge about the arts and their contributions to individuals, communities, and society at large. Recipients will develop a multiyear research agenda, conduct multiple research studies, and develop a suite of products or services (e.g., a website, research papers, workshops, or evidence-based tools) of value not only to arts researchers, but also to practitioners in the arts and other sectors such as healthcare, education, and business or management. NEA Research Lab awards may have a period of performance of between 24 and 30 months, with the possibility of one subsequent renewal award, subject to agency priorities, the availability of funds, recipient performance, and the
agency’s regular review process. As part of the multi-year research agenda, applicants must propose a plan for sustaining the research after the conclusion of the NEA supported activities. The NEA welcomes proposals that align with the following priority research area and one or more detailed questions within it, as suggested by the agency’s FY 2022-2026 research agenda.
The priority research area is:
- What are measurable impacts of the arts on the following outcome areas: health and wellness for individuals; cognition and learning; and U.S. economic growth and/or civic or business innovation? Under what conditions do such impacts occur, through what mechanisms, and for which populations and/or sectors?
Institutions of higher education and/or nonprofit organizations with a history of conducting or commissioning research may submit applications to be NEA Research Labs. See the Eligibility section for more information.
Visit our Institutionally Limited Submission webpage for more updates and other announcements.