The Mellon Foundation New Directions Fellowship Program invites nominations of highly qualified scholars in the humanities or humanistic social sciences who received their doctorates between 2013 and 2019. The goal of the competition is to support the evolution and expansion of humanities disciplines by investing in the intellectual range and productivity of mid-career faculty. New Directions Fellows undertake systematic training outside their fields of specialization to acquire the competencies required for advanced, cross-disciplinary research—research that transcends traditional boundaries and offers innovative and effective ways of applying humanistic knowledge to address societal challenges.

New Directions Fellowship Nomination Deadline: 12/11/2025 at 3:00 pm ET

Link to FOA Here: Mellon Foundation New Directions Fellowship

Eligibility: 

• Eligible candidates will be faculty members who were awarded a doctorate in the humanities or humanistic social sciences within the last six to twelve years (2013 – 2019) and whose research interests call for formal training in a discipline other than the one in which they are an expert. Terminal degree holders, such as those with an MFA, are ineligible.

• The proposed field of study must be a foray into a new area of intellectual inquiry and not just an enhancement to go further in the primary field. Language study, technical training, or skills acquisition, such as GIS mapping, do not, by themselves, constitute a new direction.

Institutional Limit: One (1) nomination per institution.

Application Information:  Interested faculty must submit:

• a CV, 
• a list of current funding, 
• a project summary (less than 200 words), 
• a brief summary of past and current research projects (up to 2 pages)
• a Project Description that provides an explanation of the overall significance of the research being undertaken and how the proposed new direction will assist in the development of the field (up to 1,500 words).
   
  Applications not adhering to this requirement will be returned without review.

Review Criteria: Internal white papers will be reviewed based on the following criteria found in the solicitation:

• Originality of the idea, overall significance of the research, and appropriateness of the proposed training program
• The case for the importance of extra-disciplinary training
• Likely ability of the candidate to derive satisfactory results from the training program proposed within a reasonable time frame
• Potential for long-term impact on the candidates new or proposed field of study, beyond just the individual’s research
• Record of the nominee, including their history of effectively advancing public-facing and/or community-engaged work