Documenting Endangered Languages (DEL)
National Science Foundation & NEH- Award
- Up to $450,000
- Deadline
- September 15, 2026
- Eligibility
- U.S.-based PIs; international collaborators welcome.
Fieldwork, archiving, and description of endangered languages.
Citation: NSF Program Solicitation, Dynamic Language Infrastructure – Documenting Endangered Languages (NSF 23-571).
Source: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=12816
ELDP Major Documentation Project
Endangered Languages Documentation Programme (Arcadia)- Award
- Up to £350,000
- Deadline
- January 12, 2027
- Eligibility
- Postdoctoral researchers and senior scholars worldwide.
Comprehensive multi-year documentation of an endangered language.
Citation: ELDP Grant Round Guidelines, Endangered Languages Documentation Programme, SOAS / Arcadia Fund.
Penny Lee – John Leavitt Foundation Grant
Penny Lee – John Leavitt Foundation- Award
- $1,000,000 USD (denomination TBD)
- Deadline
- May 19, 2025 — 11:59 PM (Eastern Time)
- Eligibility
- Open to individuals and collaborating teams at any career stage. Co-authored and cross-disciplinary proposals encouraged.
Grant for Visionary Intellectual Projects at the Intersection of Language, Culture, and the Digital Public Sphere. Annual open submission; notification May 20, 2025; project start May 21, 2025.
Citation: Penny Lee – John Leavitt Foundation, Annual Call for Proposals (Reference: PLJL-2026-01). Full RFP and application form available via the Foundation portal.
Source: /apply
Wenner-Gren Post-PhD Research Grant
Wenner-Gren Foundation- Award
- Up to $25,000
- Deadline
- November 1, 2026
- Eligibility
- PhD holders worldwide.
Anthropological and linguistic-anthropological field research.
Citation: Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research, Post-PhD Research Grants programme page.
Source: https://www.wennergren.org/program/post-phd-research-grants/
Firebird Foundation Fellowship
Firebird Foundation for Anthropological Research- Award
- Up to $10,000
- Deadline
- Rolling
- Eligibility
- Independent and affiliated researchers.
Recording of oral literature in indigenous languages.
Citation: Firebird Foundation for Anthropological Research, Fellowships for the Documentation of Oral Literature.
British Academy Small Research Grant
The British Academy- Award
- Up to £10,000
- Deadline
- March 4, 2026
- Eligibility
- UK-based scholars with a PhD.
Humanities and social sciences, including linguistics.
Citation: The British Academy, Small Research Grants — Scheme Notes for Applicants.
Source: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/small-research-grants/
ERC Advanced Grant
European Research Council- Award
- Up to €2,500,000
- Deadline
- August 28, 2026
- Eligibility
- Established PIs based in the EU or associated countries.
Frontier research across disciplines, including theoretical linguistics.
Citation: European Research Council, Advanced Grant 2026 Work Programme (Horizon Europe).
Volkswagen Foundation – DoBeS Legacy
Volkswagen Stiftung- Award
- Variable
- Deadline
- October 30, 2026
- Eligibility
- International consortia.
Documentation, archiving, and revitalisation of endangered languages.
Citation: Volkswagen Stiftung funding portfolio; legacy Documentation of Endangered Languages (DoBeS) initiative.
Source: https://www.volkswagenstiftung.de/en/funding/our-funding-portfolio-at-a-glance
LSA Linguistic Institute Fellowship
Linguistic Society of America- Award
- Tuition + stipend
- Deadline
- February 15, 2027
- Eligibility
- Graduate students in linguistics.
Support for graduate study at the biennial Linguistic Institute.
Citation: Linguistic Society of America, Linguistic Institute Fellowships announcement.
Source: https://www.linguisticsociety.org/content/fellowships
NEH Fellowships
National Endowment for the Humanities- Award
- $5,000/month, up to $60,000
- Deadline
- April 9, 2026
- Eligibility
- U.S. citizens and foreign nationals resident in the U.S. for 3+ years.
Individual research and writing in the humanities, including linguistics, philology, and historical sociolinguistics.
Citation: National Endowment for the Humanities, Fellowships Notice of Funding Opportunity.
ACLS Fellowship Program
American Council of Learned Societies- Award
- $45,000–$75,000
- Deadline
- September 24, 2026
- Eligibility
- Scholars who hold a PhD conferred at least two years prior to application.
Six to twelve months of full-time research and writing in the humanities and humanistic social sciences.
Citation: American Council of Learned Societies, ACLS Fellowships program guidelines.
Leverhulme Research Project Grant
The Leverhulme Trust- Award
- Up to £500,000
- Deadline
- Rolling (quarterly review)
- Eligibility
- Researchers based at UK institutions.
Original, significant, and curiosity-driven research, including descriptive and theoretical linguistics.
Citation: The Leverhulme Trust, Research Project Grants — Guidance for Applicants.
Source: https://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/research-project-grants
Mellon Sawyer Seminar
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation- Award
- Up to $225,000
- Deadline
- December 4, 2026
- Eligibility
- Faculty at degree-granting institutions in the U.S. and abroad.
Year-long comparative research on a topic of historical and contemporary importance, frequently including language and discourse.
Citation: Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Sawyer Seminars program page.
Source: https://www.mellon.org/grant-programs/sawyer-seminars
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship
European Commission — Horizon Europe- Award
- ≈ €175,000–€275,000 over 1–2 years
- Deadline
- September 10, 2026
- Eligibility
- Researchers with a PhD; mobility rule applies (12 of last 36 months outside host country).
Postdoctoral mobility for research training, including linguistics and cognitive science.
Citation: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships Work Programme, Horizon Europe.
Source: https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/actions/postdoctoral-fellowships
Smithsonian Recovering Voices Community Research Grant
Smithsonian Institution- Award
- Up to $5,000 (visit support)
- Deadline
- Rolling
- Eligibility
- Indigenous community members, language workers, and collaborating researchers.
Community-led research on endangered languages and knowledge systems using Smithsonian collections.
Citation: Smithsonian Recovering Voices, Community Research Program.
Source: https://recoveringvoices.si.edu/community-research-grants/
Jacobs Research Funds
Whatcom Museum / Jacobs Research Funds- Award
- Up to $4,500 (Individual); up to $10,000 (Group)
- Deadline
- February 15, 2027
- Eligibility
- Graduate students and established scholars; Indigenous community researchers encouraged.
Anthropological and linguistic fieldwork on Indigenous peoples of North and South America.
Citation: Jacobs Research Funds, Annual Grant Program guidelines.
Endangered Language Fund — Language Legacies
Endangered Language Fund (ELF)- Award
- Up to $4,000
- Deadline
- April 20, 2026
- Eligibility
- Researchers, language workers, and community members worldwide.
Field-based projects supporting the documentation, maintenance, and revitalisation of endangered languages and oral traditions.
Citation: Endangered Language Fund, Language Legacies Grant Program — Call for Applications.
Source: https://www.endangeredlanguagefund.org/language_legacies.php
Foundation for Endangered Languages Grant
Foundation for Endangered Languages (Ogmios)- Award
- Up to £1,000
- Deadline
- December 15, 2026
- Eligibility
- Open internationally; community-led projects encouraged.
Small grants for documentation, description, support, and revitalisation of endangered languages.
Citation: Foundation for Endangered Languages, Annual Grants Programme.
Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research
American Philosophical Society- Award
- Up to $5,000
- Deadline
- January 31, 2027
- Eligibility
- Doctoral students at U.S. and international institutions.
Exploratory field studies for the collection of data across disciplines, including linguistics and field linguistics in particular.
Citation: American Philosophical Society, Lewis and Clark Fund — Programme Announcement.
Phillips Fund for Native American Research
American Philosophical Society- Award
- Up to $3,500
- Deadline
- March 1, 2027
- Eligibility
- Graduate students and post-PhD scholars; not for archaeological projects.
Research in Native American linguistics, ethnohistory, and the history of studies of Native Americans.
Citation: American Philosophical Society, Phillips Fund for Native American Research.
Native American Language Preservation and Maintenance
Administration for Native Americans (HHS)- Award
- Up to $300,000/year (3-year awards)
- Deadline
- April 8, 2026
- Eligibility
- Federally and state-recognised tribes, Native American organisations, Tribal Colleges and Universities.
Community-based projects to ensure the survival and continuing vitality of Native American languages.
Citation: Administration for Native Americans, Native Language Funding Opportunity Announcement.
Source: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ana/programs/funding-opportunities
Lannan Indigenous Communities Program
Lannan Foundation- Award
- Variable (by invitation)
- Deadline
- Rolling — letters of inquiry
- Eligibility
- Indigenous-led organisations; by invitation following letter of inquiry.
Support for rural Indigenous projects in education, Native cultures, and the revival and preservation of languages.
Citation: Lannan Foundation, Indigenous Communities Program — Funding Guidelines.
Sources & Partner Indices
- NSF — Dynamic Language Infrastructure / DEL
- Endangered Languages Documentation Programme (ELDP)
- Wenner-Gren Foundation
- European Research Council — Advanced Grants
- Volkswagen Stiftung
- The British Academy — Funding
- Linguistic Society of America (LSA)
- Firebird Foundation for Anthropological Research
- Stanford Linguistics — Fieldwork Funding Sources (curated index)
Listings are compiled from public funder announcements. The Registry is not affiliated with any granting body. Always confirm details with the awarding institution before submitting an application.