CPL’s Renaissance Project Offers Research Grants to Support New Scholarship on Black History

Chicago Public Library (CPL) is pleased to offer microgrants for its Renaissance Project to support short-term research in its African American archival collections for the creation of new scholarship and storytelling about Black history and culture." A total of 10 microgrants of $4,000 each will be awarded for 2027.

Funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, these microgrants will assist in covering the costs related to conducting research in the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection at Woodson Regional Library and Special Collections at the Harold Washington Library Center. The Harsh Research Collection, the largest archival collection of African American history in the Midwest, documents the Black experience related to civil rights, African independence, education, music, theater, labor, publishing, aviation, the Great Migration and the Black Chicago Renaissance. The Special Collections at Harold Washington Library has archival materials that pertain to African Americans in the performing arts, the civil rights movement, social justice and civic life, and houses the political papers of Harold Washington, Chicago’s first Black mayor.

We invite interested individuals to apply for these grants, aimed at supporting non-traditional scholars. They are open to students, educators, independent scholars/researchers, community leaders, journalists and artists (visual, performing and literary) that would greatly benefit from researching within CPL’s collections. Projects nearing the final stages (between April 2027 - March 2028), for which access to these collections is essential to their completion, will be given priority consideration.

Please conduct a search in CPL’s finding aids to become familiar with archival holdings at the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection and Special Collections at Harold Washington Library.

Timeline

• Application Information Session: Wednesday, December 2, 2026, 2pm CST 
• Application deadline: Monday, January 4, 2027, 5pm CST 
• Notification: Monday, March 15, 2027 
• In-person Orientation/Intro to Archival Research Workshop: Friday, April 9, 2027, 11am-4:30pm 
• In-person Research Visits to Collections: April 15 - August 31, 2027 
• In-person Cohort Project Workshopping: Monday, August 9; Tuesday, August 10; & Wednesday August 11, 2027, 12pm-6pm 
• In-person Project Presentation at CPL branches (TBD): Nov. 2027 – Feb. 2028  
• Deadline for final project summary report: Wednesday, March 31, 2028  

Eligibility

• Chicago residents, as well as other US-based applicants
• Undergraduate students working on a BA thesis or other special project
• Graduate students completing a thesis, dissertation, or coursework
• Non-tenure track and adjunct faculty working on publications or developing teaching materials
• Researchers working for community-based, policymaking, media or news organizations, activists, or other cultural heritage-based institutions
• Independent scholars, public historians, genealogists, authors, poets/or creative writers, journalists, visual or performing artists

Applicants can apply for grants in the following research categories:

• Arts & Humanities
• Social/Political Movements
• Chicago History
• Genealogy
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)

Amount of award: $4,000

These funds should be used for qualified research and project related expenses that include:

• Travel
• Lodging (if outside of the greater Chicago area)
• Research related equipment
• Supplies/materials related to publications, public presentations or exhibitions

The research grants will be paid in two installments, with the final payment given upon submission of a summary report.

All funding recipients agree to complete a public presentation, in-person or virtually at a CPL location, and provide a final summary report on their project within 12 months of having first received funds, to be eligible for the final payment.  These presentations, designed to inform CPL branch audiences across the city of Chicago, will be recorded and made available in perpetuity in the Archives and Special Collections Division’s collections.

Selection Criteria

Grant recipients will be selected by a committee consisting of CPL Staff, external artists, scholars and researchers using the following criteria:

• Qualifications/eligibility of the applicant.
• Relevance of research to CPL’s archival collections
• Feasibility/likelihood that the project will be completed successfully within the proposed timeframe.
• The provisions for making the results of the project available to scholars and to the public at large.
• Able to conduct research at CPL’s archives between April 15 - August 31, 2027.

Applicants must complete the application form that includes:

• A Bio (<200 words)
• A Project Proposal: (<500 words)
• CV or Résumé
• A Projected Budget/Expense Sheet
• A Letter of Support
  • Faculty:
    • Provide a letter of support from the department chair.
  • Graduate/undergraduate students:
    • Provide a letter from an academic or dissertation advisor.
  • Community-based or independent researcher:
    • Provide a letter of support from supervisor/executive team member.
  • Creatives/cultural workers/performers:
    • Provide a letter of support from a collaborating community partnering institution or venue, affirming the importance of this project to its mission and strategic plan, and project impact on its communities.
  • Independent scholars, creative writers, authors:
    • Provide a letter of support from a publication, press, or collaborating community partnering institution or venue.

Short-term Research Visits

• The timeframe for research visits is 1-4 week(s) between April 15– August 31, 2027.
• Proposed research dates with alternative dates must be included with the grant application.
• The proposed research dates will be reviewed by the program and discussed with grant recipients before the mutually agreed upon research visit dates are approved. If there is a conflict pertaining to the finalized dates, the Renaissance Project reserves the right to rescind the offer.

Additional Information

Those selected are required to: 

• Attend an orientation/intro to archival research session,  
• Attend three days of cohort project workshopping in August 2027 
• Present project at a CPL Branch between November 2027-February 2028 
• Submit a final project report by March 31, 2028.

Grants may not be deferred.

Questions? Email Dr. Traci Lombré, Renaissance Project Program Coordinator, at tlombre@cplrenaissanceproject.org.