Nebraska Collaborative Research Grants
The Cather Project of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Department of English, in partnership with the Willa Cather Archive of the UNL Libraries and the National Willa Cather Center (NWCC) in Red Cloud, has announced the availability of 2026 research grants for visiting scholars.
The program provides financial support for researchers who wish to travel to Nebraska for one to four weeks to conduct in-depth studies on Willa Cather’s life and works. Grant recipients will have access to rich archival materials housed in UNL’s Archives and Special Collections as well as the collections of the NWCC.
Scholars ranging from advanced doctoral students to senior faculty are invited to apply. Each award offers $1,250 per week for up to four weeks of residence. Applications are due December 15, 2024, and successful applicants will be notified by January 1, 2026. Residency periods may be scheduled between January 1 and December 31, 2026, and need not be consecutive.
“The Cather Project and our partners at the National Willa Cather Center are excited to welcome scholars to Nebraska to engage directly with the archival materials that bring Cather’s world to life,” said Professor Melissa J. Homestead, Director of the Cather Project. “We look forward to supporting innovative research that deepens our understanding of Cather’s writing and legacy.”
In addition to access to primary sources, visiting scholars will receive guidance from Cather Project and Willa Cather Archive staff and may have opportunities to present their work in progress. The Cather Project, which produces the Willa Cather Scholarly Edition and Cather Studies (both published by the University of Nebraska Press), oversees one of the most comprehensive collections of Cather materials anywhere.
UNL’s Archives and Special Collections house Cather’s letters, edited manuscripts and typescripts, early editions of her works, and numerous Cather-related materials. The NWCC archive in Red Cloud, located about two and a half hours from Lincoln, includes letters, photographs, books, and personal artifacts. Depending on availability, the NWCC may also offer in-kind housing support for visiting researchers.
These grants are funded by the Willa Cather Fund and the Roberta and James Woodress Fund, administered by the University of Nebraska Foundation.
Applicants should submit the following materials to Professor Homestead at mhomestead2@unl.edu:
A curriculum vitae (maximum two pages)
A three-page proposal describing the proposed research project and the relevance of UNL and NWCC materials to the work
For more information about the research grants or the Cather Project, please contact Professor Melissa J. Homestead at the email address above.