The NEH supports programs that bring us together as a nation. Grants to partner organizations, such as the American Library Association, the Gilder-Lehrman Institute, and the Folger Shakespeare Library, allow for the development of programs that reach every state. These programs encourage Americans to learn more about the past, engage in dialogue about the present, and become the wise, critical thinkers necessary for a functioning democracy.

The NEH preserves our nation’s heritage. Small and large grants to libraries, museums, historical societies, and other cultural organizations preserve nationally-significant collections and locally-important stories. Graduates of NEH-funded preservation programs have preserved our national treasures, including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, as well as the treasured belongings of people who have lost their homes and livelihood to natural disasters.

The NEH makes nationally-significant collections widely available. By funding the compilation and digitization of prominent Americans’ papers—including founders, presidents, explorers, and writers—the NEH makes it possible for us to access our heritage. Programs like the Digital Public Library of America and The National Digital Newspaper Project make newspapers, photographs, books, maps, oral histories, personal letters, and other documents available online.

The NEH supports nationally-significant research. By providing grants to historians documenting previously-unknown historical narratives, supporting archaeologists as they uncover significant sites, and funding interdisciplinary researchers who work on the history of disease and other topics, the NEH helps us reflect on our shared past and prepare for the future. Download as a printable PDF.