Opportunity Information: Apply for 19 606
The NSF Dynamic Language Infrastructure - NEH Documenting Endangered Languages opportunity is a joint funding program run by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Its main goal is to support research and infrastructure-building focused on endangered human languages, especially those that are both understudied and at real risk of no longer being spoken or used. The program is framed around the urgency that a large share of the worlds roughly 7,000 living languages could be lost in the foreseeable future, and it emphasizes that modern information technology can play a major role in documenting, analyzing, and sustaining linguistic knowledge before it disappears.
The opportunity is centered on developing "dynamic language infrastructure," meaning practical, technology-enabled systems and resources that help researchers and communities record, manage, analyze, and preserve language data in ways that remain usable over time. Projects are expected to contribute to stronger data management practices and long-term archiving, so that recordings and annotations do not sit in isolated personal collections but instead become accessible, curated research assets. Another core priority is building the next generation of researchers by supporting training, mentorship, and pathways for emerging scholars to gain hands-on experience in endangered language documentation and digital methods.
The types of activities supported are broad, but they revolve around high-quality documentation and the creation of durable digital language resources. Funding can be used for fieldwork and other efforts tied to the digital recording, documentation, analysis, and archiving of endangered language data. Supported outputs may include lexicons (structured dictionaries or word lists), grammars (descriptions of sound systems, word formation, and syntax), curated text samples (such as narratives, conversations, ceremonial speech, or oral histories), and databases that organize linguistic and cultural materials for searching and reuse. In practice, this may involve collecting audio and video recordings, transcribing and translating them, adding linguistic annotations, designing metadata that makes materials discoverable, and depositing the resulting collections in appropriate archives.
The program offers multiple funding formats rather than a single grant type. It supports senior research grants with project periods of one to three years, fellowships that typically last six to twelve months, and conference proposals. Conference proposals come with a timing expectation: they should generally be submitted at least a year before the planned conference date, reflecting the lead time needed for review and logistics. The NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) is specifically referenced for guidance on preparing and submitting conference proposals, directing applicants to the relevant section for compliance and formatting requirements.
In terms of administrative details, this is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by NSF under the science and technology and other research and development category, with CFDA numbers listed as 47.050, 47.070, 47.075, and 47.076. The funding opportunity number is 19-606, and the opportunity anticipated around 30 awards. The listing indicates an award ceiling of 0, which typically signals that a specific maximum award amount is not stated in the summary and that applicants should rely on the full solicitation or program guidance for budget expectations and norms. Eligibility is described as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," meaning applicants need to consult the full program solicitation for the precise definitions of who may apply and under what organizational or institutional conditions. The opportunity information provided includes a creation date of September 22, 2019, and it lists a submission deadline of September 15, 2020 for senior research proposals, conferences, and fellowships.Apply for 19 606
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NSF Dynamic Language Infrastructure - NEH Documenting Endangered Languages" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.050, 47.070, 47.075, 47.076.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 22, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 15, 2020 Submission Deadline for Senior Research Proposals, Conferences, and Fellowships Only. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 30 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the NSF Dynamic Language Infrastructure - NEH Documenting Endangered Languages program?
This is a joint funding program run by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). It supports research and infrastructure-building focused on endangered human languages, particularly languages that are both understudied and at real risk of no longer being spoken or used.
What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The main goal is to support work that documents, analyzes, and helps sustain knowledge of endangered languages, with an emphasis on building practical, technology-enabled resources that keep language data usable over time.
Why does the program emphasize urgency?
The program is framed around the risk that a large share of the world’s roughly 7,000 living languages could be lost in the foreseeable future. The opportunity emphasizes acting before linguistic knowledge disappears.
What does "dynamic language infrastructure" mean in this program?
It refers to practical, technology-enabled systems and resources that help researchers and communities record, manage, analyze, and preserve endangered language data in ways that remain accessible and usable over the long term.
What kinds of projects does the program support?
Supported activities are broad but center on high-quality language documentation and the creation of durable digital resources. This can include fieldwork, recording, documentation, analysis, and archiving of endangered language data, along with related infrastructure and data management practices.
Does the program support fieldwork?
Yes. Funding can be used for fieldwork and other efforts tied to digital recording, documentation, analysis, and archiving of endangered language data.
What types of outputs or deliverables are expected?
Outputs may include lexicons (structured dictionaries or word lists), grammars (descriptions of sound systems, word formation, and syntax), curated text samples (such as narratives, conversations, ceremonial speech, or oral histories), and databases that organize linguistic and cultural materials for searching and reuse.
What kinds of data and processing steps might a project include?
Projects may involve collecting audio and video recordings, transcribing and translating them, adding linguistic annotations, designing metadata to make materials discoverable, and depositing resulting collections in appropriate archives.
How does the program address long-term access and preservation?
A core priority is strengthening data management practices and long-term archiving so recordings and annotations do not remain in isolated personal collections, but instead become curated, accessible research assets.
Is training or mentorship part of what the program funds?
Yes. Another core priority is building the next generation of researchers through training, mentorship, and pathways for emerging scholars to gain hands-on experience in endangered language documentation and digital methods.
What funding formats are available under this opportunity?
The program offers multiple formats: senior research grants, fellowships, and conference proposals.
How long can a senior research grant last?
Senior research grants have project periods of one to three years.
How long do fellowships typically last?
Fellowships typically last six to twelve months.
Are conference proposals supported?
Yes. Conference proposals are one of the supported funding formats under this opportunity.
When should a conference proposal be submitted relative to the conference date?
Conference proposals should generally be submitted at least a year before the planned conference date to allow time for review and logistics.
What guidance is referenced for preparing and submitting conference proposals?
The NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) is specifically referenced, directing applicants to the relevant section for compliance and formatting requirements.
Who administers this grant opportunity?
This is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by NSF, in the science and technology and other research and development category, and it is run jointly with NEH as a partner program.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is 19-606.
How many awards are anticipated?
The opportunity anticipated around 30 awards.
What are the CFDA numbers associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA numbers listed are 47.050, 47.070, 47.075, and 47.076.
Is there a stated maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listing indicates an award ceiling of 0. This typically means a specific maximum award amount is not stated in the summary and applicants should rely on the full solicitation or program guidance for budget expectations and norms.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)." This means applicants need to consult the full program solicitation for the precise definitions of who may apply and under what organizational or institutional conditions.
What was the submission deadline listed for this opportunity?
The information provided lists a submission deadline of September 15, 2020 for senior research proposals, conferences, and fellowships.
What is the creation date listed for the opportunity information?
The creation date provided is September 22, 2019.
Does the program focus on certain types of endangered languages?
Yes. It emphasizes endangered languages that are both understudied and at real risk of no longer being spoken or used.
How does information technology fit into the program’s priorities?
The program emphasizes that modern information technology can play a major role in documenting, analyzing, and sustaining linguistic knowledge, especially through durable digital resources, strong metadata, and long-term archiving.
What is meant by making language materials "discoverable"?
Based on the description, discoverability is supported by designing metadata that helps others find and understand archived materials, enabling searching and reuse of linguistic and cultural resources.
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