"JCB Research Fellowship for Indigenous Communities"

The John Carter Brown (JCB) Library, located on the campus of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, stewards a research collection focused on the histories and cultures of the Early Americas. The Library is free and open to the public with appointments required for research visits, and operates a robust fellowship program to support researchers across myriad research topics. The JCB invites tribal communities and community members to apply to its Research Fellowship for Indigenous Communities. This fellowship supports community-prioritized and community-based research that would benefit from research time in the JCB’s collections, that could be undertaken, for example, by Native or Indigenous scholars, Elders, Tribal librarians or archivists, and knowledge keepers.

The Fellowship is available for periods of two to four months and includes a stipend of $2,250 per month. The JCB supports both residential and remote fellowships. Applications are accepted and awarded on a rolling basis.

Awards are open to U.S. citizens and foreign nationals who hold the necessary U.S. government documents. Successful proposals will require the use of materials available only at the JCB.

Tribal communities may apply and select a researcher or group of researchers to accept the fellowship on behalf of the community. Individual scholars may apply but must include a letter of support from the tribal community that will benefit from their research. Researchers do not need to have an academic affiliation or academic background to apply. Fellowship funding supports the JCB’s commitment to knowledge sharing and digital and on-site access to its collection of materials focused on the history of the western hemisphere from the 15th through the 19th centuries.

Priority will be given to applications from tribal communities across the southern New England region for the 2023-2024 pilot year of the fellowship.

• A completed application form
• A 1-3 page description of the proposed project, progress to date on the project, identification of materials to be consulted at the JCB, and plan for work to be completed while in residence or while working remotely*
• A letter of support from community leadership offering a brief description of person(s) who will undertake the fellowship work and description of researcher’s experience and interest in undertaking this work on behalf of the community
• Any additional materials that may be helpful