2026 Church History Department Research Grants

In 2020, Pulitzer Prize winning historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich praised the Church History Library and its “increasing open access to resources and professional management and digital access” as a major contributor to the rise of Mormon studies in the twenty-first century.¹ The department’s extensive holdings are an essential resource for historians and scholars interested in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members. Researchers who want to explore the Church’s holdings can search the Church History Library catalog or peruse numerous research guides produced by the department on various topics in Latter-day Saint history.

The Church History Department continues to make more of its collections available digitally, yet others remain available only onsite. The department recognizes the expense of traveling to Salt Lake City can sometimes prohibit researchers from visiting the library, especially those who are early in their careers. With the intent of facilitating opportunities for researchers to access its archival, art, and artifactual collections, the Church History Department is pleased to announce the offering of research grants in 2026. These grants are directed toward the following individuals:

• Emerging scholars in the United States, defined as graduate students, recent graduates, or young professionals, including those who have obtained a Ph.D. within the last five years;
• Emerging scholars outside of the United States, defined as advanced students, recent graduates, or young professionals, including those who have obtained a Ph.D. within the last five years;
• Individuals interested in Latter-day Saint history, art history, or studies who are not professionals in the field or studying to become professionals;
• Experienced scholars with significant experience in researching and writing in Latter-day Saint and/or religious history and studies.

Applicants do not need to be affiliated with the Church, and they do not necessarily need previous experience in researching Latter-day Saint history. Preference will be given to individuals who have not received a previous research grant from the department. Current employees of the Church History Department are not eligible for grants.

The intent of the grants is to:

• Help scholars research in the department’s holdings onsite.
• Stimulate the examination of underrepresented groups and topics in Latter-day Saint history.
• Encourage different perspectives on Latter-day Saint history.
• Establish connections with emerging scholars, both domestically and internationally.

For more information on the types of grants available and the application process, please see the Call for Applications. We encourage all interested scholars to apply.