About the Gerda Henkel Foundation:

Since 1976, the Gerda Henkel Foundation has supported more than 9,000 research projects in the historical humanities and for the preservation of cultural heritage, both in Germany and worldwide. The Foundation can by virtue of its statutes pursue its objectives both inside and outside Germany. Candidates can apply regardless of their nationality and place of work — making this a truly global funding opportunity.

The most important criteria for grant decisions are academic significance and quality of the research project, alongside precise planning of costs and schedule.

Seven Core Disciplines (General Research Grants):

• Archaeology.
• History of Art.
• Historical Islamic Studies.
• History.
• History of Science.
• History of Law.
• Prehistory and Early History.
  

Four Special Programmes (Broader Disciplines Accepted):

• Democracy — "Democracy as Utopia, Experience, and Threat." Research addressing democratic systems, transitions, threats to democracy, civic participation, and governance — from historical and contemporary perspectives.
  
• Forced Migration — Research on displacement, refugee experiences, migration causes and consequences, integration, and humanitarian responses — across historical and contemporary contexts.
  
• Lost Cities — "Perception of and Living in Lost Cities in the World's Culture." Research on abandoned, destroyed, or transformed urban spaces — their archaeological, historical, cultural, and contemporary significance.
  
• Security, Society and the State — Research on security challenges, state-society relations, conflict, post-conflict reconstruction, and governance — from historical humanities perspective.
  

Funding Initiatives:

• Patrimonies — Preservation of cultural heritage in crisis regions. Especially relevant for post-disaster and conflict-affected cultural sites. Nepal's post-earthquake heritage is a strong fit.
  
• Scholars at Risk — Subsistence scholarships (max 6 months) for researchers who have fled their home countries due to persecution. Must have left home country within approximately 3 years and have affiliation with a research institution outside home country.
  
• Lisa Maskell Fellowships — Young scholars in humanities in Africa. Not Nepal-eligible.
  

Nepal Eligibility and Relevance:

Nepal is fully eligible — any nationality, any place of work. Nepal offers exceptionally rich research territory for Gerda Henkel's priorities.

General Research Grants — Nepal Angles:

• Archaeology:

Lumbini (UNESCO World Heritage — birthplace of Buddha), Tilaurakot/Kapilavastu (ancient Shakya kingdom), Kathmandu Valley (medieval Newar cities — Bhaktapur, Patan, Kathmandu), Mustang (walled city of Lo Manthang), prehistoric cave sites in Mustang and Dolpo.

• History of Art:

Newari art and architecture (wood carving, stone sculpture, metalwork), Thangka and Paubha painting traditions, temple architecture of Kathmandu Valley, Buddhist and Hindu iconography, Mithila art traditions of Madhesh.

• History:

Nepal's democratic transitions (1951, 1990, 2006), Rana autocracy period, Maoist insurgency (1996–2006), federalism experiment, monarchy to republic transition, Kathmandu Valley as medieval trading hub.

• History of Law:

Nepal's constitutional evolution (7 constitutions in 70 years), transitional justice after civil war, CRPD implementation, customary law systems, caste-based legal discrimination.

Special Programmes — Nepal Angles:

• Democracy: 

Nepal's multi-party democracy, federal restructuring (753 local governments), civic space challenges, press freedom, post-conflict democratic institution building, women's political participation — one of world's most dramatic democracy stories.

• Forced Migration:

Bhutanese refugee resettlement (108,000+ resettled from Nepal), conflict-era internal displacement (200,000+), climate-induced migration from mountains, cross-border labour migration, Tibetan refugee communities.

• Lost Cities:

Lo Manthang (walled city of former Mustang kingdom), medieval Kathmandu Valley cities before urbanisation, Kapilavastu archaeological city, Simraungadh (medieval Mithila capital), earthquake-destroyed heritage sites.

• Patrimonies:

Post-2015 earthquake cultural heritage (over 750 heritage structures damaged/destroyed including Kasthamandap, Dharahara, Basantapur Durbar). Post-2023 Jajarkot earthquake heritage damage. Ongoing threats from urbanisation, climate, and development to Nepal's built heritage.

• Security, Society and the State:

Nepal's Maoist insurgency and peace process, transitional justice (17,000+ cases unresolved), security sector reform, post-conflict state restructuring, Nepal Army's transformation from royal to republican force.

KEY DETAILS

• Foundation: Gerda Henkel Stiftung (Düsseldorf, Germany)
  

• DEADLINES: BIANNUAL
  — Spring: May 28, 2026
  — Autumn: ~NOVEMBER 2026 (date TBA — monitor website)
  — Under €30,000: NO FIXED DEADLINE — apply anytime
  — Committees meet twice yearly
  

• APPLY: Electronic application only
  — https://www.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/en/grants
  — Research proposal max 8 PAGES
  — Recommendation letters required (for general grants)
  

• NEPAL: FULLY ELIGIBLE
  — "Regardless of nationality and place of work"
  — 9,000+ projects funded globally since 1976
  

• THREE FUNDING TYPES:

— RESEARCH PROJECTS: Personnel + travel + materials (groups) — up to €50K+
— RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIPS: €2,150/month (postdocs, 1–24 months)
— PhD SCHOLARSHIPS: €1,600/month (doctoral candidates)

• SEVEN CORE DISCIPLINES:
  
  — ARCHAEOLOGY
  — HISTORY OF ART
  — HISTORICAL ISLAMIC STUDIES
  — HISTORY
  — HISTORY OF SCIENCE
  — HISTORY OF LAW
  — PREHISTORY AND EARLY HISTORY
  
  
• FOUR SPECIAL PROGRAMMES (broader disciplines):
  
  DEMOCRACY — democratic transitions, governance, civic space
  FORCED MIGRATION — displacement, refugees, integration
  LOST CITIES — abandoned/transformed urban spaces
  SECURITY, SOCIETY AND THE STATE — conflict, post-conflict, governance
  
  
• FUNDING INITIATIVES:
  

— PATRIMONIES — cultural heritage in crisis regions (Nepal earthquakes!)
— SCHOLARS AT RISK — persecuted researchers (max 6 months)
— Lisa Maskell — Africa only

• NEPAL RESEARCH ANGLES:
  — LUMBINI + KAPILAVASTU archaeology (birthplace of Buddha)
  — KATHMANDU VALLEY medieval Newar art and architecture
  — NEPAL'S DEMOCRACY story (one of world's most dramatic)
  — MAOIST INSURGENCY + peace process + transitional justice
  — BHUTANESE REFUGEE resettlement (108,000+)
  — CLIMATE MIGRATION from mountains
  — POST-EARTHQUAKE HERITAGE (750+ structures damaged 2015)
  — LO MANTHANG + MUSTANG (Lost Cities angle)
  — CONSTITUTIONAL evolution (7 constitutions in 70 years)
  — FEDERALISM experiment (753 local governments since 2017)
  

• IMPORTANT NOTES:
  — Deadline - May 28
  — Under €30,000 = NO DEADLINE — apply anytime!
  — Applications REJECTED once CANNOT be resubmitted — ever, in any form
  — ACADEMIC SIGNIFICANCE is the primary criterion
  — ELECTRONIC application only — no paper
  — Proposal max 8 PAGES — concise, rigorous
  — RECOMMENDATION LETTERS needed for general grants
  — Special programmes DON'T require recommendations
  — Nepal's archaeology + democracy + post-earthquake heritage = exceptionally strong fit
  — This is one of the world's MOST PRESTIGIOUS humanities research funders
  — 9,000+ projects = substantial, established, trusted
  — Patrimonies initiative specifically targets CRISIS-AFFECTED heritage — Nepal earthquakes qualify
  — BIANNUAL means TWO CHANCES per year — if you miss November, May 2027 is next
  

• CONTACT:
  https://www.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/en/contact