The Manuscript Society was founded in 1948 to promote the collection, preservation, and use of manuscripts. In order to encourage the use of original manuscripts for academic research, The Manuscript Society established the Richard Maass Research Grant. The grant is named in memory of legendary collector and founding member of The Manuscript Society, Richard Maass (1919-1998). The first grant was made for the academic year 1999-2000.

Scholarship Activities

The Maass Research Grant

The grant, currently set at $5,000, is awarded to an individual student. The money is given to the academic institution where the winner is enrolled, and in turn the institution gives it to the student. All of the money goes to the individual; the university does not retain any of the funds.

Applicants must be pursuing a graduate degree at an accredited College or University that holds institutional membership in The Manuscript Society. Preference is given to doctoral candidates. The Grant is to be used for expenses related directly to research using original manuscripts.

Past Maass Grant winners : Kim Todt (2009), Brian I. Gillis (2010,)Kristen McCabe Lashua (2012), Kameliya Atanasova (2014), Rosemary V.Lee (2011), Matthew Kruer (2013), Christopher Gillett (2015), Silvia Escanilla Huerta (2017), Kyle Bond (2018), Taylor Sims (2019), Christopher T. Richards (2020), LeNie Adolphson (2022), Maxwell Pingeon (2023), Santiago Conti (2024 – photo: Sameer Khan).

Recent Scholarship Posts

University Members of Manuscript Society

The following Universities and Colleges are currently members in good standing in The Manuscript Society. As such, graduate students currently enrolled in academic programs at these institutions are eligible to apply for the 2025 Richard Maass Research Grant of $5,000.00. All requirements and instructions are included on this site. [If you do not see your institution on this list, contact your academic advisor to encourage your department or university library to join.]

  • Arizona State University
  • Auburn University
  • Ball State University
  • Baylor University
  • Bibliotheek der Rijksuniversiteit
  • Boston College
  • Boston University
  • Bowling Green State University
  • Brigham Young University
  • Brown University
  • Columbia University
  • Dartmouth College
  • Duke University
  • Florida State University
  • Georgetown University
  • Harvard University
  • Haverford College
  • Hebrew Union College
  • Indiana University
  • Louisiana State University
  • National Defense University
  • New York University
  • Northern Illinois University
  • Ohio University
  • Ohio State University
  • Oklahoma State University
  • Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek
  • Oxford University, Bodleian Libraries
  • Pennsylvania State University
  • Princeton University
  • Purdue University
  • Rice University
  • Southern Methodist University
  • Stanford University
  • Texas A & M University
  • Tulane University
  • University of Alabama
  • University of British Columbia
  • University of California – Berkeley
  • University of California – Santa Cruz
  • University of Chicago
  • University of Colorado
  • University of Dublin, Trinity College
  • University of Georgia
  • University of Illinois – Champagne-Urbana
  • University of Iowa
  • University of Kentucky
  • University of Maryland
  • University of Michigan
  • University of Minnesota
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • University of Pittsburgh
  • University of Rochester
  • University of Tennessee – Knoxville
  • University of Texas – Austin
  • University of Utah
  • University of Vermont
  • University of Virginia
  • University of Wisconsin – Madison
  • UVA Universiteitsbibkiotheek SZ
  • Washington University in St Louis
  • William and Mary College

Richard Maass Grant Application

Who can Apply

Only scholars attending institutions with memberships in the Manuscript Society as of January 1, 2025, will receive consideration for the grant. Check the list of member institutions above. If your institution does not now have a membership, consider asking your department or the library to obtain one.

The society issues the nonrenewable grant to the sponsoring institution, which disburses all the monies to the recipient. Upon completing the research, the recipient is required to (1) submit a detailed report to the society’s scholarship committee and (2) recognize the society’s support in any publication resulting from the research.

How the Maass Grant Is Different

Some grants fund only travel. But that is a narrow view of the expenses scholars face including food and lodging and document reproduction. Our disbursement model is different too. Monies are paid to the institution rather than the scholar— and the institution must give the scholar the full amount.

How to Apply

Interested students must submit (1) a letter of application, (2) a résumé, (3) an anticipated budget, (4) a proposal of no more than three double-spaced pages and (5) two or three letters of recommendation sent to the scholarship committee. One letter must be from the thesis or dissertation advisor. The proposal should demonstrate that the research involves considerable work with original manuscripts.

Each file name should start with the applicant’s surname, for example SmithProposal; SmithBudget; SmithSupportLetter; etc. All applicants will be notified of the scholarship committee’s decision soon after March 17, 2025.

Send inquiries to Dr. Ellen H. Myers at myers@manuscript.org. Send applications and supporting letters to ManuscriptSocietyGrant@manuscript.org.

Key Dates

  • Application Deadline: Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2025
  • Selection Announcement: St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2025

Criteria for Evaluating Maass Grant Applications

The Scholarship Committee will use the following criteria to evaluate Maass Grant applications:

  • Clear objectives in a well-organized format.
  • A description of the manuscripts which the student expects to find and how they will support the research project.
  • A detailed and realistic budget explaining how the $5,000 will be used.
  • Letters of Reference which explain the significance of the academic project and indicate confidence in the student’s ability to complete it

What Comes After

Once the research is complete, the Maass scholar must submit a detailed report to the Manuscript Society. Any publication resulting from the research must recognize the society’s support.

Questions?

Visit https://manuscript.org/projects/scholarship-activities or contact Scholarship Committee Chair Dr. Ellen H. Myers at myers@manuscript.org.

The Maass Research Grant is made possible by the generosity of our members. We encourage you to donate at https://manuscript.org/product/scholarship-fund. Your gift will help us bring original manuscripts to a new generation of scholars.