Magic Grants for Innovation

The Magic Project offers innovation grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 to Princeton faculty, thanks to the generosity of Lynn Shostack, in memory of her husband, David A. Gardner ’69.

Magic grants are designed to serve as the initiating spark and primary support for bold, imaginative projects. The goal is to foster ideas that break new ground–intellectually or pedagogically–and that have the potential to change how the humanities are conceived and taught. The selection committee welcomes interdisciplinary initiatives and is especially attentive to intellectual “nooks and crannies”: areas of inquiry that may be unfamiliar to students and colleagues but are vital to the richness of the Princeton experience. Risk-taking and experimentation and strongly encouraged. In this spirit, the word “magic” is used metaphorically to suggest the transformative potential of new ideas.

In addition to cultivating research communities, the Humanities Council is deeply committed to enriching Princeton’s pedagogy. We prioritize funding for “breakthrough” courses that incorporate experiential or field-based components that move outside the traditional classroom setting. Previous examples include Princeton-based “lab” courses such as “BattleLab” and “Alchemy,” work in digital archives, and visits to historical/cultural sites–domestic and international; and other co-curricular activities. Activities may span a few days, take place over academic breaks, or extend across several weeks or months. Our aim is to deepen and internationalize learning across the humanities curriculum, with a focus on interdisciplinary or cross-divisional innovation.