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The American Bach Society is pleased to offer several different grants and prizes. The William H. Scheide Research Grants are primarily for doctoral candidates, junior faculty, and independent scholars; the William H. Scheide Prize recognizes excellence in publication; the Frances Alford Brokaw Grant is aimed at undergraduate students. As of 2021, two new awards are available: the ABS Diversity Grant (open to all) and a stipend toward German-language study aimed at doctoral students. Please see individual descriptions below.
We seek to expand recognition of good work in the field of Bach studies by encouraging applications from those pursuing non-traditional topics and from new voices in the field. Please share your passion for Bach research with us!
William H. Scheide Research Grants
The William H. Scheide Research Grants, stipends ordinarily ranging from $500 to $4,000, awarded annually, provide support for research projects on Bach or figures in his circle. The funds may be used to defray travel costs, acquire reproductions of primary sources, or for similar purposes. Although preference will be given to applications from Ph.D. candidates, junior faculty, and independent scholars, senior faculty are also encouraged to apply, especially when institutional research support is limited or unavailable. Awards will normally go to citizens or permanent residents of the United States or Canada. Applicants must be a current member of the Society; each winner will also receive an additional one-year membership in the Society.
Applications should include a research proposal of no more than three double-spaced pages, along with a curriculum vitae and a budget, all in English. The committee will favor proposals that include concrete statements of (1) the materials to be consulted (specific scores, books, instruments, etc.) if research in libraries or archives is proposed, and why it is necessary to examine them on-site; (2) a clear itinerary if travel is involved; and (3) the nature of the ultimate outcome of the research (book, article, edition, etc.).
Grants will be awarded for research to be completed by December 31, 2025. To apply, please send a description of your research project and a budget by November 15, 2025, to the ABS Vice President at vicepresident@americanbachsociety.org. Applicants whose requests for funding are outside the range mentioned above, whether higher or lower, are still encouraged to apply. Decisions will be announced by the end of December.
The William H. Scheide Grant and Prize were established in 1990 by an endowment fund given by William H. Scheide (1914–2014). It honors in perpetuity one of the founding members of the ABS and its first major benefactor.
