Grants — The American Institute for Michaels

I Eligibility

Applications are accepted from scholars, independent researchers, and practitioners working in any tradition. Applicants need not be Michaels themselves, though Michaels are obviously welcome. Affiliation with a recognized institution is preferred but not required.

Awards are made twice yearly, in March and September, by the Institute's Standing Committee on Notability acting in concert with the Treasurer. The Institute makes no representation as to the likelihood of an award; in the most recent fiscal year, fewer than nine percent of submitted applications were funded.

II Research Priorities, FY 2026

The following priorities are not exclusive; the Committee considers proposals outside these areas, but applicants should expect a higher bar.

01

The Onomastic Density of American Counties

Quantitative geography of Michael-bearing populations at the county level, with attention to the historical interaction between immigration corridors and naming conventions. Field research is encouraged but not required.

Up to $4,200
02

The Hypocoristic Tradition

Sociolinguistic study of the conditions under which a Michael becomes a Mike, a Mikey, a Mick, or — in rarer cases — a Mikael. Cross-generational interview studies are particularly welcome.

Up to $3,800
03

Michael in the Civic Imagination, 1954–1998

A historical accounting of the cultural conditions sustaining Michael's forty-four-year tenure as the most popular masculine given name in the United States. Submissions making serious use of the Saturday morning television canon will be reviewed favorably.

Up to $5,000
04

The Phonology of Forename Misrecognition

Acoustic study of the conditions — environmental, conversational, dental — under which "Michael" is heard as "Michelle," "Mitchell," or, on at least one well-documented occasion, "Marcel."

Up to $2,400
05

Towards a General Theory of Coincident Naming

Theoretical inquiry into the experience of working in close, sustained collaboration with another person bearing one's own given name. Particular interest in disambiguation strategies (initials, surnames, "the other Michael") and their effect on professional identity.

Up to $4,500
06

Saint Michael in the Visual Vernacular

Iconographic study of the archangel's representation in popular religious art of the post-conciliar period. Submissions need not be confined to ecclesiastical institutions; supermarket prayer cards are explicitly within scope.

Up to $3,000
07

The Institute's Own Holdings

Archival fellowships for scholars wishing to work with the Institute's correspondence files (1980 to present), housed at the Boston seat. Travel and lodging are provided.

Up to $6,000

III Application

A complete application consists of: a cover letter not exceeding two pages; a statement of work not exceeding eight pages; a budget on the Institute's standard form; and the names and contact details of two professional referees. Applications may be submitted by post or by electronic dispatch to the general office.

The Institute does not require copies of academic transcripts, prior publications, or letters of institutional support. We have found these documents to be uncorrelated with the eventual quality of the funded work, and request that applicants not provide them.

IV Reporting

Recipients are expected to submit a brief written report (not exceeding three pages) within ninety days of the conclusion of the funded period, together with a copy of any publication, manuscript, or other artifact arising from the work. The Institute does not require co-authorship, named acknowledgment, or any other form of public credit, but is grateful when these are extended.