History & Member Units
Taft has a unique membership model. Learn about the history of our endowment, eligibility requirements, and our current 15 member units.
History
In 1930, Annie Sinton Taft made a generous $2,000,000 endowment for, "the study and teaching of 'the Humanities' in the College of Liberal Arts and Graduate school of the University of Cincinnati," in honor of her late husband Charles Phelps Taft, "whose interest in the advance of culture and art included an especial interest in the progress of the University of Cincinnati, and a real enthusiasm for those studies which relate to the improvement of the mind than to physical and material betterment." Her desire was, in her words, to “bring about a concentration of interest upon that group of ideas which are generally known as 'The Humanities,' hoping others may be inspired to join in the same work or other work of the University." She believed there was "a lack of emphasis on the value of thought and conduct and character", and to this end, she sought to fuel 'The Humanities', focusing on "the development of ideas, of thought and of character."
Between 1930 and 2004, the Charles Phelps Taft Memorial Fund provided monies from the endowment to UC faculty and students, towards the above purpose. In 2005, Taft gained an institution presence as the Charles Phelps Taft Research Center at the University of Cincinnati. Our mission is to realize the vision of Annie Sinton Taft, funding excellent humanities scholarship in order to expand our minds and the conceivable.
Members of the Taft family continue to serve as trustees of the endowment, ensuring long term security over the fund.
Member Units & Funding Eligibility
While our many of our programs and events are public-facing and open to the broader university community, eligibility for most funding opportunities is restricted to our 15 Uptown West Campus member units, their tenure-track faculty, and students pursuing major courses of study within them.
Expanded Eligibility (2026–28)
As part of a two-year pilot program, we are expanding eligibility for all non-fellowship and non-professorship faculty award programs to include the following:
- Educator, Research, and Practice Faculty with full-time appointments in a Taft unit;
- Visiting Faculty with full-time appointments in a Taft unit;
- Postdoctoral Fellows with full-time appointments in a Taft unit;
- Postdoctoral Fellows with full-time appointments in a College of Arts & Sciences Center or Institute who have terminal degrees in a Taft unit field.
