Grace Magnaghi Research Grant
The Grace H. Magnaghi Upper Peninsula Research Grant was established by Grace Magnaghi in 1999 for the support of research on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Northern Michigan University invites applications for the Grace H. Magnaghi Upper Peninsula Research Grant for research at the Central Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan University Archives/Lydia M. Olson Library and other supporting resources in the Upper Peninsula. Grant funds are provided to further scholarly research about the history and culture of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and to aid the researcher with some of the expenses incurred in this endeavor.
The Central Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan University Archives is a repository for manuscript collections that document the history of the central Upper Peninsula of Michigan and for archival records that document the history of Northern Michigan University. The Archives also has an online bibliography of the Upper Peninsula entitled “Portals to the Past” (Magnaghi). Possible topical research areas include the history of education, the labor movement, politics and government, environmental preservation, religion, linguistics, immigration, literature and culture.
Grant funds may only be used for the following:
- Membership(s) to any archive(s) or historical society(ies);
- Travel expenses;
- Cost of travel to conduct, and transcription of, oral interviews;
- Subscriptions to Ancestry.com or procurement of census data;
- Subscription to digital newspapers, such as newspaper.com, or other digital publications;
- Purchase of photographs, books, or documents; and
- Costs of editing, photocopying, and publishing.
Applications will be selected for funding from proposed projects that extensively use the archives and library collections. Proposed projects may be scholarly in scope and may include theses, dissertations, research papers, and publications.
DEADLINE: Dec 5, 2025; MAX AWARD: Amount varies based on the NMU Foundation spending policy. Typical grants awarded are between $1,000 - $2,000. A recipient may be funded for only two consecutive years on the same research.
Applicants must submit a completed Grace Magnaghi Research Grant Application Form, which includes the following:
- Responses to application questions;
- A current resume/curriculum vitae (CV);
- Two letters of recommendation; and
- If required, evidence of Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval.
Any individual with a project addressing archival usage (see description above) will be eligible for this award. Applicants do not need to be connected to NMU.
Applications must be completed as specified in the Grace Magnaghi Research Grant Application Form (see "Application Instructions").
Any questions should be directed to grants@nmu.edu.
Reporting instructions
Upon completion of the research, successful applicants will:
(1) Write a one-page report of their activity in the archives/library and include receipts of expenses;
(2) Conduct a public presentation locally in the Upper Peninsula (see suggestions below) or at a public venue elsewhere; and
(3) Provide the NMU Archives with a hard copy of a publication of their research (e.g., book, periodical, paper, dissertation) upon completion of the research or upon publication. Any transcripts of oral interviews should also be provided.
Suggested places to present the research locally:
The Sonderegger Symposium, NMU Archive's Lecture Series, The Maritime Museum, The Iron Industry Museum, The Marquette Regional Museum, NMU's Science on Tap, The Historical Society of Michigan, The U.P. History Conference, Peter White Public Library, Michigan Historical Society Publications, The Chronicle of Michigan History.
For student winners, additional options are the Celebration of Student Scholarship, and graduate students can also consider the Three Minute Thesis competition.
If a PI would like to request a No-Cost Extension, this No-Cost Extension form must be submitted at least 15 calendar days prior to the end of the project period.
Past awards
| 2025 | Jenny Cho | The History of the Yooper Dialect and its Role in the English Language |
| Massimo Sassi | Historical importance of musical practices and traditions to generations of Italian immigrants and Italian Americans | |
| Jongeun You | Reclamation of Iron Mines in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan | |
| 2024 | Sarah Mittlefehldt | Distilling the Forest: A history of liquid biofuels in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula |
| 2023 | Sarah Mittlefehldt | Distilling the Forest: A history of liquid biofuels in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula |
| 2022 | Jon Billman | The UP Roswell: The 1953 Kinross Incident and the Cold War over Lake Superior. |
| Camden Burd | Battle for the Soul of the North Country: Politics, Nature, and Finding Meaning in the Upper Midwest | |
| Alexandria Penn | The Visiting Nurses of Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company | |
| 2020 | Samuel Kapp | The Gossard Strikes of 1949 |
| Dwight Brady | Linked to Legends: The UP Teams that Played the Packers. | |
| 2019 | Jim McCommons | Camera Hunter: George Shiras III & and Birth of Wildlife Photography |
| 2018 | Jim McCommons | Camera Hunter: George Shiras III & and Birth of Wildlife Photography |
| 2017 | Matt E. Liesch | Socio-Economic Imparts of the Great Lake Restoration Initative |
| 2015 | Elizabeth Fielding-Oliver | Episcopal Bishop Hayward Ablewhite |
| James Seelye | Bishop Baraga | |
| 2014 | Aaron Howe | Coalwood Anthropological Study |
| 2013 | Kathy Warnes | Julia Tibbetts Papers |
| Camden Burd | ||
| 2009 | Kathryn Remlinger | Changing Dialect Perceptions in the U.P. |
| 2008 | Kathryn Remlinger | Voelker/Study Opinions |
| 2006 | Kristen Lucas | Occupational Narratives in the UP Mining Industry |
| 2005 | Eileen Kavanagh | John Voelker’s State Supreme Court decisions |
| 2004 | James Seelye | Bishop Frederick Baraga |
| Crestina Minghini | Statistical analysis of immigration records | |
| 2003 | Terry Reynolds | CCI Papers |
About Grace Magnaghi
Grace H. Magnaghi was born on February 8, 1911 in her beloved San Francisco, to Martin and Catherine (Claverie) Mendiara, natives of France. After graduating from Galileo High School and attending commercial-business school, she was employed as a bookkeeper for numerous San Francisco firms for over a decade. She married Mario V. Magnaghi on August 2, 1931. They had two sons, Russell and Roger Magnaghi.
Throughout her life, Grace Magnaghi enjoyed history and traveling to historic sites, which meant she kept journals of each of her trips. While visiting the Gettysburg battlefield, she recited the Gettysburg Address—by heart. Always interested in the news, whether on TV or the San Francisco Chronicle, she kept abreast of the late-breaking news stories, especially about politics and history.
In high school, Grace Magnaghi first learned about iron ore shipments at the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula. During the summer months, she visited Mackinac Island, Copper Harbor, and the Soo. While visiting the canal she finally saw what she had learned so many years earlier.
Grace Magnaghi moved to Marquette in 1999 due to declining health to be nearer her family, and she developed a new life in the Upper Peninsula. She played the piano/keyboard, had a wonderful sense of humor, went to the gym, went to the Landmark for a “burger and beer” or celebrated Bastille Day (France Independence) with “Crêpes and Champagne” and an “À la Santé”. Although she spoke English, French was her first language, which she constantly promoted to anyone who wished to learn it. After 10 years in Marquette and celebrating 100 years, she died on March 9, 2011.
Since 1999, she had been interested in seeing that the heritage of the region was promoted by researchers and scholars; thus, she created this endowment—The Grace H. Magnaghi Upper Peninsula Research Grant Endowment—which supports scholarly research about the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (education, the labor movement, politics and government, environmental preservation, religion, linguistics, immigration, literature, and culture).