From Carol Ashcraft, whose funding mailing list is a treasure trove of opportunities, comes this intriguing call for proposals:

The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation has announced a call for applications to its Guggenheim Fellows program, "fellowships to assist research and artistic creation."   The fellowships support all endeavors except the performing arts, and include natural sciences, social sciences, the humanities and the creative arts. Fellowships are awarded to selected individuals for a minimum of six months and a maximum of 12 months.  The number of applications per institution is unlimited.

Important dates:
Application deadline: September 15
November 2011:  Guggenheim will contact your references for recommendations.
November 22, 2011:  Work sample submission deadline.
Mid-December:  Acknowledgment of receipt of your application.
April 2012:  Notification of competition results sent to all applicants by email.
April-June 2012:  Return of all work samples to applicants.

The amount of the grant varies according to the project; funds are provided to the individual, not the institution, and are unrestricted.

For more information: See http://www.gf.org/ .