Our grants support public programming with the humanities at its heart — inspiring organizations to explore innovative programs that spark dialogue, strive to engage new audiences, and stimulate the thoughtful exchange of ideas.
Programs can take many forms, including lectures, new media projects, reading and discussion programs, seminars, interpretive exhibits, local and living histories, spoken word programs, and interpreting oral histories.
The humanities include the study and interpretation of history, literature (including novels, poetry, drama, and other forms of written expression, both modern and classical), philosophy, ethics, jurisprudence, comparative religion, archaeology, cultural anthropology, and the interpretation (not the creation) of the arts. These humanities disciplines are tools that can help us to explore what makes us human, connect us with others, and discover meaning and richness in our lives and for our communities.
Grant Timing and Deadlines
- Major Grants (awards up to $10,000)
Our Major Grants Program supports innovative projects that use the humanities as the central resource to engage diverse groups and individuals through programming like exhibits, community dialogues, and documentary films, and include a wide variety of perspectives exploring critical issues.
DEADLINES:
Spring For projects beginning on or after September 1
Letters of Intent Due: March 1*
Grant Proposals Due: April 15*
Notification: Late July
Fall For projects beginning on or after January 1 of the following year
Letters of Intent Due: September 1*
Grant Proposals Due: October 15*
Notification: Late November
* All materials must be submitted through the online grants portal by 11:59 pm EST on the day of the deadline. Deadlines that fall on weekends or holidays are honored on the next business day.
- Mini Grants (awards up to $1,200)Our Mini Grants Program invites nonprofit organizations and schools to apply for funding in support of public humanities projects, documentary film, and civic education initiatives.
DEADLINES:
Mini Grant deadlines are March 1, July 1, and November 1.
Submit your application to meet one of the deadlines, which is at least ten (10) weeks prior to the start of your project. Notification of awards will occur five (5) weeks after the application deadline. The project must be completed within one year of the award.
All materials must be submitted through the online grants portal by 11:59 pm EST on the day of the deadline. Deadlines that fall on weekends or holidays are honored on the next business day.
Please pay close attention to our grant deadlines. We want your proposal to get its fair consideration, but in fairness to other applicants and to the process, we cannot make any exceptions to our deadlines.