Humanities New York (HNY), a statewide nonprofit organization, offers Action Grants to support projects that utilize humanities disciplines to explore and respond to current issues affecting New York communities. These grants are aimed at fostering meaningful community engagement, enhancing local partnerships, and broadening audience diversity through innovative and relevant humanities-based programming.
The Action Grants are intended for the development and execution of public-facing projects that promote dialogue, critical thinking, and reflection. Projects supported by these grants should have a strong humanities focus and must demonstrate a commitment to engaging the public in significant ways. Examples from previous years include events that brought historical education to life through interactive experiences and public tours, such as the Doors Open Buffalo and the New Netherland Marketplace hosted by Huguenot Historical Society.
Eligible applicants include any tax-exempt organization such as nonprofits, municipalities, and Native nations or tribal governments that are both based in and serve New York State. All applying organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and must demonstrate the ability to cover at least 50% of their project costs, as the grant only funds up to half of total expenses. Each project must also include at least one team member with recognized humanities expertise.
Applications must be submitted through the Humanities New York online grant portal. Required materials include proof of tax-exempt status, an organization’s IRS Form 990 or operating budget, a detailed project narrative that outlines the humanities content and community engagement strategy, and a project budget showing a minimum 1:1 match of the requested grant amount.
Currently, the Action Grants program is paused, and applications are not being accepted. The grant typically opens twice per year. For further information or detailed application requirements, prospective applicants are encouraged to contact Humanities New York directly at grants@humanitiesny.org.
Humanities New York is headquartered at 150 Broadway, Suite 1700, New York, NY 10038. Their mission centers on applying the humanities to reinforce democratic society through inclusive and reflective public programming.
