Media Projects

The Media Projects program is administered by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), an independent federal agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the humanities and conveying the lessons of history to all Americans. NEH funds a range of humanities projects, including museum exhibitions, documentaries, podcasts, and other media initiatives designed to engage the public in compelling and creative ways. The agency emphasizes content grounded in scholarly research and encourages partnerships between humanities scholars and media producers to enrich public discourse. This funding opportunity specifically supports the development and production of media projects that deepen public understanding of humanities topics. The goal is to foster collaboration between media professionals and academic scholars to create accessible and educational content for broad audiences. Eligible media formats include documentary films and television programs, radio broadcasts, and podcasts. The projects must be rooted in humanities scholarship and are intended to engage audiences with historical, cultural, ethical, and philosophical topics. NEH offers awards at two levels under the Media Projects program: Development and Production. Development awards support the early stages of project planning, including research, script development, and initial interviews. Production awards fund the implementation and finalization of media content. The scope of funding reflects the complexity and cost of media production, with the award ceiling reaching up to $1,000,000 and a total program funding estimate of $3.5 million. A total of 12 awards are expected to be granted under this opportunity. There is no matching requirement for applicants. The program is open to a wide range of applicants including nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, public and private institutions of higher education, state and local governments, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and special district governments. For full eligibility requirements, applicants are directed to consult Section C of the Notice of Funding Opportunity. This grant opportunity is forecasted and not currently open; however, the NEH has indicated that the estimated application open date is May 13, 2025, with an expected submission deadline of August 13, 2025. Applicants should anticipate that projects awarded funding will begin on May 1, 2026, and awards will be announced by April 30, 2026. There are no stated pre-application or letter of intent deadlines in the current forecast. The program is not offered on a rolling basis, but it is anticipated to recur annually. Those interested in applying should refer to the official program page hosted by NEH for updates and guidance. For questions or additional details, applicants may contact the Division of Public Programs at the NEH. The office can be reached at (202) 606-8400 or via email at publicpgms@neh.gov. Their mailing address is 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20506. All media projects funded through this program should aim to enrich the cultural and intellectual life of the nation through innovative public engagement with the humanities.