The Culture Preservation Grants are administered by Humanities Kansas in partnership with the Kansas State Historical Society. Humanities Kansas, a nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), supports educational and cultural initiatives that explore and preserve the history and heritage of Kansas. These grants aim to fund projects that document and protect Kansas's cultural narratives and make them more accessible to the public.
The primary objectives of the Culture Preservation Grants are to preserve Kansas-based stories, enhance public access to cultural resources, and build organizational capacity through the guidance of a Project Consultant. By fostering community engagement and ensuring best practices in preservation, these grants support a wide range of projects including oral histories, digitization, transcription, language preservation, collections care, and hands-on training efforts.
Eligible applicants include in-state nonprofit organizations, with the exception of colleges and universities. Organizations are not required to have 501(c)(3) status to apply. However, sub-awardees must possess a Unique Entity ID (UEID) from SAM.gov, which must be publicly accessible to allow Humanities Kansas staff to confirm its validity. Importantly, organizations currently managing an open HK grant are not eligible to apply for another until the existing grant has been completed and closed.
Applicants may request funding of up to $3,500 per project. Grants are awarded three times per year, contingent upon funding availability. The upcoming deadlines for submissions in 2025 are February 28, May 16, and October 3. While draft applications are encouraged for staff review, they must not be submitted through the online application form. Specific instructions for submitting a draft can be found in the grant guidelines.
Applications are evaluated based on the clarity and focus of the project scope, the articulation of the importance of the materials involved, and the implementation of best practices via Project Consultant engagement. Strong proposals generally concentrate on a specific collection or narrative. For assistance or additional information, applicants are encouraged to contact Leslie VonHolten, Director of Grants and Outreach, at LVH@humanitieskansas.org or by phone at 785-357-0359.
