Exhibition Grants

The Exhibition Grants offered by Humanities Texas support nonprofit organizations across Texas in presenting Humanities Texas traveling exhibitions and accompanying humanities-centered public programming. As a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities, Humanities Texas is a nonprofit educational organization that funds humanities programs for public audiences. Founded in 1972 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, the organization receives its primary funding through NEH appropriations and supplemental support from state funds, foundations, corporations, and individual donors. Its grants are designed to foster a deeper understanding of history, literature, ethics, and other humanities disciplines through accessible and engaging public programs. The Exhibition Grant program specifically funds up to $2,500 for costs associated with renting a Humanities Texas traveling exhibition and delivering related programming. These grants are ideal for small-scale projects and are administered through a streamlined application process. The program operates year-round with a rolling deadline, and applicants receive funding decisions within ten business days of submission. Applicants must book and confirm an exhibition through the Humanities Texas exhibition rental form before submitting a funding application. Programs funded under this grant must begin on the first of a given month, and applications must be submitted at least six weeks in advance of that start date. Organizations eligible to apply include museums, libraries, cultural centers, historical associations, city and county government offices, school districts, community colleges, and other educational institutions located in Texas. All applicants must be based in Texas, have nonprofit status, and maintain a publicly searchable SAM.gov registration with a valid Unique Entity ID. Applications from entities acting solely as fiscal sponsors are not eligible. Additionally, applicants must fully close out any prior Humanities Texas grants before applying for new funding, unless they represent a large entity with multiple sub-units, such as a university or city government. Exhibition Grants may be used to support exhibition rental and related public programming. Eligible activities may include, but are not limited to, book discussions, lectures, panel discussions, media productions, oral histories, and educational digital or web media. Funded programs must be grounded in the humanities and must serve public audiences outside of formal classroom settings. Programs that serve K–12 teachers, specific cultural groups, or professional communities are also considered. The grant may cover expenditures such as personnel, honoraria, travel, promotion, consultants, and program evaluation. However, cost-sharing is mandatory, requiring a one-to-one match, which can be met through cash or in-kind contributions. Applications must be submitted via the Humanities Texas grants portal. While there is no need for a pre-application letter of intent for exhibition grants, prospective applicants are encouraged to contact Humanities Texas grants staff for guidance. The organization provides several resources to aid applicants, including a grant guidelines document, model budget templates, and an application transcript. Grant decisions are made by Humanities Texas staff with authorization from its Board of Directors. Proposals are evaluated based on their alignment with the organization's mission, the quality and coherence of the project, and the strength of the humanities content. Preference is given to underserved counties and organizations that have not received funding in the past five years. Questions may be directed to Humanities Texas at grants@humanitiestexas.org or by phone at 512-440-1991. Applicants must ensure that they allocate adequate time for application review, project planning, and publicizing their programs with appropriate credit to Humanities Texas and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Confirm your exhibition before applying. Ensure grant period begins the first of the month, at least six weeks from submission. Include planning and promotion in your proposal. Contact Humanities Texas for support if needed.