Grants for State governments - Humanities

This funding opportunity supports projects that create collaborative digital editions of historical documents, particularly those highlighting underrepresented communities in U.S. history, democracy, and culture.

This funding opportunity supports teams of scholars conducting collaborative research projects in the humanities, with a focus on innovative inquiry and sustainable outcomes, particularly those involving community colleges or Minority-Serving Institutions.

This funding opportunity supports projects that strengthen U.S.-U.K. relations through public diplomacy initiatives, targeting a range of organizations and individuals focused on democracy, global challenges, and cultural exchange.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to state historical records advisory boards to improve the preservation and accessibility of historical records across various initiatives.

This program provides funding to support collaborative projects among multiple archives to improve access to historical records, particularly focusing on small, diverse, and underrepresented institutions.

This grant provides funding to U.S. nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and Native American tribes to create online editions of historical records, particularly focusing on the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.

This grant provides funding for U.S.-based nonprofit organizations and educational institutions to conduct archaeological and ethnographic field research that addresses significant humanities questions, with a focus on collaboration with local communities.

This program provides funding to U.S.-based humanities organizations to assess their environmental impact and develop climate action plans, with a focus on sustainability, community engagement, and equity.

This program provides funding for research projects that explore the societal impacts of technology, particularly focusing on the ethical, legal, and cultural implications of artificial intelligence, aimed at institutions and collaborative teams.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to entrepreneurs from marginalized groups in the U.S. who are focused on creating social impact and demonstrate a need for resources to develop their business ideas.

This grant provides financial support to professional artists residing in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, for short-term projects, educational opportunities, and artistic endeavors that demonstrate high artistic quality.

This grant provides funding to journalists and media organizations in Alaska for in-depth reporting on complex and underreported issues, as well as arts and culture stories, to enhance public understanding and engagement.

This fellowship provides $27,500 to doctoral candidates in any field who are conducting research aimed at improving education, along with professional development opportunities and mentorship.

The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) invites research proposals from scholars in all disciplines of the humanities and interpretive social sciences. Donor Name: American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) State: All States County: All Counties Type of Grant: Fellowship Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 09/25/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 1 Year Details: ACLS aims to select fellows who are broadly representative of the variety of humanistic scholarship across all fields of study. They also believe that diversity enhances scholarship and seek to recognize academic excellence from all sectors of higher education and beyond. In ACLS’s peer review, funding packages, and engagement with fellows, they aspire to enact values of equity and inclusion. The ultimate goal of the project should be a major piece of scholarly work by the applicant, which can take the form of a monograph, articles, publicly engaged humanities project, digital research project, critical edition, or other scholarly resources. The fellowships support projects at any stage of development – beginning, middle, or end. This program does not fund works of fiction (e.g., novels or films), textbooks, straightforward translation (without significant scholarly interpretation and apparatus), or projects that are primarily pedagogical in focus. Funding Information Maximum award: $60,000 Tenure: six to twelve months devoted to full-time research and/or writing, to be initiated between July 1, 2025 and July 1, 2026, and to be completed by December 31, 2026. Eligibility Criteria Applicants must: be US citizens, permanent residents, Indigenous individuals residing in the United States through rights associated with the Jay Treaty of 1794, DACA recipients, asylees, refugees, or individuals granted Temporary Protected Status in the United States. In addition, foreign nationals who have been living in the United States or US territories for three or more years before the application deadline are also eligible, provided that they do not establish permanent residence outside the United States during the period of the fellowship. have earned a PhD in the humanities or interpretive social sciences no later than the application deadline.  devote six to twelve months to full-time research and/or writing during the award period, to be initiated between July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026, and to be completed by December 31, 2026.  For more information, visit ACLS.

This fellowship provides financial support for doctoral students in the humanities and social sciences to pursue innovative dissertation research projects that promote diverse and inclusive academic practices.

This funding opportunity supports U.S.-based nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and government entities in creating media projects that promote public engagement with humanities topics, particularly those that enhance understanding of American culture and democratic values.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies in creating engaging public humanities projects that make history, literature, and the arts accessible to diverse audiences.

The Museum Grants for American Latino History and Culture (ALHC) program, administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), supports projects that strengthen the capacity of American Latino museums to serve their communities and advance professional development within the sector. The program funds initiatives that align with two key goals: building institutional capacity and advancing the professional museum workforce. Projects must align with at least one goal and one associated objective to address identified challenges and generate measurable results. Projects under the first goal, building the capacity of American Latino museums, may include public programs, exhibitions, educational resources, technology enhancements, community outreach, audience development, collections care, and institutional planning. The second goal, advancing the professional workforce, supports projects such as internships and fellowships for students, professional development programs for museum staff and volunteers, and convening experts to address challenges within the sector. Projects should provide measurable and meaningful results to advance knowledge, skills, and institutional capacity in serving audiences and preserving cultural heritage. For fiscal year 2025, IMLS anticipates awarding approximately $6,000,000, supporting an estimated 24 grants. Individual awards will range from $5,000 to $500,000, with a period of performance spanning one to three years, starting no earlier than July 1, 2025. Cost share is allowed but not required, and it will not influence application review. The application deadline is November 15, 2024, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time, with awards expected to be announced by June 2025. Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov. Eligible applicants include museums primarily focused on American Latino life, art, history, or culture. This includes nonprofit organizations, tribal organizations, state and local governments, and institutions of higher education, including Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Museums operating within parent organizations, such as universities or cultural centers, may apply independently if they operate as discrete units with their own budgets and authority. Museums must meet IMLS’s eligibility criteria, such as professional staffing, public exhibition schedules, and educational missions. Applicants must submit a complete application package, including the SF-424S form, project narrative, budget form, budget justification, performance measurement plan, and resumes of key personnel. The project narrative is limited to seven pages and must address three components: project justification, work plan, and intended results. Supporting documents, such as letters of commitment, collections plans, and outreach strategies, may be included to strengthen the proposal. Projects generating digital products must include a digital products plan that addresses availability, access, and sustainability. Applications will be evaluated through a peer review process based on criteria such as alignment with program goals, the feasibility of the work plan, the qualifications of project personnel, and the potential for measurable results and sustained impact. Successful applicants will be required to comply with federal reporting requirements, including interim and final performance and financial reports. IMLS provides technical assistance, including webinars and program staff consultations, to help applicants prepare competitive proposals. Further details and resources are available on the IMLS website.

The National Leadership Grants for Museums program, administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, supports projects that address significant and pressing needs within the museum sector, with the goal of advancing professional practice and strengthening museum services. The program funds innovative, impactful projects that can be scaled, adapted, or replicated to benefit museums broadly. The 2025 opportunity emphasizes projects that align with IMLS goals: lifelong learning, community engagement, and collections stewardship and access. Projects are expected to demonstrate collaboration, address challenges faced by the field, and generate models, tools, or research findings with wide applicability. The program supports two types of projects: non-research projects and research projects. Non-research projects focus on practical solutions, tools, or models to address critical needs in the museum sector, while research projects aim to investigate questions relevant to museum practice using rigorous data collection and analysis methods. Non-research projects require a one-to-one cost share, while research projects do not require cost sharing. Applicants must clearly articulate their project’s goals, work plans, and results to demonstrate impact and sustainability. IMLS anticipates awarding approximately $5,800,000 in total funding, with an estimated 15 grants to be awarded. Individual awards range from $50,000 to $750,000, with an average award size of $453,106. The period of performance spans one to three years, beginning no earlier than September 1, 2025. Applicants must submit proposals electronically via Grants.gov by November 15, 2024, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Late submissions will not be considered. Successful applicants will be notified by August 2025. Eligible applicants include museums, institutions of higher education, museum service organizations, tribal organizations, and nonprofit organizations that advance the museum profession. Museums must meet IMLS criteria, including professional staffing, regular public exhibitions, and an educational or cultural mission. Museums operating as discrete units within larger organizations may apply independently if they meet specific eligibility criteria, including budgetary and operational autonomy. Partnerships and collaborations are encouraged to maximize the scope and impact of proposed projects. Applications must include a project narrative addressing three key areas: project justification, work plan, and intended results. The narrative must describe the need or challenge being addressed, identify key activities and milestones, and outline the expected outcomes and plans for broad dissemination. Supporting documents, including budget forms, a performance measurement plan, resumes of key staff, and a data management and sharing plan for research projects, are also required. Applicants must ensure their project aligns with one of the program’s goals: advancing experiential and cross-disciplinary learning, addressing community needs through partnerships, or improving collections care and access. IMLS evaluates applications through a peer review process, considering factors such as the project’s alignment with program goals, clarity and feasibility of the work plan, and potential impact and sustainability. Successful projects will demonstrate the ability to create innovative tools, research findings, or practices that address field-wide challenges and improve museum services. Proposals must include plans for broad dissemination of results to ensure benefits extend beyond the participating institutions. Awardees are required to submit interim and final financial and performance reports and comply with all federal regulations and IMLS award conditions. IMLS provides additional resources, including webinars and technical assistance, to support applicants in developing competitive proposals. Further details about the program, including sample applications and contact information for program staff, are available on the IMLS website.

The Museum Grants for African American History and Culture program, administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), provides funding to support African American museums and institutions with a focus on enhancing institutional capacity and promoting the professional growth of museum professionals. The program is designed to increase access to museum and archival collections, strengthen museum operations, and develop museum leadership. Eligible projects should align with one of two program goals: building the capacity of African American museums to serve their communities or supporting the growth and development of museum professionals. The program supports two project categories: small projects with funding ranging from $5,000 to $100,000, which do not require cost sharing, and large projects ranging from $100,001 to $500,000, which require a one-to-one cost share. The anticipated period of performance is up to three years, starting no earlier than July 1, 2025. IMLS expects to award approximately $6,000,000 in total funding, supporting about 35 projects, with an average award size of $171,429. Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov by November 15, 2024, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Eligible applicants include African American museums, museum service organizations that support African American museums, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Museums must meet IMLS eligibility criteria, such as operating on a permanent basis, employing professional staff, and exhibiting collections to the public for at least 120 days annually. Museums located within larger institutions, such as universities or cultural centers, may apply independently if they function as discrete units with their own budgets. Partnerships and collaborations with other organizations are encouraged. Applicants are required to submit a complete application package, including a project narrative, a detailed budget with justification, a performance measurement plan, and supporting documentation. The project narrative must address three core areas: project justification, project work plan, and project results. The justification should identify the need or challenge being addressed, the primary audience, and the intended beneficiaries. The work plan should outline specific activities, responsible personnel, timelines, and risk mitigation strategies. The project results must describe expected outcomes, including how the project will achieve meaningful change and ensure long-term sustainability. Applications are evaluated through a peer review process based on the project's alignment with program goals, the feasibility and clarity of the work plan, the qualifications of key personnel, and the potential for measurable and sustained impact. For collections-related projects, improvements in access, care, or preservation of collections will also be assessed. Projects that demonstrate broad adaptability and shareable tools, models, or research findings will receive particular consideration. Award notifications are expected in June 2025. Successful applicants must submit interim and final financial and performance reports and comply with all federal regulations, including those related to cost principles and project administration. IMLS provides technical assistance, including webinars and program guidance, to help applicants develop competitive proposals. Further information, including examples of previously funded projects and application resources, can be accessed on the IMLS website.