History of Art Grants

The Samuel H. Kress Foundation's History of Art Grants program supports scholarly projects intended to enhance appreciation and understanding of European works of art and architecture from antiquity through the early 19th century. The program supports the creation and dissemination of specialized knowledge and encompasses both traditional scholarly work and projects incorporating digital methodologies and tools. Effective August 2025, the Foundation integrated its Digital Art History grants program and Interpretive Fellowships for Art Museums program into the History of Art grants program, and prospective grantees for work formerly covered by those programs are encouraged to submit proposals through this program. Eligible activities include archival projects, development and dissemination of scholarly databases, documentation projects, museum exhibitions and publications, photographic campaigns, scholarly catalogues and publications, and technical and scientific studies. Grants can also support activities through which art historians share expertise, including international exchanges, professional meetings, conferences, symposia, consultations, presentations of research, and other professional events. The program may additionally support mentored professional development opportunities in art museums, particularly opportunities encouraging close collaboration between museum educators and curators to develop emerging interpretive museum professionals. The program does not typically support documentation, including cataloging, photography, research, and publication, of the object collections of individual art museums. Grants are awarded to nonprofit institutions with 501(c)(3) status in the United States. This includes supporting foundations of European institutions and foreign institutions that have obtained recognition of exemption from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. A supported project may be the work of a single individual or a team affiliated with the applicant organization, but the Foundation does not make grants directly to individuals. International applicants must identify a U.S. nonprofit organization as fiscal sponsor and provide the sponsor's IRS Determination Letter confirming its 501(c)(3) status. The fiscal sponsor must provide a letter confirming that it independently vetted the project, determined that the project is appropriate to its mission, and is willing to accept and administer full or partial grant funding without taking overhead or indirect expenses from the grant. The History of Art Grants program operates through two grant cycles, Spring and Fall, and every application begins with a Letter of Inquiry. For the Spring cycle, the portal opens February 15 and the LOI deadline is March 1 at 5:00 p.m. EST. For the Fall cycle, the portal opens August 15 and the LOI deadline is September 30 at 5:00 p.m. EST. Eligible organizations submit through the Kress Foundation's online grantmaking portal, Fluxx. Representatives who do not already have portal access must register. The LOI requests a brief summary of the proposed project, the project's total budget, and the amount requested from the Foundation. Organizations invited to submit a full grant application are notified by email within seven business days after the applicable LOI submission deadline. Invited applicants have approximately three weeks to complete their applications. The full application asks applicants to describe the project's main goals, project history to date if applicable, key activities, personnel overseeing the project, and anticipated project outcomes. Required uploads include a detailed project budget in MS Excel and the IRS determination letter establishing the 501(c)(3) status of the organization that will receive and administer the funds. Applicants may also provide supporting documents as necessary, including curriculum vitae for principal investigators, conference, workshop, exhibition, or publication schedules, images or illustrations, and letters of support. Full applications for the Spring cycle are due April 1 at 5:00 p.m. EST, while full applications for the Fall cycle are due November 1 at 5:00 p.m. EST. The grants are competitive, and the Foundation directs prospective applicants to its Past Grants page and Annual Reports for information about past awards and typical funding levels, as well as its Grants FAQs for common questions concerning project eligibility. The supplied material does not specify an award floor, award ceiling, total program funding, number of awards, required cost share or matching contribution, performance period, or a specific award announcement date beyond stating that invited applicants are notified of advancement within seven business days after the LOI deadline.

Align the proposal with enhancing appreciation and understanding of European art and architecture from antiquity through the early 19th century and the creation or dissemination of specialized knowledge. Note that documentation of an individual art museum's object collection is not typically supported. International applicants should ensure that their U.S. fiscal sponsor has independently vetted the project, confirms mission alignment, and will administer funding without taking overhead or indirect expenses.