Grants for State governments - Humanities

This funding opportunity supports educational workshops for K-12 educators and higher education faculty, focusing on place-based learning at significant historical and cultural sites across the United States.

With this solicitation, BJA seeks to support state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecution agencies, working with their partners, to investigate and prosecute unsolved cold case homicides suspected to have been racially motivated or otherwise associated with civil rights violations. This program is part of the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act, which seeks to address murder cases suspected to be racially motivated, that were committed before January 1, 1980. The program’s ultimate purpose is to bring closure to the victims’ families and the impacted communities, and to bring those responsible to justice.

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.

This grant provides funding to nonprofits, educational institutions, and local governments for projects that commemorate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, promoting public engagement and historical reflection.

The Illinois Humanities Microgrants program supports individuals and small organizations that engage the public with local and regional history collections. This initiative aligns with the foundation's mission to foster an appreciation for the humanities and historical understanding within communities. By providing financial assistance, Illinois Humanities empowers stewards of history to educate and enlighten their communities, emphasizing the value of archives, texts, stories, and photography. The target beneficiaries include individuals, nonprofit organizations, and public institutions such as schools, government institutions, libraries, museums, and churches. The program prioritizes applicants, historical content, or audiences focused within Illinois, with a particular emphasis on organizations having annual budgets less than $400,000. The impact goal is to strengthen historical engagement and education at the local level, ensuring that diverse communities have opportunities to connect with and learn from their past. The program's priorities and focuses revolve around supporting grassroots efforts to bring history to the public. It provides grants of $750, with optional additional stipends: up to $250 for accessibility services like ASL interpretation or captioning, and up to $100 for media services such as documentation and photography. These optional funds highlight the program's commitment to inclusive access and effective dissemination of historical knowledge, reflecting a strategic priority to make history broadly available and engaging. Expected outcomes include an increase in public programs and events that utilize local and regional history collections, enhanced community engagement with historical narratives, and greater accessibility for diverse audiences. Measurable results could include the number of events supported, audience attendance, and the adoption of accessibility and media documentation practices. This program serves as a practical application of Illinois Humanities' strategic goal to support community-driven humanities projects and their theory of change, which posits that by empowering local actors, historical understanding and civic engagement will flourish.

This grant provides funding for individuals and organizations in Washington, DC, to create projects that celebrate and preserve the culture and heritage of local communities, culminating in a public event to showcase their work.

This grant provides funding to U.S.-based charitable organizations to create and share inspiring stories that highlight authentic Christian faith and life experiences across various media formats.

This grant provides funding for collaborative projects among archivists and institutions to improve the processing, preservation, and access to Congressional Records collections across the United States.

The Inspire! Grants for Small Museums program, administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, supports project-based efforts aimed at helping small museums provide museum services to their communities. The program is a special initiative of the Museums for America program, designed specifically for small museums of all disciplines. Projects funded through this program should align with one of the following objectives: supporting lifelong learning through experiential and cross-disciplinary learning experiences, strengthening institutional capacity, or improving collections stewardship and access. Projects must be tied to a key component of the museum’s strategic plan and generate measurable results to address an identified need or challenge. For fiscal year 2025, IMLS anticipates awarding approximately $3,000,000 in funding across 75 grants. The grant program offers two levels of funding: small projects may request between $5,000 and $25,000, with no cost share required, while large projects may request between $25,001 and $75,000, requiring a one-to-one cost share from non-federal sources. Projects must begin on or after September 1, 2025, and can span a performance period of one to three years. Applications are due by November 15, 2024, and must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Eligible applicants include museums that are nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, tribal organizations, or units of state or local government located in the United States or its territories. Museums must operate on a permanent basis, have educational or cultural purposes, exhibit objects to the public regularly, and employ professional staff. Museums located within larger parent organizations, such as universities or cultural centers, may apply independently if they operate as discrete units with their own budgets. Partnerships and collaborations with other entities are encouraged to enhance the project’s scope and impact. Applicants are required to submit a complete application, including a project narrative, budget form, budget justification, project schedule, performance measurement plan, strategic plan summary, and organizational profile. The project narrative, limited to five pages, must address three components: project justification, project work plan, and project results. Applicants must clearly identify the primary audience and beneficiaries, outline specific project activities, and explain how outcomes will be sustained after the project concludes. Supporting documents such as resumes, letters of commitment, and conservation reports may also be submitted as applicable. Applications will be evaluated through a peer review process based on the project’s alignment with program goals, clarity and feasibility of the work plan, qualifications of key personnel, and potential for meaningful and lasting results. The peer review criteria focus on the project’s justification, work plan, and intended outcomes, including the applicant’s ability to achieve and measure success. For collections-related projects, improvements in care, condition, or access to collections will also be evaluated. Award notifications are expected in August 2025. Successful applicants will be required to submit interim and final performance and financial reports through IMLS’s grants management system. The program encourages applicants to contact IMLS program officers for guidance during the application process and to participate in informational webinars. Further resources, including sample applications, can be accessed on the IMLS website.

This grant provides professional development opportunities for higher education faculty and K-12 educators to enhance their understanding of the humanities and improve their teaching practices through collaborative study and innovative curriculum development.

The Cultural and Community Resilience program supports community-based efforts to mitigate climate change and COVID-19 pandemic impacts, safeguard cultural resources, and foster cultural resilience through identifying, documenting, and/or collecting cultural heritage and community experience. The program prioritizes projects from disadvantaged communities in the United States or its jurisdictions, and NEH encourages applications that employ inclusive methodologies. This NOFO covers the January and May 2023 deadlines.

This funding opportunity provides financial assistance to state and local governments, in partnership with nonprofit organizations, for the acquisition and preservation of significant Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War battlefields.

This grant provides funding to eligible organizations for projects that protect and preserve cultural heritage, including historic sites, museum collections, and traditional cultural practices in Suriname.

This funding opportunity supports individuals and organizations in Washington, DC, to document and preserve the oral histories of local residents, focusing on community collaboration and culturally significant themes.

This funding opportunity supports collaborative projects among scholars in the humanities, encouraging interdisciplinary research that leads to significant scholarly outputs, with a focus on diverse perspectives and sustainable contributions to humanistic knowledge.

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 funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that aim to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in registered apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs within the building and construction trades, specifically targeting historically underserved populations in Pennsylvania.

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.

The Sid W. Richardson Foundation provides grants to support the missions of non-profit organizations serving the people of Texas, with a focus on educational, health, human service, and cultural programs and projects. Established in 1947 by Sid W. Richardson, the Foundation began distributing major grants in 1962, following the availability of substantial income from assets from Richardson's estate. Despite Richardson's global interests, his primary concern remained with the people of his home state of Texas. The Foundation, through its Board of Directors and staff, continues to fulfill his vision by prioritizing grants that directly benefit clients or target audiences, particularly in smaller communities and rural areas. Grants are not available to individuals but are made primarily to organizations within Texas, especially those in the Fort Worth area for human services and cultural organizations. Grant renewed every year. Annual Spring deadline: February 1st.

With this solicitation, BJA seeks to support law enforcement, correctional officers, probation and parole, and sheriffs departments in effectively partnering with mental health, substance use, community service professionals and agencies to promote public safety and make sure that appropriate responses are provided to individuals in crisis who have behavioral health conditions, intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, or physical disabilities, and/or traumatic brain injuries. Funding Categories: Category 1: Training Program for Law Enforcement Officers, including campus-based police; law enforcement agencies, including probation and parole (field-based); and sheriff's departments (patrol-based) Category 2: Training Program for Correctional Officers, Probation and Parole (facility-based), and Sheriff Departments (facility-based)