UPDATE

All Programs Suspended 

Following the abrupt termination of federal NEH funding, California Humanities has suspended all programs and grant cycles until further notice. This includes our core initiatives: 

• Humanities for All 

• California Documentary Project 

• Library Innovation Lab 

• Literature & Medicine 

• Emerging Journalist Fellowships 

• Civics & Humanities 

We’re doing everything we can to protect the future of the humanities in California. Learn more and get involved by visiting our Advocacy page. 

About Project Grants

Humanities for All Project Grants support locally-initiated public humanities programming in communities across our state. Projects developed by grantees respond to the needs and interests of Californians, encourage public engagement with humanities programming, particularly among new and/or underserved audiences, and promote understanding and empathy essential to a thriving democracy. 

California Humanities is an affiliate of and receives major support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. With the recent focus on cutting federal spending, in addition to the federal government operating without an approved budget for FY25, under a Continuing Resolution through March 14, our grantmaking timelines and potential funding levels are uncertain. Executive Orders and court actions may also affect our grantmaking. We will update the status of Humanities For All Project Grant applications once we have more clarity. Thank you for your patience. 

Schedule

Project Grants

Project Grants ($10,000 to $25,000) are awarded twice a year for public humanities projects up to two years from the award date. Appropriate programming formats include but are not limited to virtual and in-person interpretive exhibits, community dialogue and discussion series, workshops and participatory activities, presentations and lectures, conversations and forums, and interactive and experiential activities. Eligibility is limited to California-based nonprofit organizations and non-federal public agencies. Note: Awards must be matched with an equivalent amount of non-federally-sourced cash or in-kind resources over the project’s life. In 2024, we introduced two-step process that involves the submission of a preliminary proposal/ Letter of Intent (LOI), after which selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application.