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 that are essential to a thriving democracy.
*In recognition of the time and effort it takes to apply for grant funding and in an effort to lessen the burden on applicants, we’ve made some updates to the Project Grants program. Read: California Humanities moves to Letter of Intent process
*Update, December 2024: California Humanities is making organizational changes to ensure our long-term viability, and we are putting on hold Humanities for All Project Grant applications until further notice. This includes a postponement of the planned the January 15, 2025 LOI deadline. Please continue to check back here for further updates.
We remain committed to our grantmaking and support of locally-initiated public humanities projects.
Schedule
Step 1 (LOI): Application window |
Step 1 (LOI): Notification of invitation to advance to Stage 2 or declination |
Step 2: (Full Application)Application window |
Step 2 (Full Application)Notification of award or declination |
Grant Period |
| *2025 LOI deadline postponed until further notice |
On hold | On hold | On hold | On hold |
Project Grants
Project Grants ($10,000 to $25,000) are awarded twice a year for public humanities projects of up to two-years duration 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 cash or in-kind resources over the life of the project. In 2024, we introduced a new 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.
See a list of recently supported Project Grants
LOI submission deadline: TBD. See below materials for reference.
- 2024-7 Guidelines *Stay tuned for updated guidelines for 2025. In the meantime, applicants are welcome to review our 2024 guidelines.
- 2024-7 FAQs *Stay tuned for updated FAQs for 2025.
- Sample LOI
Join our next Humanities for All Project Grants informational session!
For questions, please email grants@calhum.org.
*Current grantees, please use the Grant Portal button at top of the page.
Collage photo captions: Afróntalo (CSU San Bernardino), Sowing Seeds: Filipino American Stories from the Pajaro Valley (UC Santa Cruz), Contemporary Indigenous Voices of California’s South Coast Range: Enduring Relationships with the Land (Kirti Bassendine), Homeland and Homemaking: Arab Youth Tell Their Stories Through the Arts (Majdal Center).
