National Endowment for the Humanities
Public Humanities Projects
Note to PIs
The following program summary is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It does not replace the sponsor’s actual funding opportunity announcement. Always review the most recent version of the sponsor’s full announcement to verify that the deadline has not changed and to identify the most current program requirements.
About the Program
Suppports projects that bring the ideas and insights of the humanities to life for general audiences through in-person programming. Projects must engage humanities scholarship to analyze significant themes in disciplines such as history, literature, ethics, and art history.
This program supports projects in three categories: Exhibitions (permanent, temporary, or traveling); interpretive programs at Historic Places; and Humanities Discussions related to the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding.
Exhibitions
The Exhibitions category supports the creation of permanent exhibitions (on view for at least three years) and single-site temporary exhibitions (open to the public for a minimum of two months), as well as traveling exhibitions that will be available to public audiences in at least two venues in the United States (including the originating location).
Historic Places
The Historic Places category supports long-term interpretive programs for historic sites, houses, neighborhoods, and regions that are intended to be presented to the public for at least three years. Such programs might include living history presentations, guided tours, exhibitions, and public programs.
Humanities Discussions
The Humanities Discussions category supports series of at least six in-person public programs focused on/related to the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, and engaging audiences with humanities resources such as historic artifacts, artworks, or documents. These programs should reach a diverse public audience and should be anchored in perspectives presented by humanities experts as speakers, panelists, or discussion leaders, providing context and analysis of program themes. Projects may include, but are not limited to, symposiums, lecture series, reading and discussion programs, analytical discussions of museum collections or theater/musical performances, lifelong learning programs, or other methods of face-to-face audience engagement or informal education. The proposed series should occur over a period of three-months to two years.
Eligibility
U.S. nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, state and local governmental agencies, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible to apply. Eligible organizations include institutions of higher education. Individuals, foreign and for-profit entities are not eligible to apply.
Award Amount/Award Period
Planning awards are typically up to $40,000 with a period of performance of twelve months. Awards up to $75,000 are available for the planning of exceptionally ambitious and complex permanent or traveling exhibitions with the potential to reach very wide audiences.
Implementation awards range from $50,000 to $400,000 with a period of performance from twelve to thirty-six months.
Application Deadline
Optional Draft due November 29, 2019.
Application due January 15, 2020.
Award Type
Organizations