North Carolina Humanities is the leading cultural project funder in North Carolina.
We distribute three types of cultural project grants to nonprofits that use the humanities to raise questions, encourage conversation, contextualize experiences, and connect people across differences in their local communities. This work creates meaningful opportunities for people to learn from experts and each other. We welcome diverse projects from across North Carolina that address different topics and use a variety of public humanities formats.
If you have such a project, we look forward to hearing from you!
Our Community Project Grants
Large Project Grants support the implementation of larger and/or extended public humanities projects such as lecture/discussion series, exhibitions, presentations, workshops & more. Funding requests may be between $5,000 and $20,000.
- Application Opens: November 30, 2023
- Schedule a Phone Consultation with our Staff (mandatory): prior to April 18, 2024
- Please click here to schedule
- During the call you will discuss your Letter of Intent and have a chance to ask questions.
- Letter of Intent (LOI) Deadline (mandatory): April 20, 2023 by 11:59 PM
- Projects should not begin earlier than November 1, 2024
- Final Proposal Submission Deadline (by invitation): July 9, 2024 by 11:59 PM
- We strongly recommend that you begin your online proposal form 3 weeks prior to the LOI due date.
Small Project Grants support the implementation of humanities projects such as lecture/discussion series, exhibitions, presentations, workshops & more. Funding requests may be up to $5,000.
We offer two grant cycles per year. To be eligible for consideration, the activities for which you are requesting funding must not begin sooner than eight weeks from the submission deadline.
- Application Opens: November 30, 2023
- Application Cycle 1 Deadline: January 18, 2024 at 11:59 PM
- Application Cycle 2 Deadline: September 12, 2024 at 11:59 PM
- Award Notification: Decisions are typically announced a month after submission via electronic notification through your Applicant Dashboard in our online application management system.
Project Planning Grants support preparations for upcoming humanities projects including research activities, planning meetings, data collection & more. Funding requests may be up to $2,000.
To be eligible for consideration, the activities for which you are requesting funding must not begin sooner than eight weeks from the submission deadline.
- Application Opens: November 30, 2023
- Deadline: Rolling, through September 30, 2024
- Award Notification: Decisions are typically announced a month after submission via electronic notification through your Applicant Dashboard in our online application management system.
How to Apply
- Review North Carolina Humanities’ Grant Guidelines (above) and click on the grant category of interest in the previous section to read about available grants.
- Watch this video tutorial on how to apply using our online application system.
- Get started on your application in our online application system.
- If you are new to the online system, please create an account prior to applying. Once you have created your account and are logged in to your Applicant Dashboard, click “Apply” in the upper left-hand corner to view an alphabetical list of all open opportunities.
- If you have previously created an account, please click here to login. Once on your Applicant Dashboard, click “Apply” in the upper left-hand corner to view an alphabetical list of all open opportunities.
Note: Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Submission of an application does not guarantee approval. If you need a paper application please call our office at (704) 687-1520.
Need Help?
We routinely offer free informational webinars where we discuss our grants, the application process, allowable expenses, and more. There is also plenty of time to ask questions.
- May 14th at 2 PM: Register Here
- We offer free draft grant application review services. Please note that this service is only available upon request until three weeks prior to a submission deadline.
- You can also schedule a one-on-one phone consultation with our staff if you have additional questions.
- Please click here to schedule a review session or phone consultation.
What We Fund
There are many ways to interpret what “the humanities” means.
Often we think about the humanities as a set of disciplines that help us understand the many meanings of being human and humankind by exploring some of these facets:
- Our Past: history and archaeology
- Our Cultural Expressions: anthropology, literature, linguistics, languages, art history, theory, and criticism
- Our Values: ethics, philosophy, comparative religion, and law
The humanities can also be seen as a range of activities that encourage reflection, inquiry, analysis, discussion and shared experiences. Activities often include reading a book, listening to a story, recording personal memories and thoughts, and questioning the values and motivations of ourselves and others in the past, present, and future.
North Carolina Humanities expects all grant proposals to utilize a humanities discipline or practice to advance one or more of the following areas:
- Deepen human connections by broadening perspectives.
- Equip communities with empathy, understanding, and respect.
- Inspire community and connect North Carolinians across differences.
Eligible humanities project ideas include but are not limited to:
- Community conversation series
- Exhibitions
- Films and podcasts
- Interpretation of historic sites
- Oral history collection and interpretation
- Panels, lectures, and conferences
- Reading and discussion programs
- Workshops for educators
- Walking tours
- …and more!
Special consideration is given to eligible proposals that meet one or both of the following:
- Applicant organizations in rural communities.
- Applicant organizations primarily serving traditionally under-resourced groups including communities of color or other marginalized groups such as Seniors, ALAANA (those of African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, and/or Native American descent), People with Disabilities, New Americans (Immigrants, Refugees, First Generation Americans), Low-Income, and LGBTQIA+.
