Humanities Grants for Nonprofits

There are some who would argue for the humanities as outdated subjects, in a world where so much of our lives is dominated by technology, science and business - or the intersections of those fields. However, studies of the humanities - from history to literature or the arts - don’t just provide actionable skills. Rather, they help make us more well rounded, understanding and critically thinking people. However, because they are often seen as courses outside of the regular path of job acquisition, humanities may become neglected or underfunded in certain areas. There are, thankfully, many nonprofits who seek to fill in these gaps. 

These nonprofits can only do their essential work thanks to the essential funding provided by humanities grants. These grants can be put towards a wide range of purposes. These could include the development of humanities education, the hosting of lectures or the establishments of museums.

There are a wide range of organizations that write these kinds of drafts. This traditionally included federal and state agencies, such as the National Endowment for the Humanities. There are also many state and local arts councils that may provide humanities grants, as well as private foundations such as the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. 

When drafting a humanities grant proposal, you need to be an effective storyteller, demonstrating where there is a gap in services of humanities education, and how your nonprofit organization can meet that need. Using data can help back up your claims - this could include statistics on the importance of humanities on education, or the lack of funding to these kinds of courses and programs.

If you need further guidance on writing excellent grant proposals, make sure to check out our full overview of the subject. You can also start browsing an excellent selection of humanities grants right here, all open for applications.