Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc
Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc, known as HumanitiesDC, is a Washington, DC-based public charity that supports public humanities projects and programming through community grantmaking and partnerships. Founded in 1980, it is one of 56 state councils supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc at a glance
In short: Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc gave $1.1M across 46 grants in 2025 (avg $23K), mostly in District of Columbia. 37% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,062,384
- +11.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 46
- +12.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $23,095
- -0.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $1,278,283
- +35.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 37% first-time grantees (17 of 46, 2025)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc
- How to Apply
-
Applications are submitted online. For the 2026 General Operating Support grant, the RFP required applicants to submit by May 1, 2026; that deadline has passed. The website lists the next application openings for several 2027 opportunities as December 2026 and March 2027.
- Review Cycle
- May 1, 2026, for the 2026 General Operating Support grant; past cycle.
- Deadline
- May 1, 2026, for the 2026 General Operating Support grant; past cycle.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1804 T Street Nw, Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 770-3077
Website: https://humanitiesdc.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
6 open opportunities from Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc
DC Oral History - Beyond the Archive Grants
Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc
Amount
Up to US $12,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
DC Oral History Collaborative Grants- Oral HIstory Interviewing
Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc
Amount
Up to US $8,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
General Operating Support Grant
Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc
Amount
Up to US $25,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Women in Film and Video ($124K). Together the top 10 received $374K.
Grant Size Distribution
243 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 225 grants of 243 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
HumanitiesDC’s grantmaking is focused on Washington, DC. Its 2025 filing-year grant data shows that 100% of grant dollars went to recipients in DC. The organization says it reaches out to all eight wards of the District.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 46 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc open to new grantees?
37%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 17 of 46 grantees (37%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $18K; repeat grants $26K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $25K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $893K (2023) to $1.9M (2022). In 2025 it made 46 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Women in Film and Video Washington, DC | 2025 Visions - Projects & Events Grant | $124,000 |
| Historical Society of Washington DC Washington, DC | 2025 General Operating Support Grant | $50,000 |
| African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation Washington, DC | 2025 Visions - Projects & Events Grant | $25,000 |
| American University Washington, DC | 2025 Visions - Projects & Events Grant | $25,000 |
| Archaeology in the Community Washington, DC | 2025 General Operating Support Grant | $25,000 |
| Capitalbop Inc Washington, DC | 2025 Visions - Projects & Events Grant | $25,000 |
| Empower DC Washington, DC | 2025 Visions - Projects & Events Grant | $25,000 |
| Esther Productions Inc Washington, DC | 2025 Visions - Projects & Events Grant | $25,000 |
| Home Rule Music and Film Preservation Foundation Inc Washington, DC | 2025 Visions - Projects & Events Grant | $25,000 |
| Kama DC Washington, DC | 2025 Visions - Projects & Events Grant | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The organization reported 46 grants in 2025, 41 in 2024, and 44 in 2023.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,278,283 | $3,121,618 | $2,717,191 | $1,062,384 | 46 | $4,324 |
| 2024 | $942,603 | $2,703,437 | $2,766,912 | $949,436 | 41 | $3,060 |
| 2023 | $834,273 | $2,720,719 | $2,596,603 | $892,995 | 44 | $36 |
| 2022 | $741,220 | $3,308,620 | $3,194,549 | $1,879,978 | 66 | $134 |
| 2021 | $481,615 | $2,511,008 | $2,235,417 | $1,052,200 | 46 | $14 |
| 2020 | $309,311 | $2,383,453 | $2,471,943 | $1,160,255 | 64 | $29 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to enrich quality of life, foster intellectual stimulation, and promote cross-cultural understanding and appreciation of local history and culture in all District neighborhoods through humanities programs and grants. Its website describes the humanities as including fields such as history, literature, language, philosophy, archaeology, ethics, and the history and criticism of the arts.
HumanitiesDC’s grant programs support grassroots projects about DC stories, creative public humanities projects, oral history work, and general operating costs for humanities-focused nonprofits. Its 2026 General Operating Support grant materials define eligible humanities organizations as 501(c)(3) nonprofits with an explicit mission and track record in the humanities; examples may include community and cultural heritage organizations, museums, historic sites, preservation and historical societies, and education organizations with a significant humanities focus. The RFP says organizations whose primary mission is creating or performing arts generally do not meet that definition, though other HumanitiesDC grants may support humanities projects.
The 2025 grant list includes organizations with varied missions. For example, the DC History Center says it works to deepen understanding of the city and elevate stories of its diverse people and communities. Archaeology in the Community says it promotes public understanding of archaeological heritage through education, professional development, and community events. Women in Film & Video says it provides professional development and networking for screen-based media makers and advocates for parity in media.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, HumanitiesDC reported 46 grants totaling $1,062,384. Grant amounts ranged from $7,387 to $124,000, with a median of $25,000. Its largest listed award was $124,000 to Women in Film and Video for a Visions – Projects & Events grant. The Historical Society of Washington DC received $50,000 for general operating support. Other listed awards include $25,000 each to Archaeology in the Community for general operating support and to several organizations for Visions – Projects & Events grants.
Its grant materials describe a review process in which proposals are checked for basic qualifications, assigned to external reviewers, scored and discussed, and advanced as funding recommendations for staff and board review.
The website says 2026 applications are closed and directs prospective applicants to check back in November 2026 for information about 2027 opportunities. Listed opportunities include a $10,000 Community Culture & Heritage grant for DC-based individuals, community groups, and nonprofits; a $25,000 Visions – Projects + Events grant for DC-based nonprofits, with individuals applying through a fiscal sponsor; and oral history grants. A $25,000 General Operating Support grant is listed for humanities-focused nonprofits with budgets under $2 million. The 2026 General Operating Support RFP required online submission and set a maximum award of $25,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Rebecca Lemos-Otero as executive director; Cole Fiala as chair; Alison Johnson as secretary; Heather Clark as treasurer; Mark Boss as vice chair; and Nia Crawford, MJ Rymsza-Pawlowska, Chinedu Felix Osuchukwu, Ayanna Smith, and Daryl Smith as directors.
Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc is led by Rebecca Lemos-Otero, Executive Director on every filing since 2021; 4 of 19 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Rebecca Lemos-Otero
Executive Director
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$65K (2022) → $154K (2025)
Cole Fiala
Chair
Director → Secretary, 2022
Secretary → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chinedu Felix Osuchukwu
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mj Rymsza-Pawlowska
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ayanna Smith
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daryl Smith
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rob Berger
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rubie Coles
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sojin Kim
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dawn Fong
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Denzell Spencer
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jackie Spainhour
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nia Crawford
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alexis Rodriguez Director Of
Operations
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$6K (2025)
Karen Oliver Director Of
Operations
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$101K (2025)
Lois Nembhard Director Of
Grants & Public Programming
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$100K (2025)
Alison Johnson
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Heather Clark
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Boss
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (28)
- Former: Maceo Thomas (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Ramya Vivekanandan (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Evelyn Boyd Simmons (2020–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Kemry Hughes (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Lee Murphy (2020–2022) — Board Chair
- Former: Brandon Hogan (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Maceo Thomas Vice Chair (2022)
- Former: Brendan Kelly (2020–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Donna Wolf (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Joy Ford Austin (2020–2021) — Former Executive Director
- Former: Rafi Aliya Crockett (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Tania Jackson (2020–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Valerie Graff (2020–2021) — Interim Exe. Director
- Former: Cole Fiala Directorthen (2021) — Secretary
- Former: Evelyn Boyd Director Then (2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Maceo Thomas Dir Sec As (2021) — Of & Vice Chair
- Former: Michele Collison Director (2021) — Then Vice Chair -
- Former: Antoinette Ford (2020) — Director
- Former: Brenda Oliver (2020) — Director
- Former: Christine Warnke (2020) — Director
- Former: Eric Fingerhut (2020) — Director
- Former: Joyce Wellman (2020) — Vice Chair
- Former: Linda Chastang (2020) — Director
- Former: Marie Carolyn Long (2020) — Director
- Former: Michele Collison (2020) — Director
- Former: Rosemary Reed (2020) — Director
- Former: Tyler Pietrouszka (2020) — Board Fellow
- Former: Yolanda McCutchen (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $154K, to Rebecca Lemos-Otero (Executive Director). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc
How much does Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc give each year?
Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc gave $1.1M across 46 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $949K across 41 grants.
What is Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc's typical grant size?
Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $23,095, across 46 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc that year got $18K on average.
Where does Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc give grants?
Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc gives mostly in District of Columbia: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (46 grants).
Does Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 33% of Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 46) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "2025 Visions - Projects & Events Grant" (20 grants), "2025 Oral History Interviewing - Dcohc Grant" (5 grants) and "2025 Community Culture & Heritage Grant" (4 grants).
Who are Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc's largest grantees?
Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Women in Film and Video ($124,000), Historical Society of Washington DC ($50,000) and African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 19% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc?
Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc reported $1.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.1M.
What does Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to enrich quality of life, foster intellectual stimulation, and promote cross-cultural understanding and appreciation of local history and culture in all District neighborhoods through humanities programs and grants. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc?
Applications are submitted online. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc's EIN?
Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1166432. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 19, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 23, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 3, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 28, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/humanities-council-of-washington-dc-inc-morg_117a70d1670947a2aa691f6fff0360ba
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_521166432_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/humanities-council-of-washington-dc-inc-morg_117a70d1670947a2aa691f6fff0360ba},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-23. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?