North Carolina Humanities Council
An individual recipient Humanities is a Charlotte-based nonprofit and state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Founded in 1972, it supports humanities-based cultural projects that bring people together to explore North Carolina’s stories, histories, and cultures, and to learn from experts and one another.
Key facts about North Carolina Humanities Council
In short: North Carolina Humanities Council gave $374K across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $19K), mostly in North Carolina. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 56-1153601
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $373,949
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- Average grant
- $18,697
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $1,550,689
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (95% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The 2026 Small Project Grants application is submitted through the organization’s online application system. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The 2026 Small Project Grants application opens June 1, 2026, and is due September 10, 2026.
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$1.6M
+15.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$374K
+17.2% YoY
Grant Count
20
+17.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$19K
-0.4% YoY
How North Carolina Humanities Council gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
An individual recipient Humanities’ mission is “to connect North Carolinians with cultural experiences that spur dialogue, deepen human connections, and inspire community.” Its stated purpose is to create opportunities for people and communities to explore and reflect on the past, present, and future.
The organization funds public humanities projects in varied disciplines and formats, including lecture and discussion series, exhibitions, presentations, and workshops. Its grant materials describe interest in projects that respond to community interests, encourage dialogue and critical thinking, broaden perspectives, and contextualize historical and current experiences.
Its grantees include a range of organizations. For example, BOOKMARKS describes its work as fostering reading and writing through an annual book festival, school programming, and year-round events. John C. Campbell Folk School says it brings people together for learning and community life, while Neighborhood Data Works describes its mission as using data to support community empowerment and equity.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, an individual recipient Humanities reported 20 grants totaling $373,949. Awards ranged from $10,000 to $20,000, with a median award of $20,000. The organization’s 2024 annual report separately states that it awarded over $482,000 in grant funding to nonprofits working on community-generated humanities projects.
Notable 2024 grants included $20,000 to Alliance for Heritage Conservation for K–12 an individual recipient history and culture curriculum and educator workshops; $20,000 to Bookmarks for author events at its Festival of Books and Authors; and $20,000 to Neighborhood Data Works for research and community engagement about Durham County property deeds during the redlining era. Other $20,000 awards supported, among other projects, a lecture series at Davidson College, walking tours by The Industrial Commons, and documentation work at Odd Fellows Cemetery by Wake Forest University.
Review Cycle
The 2026 Small Project Grants application opens June 1, 2026, and is due September 10, 2026.
How to Apply
The 2026 Small Project Grants application is submitted through the organization’s online application system. Applicants are directed to review the grant guidelines and current opportunity details before applying. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Project activities must not begin sooner than eight weeks after the submission deadline.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from North Carolina Humanities Council
Ready to take the next step with North Carolina Humanities Council?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
An individual recipient Humanities welcomes projects from across an individual recipient and says its work reaches nearly all 100 counties. In its 2024 grant filings, 95% of grant dollars went to recipients listed in an individual recipient and 5% to recipients listed in Alabama.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $66K (2019) to $1.4M (2021). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $374K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ($55K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $235K.
Grant Size Distribution
209 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 209 grants of 209 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Alliance for Heritage Conservation Chapel Hill, NC | This grant supports the creation of k-12 curriculum on nc history and culture developed by collaborators from unc chapel hill and unc pembroke. It also supported educator workshops to bring k-12 teachers to the museum of the southeast American indian to get hands-on experience with the content. | $20,000 |
| Bookmarks Winston-Salem, NC | This grant supports author panels and talks at the 20th anniversary bookmark's festival of books and authors, the largest annual celebration of the literary arts in North Carolina. | $20,000 |
| Comit De Fiestas Patrias Y Tradiciones De Charlotte Cornelius, NC | This grant supports an exhibition on the history of hispanic peoples in North Carolina from spanish explorers to the present. The project will capture oral histories from the community. | $20,000 |
| Davidson College Davidson, NC | This grant supports a lecture series with indigenous authors, artists, scholars, and chefs. Content is inspired by the ongoing heritage agriculture projects at the catawba and davidson college farms. | $20,000 |
| Jane Austen Collaborative Chapel Hill, AL | This grant supports the implementation of an immersive symposium at tryon palace in new bern, nc exploring jane austen's 1813sense and sensibilityand connections to colonial life in North Carolina. | $20,000 |
| John C Campbell Folk School Brasstown, NC | This grant supports the creation of a self-guided walking tour of and informational signage for the john c. Campbell folk schools campus to better contextualize the schools historical sites, studios, landscape, and garden for public audiences. Started in 1925, the folk school is the oldest folk school in the country and plays a key part of preservation of far-western North Carolina history. | $20,000 |
| Neighborhood Data Works Durham, NC | This grant supports research and community engagement with Durham county property deeds during the era of redlining. The research will create an exhibition, community conversation series, and workshops. | $20,000 |
| Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Asheville, NC | This grant supports a documentary film about the groundbreaking life of japanese immigrant and early photographer george masa. Masa came to western nc in 1915 and was a passionate artist and advocate for the creation of the great smoky mountains national park and the appalachian trail. | $20,000 |
| The Industrial Commons Morganton, NC | This grant supports local walking tours in Burke county led by local residents which highlight the unique communities within the county to build trust and connection. | $20,000 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | This grant engages public and academic audiences to explore the history of women studies in the state. Through workshops, lectures, and other public events the project will explore current research and dialogue from the discipline. | $20,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,550,689 | $1,693,701 | $1,652,475 | $373,949 (20) |
| 2023 | $1,342,049 | $1,205,530 | $1,435,696 | $319,194 (17) |
| 2022 | $1,342,645 | $1,288,721 | $1,314,134 | $135,391 (9) |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,550,689 | $1,342,049 | $1,342,645 |
| Revenue | $1,693,701 | $1,205,530 | $1,288,721 |
| Expenses | $1,652,475 | $1,435,696 | $1,314,134 |
| Net Investment Income | $885 | $772 | $586 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 23, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Dr. Mike Wakeford as chair, Brian Kahn as vice chair, and Lorna Ricotta as past chair. Trustees listed include Hannah Dela Cruz Abrams, Margaret D. Bauer, Kerry D. Bird, Nancy Fields, Katrina Brownlee, Jessica Hardin, and Douglas Jackson.
North Carolina Humanities Council is led by Sherry Paula Watkins, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 1 of 25 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Sherry Paula Watkins
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
35 hrs/week
$110K (2019) → $135K (2024)
Mike Wakeford
Chair
Trustee → Vice Chair, 2022
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hannah Dela Cruz Abrams
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Liliana Wendorff
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca Reyes
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Todd Wright
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cecelia Thompson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Diane Robertson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jessica Hardin
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathy White
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Margaret D. Bauer
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nancy Fields
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tasse A. Little
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
C. Thomas Steele Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Douglas Jackson
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rodney Dawson
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Katrina Brownlee
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kerry D. Bird
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laura Williams
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Les High
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sergio Fernandez
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca Godwin
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sara Hahn
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lorna Ricotta
Past Chair
Vice Chair → Chair, 2022
Chair → Past Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brian Kahn
Vice Chair
Trustee → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (22)
- Former: Elizabeth A. Carlson (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Rick Thames (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Nancy A. Gutierrez (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Chris Lam (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Christina Chia (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Carol B. Vorhaus (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Ryan Henderson (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Ed Sheary (2020–2021) — Chair Elect
- Former: C. Thomas Steel (2021) — Trustee
- Former: V. Ann Tippitt (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Ann Tippitt (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Edward Sheary (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Lori Allois (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Marian Fragola (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Michael Wakeford (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Michelle Hall (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Misty Odell (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Quentin Johnson (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Raheem Aleem (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Renee Alexander Craft (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Susan McCracken (2019) — Vice Chair
- Former: William Andrews (2019) — Chair
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $135K, to Sherry Paula Watkins (Executive Director).
Contact
Mailing address: 320 E 9Th Street No 414, Charlotte, NC 28202
Phone: (704) 687-1520
Website: https://nchumanities.org
Frequently asked questions about North Carolina Humanities Council
How much does North Carolina Humanities Council give each year?
North Carolina Humanities Council gave $374K across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $319K across 17 grants.
What is North Carolina Humanities Council's typical grant size?
North Carolina Humanities Council's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $18,697, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does North Carolina Humanities Council give grants?
North Carolina Humanities Council gives mostly in North Carolina: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Alabama (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chapel Hill, NC (4 grants), Winston-Salem, NC (2 grants), Durham, NC (2 grants) and Raleigh, NC (2 grants).
Does North Carolina Humanities Council give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on North Carolina Humanities Council's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are North Carolina Humanities Council's largest grantees?
North Carolina Humanities Council's largest 2024 grantees include University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ($54,858 across 3 grants), Alliance for Heritage Conservation ($20,000) and Bookmarks ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is North Carolina Humanities Council?
North Carolina Humanities Council reported $1.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.7M.
What does North Carolina Humanities Council fund?
An individual recipient Humanities’ mission is “to connect North Carolinians with cultural experiences that spur dialogue, deepen human connections, and inspire community.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from North Carolina Humanities Council?
The 2026 Small Project Grants application is submitted through the organization’s online application system. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is North Carolina Humanities Council's EIN?
North Carolina Humanities Council's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-1153601. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching North Carolina Humanities Council by hand.
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