General Grants

Geographic Scope: Tennessee (all three Grand Divisions)

Focus Areas: Public humanities projects in history, archaeology, performing arts, popular music, and other humanities disciplines

Eligibility:

• Any nonprofit, institution, or government agency may apply
• Projects must serve Tennesseans who are not employed by, or enrolled in, colleges and universities
• Organizations must provide public humanities programming

What They Fund:

• Public humanities projects designed to serve general public audiences
• Projects examining and reflecting upon ideas, stories, history, arts, and culture
• Programs with potential to engage broad audiences and reach multiple communities

Award Details:

• Awarded through annual competition
• Total pool: $100,000 per year (based on 2023 cycle)
• Average awards shown in 2021: varying amounts to support individual projects

Contact Information:

• Humanities Tennessee
• 615 Main St, Ste. B19
• Nashville, TN 37206
• 615-770-0006
• info@humtn.org
• Melissa Davis, Director of Grants & Public Programs: melissa@humtn.org

Background:
Humanities Tennessee makes funding investments across the state to support cultural, educational, and community-based organizations providing public humanities programs. Grant funds are leveraged for additional community investment including financial support and volunteer time.

Application Process

1. Review Eligibility & Criteria: Check organization and project eligibility on HumTN.org
2. Request Access: Contact grants team to request application access
3. Attend Office Hours: Optional sessions available to ask questions about the application process
4. Complete Draft: Develop application draft
5. Submit Application: Complete full application through online portal
6. Award Notification: Organizations notified of funding decisions

Required Materials

• Project narrative describing public humanities focus
• Organization information and mission statement
• Budget and budget narrative
• Evidence of community partnerships (if applicable)
• Letters of support from partner organizations

Application Details

• Applications accepted through rolling deadlines (specific dates vary by year)
• Draft deadline typically end of March
• Final deadline typically in May
• Award notifications typically in July

Contact for Application:

• Melissa Davis, Director of Grants & Public Programs
• melissa@humtn.org