IH: General Operating Grants

Illinois Humanities offers General Operating Grants to support organizations dedicated to the humanities across Illinois. These grants empower cultural institutions, museums, and community organizations by providing unrestricted funds to enhance their sustainability and outreach. By fostering public engagement and dialogue, the initiative aims to address civic issues and promote inclusivity within historically under-resourced communities. With grants of up to $10,000, the program reinforces the importance of humanities in creating a just and connected society.

Illinois Humanities is a statewide nonprofit organization that activates the humanities through free public programs, grants, and educational opportunities that spark conversation, foster reflection, build community, and strengthen civic engagement for everyone in Illinois.
General Operating Grants support organizations that are firmly rooted in the humanities. From cultural and ethnic organizations to museums, libraries, and consortiums, these organizations broaden possibilities and increase access to the public humanities. These unrestricted funds empower growth and sustainability by providing recipients with more flexibility and freedom to allocate resources wherever they need them most.
Definition of the Humanities
The humanities are the examination of what it means to be human through the interpretation and discussion of all forms of thought, interest, and expression.
Rather than being defined by rigid disciplinary boundaries, it is the humanistic lens, which emphasizes curiosity, questioning, and dialogue, that matters.
Guidelines
Grants decisions will be made based on whether organizations have a mission involving the humanities, organizational size, geographical balance, and whether an organization represents a historically disinvested or economically under-resourced community, such as rural or BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) communities.
We are committed to serving all geographic areas within the state of Illinois; hence, approximately half of General Operating Grants will be distributed to Cook County-based organizations, and half to organizations located outside of Cook County.
Amount
Up to $10,000.

Eligibility

Must be a humanities-based organizationMust be a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization or have a fiscal sponsorOrganizations must be Illinois-basedOrganizations must have an annual budget of $250,000 or lessApplicants should submit one grant application per cycle

Ineligibility

We do not fund:

• Activities that promote a specific political position or ideology
• Alcoholic beverages
• Businesses, for-profits
• Capital projects (i.e., renovation or purchase of buildings or land)
• Endowment contributions
• Foreign travel
• Lobbying
• Major equipment purchases (though equipment to assist a specific program is admissible)

Out-of-state programs that have no specific relevance or thematic connection people in Illinois (though technically a grant recipient or fiscal agent can be located elsewhere in the U.S.)
Programming that falls outside of the humanities
Social services (though a social services agency may apply for funding of a humanities project)Can not have an open Vision, Action, or General Operating grant

Illinois-based nonprofit (or fiscally sponsored) humanities organizations with annual budgets of $250,000 or less; organizations with a currently open Illinois Humanities Project or General Operating grant are not eligible.