Arts & Humanities

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Limiting Langauge 
Each organization may only submit one application in any given year. Applicants must decide whether they are eligible for the Top Prize Awards (Rubenstein, Kislak, American or International), or the Emerging Strategies Honorees category and choose the correct application form accordingly.

Prize Category Descriptions

• The David M. Rubenstein Prize ($150,000) is awarded to an organization, based either inside or outside the United States, which has demonstrated exceptional and sustained depth in its commitment to the advancement of literacy. The organization meets the highest standards of excellence in its operations and services. Applicants should complete the Top Prize Application Question Form for consideration for this prize.
• The Kislak Family Foundation Prize ($100,000) is awarded to an organization, based either inside or outside the United States, with an outsized impact on literacy relative to its size and/or years of operation. Applicants should complete the Top Prize Application Question Form for consideration for this prize.
• The American Prize ($50,000) is awarded to an organization based inside the United States for making a significant and measurable contribution to increasing literacy levels in the U.S. or the national awareness of the importance of literacy. Applicants should complete the Top Prize Application Question Form for consideration for this prize.
• The International Prize ($50,000) is awarded to an organization that is based either inside or outside the United States for their significant and measurable contribution to increasing literacy levels in a country other than the U.S. Applicants should complete the Top Prize Application Question Form for consideration for this prize.
• Successful Practices Honorees ($10,000/organization; up to 15 organizations) are recognized for their successful implementation of a specific literacy practice. NOTE: all applicants are automatically considered for the Successful Practices Honoree recognition. Applicants who complete the Top Prize Application Question Form will automatically be considered for this prize.
• Emerging Strategies Honorees ($5,000/organization; up to 5 organizations) are recognized for a literacy initiative in its early stages of development (5 years or fewer) that demonstrate significant creativity and promise in their approach to promoting literacy. For the 2026 application cycle, Emerging Strategies Honorees should have been established in 2021 or later. Organizations that are piloting or exploring emerging ideas are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants should complete the Emerging Strategies Application Question Form for consideration for this prize.

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L. Zhang (Civil and Architectural Engineering and Mechanics) 

Limiting Language
Organizations may only submit one application per grant cycle. Select the grant category that best aligns to your project.

Grant Categories

1. Catalyst grants (up to $20,000) support stand-alone projects with a quick turnaround and are perfect for small spaces or first actions at a site or institution with a total annual operating budget equal to or below $500,000. Catalyst grants are eligible for an additional award of up to five (5) hours of in-project coaching. Projects must begin June 1–August 31, 2026 and be completed by December 31, 2026, because they are “shovel ready,” requiring no more planning or assessment, or a financial match.
2. Scoping grants (up to $25,000) support initial assessments typically performed by independent consultants to understand how to save energy. Scoping grants are designed to assist institutions that are in the initial stages of assessing and understanding their emissions footprint.  Projects must begin June 1–August 31, 2026 and be completed by December 31, 2027.
3. Technical Assistance grants (up to $50,000) support projects that have finished initial assessments, and need procurement and financing support for an identified efficiency project. This may include providing designs, specifications, or connections to energy services companies (ESCOs) for project support. These grants also support more complex studies or analysis required for pursuing major implementation projects. At the conclusion of a Technical Assistance grant, the applicant should be well enough informed to implement a project.  Projects must begin June 1–August 31, 2026 and be completed by December 31, 2027.
4. Implementation grants (up to $100,000) support ambitious, innovative, and transformative projects that directly address institutional climate impact. Implementation grants are highly competitive and involve multiple stakeholders, collaborators, and organization-wide buy-in. They can act as seed funding for large projects, and often lead to matches for capital campaigns. Preference is given to organizations moving to electric from fossil fuels. Projects must begin June 1–August 31, 2026 and be completed by December 31, 2028.

Eligibility 
Arts education, higher education, and the study of art 

• Art schools or departments/divisions within an accredited college, university, or other non-profit institution of higher education whose focus entails art or the study of art
• Artist residency programs
• Arts education center/community art center that can demonstrate a significant portion of their mission and programming relates to visual art/displays the art of their community
• Center for the study of art (art history, visual studies, curatorial studies, etc.)
• University museum, gallery, or arts-focused department 

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Limiting Language
Only the project organizer(s) may apply for support. If co-organizing with a partner museum, the co-organizers are encouraged to apply jointly. If co-organizers do not apply jointly, we accept only one grant inquiry per project, from whichever organization applies first (even if that letter of inquiry does not get invited to the proposal stage). Grants are not made to individuals.

Program Overview
Exhibitions can offer shared experiences and transformative encounters, leading to new ways of thinking and seeing art and the world. They are designed to be temporary and are often themed—inviting visitors to acknowledge and reflect on the intentions of artists and curators, bringing them into conversation with ideas beyond their own. Loan shows offer expanded access to art and ideas, offering something new to communities of visitors and to histories of art.

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Limiting Language
Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding under this funding opportunity.

Executive Summary
The U.S. Department of State’s Embassy Tokyo invites proposal submissions for one to five
cooperative agreements to design, administer, and implement high-level activities under the U.S. Mission to Japan’s Salute to America 250 Public Engagement Initiative. Through December 31, 2026, this initiative will utilize innovative programming in all of Japan’s 47 prefectures to showcase the historical legacy of American excellence, highlight American innovation, and celebrate the bilateral milestones and ties between our citizens that allow the United States and Japan to partner as global leaders.
Activities can include:
• Public engagement exchanges and events by prominent American athletes and cultural
figures
• American-style public events such as “county fairs” and Thanksgiving celebrations
• Outreach that celebrates business, energy, historic, civic, cultural and horticultural
partnerships between communities in the United States and Japan
• Travelling exhibitions and educational materials with content translated into Japanese
language
• Community service opportunities that bring together American and Japanese citizens
• Microgrants to help American citizens living in Japan amplify the America250 story

The implementing partner would also develop, in partnership with the U.S. Embassy, branded outreach items for giveaway purposes.

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K. McAllister (College of Humanities) 

Limiting Language
Your organization may submit only one application for Endowments for Advancing the Humanities per deadline. This includes applications from subordinate units under a parent organization.

Program Overview
At the February 2026 deadline, NEH invites proposals for endowments to build the applicant organization’s capacity in research and teaching of Western civilization, American history and government, and civics. 

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Limiting Language
An organization may submit only one application to the FY 2027 GAP program (i.e., one application per calendar year), with limited exceptions. Applications will not be transferred between NEA funding categories. Applications to GAP will not be transferred to Research Awards or vice versa. 

Executive Summary 
Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) provides project-based funding for organizations. Funded activities enable Americans throughout the nation to experience the arts, foster and celebrate America’s artistic heritage and cultural legacy, and benefit from arts education at all stages of life. We also support arts and health programs, including creative arts therapies, that advance the well-being of people and communities. Awards require a 1:1 cost share. Applications are evaluated based on the published Review Criteria. 

Eligible applicants include: nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organizations; units of state or local government; and federally recognized tribal communities or tribes. Funding in this category is not available for individuals, fiscally sponsored entities, commercial/for-profit enterprises, State Arts Agencies (SAA), or Regional Arts Organizations (RAO).

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Limiting Language
An organization may submit only one proposal under this program solicitation.

Executive Summary
The purpose of this Program Solicitation is to select an organization (Cooperator) to administer the Mayors’ Institute on City Design (MICD), a program of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The MICD brings U.S. mayors together with design professionals in workshops to assist mayors with city design challenges, to promote design excellence, and to enhance the livability of communities across the nation. 

This award will be made as a cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement is a type of award in which the federal government will be substantially involved in the project undertaken by the award recipient (known as a Cooperator).  

Eligible applicants include nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organizations; units of state or local government; or federally-recognized tribal communities or tribes. Prior to the application deadline, the selected Cooperator must have a five-year history of experience related to policies and practices affecting the design of American cities. 

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Limiting Language
Only one application will be accepted per organization. Higher education applicants must partner with a library that is not directly affiliated with their institution.

About Big Read
The National Endowment for the Arts Big Read is a program that awards grants ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 to organizations. 

These grants support community reading programs designed around a single NEA Big Read book. As our nation moves into its 250th year, the goal of this program is to honor America’s rich artistic and cultural heritage, inspire meaningful conversations, celebrate local creativity, elevate a wide variety of voices and perspectives, and build stronger connections in each community. 

Grantees will receive funding for their programming and purchasing books, and tools to support them in working with local partners, developing public relations strategies, and leading meaningful book discussions.

NEA Big Read programs vary and can be as short as a week or as long as several months. Beyond discussions of the book, organizations may choose to include a kick-off event, invite the author for a visit, or have other events inspired by the content and themes of the book. These may include panel discussions, lectures, film screenings, art exhibitions, theatrical and musical performances, poetry slams, writing workshops and contests, and community storytelling events.

In total, Arts Midwest will be awarding $1,090,000 in project grants through NEA Big Read this year. We anticipate making approximately 75 grants. 

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Limiting Language
Applicant organizations may submit only one application per cycle.

Program Overview
Recordings at Risk is a national regranting program administered by CLIR to support the preservation of rare and unique audio, audiovisual, and other time-based media of public value through digital reformatting. 

Eligible media may include but are not necessarily limited to, magnetic audio and video tape, grooved discs, wax cylinders, wire recordings, and film (with or without sound).

Recordings at Risk encourages professionals who may be constrained by limited resources and/or technical expertise to take action against the threats of degradation and obsolescence. The program aims to help organizations identify priorities and develop practical strategies for digital reformatting, build relationships with partners, and raise awareness of best practices.

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J. Duran (Confluence Center for Creative Inquiry)
E. White (Public and Applied Humanities)
J.P. Jones (School of Geography, Development and Environment) 

Limiting Language:
Each institution may submit no more than three applications to Mellon for consideration. 

Eligibility
The Principal Investigator (PI), or applicant, must be a faculty member and/or dean in a program or department in the humanities or humanistic social sciences at the applicant institution. The PI may also be the institution’s provost/chief academic officer. Applications that do not include a CV for the PI will be disqualified from consideration. 

Overview
Full sponsor guidelines are linked here.

In the interest of maintaining a grantmaking portfolio that supports inquiry into issues of vital social, cultural, and historical import, the Higher Learning program at the Mellon Foundation invites eligible institutions of higher education to submit ideas for research and/or curricular projects focused on either of the two areas listed below. Projects should engage teams of scholars and/or students, and have visible, enduring impact at the institution. The two topical areas for the call are:

• Unruly Intelligences
• Normalization and Its Discontents

The Mellon Higher Learning team will review all eligible submissions and invite a small number of the most promising concepts to be developed into full proposals for potential grant funding. In consideration of the anticipated volume of concept submissions, we are unable to provide feedback on preliminary concepts.