Indiana Humanities CARES Grants

Applications are now closed for Indiana Humanities CARES Grants. Award notifications will be made on May 22.

About

Nonprofit organizations that provide public humanities programming are invited to apply for funding relief due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. The grants will range from $5,000 to $15,000, depending on the size of the organization’s budget and can be used only for general operating support.

Funding for the grants, which will be administered by Indiana Humanities, has been provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act economic stabilization plan appropriated by the U.S. Congress. More than $500,000 will be awarded to Indiana humanities organizations.

The deadline for the Indiana Humanities CARES Grant application is May 8. Award notifications will be made on May 22.

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Funding Levels
  • Organizations with budgets less than $250,000 may receive up to $5,000​ 
  • Organizations with budgets between $250,000 and $999,999 may receive up to $7,500​ 
  • Organizations with budgets of $1 million to $2,499,999 may receive up to $10,000​ 
  • Organizations with budgets of $2.5 million or more may receive up to $15,000​ 
Eligibility 

Only tax-exempt organizations whose core mission is to provide public humanities programs may apply.  

 This includes (but is not limited to):  

  • Libraries and archives 
  • Historical societies/heritage groups 
  • Museums (with a humanities focus) 
  • Historical homes and sites 
  • Other nonprofits whose core mission centers on developing and implementing humanities programming 

The following will not be eligible: 

  • Groups that do not provide strong humanities programming (including arts organizations whose primary mission is the creation, performance or display of art) 
  • Religious organizations
  • Social-services agencies
  • Government entities (except libraries, which may apply)
  • K-12 schools 
  • Colleges and universities, including all affiliated centers, institutes, etc. 
  • Individuals 
Restrictions 

Indiana Humanities CARES Grant funds cannot be used for any of the following purposes:  

  • Activities that promote a particular political, religious or ideological point of view 
  • Advocacy of a particular program of social or political action 
  • Support of specific public policies or legislation 
  • Lobbying
  • Programming that falls outside of the humanities
  • Purchase of land or facilities, construction or renovation 
  • Purchase of food or beverages (including alcohol)
  • Archival acquisitions
  • Prizes, awards or scholarships
  • Foreign travel
  • Fundraising
  • Endowment contributions
  • Regranting of funds
Additional key information 
  • There is no matching requirement. 
  • We anticipate it will take organizations less than 20 minutes to complete the application.  
  • Among other documentation, you will need to provide your most recent Form 990 (if applicable) and your current fiscal year budget. 
  • As required by federal guidelines, make sure your organization has a DUNS number. Apply for it early, as it can take two weeks to receive. While not required for the application process, funds cannot be dispersed without it. 
More Information
Additional emergency relief funding

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has announced new grant guidelines designed to rapidly distribute CARES Act funding to cultural nonprofits affected by the coronavirus pandemic. This new funding opportunity, NEH CARES: Cultural Organizations, will provide grants of up to $300,000 to sustain humanities organizations and preserve jobs in the cultural sector.

Questions?

Organizations with annual budgets less than $1 million should contact:  

George Hanlin, Director of Grants, ghanlin@indianahumanities.org   

Organizations with annual budgets of $1 million or more should contact:  

Megan Telligman, Program Manager, mtelligman@indianahumanities.org