RI Humanities

GRANTMAKING

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The Rhode Island Council for the Humanities Grantmaking Program funds nonprofit organizations and individual researchers to stimulate new research in the humanities, spark thoughtful community exchange, build new audiences for the humanities, innovate new methods in the humanities, and advocate for the importance of the humanities for a lively and engaged democratic public.

NOTE: Due to the federal government’s shutdown, the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities does not have access to the funds we receive from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) for the grants we award through the mini and major grant programs. As a result, we need to take the following steps:

  • The Council will place a temporary hold on the funds for mini grants awarded in December.
  • The Council will review major grant applications (due Jan. 15) as well as mini grant applications (due Feb. 1) as usual. However, we may need to delay award of funds until the NEH is open again.
  • The final grant payment released after a final report is accepted will be delayed until the NEH reopens.

Funds will be released as soon as possible after the federal government, including the National Endowment of the Humanities, reopens.

Questions? Contact Logan Hinderliter, Associate Director, Grants & Partnerships.

Click here to read a piece by Council Board Chair Touba Ghadessi about the broader impact of the humanities in Rhode Island and ways you can support the Council, our grantees, and partners.

FUNDING AREAS
PUBLIC PROJECTS
Rhode Island Council for the Humanities supports public humanities projects that enrich and enliven the life of our state through a variety of formats including: community conversations, talks and lectures, new media technology, museum interpretations and exhibitions, workshops, panel discussions, book or film discussions, oral histories, and radio shows.

offered as:
  • major grant, annually
  • mini grants, quarterly
  Featured Grants in Public Projects

 

DOCUMENTARY FILM
Rhode Island Council for the Humanities supports documentary films that preserve Rhode Island’s stories and bring its history to life. The Council follows a three-phase approach to funding documentary films:

offered as:

Phase 1: Research (mini grant)
Phase 2: Script Development (development level major grant)
Phase 3: Production & Post Production (major grant)

It is only on a rare occasion that the Council funds finishing or post-production for a film for which we have not funded its development. You can learn more about documentary film grants, by reviewing the Grant Guidelines PDF (at left).

  Featured Grants in Documentary Film

 

K 12 CIVIC EDUCATION

Democracy Demands Wisdom: K-12 Civic Education Grants support projects that enhance the humanities components of K-12 education through the creative integration of the Rhode Island Social Studies Grade Span Expectations in teaching and learning, in order to cultivate the civic leaders of future generations.

Civic education grants have taken the form of:
  • curriculum development & implementation
  • field trips
  • student research
  • teacher development & workshops
  • programs that creatively engage students in history, their local communities, and civic action
offered as:
  • major grant, annually
  • mini grants, quarterly
  Featured Grants in k-12 Education

 

INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH
Rhode Island Council for the Humanities supports original research that uncovers Rhode Island’s untold stories and sheds new light and insight on established stories. The Council supports new scholarship by awarding mini grants to independent researchers to conduct research and share their findings with the public.

offered as:
  • mini grants, quarterly
  Featured Grants in Individual Research
GRANT TYPES & DEADLINES
MAJOR GRANTS (annually)
The Major Grant Program, for requests over $2,000, invites nonprofit organizations and schools to apply for funding in support of public projects, documentary films, and civic education initiatives beginning after April 1, 2018.

Major Grant Deadlines
  • Register your Intent to Apply: October 1 – November 1, 2018
  • Submit Draft for Staff Review (optional): December 1, 2018
  • Final Applications Due: January 15, 2019
  • Award notifications: mid-March 2019
All materials must be submitted to the Council through the online grants portal by 5:00pm EST on the day of the established deadline. Deadlines that fall on weekends or holidays are honored on the next business day. Please pay close attention to our grant deadlines. We want your proposal to get its fair consideration, but in fairness to other applicants and to the process, we cannot make any exceptions to our deadlines.
MINI GRANTS (quarterly)
The Mini Grant Program for requests up to $2,000 invites individual researchers, nonprofit organizations, and schools to apply for funding in support of public humanities projects, documentary film, civic education initiatives, and individual research.

Mini Grant Deadlines
  • November 1, 2018
  • February 1, 2019
  • May 1, 2019
  • August 1, 2019
All materials must be submitted to the Council through the online grants portal by 5:00pm EST on the day of the established deadline. Deadlines that fall on weekends or holidays are honored on the next business day. Please pay close attention to our grant deadlines. We want your proposal to get its fair consideration, but in fairness to other applicants and to the process, we cannot make any exceptions to our deadlines.