2027 GRANT APPLICATIONS will open december 10, 2026.
November 18, 2026: Public Humanities Shareback and Community Grants info session
December 10, 2026: Cycle I Applications Open
December 11: Virtual grant info session
December 17: Virtual grant info session
January 6-8: Cycle I Grant Program Workshops
February 11, 2027: Cycle II Grant Applications Open
February 17, 2027: Cycle I Applications Close
April 22, 2027: Cycle II Applications Close
Reach out to grants@humanitiesdc.org with any questions.
CYCLE I OPPORTUNITIES
SMALL PUBLIC HUMANITIES GRANT (fka Community Culture & Heritage grant)
Amount: $10,000
Applications Open: December 10, 2026
Applications Close: February 17, 2027
2026 RFP | 2026 application Questions | 2026 grant Program Workshop
Supports grassroots public humanities projects focused on DC stories. Eligibility: DC-based individuals, community groups, and non-profits
LARGE PUBLIC HUMANITIES GRANT (fka Visions – Projects + Events grant)
Amount: $25,000
Applications Open: December 10, 2026
Applications Close: February 17, 2027
2026 RFP | 2026 Application Questions | 2026 Grant Program Workshop
Supports creative DC-based public humanities projects. Eligibility: DC-based non-profits; individuals may apply through a fiscal sponsor
DC ORAL HISTORY COLLABORATIVE GRANT – ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEWING
Amount: Up to $13,000
Applications Open: December 10, 2026
Applications Close: February 17, 2027
2026 RFP | 2026 Application Questions | 2026 Grant Program Workshop
Supports collection of oral histories to capture DC history and culture. Eligibility: DC-based individuals, community groups, & non-profit organizations
CYCLE II OPPORTUNITIES
DC ORAL HISTORY COLLABORATIVE – BEYOND THE ARCHIVES GRANT
Amount: $12,000
Applications Open: February 11, 2027
2026 RFP | Application Questions | Grant Program Workshop
Supports public-facing humanities projects that showcase existing oral history collections. Eligibility: Individuals, community groups, & non-profit organizations
DC ORAL HISTORY COLLABORATIVE – CONTINUING ORAL HISTORY PROJECTS GRANT
Amount: $8,000 to $13,000
Applications Open: February 11, 2027
2026 RFP | Application Questions | Grant Program Workshop
Supports prior DC Oral History Collaborative grantees to continue adding interviews to an existing collection. Eligibility: Individuals, community groups, & organizations
GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT GRANT
Amount: $25,000
Applications Open: February 11, 2027
2026 RFP | Application Questions | Grant Program Workshop
Supports the general operations of humanities-focused nonprofits. Eligibility: Non-profit organizations with budgets of under $2 million
These grant opportunities are supported by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
APPLICANT SUPPORT
INFO SESSIONS – for prospective applicants who may have a project in mind, but aren’t sure which grant program is the right fit
View the Slide Deck for our recorded 2026 Community Grants Info Session below, recorded in December 2025 with ASL interpretation.
Sign up to attend a virtual or in-person workshop. Info sessions provide a broad overview of each grant program and our overall grant process; workshops go deeper into the application questions and grant requirements.
GRANT PROGRAM WORKSHOPS – best for those applicants who have reviewed the grant opportunities and are interested in a particular grant program. All sessions are available on our grants youtube playlist.
Recorded 2026 Grant Workshops – These are in-depth sessions delving into a specific grant program’s funding scope, eligibility requirements, application questions, and review criteria. Below are previously recorded Cycle I grant workshops. Applications for Cycle I grants are now closed.
VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS – for applicants with specific questions to work out one-on-one with a member of the community grants staff
DRAFT REVIEW – for applicants at the final stages of their application process, looking for feedback on a final draft
Applicants can request that their draft application be reviewed by one of our Community Grants Managers. To request a draft review, complete the application in our grants portal and click “SAVE.” Send an email to grants@humanitiesdc.org with your request for draft review, including any specific questions you wish us to focus on. Staff can provide feedback about the eligibility of your project and the clarity and completeness of your responses. Note that funding decisions are not made by staff. (Learn more about our grant review process.) Please request feedback on your draft application no later than April 24, 2026.
SAMPLE APPLICATION RESPONSES – review exemplary application responses that received high scores from reviewers
Community Culture & Heritage Grant exemplary application responses
Visions – Projects + Events Grant exemplary application responses
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