The Trust for Mutual Understanding supports direct exchanges in the arts, the environment, and the intersection of the two between professionals in the U.S. and the 28 countries in their region. Exchanges may be in person or virtual.
Initual inquiries are due each year by May 1st or November 1st. If invited, full proposals will be due August 1st or February 1st. There is no minimum or maximum award, but current grantees received $5,000 – $173,000.
Eligibility
This grant is open to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations working with professionals in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, or Uzbekistan.
Allowable Expenses
In Person Exchange
Grant funding for in person exchanges may be used for:
- International airfare
- Local transportation
- Travel insurance
- Visas and visa processing fees
- Accommodations
- Per diem
- Translation and interpretation
- Registration fees for conferences, events, and trainings
- Cost of using more environmentally friendly modes of transportation
- Carbon offsets for travel
Virtual Exchange
Grant funding for virtual exchanges may be used for:
- Staff time for planning and participating in events
- Necessary technology, such as hardware, software, licensing fees, etc.
- Event registration fees
Grantees in both categories may spend up to 30% of grant funding on indirect costs.
Project Categories
The Arts
Exchanges may take place between professional artists and designers, art managers and curators, primarily in the visual and performing arts. Potential activities include:
- Artistic collaborations
- Performances in conjunction with lectures or workshops
- Curatorial research projects
- Historic preservation projects
- Arts management programs
The Environment
Exchanges may take place between environmental activists, conservationists, researchers, and scientists, especially those focused on presevation, environmental law, species conservation, and sustainable development.
Potential activities include:
- Facilitating better international communication and networking
- Joint events, conferences, and workshops
- Collaborative research projects
- Collaborative actions, projects, and programs
Intersection of Arts and the Environment
Projects that focus on the intersection of arts and the environment will receive priority consideration. Potential activities include:
- Collaborations in which artists and environmentalists learn and draw inspiration from each other
- Activities led by native communities focused on the interconnection of art and the environment through the lens of Indigenous knowledge
