National Endowment for the Humanities Media Projects Grant

The National Endowment for the Humanities Media Projects Grant supports the creation of new media that brings the humanities to a general audience. Funding is available at two levels – Development and Production.

Development grants are available for up to $75,000 over 6-12 months. Production grants are available for up to $700,000 over 1-3 years. There is no matching requirement. Applications are due through Grants.gov by January 10, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET. An optional draft may be submitted by November 29, 2023.

Eligibility

This grant is open to:

  • 501(c) nonprofit organizations
  • Public or nonprofit institutions of higher education
  • State and local governments
  • Federally recognized Native American Tribal governments

Requirments

Photo by Brett Sayles: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-talking-video-1426044/

All projects must:

  • Be grounded in humanities scholarship
  • Deepen public understanding of the topic(s)
  • Present a variety of perspectives
  • Involve humanities scholars at all stages
  • Involve media professionals
  • Be created for national or regional distribution

Grant Categories

Development

Development awards are intended for projects in the early stages and must generate a script or detailed treatment. Funds may be used for:

  • Meeting with scholars 
  • Preliminary interviews
  • Production of a work-in-progress or trailer 
  • Creation of partnerships for outreach and public engagement 
  • Scholarly research

Production

Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-man-and-woman-talking-together-6883805/

Production awards must generate and distribute a finished media product such as a documentary film, podcast, television show, or radio broadcast. Products may be stand alone films/episodes or a series of programs.

Grant funds may be used for:

  • Additional script development
  • Meeting with scholars
  • Purchasing rights to material
  • Filming, recording, and editing
  • Distribution
  • Development of supplemental materials such as websites and curricula
  • Outreach and public engagement

Review Criteria

All applications will be reviewed based on:

  • Humanities content and significance
  • Creative approach, script, and resources
  • Project personnel 
  • Submitted work sample 
  • Work plan, budget, and likelihood of success 
  • Audience reach and distribution
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