Grants
Michigan Humanities Council grants emphasize collaboration among cultural, educational, and community-based organizations and institutions to serve the people of Michigan with public humanities programming. These grants play a vital role in defining our culture, our state, our community, and ourselves. Organizations are encouraged to explore and retrace our histories, roles in societies, advancements and changes, meaning in self-expression and fulfillment, commonalities and differences.
Please note that all the forms below require Microsoft Word or Excel unless otherwise noted.
Grant Archive Database
For examples of previously awarded grants, the Council invites you to review prior funded projects in our Grants Archive. The database presents a variety of examples of previously awarded major grants, quick grants, and touring grants.
Major Grants (up to $15,000 or $5,000 for Great Michigan Read)
Up to $15,000 is awarded per major grant, and $5,000 per Great Michigan Read grant. A draft may be submitted for Council staff to review and provide feedback up to two weeks before the deadline. Generally, decisions on grant applications are announced within 60 days following the application deadline. Applications must be postmarked no later than the final date listed below, or the first Monday after the date if occurring on a weekend or holiday. An example of a previously submitted narrative is also available.
- Spring Deadline: Draft, February 27. Final, March 16. Notification Date: May 15.
- Fall Deadline: Draft, August 24. Final, September 15. Notification Date: November 15.
- Questions? Contact Cynthia Dimitrijevic at 517-372-7770.
- Forms: Application Guidelines. Application Cover Sheet. Media & Exhibit Supplemental Guidelines. Score sheet used by Grant Committee. Budget Itemization & sample. Budget Overview & sample. Interim Financial Report & Final Finance Form.
- Evaluations: Audience. Outside Evaluator. Project Director.
Quick Grants (up to $500) and Planning Grants (up to $1,000)
The Michigan Humanities Council provides support for public humanities programs that fall outside the design and deadline schedules of the major grants. To help meet these requests and to match humanities resources and professionals with local needs, the Council offers Quick Grants and Planning Grants. Quick Grants provide up to $500 and Planning Grants provide up to $1,000 to Michigan-based, nonprofit organizations for public humanities programs or services. Planning grants cover expenses involved in developing a public humanities program that will result in a non-profit applying for a Council major grant. Organizations may only receive one quick or planning grant per year and the project activities must be free or very low cost and open to the public.
- Deadline: Four weeks prior to an event or planning session. Funds available year-round or until exhausted.
- Questions? Contact Cynthia Dimitrijevic at 517-372-7770.
- Forms: Quick/Planning Grant Application [NEW - as of July 10, 2009]. Quick/Planning Grant Application. Quick/Planning Grant Final Report Form. Quick/Planning Grant Certification.
PRIME TIME Family Reading Time® Library Grants
For all new PRIME TIME Family Reading Time® programs, the Council will provide $9,000 to selected libraries to cover the majority of program expenses. Any public library system in the state of Michigan is eligible to apply to host a six-week PRIME TIME® series. A library system must commit to hosting a minimum of three PRIME TIME® series over a two-year period.
- Deadline: January 22, 2009
- Questions? Contact Cynthia Dimitrijevic at 517-372-7770.
- For further information on becoming a site, link here.
PRIME TIME® Mini Grants for Repeat Programs
Mini grants of up to $2,000 are currently available to library systems that have previously implemented a Council-sponsored PRIME TIME® Family Reading Time® program and are in need of additional funds to support repeat programs.
- Deadline: March 15, 2010
- Questions? Contact Cynthia Dimitrijevic at 517-372-7770.
- Forms: Submit a letter of intent.
Arts & Humanities Touring Program Grants
(up to 40% of expenses or $3,000)
Michigan’s Arts & Humanities Touring Directory represents 204 of our state’s most talented performing and visual artists and humanities presenters. It provides schools, libraries, museums, civic and service groups, festival organizers, and other Michigan nonprofits a wide variety of cultural programming in the fields of dance, music, storytelling, theater, and traditional and visual arts. The Touring Program grants are available to nonprofit organizations who may request up to 40 percent of presenters’/exhibitors’ fees and travel expenses. Request for a grant may not exceed $3,000 per application, and an organization may not submit more than four grant applications or request more than $4,000 in a fiscal year. Applications are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
- As of January 28, 2010, applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for programs April 1, 2010 through September 30, 2010. Funding is pending approval by the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs.
- Deadline: Grants are first come-first served until funding is exhausted.
- Questions? Contact Phyllis Rathbun at 517-372-7770.
- Forms: Grant Application and Guidelines (new as of January 28).. Grantee Final Report Form.
Grant Publicity Requirements
The Michigan Humanities Council requires each grant recipient include to reference support from the Michigan Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities in all of its press releases, publicity materials, and discussion with the media.
Grants
- Arts & Humanities Touring Program Grants
- Grants Archive Database
- Grant Photologue
- Grant Publicity Requirements
- Major Grants
- PRIME TIME Family Reading Time® Grants
- PRIME TIME Mini Grants for Repeat Programs
- Quick Grants
The Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Open House, in Niles, July 26, 2008.