New Videos Seek to Help Nonprofits in Financial Management
Audited financial statements can provide a detailed picture of a nonprofit’s financial health and performance, but only if you know how to read them. A new video offers a guided tour of these important documents, making them accessible to those without a financial background. The video is one of two new features on StrongNonprofits.org, a website that provides an array of free tools and resources designed to help nonprofits improve their financial management. A second new video offers a brief tour of all the resources available on the site, including the popular “program-based budget builder.”
ArtWeek - Boston
ArtWeek Boston seeks arts, cultural, and creative innovators throughout Eastern Massachusetts to host events for Spring 2016 ArtWeek (April 29 – May 8). Create an event your audience won't forget! It is easier than ever to apply. Remember that the ultimate goal of ArtWeek is to allow people a "sneak peek" at the creative process or to be part of a unique creative, hands-on or participatory experience, all while spotlighting how creativity is thriving in our state. Early Bird Deadline is February 12, 2016. Learn more here.
Rural Development Community Facilities
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Community Facilities program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as providing an essential service to the local community: educational services such as museums, libraries or private schools are able to apply to this program. Year round applications, click here for details.
Google Ad Grants
Google Ad Grants offer eligible non-profit organizations up to $10,000 per month in in-kind AdWords™ advertising to promote their missions and initiatives on Google.com. You create advertisement and key word searches that relate your nonprofit, services, and organization as a whole, and when people use Google to search for related offerings online, your ad may appear next to the search results. For full program details, click here.
National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards
The National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards recognize and support outstanding community arts and humanities programs that celebrate the creativity of America’s young people by providing them with learning opportunities and chances to contribute to their communities. These awards focus national attention on exemplary programs currently fostering the creative and intellectual development of America’s youth through education and practical experience in the arts and the humanities. This awards program is a project of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Each year, awards of $10,000 each are presented to National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards honorees. Applications are due February 1, 2016. Learn more here.
National Trust for Historic Preservation Emergency Funds
Intervention funding from the National Trust for Historic Preservation is awarded in emergency situations when immediate and unanticipated work is needed to save a historic structure, such as when a fire or other natural disaster strikes. Funding is restricted to nonprofit organizations and public agencies. Emergency grants typically range from $1,000 to $5,000, but unlike the majority of our grant funding, a cash match is not required for intervention projects. Contact us if you believe your project qualifies for this type of funding. Please note: our emergency funding is very limited. Click here for details.
National Trust Preservation Funds
Grants from National Trust Preservation Funds (NTPF) are intended to encourage preservation at the local level by providing seed money for preservation projects. These grants help stimulate public discussion, enable local groups to gain the technical expertise needed for particular projects, introduce the public to preservation concepts and techniques, and encourage financial participation by the private sector. The National Trust is particularly interested in projects related to building sustainable communities, reimagining historic sites, promoting diversity and place, and protecting historic places on public lands. Grants generally start at $2,500 and range up to $5,000. Application deadlines are quarterly; the next deadline is February 1.
TD Charitable Foundation
TD Charitable Foundation grants will be awarded to area non-profit and public institutions to create meaningful change and improvement in the communities.
Book Proposal
The Editorial Board for AASLH's book series with Rowman & Littlefield Press is actively seeking new book proposals. If you're a good writer and have something to share with your professional colleagues, they would like to hear from you! In addition, they are always seeking proposals for the Interpreting History series. Books in this series are for local history organizations to turn to when thinking of ways to better use their own collections/local stories while relating to larger themes in history. Here are some topics we are seeking proposals for but please don't feel limited by them. Click here for complete details.
Programming Grants to Accompany NEH on the Road Exhibitions
These grants support ancillary public humanities programs to accompany NEH on the Road traveling exhibitions. Typical formats involve lectures, reading and discussion programs, film discussion programs, Chautauqua presentations by scholars, family programs, exhibition tours, and other appropriate formats for reaching the general public. Deadline is December 31, 2015 for projects starting May 2016. Learn more here.
2015 Community Grant Program
The Walmart Foundation is accepting applications for their 2015 Community Grant Program, which awards grants from $250 to $2,500 to nonprofits, government entities, schools, or churches in the service area of Walmart stores. The deadline for the 2015 grant cycle is Thursday, December 31st, 2015. Learn more here.
The Samuel H. Kress Mid-Career Fellowship
Research grants of up to $15,000 will be awarded to one mid-career professional whose research project relates to the appreciation, interpretation, preservation, study and teaching of European art, architecture and related disciplines from antiquity to the early 19th century, in the context of historic preservation in the United States. Potential Kress Fellow projects could include the exploration of shared European and American influences in style, design, materials, construction techniques, building types, conservation and interpretation methodologies, philosophical and theoretical attitudes, and other factors applicable to preservation in both Europe and America. Applications must be submitted by January 15, 2016. Click here for details.
Jane's Trust
Jane's Trust will make grants to address important issues in the Trust's fields of interest and areas of geographical focus. Jane's Trust will make grants in the areas of Arts and Culture, Education, Environment and Health & Welfare. The Trust will make grants to qualifying nonprofit organizations in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont; in southwest and central Florida; and in the greater Boston area of Massachusetts. Deadline is January 25, 2016. Click here for details.
The Edwin S. Webster Foundation
The Edwin S. Webster Foundation will consider requests for capital programs, special projects or operating income. They support organizations with an emphasis on hospitals, medical research, education, youth agencies, cultural activities, and programs addressing the needs of minorities. Before submitting a request, please contact foundation administrator Michelle Jenney at: mjenney@gmafoundations.com. The deadline is May 1.
Art Works
The National Endowment for the Arts Art Works grant supports the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and the strengthening of communities through the arts. Matching grants generally range from $10,000 to $100,000. A minimum cost share/match equal to the grant amount is required. Deadline is February 18, 2016. Learn more here.
Museums, Libraries, and Cultural Organizations: Implementation and Planning Grants
The NEH's Museums, Libraries, and Cultural Organizations: Implementation and Planning Grants supports projects for general audiences that encourage active engagement with humanities ideas in creative and appealing ways. Many different formats are supported, including permanent and traveling exhibitions, book or film discussion programs, historic site or district interpretations, living history presentations, and other face-to-face programs in public venues. All projects must be grounded in humanities scholarship in disciplines such as history, art history, film studies, literature, religious studies, philosophy, or anthropology. Deadline is January 13, 2016. Learn more here.
Leadership in History Awards
AASLH invites submissions to the 2016 Leadership in History Awards. The AASLH Leadership in History Awards Program recognizes exemplary work in the field of state and local history. The awards honor publications, exhibits, multimedia projects, preservation projects, community engagement initiatives, and more. Nominees need not be members of AASLH to qualify. Winners of the Award of Merit take pride in the fact that they are recognized by their peers and use the award to promote their institution in their communities and beyond, including leveraging needed funds. Nomination forms may be obtained by visiting the AASLH website or emailing hawkins@aaslh.org. Nominations are due to state award team captains by March 1, 2015. Nominees will be notified of the committee’s decision by July 15.
Award for Distinguished Service to Museums
The Award for Distinguished Service to Museums recognizes an individual's excellence and contributions to the museum profession for at least 20 years. The award, a medal and citation, is usually presented at the American Alliance of Museums' annual meeting. Nomination Deadline is February 5, 2016. Complete details can be found here.
Awards of Merit
The Connecticut League of History Organizations presents Awards of Merit to institutions and individuals who demonstrate the highest of professional standards, and who enhance and further the understanding of Connecticut history. The purpose of the Awards of Merit is to recognize the care, thought and effort invested in these contributions and to inspire and encourage others by acknowledging exceptional contributions to state and local history. Nominations are due January 4, 2016. For information and nomination forms click here.
Awesome Foundation Grants (Massachusetts and Connecticut)
Awesome Foundation awards two $1,000 grants every month. Realizing that there's more awesome out there than money in our pockets, they host local office hours in Boston so that they get to meet you (yes, you!) and brainstorm ideas or make introductions to help make your awesome idea happen. Learn more about the Boston chapter here. Applications are on a rolling system in the Connecticut chapter.
Capacity Building Grants
Connecticut Humanities Capacity Building Grants strengthen organizations through focused work that helps them better understand their audiences, assets and operations. To qualify, applicant organizations must regularly provide humanities programming to the public. Capacity Grants fund: board assessment, board training, strategic planning, marketing planning, audience assessment, collections assessment in the service of public programming, and technology assessment and/or planning. Applications are due on a quarterly basis. The next deadline is January 1. Learn more here.
Connecticut Arts Endowment Fund
The Connecticut Arts Endowment Fund was established by the State of Connecticut to stimulate the development of private sector funding and help stabilize arts institutions. Interest earned on the Fund’s principal is distributed annually to Connecticut non-profit arts organizations which have received a minimum of $25,000 in contributions in each of the last two years from non-governmental sources. Grant awards are calculated based on a formula that rewards those organizations reporting a substantial increase in the amount of private sector contributions received during the prior year. Organizations may use funds for capital projects, operations, and programming or to build their own endowments. Application deadline is December 15.
Connecticut Humanities Grants
Project planning and implementation grants.
Applications between $1,000 and $9,999: Application deadline: the first workday of January, April, July and October.
Applications between $10,000 and $50,000: Application deadline: the first workday of February, May, August and November.
Community Outreach Grants
Maine Humanities Council offers Community Outreach (up to $1,000) which support a wide variety of public humanities projects, such as exhibits, lecture and film series, reading and discussion programs, symposia, cultural celebrations, etc. More information here.
Maine Arts Commission's upcoming grant deadlines
- The Arts Learning grant provides funding to support high-quality visual and/or performing arts education for PK-12 students and/or educators of this population. Deadline is March 25, 2016.
- Creative Communities = Economic Development encourages cultural, economic and governmental sectors to work together to effect community revitalization. This consortium grant will be delivered to one nonprofit cultural organization within a geographic community or region. Applications will be considered from communities/regions with a strong commitment to inter-sector collaboration that seeks to strengthen the cultural assets of their community. Application Deadlines: Letter of Interest, March 24, 2016; Full application upon invitation, October 15, 2016.
- Partnership grants provide funding for arts and cultural organization to enter into partnership with the Maine Arts Commission. Funds are unrestricted and will go to building the state's cultural infrastructure. Application Deadline: March 24, 2016
- Project Grant for Organizations fosters the growth of the arts in Maine. The program supports the creation of high quality arts programming that engages Maine's communities, enhances the quality of life and attracts visitors to strengthen Maine's creative economy. Application deadline is March 24, 2016
Maine Community Building Grant Program
The Community Building Grant Program seeks to support organizations and programs that recognize and build on a community's strengths and assets. Awards are made by the Maine Community Foundation's county and regional committees and a statewide committee that reviews proposals both from counties without county committees and organizations whose projects are statewide in scope. The Community Building Grant Program will award two types of grants: Project grants for new and expanding programs and grants to improve organizational effectiveness, also known as capacity building. Online applications must be completed by February 15, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. Click here for complete details.
Scholar in Residence Grants
The Mass Humanities Scholar in Residence (SIR) program funds research that advances the interpretation and presentation of history by Massachusetts history organizations, based on research in the organization`s collections or mission purview. The program has a dual purpose: to provide organizations with expertise not usually available to them, and to encourage scholars to use the rich resources of the state's history museums and historical societies. Priority is given to small organizations. A SIR grant carries a maximum award of $3,000. Deadline is January 4, 2016.See more here.
Research Inventory Grants
Mass Humanities seeks to support small historical organizations in Massachusetts by funding inventorying projects designed to support future programming, including but not limited to cataloguing of manuscripts, published records, photographs, artifacts, or other materials in the organization`s collections or mission area. Letter of inquiry is due April 4, 2016, learn more here.
Project Grants
Mass Humanities Project Grants support public programming in the humanities including: humanities based civic conversations; oral history projects; public lecture, conference and panel discussion; walking tours; reading and discussion programs; audio projects; film and discussion programs; film pre-production and distribution; museum exhibitions and related programming, web sites, theatrical productions with post- or pre-performance discussion; and content-based professional development workshops for teachers. The standard Project Grant award is up to $5,000. The next Inquiry Form deadline is December 15, 2015. For complete information click here.
Community Project Grants
New Hampshire Humanities Council is awarding two types of Community Project Grants. Quick Grants offer up to $1000 to support simple, single-event or short-series projects, and are available in as little as six weeks from submission deadline. The next Quick Grant application deadline is November 12. Quarterly Grants of up to $10,000 enable organizations to design and carry out larger projects that attract diverse audiences, engage minds, and stimulate meaningful community dialogue. The next mandatory letter of interest for a Quarterly Grant is due on January 9, 2016.
Community Grants Program
NH Charitable Foundation's Community Grants Program is a broad, competitive program that responds to community needs within New Hampshire and our border communities. It is designed to strategically advance an organization by providing operating support, funding for innovation to increase impact, reduce costs, and/or increase efficiency and support for capacity-building activities or moment-in-time projects. The deadline is February 12, 2016. Learn more here.
Mini Grant Program
Rhode Island Council for the Humanities funds non-profit organizations and individual researchers to deliver meaningful humanities programs to the Rhode Island public. The goals of the grant program are 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. The Mini Grant Program invites individual researchers, nonprofit organizations, and schools to apply for support up to $2,000. Upcoming mini grant application due dates are February 1, 2016. Click here for details.
Investments in Arts and Culture
The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts’ Investments in Arts and Culture (IAC) operating support grants are designed to support those organizations that produce or present annual programs in the arts and have developed a funding relationship with RISCA over time. The IAC category looks at what you have done over the past year, not what you propose to do in the year to come. Arts Access Grants (AAG) provide small grants (maximum of $2,500) to new ventures, occasional arts programs, or arts and cultural organizations that do not meet the new IAC eligibility requirements. The Arts Access Grant provides program support to organizations across Rhode Island. Organizations must demonstrate excellent artistic, educational, and cultural value, as well as engagement with their community. As a rule, programs should be geared to a broad and diverse audience. IAC grant deadline is April 1, 2016. Click here for details.
Vermont Humanities Council
The Vermont Humanities Council’s Grant Program supports other non-profit organizations that are conducting various projects related to the humanities. Council awards are re-grants of federal funds from the NEH, and as such grantees must comply with all applicable NEH and federal policies. The Council will reject any project that does not involve at least one humanities discipline. Applications are considered twice a year; the next deadline to submit a letter of intent for Spring 2016 is February 19, 2016. The maximum award is $5,000, and grantees must provide, at minimum, a one-to-one cost share. Proposals for new, as well as already-established, programs will be considered.
Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund
The Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund supports economic development, conservation and sustainable forestry, basic needs, and community safety net services in Coos County and bordering communities in Maine, Vermont, and Quebec. The deadline is January 15, 2016.
Vermont's Community Foundation Special and Urgent Needs
The Special and Urgent Needs (SUN) grant round was created to address the short-term needs of nonprofits. With a relatively small amount of funding, a SUN grant is designed to help an organization meet its mission while managing an unbudgeted, unforeseen, and time-sensitive emergency or help the organization take advantage of an unexpected opportunity that will enhance its work. There is no deadline - you may apply anytime.