Grants
Grants Provide Support for Projects that put Humanities Ideas into Action and Improve Communities
Our grants are designed to support projects and programs that directly involve the humanities and that engage a community for the purpose of improving it.
We are a proud supporter of local communities, grassroots activities, tradition, and innovation. Our grant categories provide invaluable financial support to help bring educational programs, interpretive exhibits and activities, local history projects, oral history projects, media projects, and more around the state. In the past three years, Utah Humanities has provided over $250,000 in grants to 107 organizations located in 27 cities.
Deadlines and Details
We have made the following changes to our grants program.
Application Process
- All grant applications will be reviewed and awarded by a Grant Review Committee three times a year. The Grant Review Committee will include at least one community reviewer and one student reviewer for each round.
- UH does not have any grant options accepted on a rolling basis. Organizations should plan on applying for their project at least 3 months prior to their start date during the appropriate review period.
- All grantees will fill out the same draft application. Organizations requesting grants of $4,000 or more will be required to hold at least three public events, submit additional materials described in the final application, and agree to provide a participant to serve on a future grant review committee.
- Organizations not awarded in one round are able to apply again for future rounds if the original project application is redesigned to better fit our funding priorities. This is not a guarantee that a revised application will be awarded.
- If all grant funds in early reviews are not awarded, those funds will be awarded in subsequent rounds.
- For colleges and universities: preference will be given to applications that include a community partner. The college/university should provide a letter of intent from their community partner as part of their final application package.
- Oral History Grant application deadlines will continue to be quarterly and reviewed separately in partnership with the Utah Historical Society (formerly Utah Division of State History). Organizations may apply for a Program Grant and an Oral History Grant in the same year. See the Oral History Grant Guidelines for additional information.
Public Programs
- All organizations requesting funds from UH must hold at least one public program.
- Any organization requesting more than $4,000 must hold at least three public programs.
- Grant projects involving speakers, lectures, presentations, or panels must be designed so that at least 50% of the event is dedicated to active engagement or discussion with participants.
- UH grants do not fund the creative process of art, theatre, writing, or media production, but we do fund discussions to accompany these activities. Organizations heavily involved with the creative and performing arts are encouraged to explore grant opportunities from the Utah Division of Arts & Museums or the National Endowment for the Arts.
Awards
- Organizations may only be awarded one Program Grant and one Oral History Grant per year.
- All grants must be completed within one year of the award date – meaning all events should be scheduled and grant funds obligated within that year.
- All Project Directors of awarded grants are required to attend a half-hour grant orientation Zoom meeting, held within one month of the grant award date.
- Final reports for all grants will be due within one month of the end of the grant period. Any organizations that do not complete final reports will forfeit remaining grant funds and will be ineligible for future funds from any UH program until final reports are submitted. Extensions may be granted on a case-by-case basis.
- All grantees will be required to submit one high-quality photo and one photo release (per photographer) per funded event held for UH to use in our annual report, website, or promotional materials.
Deadlines for materials
- Grant agreement and cash request form submitted within one month of the award date.
- Events should be entered into our online form at least one month prior to their start.
- Final reports are due one month after the grant period end date.
Upcoming Deadlines
For projects starting on or after November 15, 2024
- Draft applications due: Friday, August 30, 2024
- Draft feedback sent to applications: September 23, 2024
- Final applications due: October 4, 2024
- Award notifications sent out no later than: November 4, 2024
For projects starting on or after February 15, 2025
- Draft applications due: December 9, 2024
- Draft feedback sent to applicants: January 6, 2025
- Final applications due: January 15, 2025
- Award notifications sent out no later than: February 10, 2025
For projects starting on or after June 15, 2025
- Draft applications due: April 7, 2025
- Draft feedback sent to applicants: May 2, 2025
- Final applications due: May 12, 2025
- Award notifications sent out no later than: June 6, 2025
*Please review all guidelines, instructions, and other documents carefully before contacting UH with questions. These will likely answer most questions. If not, contact us at
Grant Writing Support
Use these grant writing tips and video to help you complete and submit successful grant applications:
Should I Apply for a Grant or a Sponsorship?
Utah Humanities Program Grants
Awarded to not-for-profit partner organizations for community-centered projects that actively engage the general public or specific audiences (i.e. youth, rural, or marginalized groups) in the Humanities.
Oral History Grants
Awarded in partnership with the Utah Historical Society to support local organizations in the collection, transcription, and public presentation of oral histories relevant to Utah. Deadlines and applications for Oral History Grants are separate from UH Program Grants.
Examples of previously funded grant projects are:
- Southern Utah University: Southern Paiute Language Preservation Initiative
- Brolly Arts: Evaporation: The Story Of The Great Salt Lake
- Mormon Battalion Association: Women Who Walked and Waited, Mormon Battalion Storytelling Project
- Torrey House Press: National Native American Heritage Month Public Programs Series
- Utah Tech University: Estamos Aquí / We are Here: Latino Voices in St. George, Utah
Sponsorships
For events that are designed to convene professionals working in humanities fields for the purposes of networking, professional development, idea exchange, or other activities that enhance humanities work in Utah.
Examples of previously sponsored events are:
- Utah Museum Association Conference
- Utah Historical Society Conference
- Utah Cultural Alliance Culture Connect Conference
- Railroads in Native America Symposium
- League of Utah Writers Conferences
