Kentucky Humanities Grants for Individual Projects

Updates coming soon for emergency grants due to COVID-19.

Learn more here. 

Since its creation in 1972, Kentucky Humanities, with the assistance of the National Endowment for the Humanities and private contributions, has supported public programs in the humanities throughout the Commonwealth.

Public humanities programs include, but are not limited to: conferences, lectures, radio and video productions, exhibits, teacher training and development of curricular materials, interpretive programs for festivals, book discussions, and planning for future projects. These humanities programs should be directed at adults and families, not to the classroom.

The humanities are fields of study primarily concerned with values, ideas, and language, including, but not limited to: history, literature; philosophy; language; linguistics; jurisprudence; archaeology; history and philosophy of art, medicine or science; folklore; religious studies; and those aspects of the social sciences (political science, sociology, anthropology, economics, psychology) which employ a philosophical or historical approach.

Below are some guidelines to consider when applying for a grant from Kentucky Humanities. Included is a list of what Kentucky Humanities cannot fund and some basics to keep in mind as you prepare an application for funding of a public humanities program.

Keep these basics in mind when preparing an application:

• Projects present humanities topics and issues to Kentucky audiences.
• All grantees must have a DUNS number (Data Universal Numbering System).
• The humanities, and humanities scholars, are central to the planning and execution of a project.
• Grants are awarded only to non-profit organizations, institutions, and groups, whether or not they are incorporated or tax-exempt.
• Informal community groups can be represented by a responsible organization or bookkeeping agent who will handle financial transactions.
• Grants are for specific projects.
• Projects funded by the KH should represent the ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity of the Commonwealth and be made accessible to persons with disabilities.
• Events supported by KH minigrants must take place at least 8 weeks after the FINAL application deadline.
• Projects are aimed at out-of-school adults and families.