National Endowment for the Humanities: Public Humanities Projects
Active
- Assistance listing
- 45.041
- Grant awards
- Not on record
Program facts
- Treasury account
-
- 59-0200-0-1-503
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated .
About this program
The National Endowment for the Humanities is funding Public Humanities Projects (CFDA 45.041) through its Division of Lifelong Learning, with the most recent application due date of December 16, 2026. The program supports in-person exhibitions, historic site interpretations, and public engagement activities that bring humanities scholarship to general audiences. Eligible applicants include U.S. nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, public and 501(c)(3) accredited institutions of higher education, state and local governmental agencies, and federally recognized Native American Tribal governments.
The program funds three distinct project types: permanent exhibitions open to the public for at least three years; single-site temporary exhibitions with a minimum two-month public run; and traveling exhibitions available in at least two U.S. venues. Recipients may also develop long-term interpretive programs for historic sites, houses, neighborhoods, and regions intended for three-year or longer public presentation, including living history presentations, guided tours, exhibitions, and public programs. The agency reviewed the 2027 cycle to prioritize applications addressing Western civilization and America's place in it; great works of literature, history, philosophy, and theology relevant to contemporary questions; the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution; civic education; civil discourse; cultural literacy; and close reading practice.
NEH staff conducts an initial eligibility and completeness screen, followed by peer review by experts in relevant fields. Peer reviewers evaluate applications against published review criteria, and NEH program officers supplement peer comments on factual matters and significant omissions before making recommendations to the National Council on the Humanities and the NEH Chairman. The Chairman holds sole authority for final funding decisions. Applicants may request a one-year no-cost extension thirty days before the end of the period of performance. Funding decisions typically arrive approximately nine to twelve months after the application deadline. Recipients must retain expenditure and fiscal records for three years following submission of the final financial report.
The source does not provide recent grant award data, funding concentration figures, or typical award magnitudes for this program.
Objective and description
- Objective
This program supports projects that engage general audiences with ideas from humanities scholarship through in-person exhibitions and historic site interpretations.
- Description
Projects may create permanent exhibitions (on view for at least three years), single-site temporary exhibitions (open to the public for a minimum of two months), or traveling exhibitions that will be available to public audiences in at least two venues in the United States. Projects may also develop long-term interpretive programs for historic sites, houses, neighborhoods, and regions that are intended to be presented to the public for at least three years. Such projects might include living history presentations, guided tours, exhibitions, and public programs.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Eligible applicants include U.S. nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, public and 501(c)(3) accredited institutions of higher education, state and local governmental agencies, and federally recognized Native American Tribal governments.
How to apply
- Criteria for selecting proposals
See the NOFO for review criteria.
- Award procedure
NEH staff review all applications for eligibility, completeness, and responsiveness. The agency then conducts a peer review process for all applications that pass this initial screening. Peer reviewers are experts in their fields with knowledge and expertise relevant to the activities that the program supports. NEH instructs peer reviewers to evaluate applications according to established review criteria. Peer reviewers must comply with federal ethics rules governing conflicts of interest. NEH program officers supplement the peer reviewers' comments to address matters of fact or significant points that the peer reviewers have overlooked. They then make funding recommendations to the National Council on the Humanities and the NEH Chairman. The National Council meets at least twice each year to review applications and advise the NEH Chairman. By law, the Chairman has the sole authority to make final funding decisions.
- Time to approval or disapproval
Approximately 9-12 months after the application deadline.
- Renewals
Recipients may request a one-year no-cost extension 30 days before the end of the period of performance.
Grant opportunities
| Opportunity | Status | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Humanities Projects | Open |
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 45.041?
Assistance Listing 45.041 is National Endowment for the Humanities: Public Humanities Projects, a federal grant program run by National Endowment for the Humanities.
What is the CFDA number for National Endowment for the Humanities: Public Humanities Projects?
Its CFDA number is 45.041: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
Are there open grant opportunities under 45.041?
1 listed opportunity under 45.041 is open or forecasted. The latest, Public Humanities Projects, was posted on October 16, 2026.
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