Promotion of the Humanities Challenge Grants
Active
- Assistance listing
- 45.130
- Grant awards
- 887 $256,930,682 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance type
-
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 59-0200-0-1-503
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is funding term endowments and capacity-building projects in the humanities through the Promotion of the Humanities Challenge Grants program (CFDA 45.130), with the most recent award issued November 1, 2026, and the next application deadline February 10, 2026 for the Endowments for Advancing the Humanities opportunity.
The program funds long-term humanities work through one-to-one federal matching grants paired with certified nonfederal gifts to establish term endowments or support organizational infrastructure projects. Recent awards span scholarly editing initiatives, civic education, historical exhibitions, public humanities programming, faculty recruitment, and collections preservation. The Leo Strauss Foundation received $1.1 million in November 2026 to fund a 20-year project publishing the complete works of Leo Strauss across 60 volumes in partnership with the University of Chicago Press. The School of Civic Life and Leadership at UNC-Chapel Hill received $10.1 million in June 2026 to recruit new faculty in American political history and civics education. Most awards cluster in the $20,000–$25,000 range, supporting regional exhibitions, public lecture series, and educational programs tied to America's 250th anniversary commemoration in 2026.
NEH dominated funding across 887 total awards disbursed since 1990, obligating $255.7 million in federal dollars; the National Endowment for the Arts contributed 10 awards worth $1.2 million. Awards have accelerated sharply—from 7 per year in 2022 to 54 in 2026—driven by the semiquincentennial initiative. All awards are structured as Project Grants, 100 percent of the portfolio.
The program requires applicants to raise matching gifts over up to three years; once certified, recipients establish a term endowment and draw its income to sustain humanities work. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, higher education institutions (public and private), state and local governments, tribal governments, and special districts. The most recently posted opportunity, Endowments for Advancing the Humanities (due February 10, 2026), supports 20-year term endowments on college and university campuses and independent educational institutions specifically to build capacity in Western civilization, American history and government, and civics. The Climate Smart Humanities Organizations program (due September 17, 2025) funds operational assessments and strategic planning for climate resilience and adaptation at humanities organizations.
Objective and description
- Objective
To strengthen institutional base and organizational capacity for work in the humanities by providing funds that are matched with cash contributions from nonfederal parties. Successful applicants receive awards in federal matching funds intended to st
- Description
The purpose of this program is to support long-term work in the humanities. Humanities organizations benefit from consistent funding over an extended period to maintain stability, to flourish, and to continue to offer valuable programs and preserve resources. Applicants may propose up to three years to raise and certify non-federal gifts that will be matched one-to-one with NEH federal matching funds. Once award recipients have certified the required amount of non-federal gifts, they will establish a term endowment and spend its income to advance the work of the humanities at their organizations.
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.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Applicant organizations and users of their humanities resources, programs, or activities; humanities scholars; and the general public.
- Uses of assistance
Funding may be used to create 20-year term endowments that advance the humanities.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Up to five years. Recipients must expend funds during the period of performance.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
To reach funding recommendations, NEH asks peer reviewers to evaluate the existing and potential quality of an applicant's contributions to the humanities; its needs, management, and fund-raising capability; and the quality of the proposed project. See review criteria in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.
- 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 staff supplement the peer reviewers' comments to address matters of fact or significant points that peer reviewers may have overlooked. They then make funding recommendations to the National Council on the Humanities. The National Council meets at least twice each year to review applications and advise the NEH Chair. By law, the Chair has the sole authority to make final funding decisions.
- Deadlines
See https://www.neh.gov/grants/preservation/infrastructure-and-capacity-building-challenge-grants.
- Renewals
You may request a single one-year extension to the period of performance if necessary to raise the remainder of your required gifts.
- Appeals
None, but applicants may request written reasons for rejection and reapply with a revised proposal to a subsequent deadline.
Grant opportunities
Show all 18
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 887 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill | $11,071,642 | 4% |
| 2 | Association Of The Graduates Of The United States Military Academy | $5,600,000 | 2% |
| 3 | First Nations Development Institute | $4,150,000 | 2% |
| 4 | Historic Cherry Hill | $2,765,959 | 1% |
| 5 | New York Historical Society | $2,368,703 | 1% |
| 6 | Dubuque County Historical Society | $1,997,866 | 1% |
| 7 | Humanities Texas | $1,989,600 | 1% |
| 8 | The Regents Of The University Of California | $1,797,038 | 1% |
| 9 | Northwest Indian College Foundation | $1,750,000 | 1% |
| 10 | Shelburne Museum, Incorporated | $1,663,687 | 1% |
10 of 526 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $17,972,478 |
| FY2025 | $6,804,544 |
| FY2024 | $17,887,098 |
| FY2023 | $17,436,275 |
| FY2022 | $7,398,727 |
| FY2021 | $7,186,827 |
| FY2020 | $9,204,592 |
| FY2019 | $12,247,191 |
| FY2018 | $7,696,103 |
| FY2017 | $6,764,336 |
| FY2016 | $11,598,207 |
| FY2015 | $10,414,293 |
| FY2014 | $14,781,612 |
| FY2013 | $12,573,517 |
| FY2012 | $11,851,962 |
| FY2011 | $12,802,519 |
| FY2010 | $11,194,613 |
| FY2009 | $9,381,690 |
| FY2008 | $6,506,162 |
| FY2007 | $2,580,770 |
| FY2006 | $5,245,138 |
| FY2005 | $4,923,235 |
| FY2004 | $6,851,360 |
| FY2003 | $3,573,529 |
| FY2002 | $11,939,240 |
| FY2001 | $10,114,663 |
Show all 26
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 45.130?
Assistance Listing 45.130 is Promotion of the Humanities Challenge Grants, a federal grant program run by National Endowment for the Humanities.
What is the CFDA number for Promotion of the Humanities Challenge Grants?
Its CFDA number is 45.130: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 45.130 awarded?
887 grant awards under 45.130 have obligated $256,930,682 in federal funds to 526 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 45.130?
The recipients obligated the most under Promotion of the Humanities Challenge Grants are University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill ($11,071,642), Association Of The Graduates Of The United States Military Academy ($5,600,000) and First Nations Development Institute ($4,150,000).
How much did 45.130 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 45.130 obligated $6,804,544 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 45.130?
No opportunity listed under 45.130 is open now. The latest, Endowments for Advancing the Humanities, was posted on December 12, 2025.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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