Grants

Common Questions

What are the “humanities”?
As the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Florida Humanities Council is dedicated to providing Floridians with enriching opportunities to explore the heritage, traditions and stories of our state and its place in the world through the disciplines of the humanities. These include, but are not limited to: literature, history, jurisprudence, philosophy, archaeology, religion, ethics, art history and criticism, and areas of the social sciences (anthropology, sociology, psychology, economics, and political science) that use interpretive rather than quantitative analysis.

What types of projects are eligible for funding?
All projects, unless otherwise specified under a special initiative, must be:

rooted in one or more of the disciplines of the humanities
enlist the participation of humanities scholars and/or experts in the project’s planning and execution, and
engage the public in thoughtful and informed activities that explore humanities topics, especially those related to Florida or of interest to Floridians
free and open to the public and intended for a broad community audience

Recently funded projects have included: lecture series and panel discussions; interpretive exhibits; walking tours, maps and brochures; oral history projects; book and film discussion; and civic engagement forums or town meetings to encourage public debate and discussion.

To complement and extend the reach of public programming, grants have additionally supported the development of print and/or on-line resources such as reading lists, audio/video recordings of scholar presentations, classroom resources, as well as websites, podcasts, CDs and DVDs.

What types of expenses and activities are NOT allowable for funding?
The following expenses and/or activities are currently not allowable for funding:

indirect costs/overhead
political action or advocacy
fundraising events or products
purchase of major acquisitions including property
building construction, maintenance, renovation or preservation
projects not open to the general public
programs designed exclusively for, or created by, children
visual or performing arts programs with no humanities content
scholarly research projects
academic or professional conferences
book length publications
refreshments or entertainment
expenses incurred or paid out before a grant award is made

Additional eligibility requirements or restrictions may be noted for special initiative grants.

Who is eligible to apply?
Any Florida organization constituted for non-profit purposes may apply for funding. It is not necessary that organizations be incorporated or have tax-exempt status. Examples of eligible organizations include, but are not limited to: libraries, historical societies, museums, local arts and humanities councils, civic and service organizations, public radio and television stations, educational institutions, local government agencies, and ad hoc groups. Academic institutions that submit applications are strongly encouraged to collaborate with community groups. Individuals may not apply for funding at this time. Additional eligibility requirements or restrictions may be noted for special initiative grants. Applicants must also not have a currently open FHC grant.

What is a “humanities scholar” or “expert”?
A humanities scholar or expert is someone with academic credentials, training, or acquired expertise in a humanities discipline. In addition to academics who are actively teaching or retired, humanists may include published writers; local historians; museum professionals; librarians; teachers; and others whose work is strongly grounded in the humanities. They may also include persons who are spokespersons for, or representatives of, a specific cultural tradition (i.e. a tribal chief or elder).

Does FHC offer help with the application process?
Staff is happy to provide guidance via phone on completing an application, determining eligibility, discussing project ideas, addressing budgetary questions, as well as troubleshooting technical difficulties with electronic forms. Staff comments and suggestions are based solely on prior experience with grant review sessions that include board members. Adherence to staff suggestions does not guarantee funding.

Initial letters of intent are required of all major grant applicants by the due date specified in the RFP. Major grant applicants may not submit a final proposal until official notification has been received that the letter of intent has been approved.

How are grants reviewed?
All proposals are reviewed by FHC staff and/or by members of the board of directors. Notification of funding decisions is made in writing by the date specified in the grant RFP. All grants are competitively reviewed. Approved projects may receive full or partial funding.