The U.S. Government has several grant-making agencies for cultural activities.
Times are tough for federal cultural grant-makers. The three federal agencies devoted to making the majority of grants for cultural activities for the federal government took the largest spending cut in U.S. history in the 2010-2011 budget year. The National Endowment for the Arts, The National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services took a collective 11.2 percent cut under new budget constraints. Still, the three agencies' budgets totaled $392.9 million during the period.
The National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) offers mostly funding for organizations, but still, grants to individuals are made through Literature Fellowships, NEA Jazz Masters Fellowships, NEA Opera Honors and NEA National Heritage Fellowships in the Folk and Traditional Arts. Awards are made in disciplines, or fields, that include artist communities, arts education, dance, design, folk & traditional arts, literature, local arts agencies, media arts, museums, music, musical theater, opera, presenting, state and regional theater and visual arts.
The National Endowmen for the Humanities
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) offers grant programs through different categories, including challenge grants, digital humanities, educational programs, federal and state partnerships, preservation and access to public forums, public programs and research programs. Before applying for a grant from the NEH, you should have a sound financial management system in place that records the receipt and disbursement of grant funds in accordance with your approved budget.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services
Grants are also offered for the study of Native American culture.
The primary source of federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums is The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). IMLS is dedicated to creating strong libraries and museums that connect people to a wealth of information and ideas. IMLS also awards grants to Native American and Native Hawaiian libraries and has a budget of $237.9 million for 2011. The agency works on a national level and coordinates funding activity with state and local organizations for projects related to heritage, culture and knowledge.
The Big Picture
Nearly 40 federal agencies offer grants related to cultural activities on the government's Grants website, a clearinghouse for federal grants. The diverse agencies include the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Department of Education, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Food and Drug Administration. Topics for grants are diverse, too. A sampling includes a grant for "Publishing Historical Records" by the National Archives and Records Administration, and one for "Human Social Cultural and Behavioral Sciences" presented by the Office of Naval Research.
