Applications are now being accepted for the General Operating Support Grant Program.
Donor Name: HumanitiesDC
State: District of Columbia
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/01/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Less than 1 Year
Details:
This grant opportunity provides general operating support funding to humanities-focused 501(c)(3) organizations in Washington, DC with budgets under $2 million. Rather than proposing a specific project, the applicant will describe their mission, track-record and programming, community engagement, and significance to DC. This opportunity is part of the Humanities Grant Program supported with funding from the District of Columbia Government through the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
Funding Information
Grants Up to $25,000.
Grant Period
July 1, 2026 – April 30, 2027.
Allowable Expenses
- This grant is intended to support general operating expenses, which may include salary, consulting fees, rent, utilities, information technology, administrative fees, or an operating reserve fund.
- Prohibited costs include food and beverages, tuition and scholarships, debt reduction, regranting or sub-granting, costs related to fundraisers or lobbying, funding to foreign or domestic government agencies. Grantees will be required to document – through materials such as receipts, paid invoices, credit card or bank statements, payroll reports, and cancelled checks – all expenses paid with HumanitiesDC funds in their final reports. Grantees will be allowed to update their budgets during the project period if needed, and more guidance will be provided.
Eligibility Criteria
Organizations applying for this grant must:
- Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is registered and authorized to do business in Washington, DC with a physical mailing address in the District. DC residents should comprise most of its constituents.
- The organization must be registered as either a “Domestic” entity (an entity that was incorporated in the District) or a “Foreign” entity (an entity that was incorporated in another state).
- The Organization must have its principal physical business office address located in the District of Columbia. Applicants shall not use Post Office boxes.
- Register and comply with the regulatory requirements of the following agencies:
- Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP)
- District of Columbia Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR)
- District of Columbia Department of Employment Services (DOES)
- United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
- Humanities-focused, DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with annual budgets of $2 million or less are eligible to apply. Budget size is determined by an organization’s total cash expenses for the most recently completed fiscal year, as supported by the organization’s IRS Form 990 or 990 EZ.
- These organizations must have an explicit mission and track record of conducting programming in the humanities as a significant part of their work, meaning more than half of the organization’s previous year’s programming must be devoted to the humanities. Newly-founded organizations without a programming track-record should be prepared to demonstrate planned programming. Please refer to the section above, “What are the Humanities?” for more clarification.
- Examples of eligible non-profit organizations may include community and cultural heritage organizations, museums, historic sites, preservation and historical societies, and education organizations with a significant humanities focus. Organizations that occasionally tackle or delve into humanities-based themes or activities are not eligible for this grant. Organizations with a primary mission, focus, or whose programming is dedicated to creating visual art, dance, theater, or music, as well as organizations focused on social services, health, or general education typically do not meet the definition of a humanities-focused non-profit and thus are not eligible for this grant.
- Organizations may not receive a General Operations Support grant from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and this grant from HumanitiesDC within the same fiscal year
For more information, visit HumanitiesDC.
