The NEA Research Labs program funds long-term research agendas that include multiple empirical studies and the dissemination of various products or services for promoting public knowledge about the arts and their contributions to American life.
Donor Name: National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/23/2026
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: 3 Years
Details:
The NEA Research Labs program is a funding opportunity under the NEA’s Research Awards initiative. The program funds long-term research agendas (referred to herein as NEA Research Labs, or Labs) that include multiple empirical studies and the dissemination of various products or services for promoting public knowledge about the arts and their contributions to American life. Each Lab must include an interdisciplinary team of researchers. Products or services developed under the award are expected to be of value to arts researchers, arts practitioners, and professionals in sectors such as healthcare, education, and business or management. Funded projects should have national, regional, or field-wide significance.
Projects supported through this program include:
Arts and Health. Includes studies that will test or characterize the benefits of the arts or arts and health activities—including creative arts therapies—in terms of health and wellbeing for people or communities. The NEA has a special interest in supporting such projects in the following contexts:
- Military personnel, veterans, and their families
- Pediatric cancer care and other childhood diseases
- Opioid use prevention, treatment, and recovery
- Disaster relief and emergency response and preparedness
- Care of older adults experiencing cognitive or neurodegenerative declines
Arts and the Economy. Includes studies that will test or characterize the benefits of the arts or arts activities in terms of economic or workforce development.
- The NEA has a special interest in supporting such projects involving the arts in Artificial Intelligence (AI) competency training, in career development for people with disabilities, and/or in preparation for high-paying skilled trade jobs of the future.
Arts and Education. Includes studies that will test or characterize the benefits of the arts or arts activities in terms of school readiness, school engagement, or academic achievement among children from preschool through high school.
- The NEA has a special interest in supporting such projects for learners with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disabilities.
Funding Information
- Total amount of funding expected to award:$1,200,000.
- Expected dollar value of awards range: $100,000-$300,000.
Project Period
3 years.
Eligibility Criteria
The lead applicant organization must be a:
- U.S. institution of higher education, or
- Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organization
To be eligible as the lead applicant, the organization must:
- Meet the NEA’s Legal Requirements, including nonprofit, tax-exempt status at the time of application.
- Have completed a five-year history of operations prior to the application deadline that includes commissioning and conducting research in the behavioral or social sciences, as well as communicating research findings and policy implications through reports and/or convenings.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
