Humanities Grants: What Funds Cover


From Great Novels to Great Films: American Conflict and Identity, a five-part series that explored films based on well-known novels. Presented by Hiway Theatre in Montgomery County.

Presenting Public Programs

Humanities Grants underwrite costs related to the presentation of public programs. These include:

  • Honoraria and travel expenses for humanities scholars, artists, and other experts.

  • Audience recruitment and promotion costs.

  • Costs of materials necessary to the project, such as books for a book discussion program.

  • Production expenses, such as the costs of mounting and producing exhibitions and performances and of renting and handling special equipment or facilities (sound equipment, lights, musical instruments, projectors, screens).

  • Rental costs for programs created by other organizations if the overall project has the required humanities content.
Please note: Exhibition/installation projects must include detailed plans for interpretive programming.

Planning Public Programs

Humanities Grants also cover expenses associated with the development and planning of programs in collaboration with humanities scholars and other experts. Planning activities must lead to the development of a public program and may include:

  • Advisory panel meetings or individual consultations.

  • Research conducted or assisted by humanities experts, such as reviewing items in a museum's collection or documenting oral histories. (When research is done by organization staff or volunteers, it must be undertaken with the guidance of a humanities expert.)
Planning projects can allow grantees to prepare proposals for larger PHC grants or for grants from other organizations.

Note on Media Projects

Media projects must be commissioned by a nonprofit organization to be eligible for funding. They must have strong Pennsylvania content and appeal primarily to Pennsylvanians. Funding is available mainly for preproduction, but applicants also may request some support for production costs. Note: Humanities experts must be involved in planning and development.

What Grant Funds Don't Cover
  • Expenses incurred prior to the awarding of the grant
  • Programs that are not available to the general public
  • Programs presented outside of Pennsylvania
  • Capital expenditures including expenses for the acquisition of permanent facilities or equipment
  • Activities associated with institutional planning, general operating support, staff development or fundraising
  • Writing or production of a publication—not integral to a PHC-funded public program
  • Collection, conservation or preservation of oral histories, photographs or other materials—not directly related to a public program
  • Media projects that are the endeavor of an individual rather than commissioned by a nonprofit organization
  • Research, unless it is conducted expressly to plan a public humanities program
  • Outreach efforts planned for the community by academic or scholarly organizations or major cultural organizations that do not significantly involve the community
  • Internships, fellowships or scholarship
  • Activities for which academic credit is given
  • Hospitality expenses including food and beverages costs
  • Activities that have a religious purpose
  • Activities supported by an active PHC grant

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