How to Apply for a Grant from SC Humanities
The grants program has always been the foundation of SC Humanities’ public support of the humanities, and we have funded a variety of projects, from major documentaries broadcast on national public television to small-scale genealogies and oral histories at the local level.
SC Humanities awarded its first grant in the spring of 1973 and recently has awarded approximately $200,000 a year in grant monies.
Below, you will find our grant guidelines and applications. Visit our Grant FAQ section or contact T.J. Wallace at tjwallace@schumanities.org if you have questions.
Major Grants
Major Grants are for public humanities programs that are large in scale. Awards are in sums between $5,000 and $15,000.
Mini Grants
Mini Grants are to support public humanities programs of modest cost. Awards are $5,000 or less.
Planning Grants
Planning Grants are awarded to support preliminary work in designing a project that warrants detailed planning because of its length, scope, or cost. Awards are $5,000 or less.
Fast Track Literary Grants
Fast Track Literary Grants are intended to support new or existing public literary programs such as (but not limited to) writers series, festivals, conferences, workshops, or writer’s residencies at schools. Awards are $3,000 or less.
Council Program Grants
Let’s Talk About It: Reading and Discussion Program and Speakers Bureau: Humanities Out Loud grants use simplified forms. Applications may be submitted at any time and are reviewed within two weeks.
Themed Requests for Proposals
SC Humanities is offering themed requests for proposals on the topic “SCH@50: Remembering the Past, Reimagining the Future.”
Major Grants
Major Grants are for public humanities programs that are large in scale. Awards are in sums between $5,000 and $15,000. Major grants are reviewed twice yearly, usually in September (deadlines in August) and February (deadlines in January).
The Major Grant application and guidelines are available for download in Word format, below.
Please read through these materials carefully.
Major Grant Application Deadlines
Wednesday, January 10, 2024 – One electronic** copy (including ALL sections and appendices) of the completed application should be submitted by email to tjwallace@schumanities.org and info@schumanities.org.
This deadline is for programs that start after March 15, 2024.
Wednesday, August 7, 2024 – One electronic** copy (including ALL sections and appendices) of the completed application should be submitted by email to tjwallace@schumanities.org and info@schumanities.org. This deadline is for programs that start after November 1, 2024.
EFFECTIVE APRIL 4, 2022, ALL APPLICANTS FOR MAJOR GRANTS WILL NEED TO PROVIDE A UNIQUE ENTITY ID (UEI). LEARN MORE.
**The required electronic submission is subject to reasonable exception. If you cannot provide an electronic application, please contact the office at 803-771-2477
for instructions on submitting a hard copy application.
**Drafts are strongly encouraged and will be accepted any time prior to the deadline listed above. Drafts can be submitted by email, fax, or mail.
Mini Grants
Mini Grants are to support public humanities programs of modest cost. Awards are $5,000 or less. Mini Grants are reviewed monthly with deadlines on the first business day of the month.
The Mini Grant application and guidelines are available for download in Word format, below.
Please read through these materials carefully.
Mini Grant Application Deadlines
Mini Grant applications are accepted monthly on the first business day of the month for programs starting after the 15th of the following month.
EFFECTIVE APRIL 4, 2022, ALL APPLICANTS FOR MINI GRANTS WILL NEED TO PROVIDE A UNIQUE ENTITY ID (UEI). LEARN MORE.
One electronic** copy (including ALL sections, I-IV) of the completed application should be submitted by email to tjwallace@schumanities.org and info@schumanities.org.
**The required electronic submission is subject to reasonable exception. If you cannot provide an electronic application, please contact the office at 803-771-2477 for instructions on submitting a hard copy application.
Themed Requests for Proposals
SCH@50: Remembering the Past, Reimagining the Future
In honor of its upcoming 50th Anniversary (2022 – 2023), South Carolina Humanities has launched a new statewide Request for Proposals (RFP) titled “SCH@50: Remembering the Past, Reimagining the Future.” Applications could address this theme from a variety of angles, including by exploring aspects of South Carolina’s history, considering how the state has changed over the last 50 years, looking at how we can approach future challenges, or a combination of these.
The full RFP, grant guidelines, and application for “SCH@50: Remembering the Past, Reimagining the Future” are available for download, below. Please read through these materials carefully.
Themed Requests for Proposals Deadlines
Wednesday, January 11, 2023 – One electronic** copy (including ALL sections and appendices) of the completed application should be submitted by email to tjwallace@schumanities.org and info@schumanities.org.
This deadline is for programs that start after March 15, 2023.
Wednesday, August 9, 2023 – One electronic** copy (including ALL sections and appendices) of the completed application should be submitted by email to tjwallace@schumanities.org and info@schumanities.org. This deadline is for programs that start after November 1, 2023.
EFFECTIVE APRIL 4, 2022, ALL APPLICANTS FOR SCH@50 GRANTS WILL NEED TO PROVIDE A UNIQUE ENTITY ID (UEI). LEARN MORE.
**The required electronic submission is subject to reasonable exception. If you cannot provide an electronic application, please contact the office at 803-771-2477 for instructions on submitting a hard copy application.
**Drafts are strongly encouraged and will be accepted any time prior to the deadline listed above. Drafts can be submitted by email, fax, or mail.
Planning Grants
Planning Grants are awarded to support preliminary work in designing a project that warrants detailed planning because of its length, scope, or cost. Awards are $5,000 or less. Planning Grants are reviewed monthly with deadlines on the first business day of the month.
The Planning Grant application and guidelines are available for download in Word format, below.
Please read through these materials carefully.
Planning Grant Application Deadlines
Planning Grant applications are accepted monthly on the first business day of the month for programs starting after the 15th of the following month.
One electronic** copy (including ALL sections, I-IV) of the completed application should be submitted by email to tjwallace@schumanities.org and info@schumanities.org.
EFFECTIVE APRIL 4, 2022, ALL APPLICANTS FOR PLANNING GRANTS WILL NEED TO PROVIDE A UNIQUE ENTITY ID (UEI). LEARN MORE.
**The required electronic submission is subject to reasonable exception. If you cannot provide an electronic application, please contact the office at 803-771-2477 for instructions on submitting a hard copy application.
Fast Track Literary Grants
Fast Track Literary Grants are intended to support new or existing public literary programs such as (but not limited to) writers series, festivals, conferences, workshops, or writer’s residencies at schools. Awards are $3,000 or less.
The Fast Track Literary Grant application and guidelines are available for download in Word format, below.
Please read through these materials carefully.
Fast Track Literary Grant Application Deadlines
For the FY2024 Fiscal Year, applications will be accepted quarterly on the following deadlines:
Friday, December 1, 2023 (for programs that start after January 15, 2023)
Friday, March 1, 2024 (for programs that start after April 15, 2023)
Monday, June 3, 2024 (for programs that start after July 15, 2023)
Monday, September 2, 2024 (for programs that start after October 15, 2023)
EFFECTIVE APRIL 4, 2022, ALL APPLICANTS FOR FAST TRACK LITERARY GRANTS WILL NEED TO PROVIDE A UNIQUE ENTITY ID (UEI). LEARN MORE.
Submissions are accepted by email until 5:00 p.m. on the deadline. Email tjwallace@schumanities.org and info@schumanities.org.
The Fast Track Literary Grant also receives support from the South Carolina Arts Commission. The South Carolina Arts Commission is the state agency charged with creating a thriving arts environment that benefits all South Carolinians, regardless of their location or circumstances. For more information, visit www.SouthCarolinaArts.com.
Council Program Grants
Let’s Talk About It: Reading and Discussion Program and Speakers Bureau: Humanities Out Loud grants use simplified forms. Applications may be submitted at any time and are reviewed within two weeks by SC Humanities staff. Read more about these two special program opportunities by following the links.
Speakers Bureau: Humanities Out Loud
One of SC Humanities’ longstanding program priorities is the Speakers Bureau. Through this program, some of South Carolina’s finest scholars travel throughout the state to share their interests and knowledge of the humanities and to spark discussions about human values, traditions and cultures.
Let's Talk About It: Reading and Discussion Program
One of SC Humanities’ longstanding program priorities is the Speakers Bureau. Through this program, some of South Carolina’s finest scholars travel throughout the state to share their interests and knowledge of the humanities and to spark discussions about human values, traditions and cultures.
