West Virginia Humanities Council seeking grant proposals

The West Virginia Humanities Council announces its upcoming February 1, 2020, grant deadline for three grant categories: Major grants, which are awarded twice a year for projects requesting up to $20,000; Fellowships of $3,000, which are awarded annually for scholarly research projects; and Minigrants, which are awarded four times a year for projects requesting $1,500 or less.

The Humanities Council, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, serves West Virginia through grants and direct programs in the humanities. A variety of matching grants are offered by the Humanities Council year-round to nonprofit organizations in West Virginia that support educational programming.

Major grants. This category supports public programs including, but not limited to, lectures, school projects, symposia, panel discussions, reading and discussion series, exhibits, reenactments, and conferences. Major grant proposals may request up to $20,000. Applicants should allow twelve weeks between the deadline and the start of the project.

Fellowships.  Stipends of $3,000 are awarded once a year to West Virginia college and university humanities faculty and independent scholars for research and writing projects.  Eligible projects include, but are not limited to, the study of interpretive archaeology; the history, theory, and criticism of the arts; ethics; history; jurisprudence; modern and classical languages; linguistics; literature; philosophy; comparative religion; and philosophical and historical approaches to the social sciences.

Minigrants. Humanities Council minigrants support small projects, single events, lectures, small museum exhibits and brochures, consultation needs, and planning for more complex projects. Minigrant deadlines are February 1, April 1, June 1, and October 1 for projects requesting $1,500 or less.  Applicants should allow six weeks between the deadline and the start of the project.

For more information about the West Virginia Humanities Council grants program contact Humanities Council grants administrator Erin Riebe at (304) 346-8500 or via email at riebe@wvhumanities.org. Grant guidelines and applications are also available on the Humanities Council website, www.wvhumanities.org.