Opportunity Grant Guidelines

Opportunity Grants of up to $1,000 may be requested by small community-based non-profit groups. Opportunity Grants are available for two purposes:

1. Project planning:  Opportunity Grants may be used to pay for the services of a humanities consultant, technical consultants such as exhibit designers, travel expenses, and other incidental costs involved in the preparation of a project plan. These grants are intended for groups that would otherwise have little access to humanities or technical advisors, have limited staff, or lack experience in project development. Opportunity Grants may not be used for grant-writing services.
2. Public Humanities Presentations:  Opportunity Grant funding may be used to conduct a public humanities program that requires a small amount of funding for implementation and does not fit within the Project Grant application timeline. Priority is given to organizations serving communities with limited access to humanities programming.

Eligible Organizations

Small non-profit groups in Washington State are eligible to receive Opportunity Grants. While applicants need not be incorporated or have tax-exempt status, they must be constituted for non-profit purposes. In most cases, Opportunity Grants will not be awarded to large cultural organizations or academic institutions. Applicants may receive only one Opportunity Grant per calendar year.

Ineligible Expenses

Expenses for which Humanities Washington cannot pay include:

• Programs not open to the public (with the exception of school programs)
• Food, beverages and entertainment for the audience
• Lobbying and fundraising activities
• Publications
• Presentations by former Inquiring Mind speakers
• Construction, preservation or renovation projects
• Purchase of permanent equipment
• Feature-length documentary films
• Research and development of humanities resource materials not already associated with a public humanities program
• Management and cataloguing of museum or archival holdings
• Museum, historical society or library acquisitions
• International travel
• Academic or professional conferences
• Travel to professional meetings
• Fellowships, scholarships or prizes
• Regular course offerings
• “How To” workshops and training programs
• Expenses incurred before the grant was awarded

Examples of Previously Funded Opportunity Grant Applications

• A small historical society presented a public program on an early county school in their community using oral histories from past teachers and students.
• Volunteers for a community cultural festival hired a humanities consultant to lead them in a strategic planning project that focused their goals for the future and improved service to their community.
• A rural school district brought a diverse group of speakers on local cultural traditions to address students as part of their Summer Enrichment Program.

For other examples of previously funded quick grants, visit the Recent Opportunity Grants page.

How to Apply for an Opportunity Grant

Visit the Apply for an Opportunity Grant page to access the online application form.