Program Mini Grants

The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities will be accepting letters of intent (LOIs) on a recurring basis to support public humanities programming proposals that connect local audiences with humanities scholars. The LEH will accept LOI’s for mini grant proposals from November 3, 2025, through April 30, 2026. Awards will be made quarterly with grantees notified in February and May.

Purpose

Support for small-scale projects with limited scope and costs that offer an access point for organizations seeking to expand into public humanities programming. Programs should engage local audiences with Louisiana scholars to explore the history, foodways, folkways, music, and culture that make Louisiana’s towns, parishes, and state so unique. LOIs from first-time applicants that are new to hosting public programs are particularly encouraged. All viable programs must include the participation of qualified humanities scholar(s). Programs must be free and open to the public.

Eligibility

Humanities-based organizations operating within the 64 parishes of Louisiana are eligible to apply. Organizations must be nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status; public-facing organizations operating within accredited institutions of higher learning; state or local government agencies; or state or federally recognized Native American tribal governments in Louisiana. LEH aims to reach all areas of the state and support organizations of all sizes and communities of benefit.

Project Activity Timeline: Funded project activities should occur within six months of award notification. 

Award Amounts and Allowable Expenses:

Applicants may request up to $1,000 and demonstrate a 1:1 matching cost share in cash or in kind. Eligible project formats include but are not limited to: lectures (or lecture series) that involve audience participation and discussion; scholar-led film viewing and discussion; author/artist talks and discussion; panel discussions. This grant can support program-related expenses like:

Honoraria for scholars;
Supplies and materials;
Technical support for in-person or online events;
Program-specific publicity

Allowable expenses must occur within the period of performance specified in the grant. Please be aware that payment may take up to 45 days from the date the award is signed.

Funding Guidelines

Humanities Focus

All LEH-supported programs must focus on topics and themes drawn from the humanities or bring the analytical potential of the humanities to bear on current political, social, or economic concerns and issues. The term “humanities” includes, but is not limited to, the study and interpretation of the following: language, both modern and classical; linguistics; literature; history; jurisprudence; philosophy; archaeology; comparative religion; ethics; the history, criticism, and theory of the arts; those aspects of the social sciences which have humanistic content and employ humanistic methods; and the study and application of the humanities to the human environment with particular attention to reflecting our diverse heritage, traditions, and history and to the relevance of the humanities to the current conditions of national life. 

Balanced Viewpoints

To avoid advocacy and bias, programs sponsored by the LEH must provide a balance of viewpoints, especially those projects dealing with controversial contemporary issues. For example, a project addressing the First Amendment’s relation to religion in public schools should provide subject matter for both sides of the issue.

Public Audiences

Programs must be designed to address the out-of-school public rather than exclusively the scholarly community.  LEH especially encourages applications reaching underserved and/or rural populations of the state, but applications are welcome regardless of an organization’s size, audience, and location. Projects may be designed to reach special audiences, such as incarcerated populations, underserved communities, and veterans. If your project falls within this category, make sure to detail how your work will also impact the broader public.

Requirements

Applicants must submit their federal tax identification/EIN number.
Applicants must submit their Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). For further information on this component, please visit SAM.gov UEI.
Organizations must submit copies of their IRS determination letter or equivalent documentation confirming tax status (R-1056).

Unallowable Costs

Creative and performing arts (theater, dance, music, opera, etc.)
Research, writing, and publication of material targeted exclusively or primarily for a scholarly audience
Scholarships and fellowships
Course work for academic credit, except for teacher institutes
Museum or library acquisitions
Construction or renovation (capital improvements projects)
Social or political action
Public information campaigns
Archival materials without a public component
Institutional staffing or any other form of operational support (Note: Please see LEH’s Louisiana Culture Care Fund grant opportunity for operational support)