Atom | Climate Smart Humanities Organizations

Funder: National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)

Due Dates: September 17, 2025 (Next Application Deadline)

Funding Amounts: Up to $300,000 per award; total program funding approximately $2.5 million; awards support project duration as specified in application.

Summary: Supports humanities organizations in developing climate resilience through operational assessments and strategic planning to protect cultural, historical, educational, intellectual, and physical assets from climate change risks.

Key Information: Requires federal matching funds combined with third-party non-federal gifts; eligible applicants include nonprofits, tribal governments, and various government entities.

Description

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Office of Challenge Programs offers the Climate Smart Humanities Organizations grant to strengthen the institutional base of the humanities sector by funding projects that assess and strategically plan for climate change impacts. This program supports operational assessments and strategic planning efforts aimed at sustaining and protecting an organization's historical, cultural, educational, intellectual, and physical assets from climate-related risks.

Funded projects must produce a comprehensive climate action, resilience, or adaptation plan that includes detailed assessments, measurable actions, and expected outcomes. Proposals should clearly demonstrate how strategic planning for climate change will enhance the organization's resilience and support its humanities mission over the long term.

Funding is provided through a combination of federal matching funds and gifts raised from third-party, non-federal sources, emphasizing collaboration and resource leveraging.

Due Dates

Next Application Deadline: September 17, 2025

(Note: Original closing date was September 18, 2024, but the current deadline has been extended.)

Funding Amount

Award Ceiling: Up to $300,000 per project
Award Floor: Minimum of $1 (practically, awards will be substantial to support planning efforts)
Estimated Total Program Funding: Approximately $2,500,000
Funding Type: Grant with cost sharing/matching requirement

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include:

Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education)
Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
County governments
Special district governments
Private institutions of higher education
City or township governments
State governments
Public and State controlled institutions of higher education

Applicants must be organizations involved in the humanities and capable of undertaking strategic planning related to climate resilience.

Application Process

Applicants must submit proposals that:

Include operational assessments and strategic planning for climate change adaptation or resilience.
Result in a climate action or adaptation plan with clear, measurable goals and expected outcomes.
Demonstrate how the project will increase organizational resilience and support humanities work long-term.
Detail plans for raising matching funds from non-federal third-party sources to complement federal funds.

Applications are submitted through the Grants.gov portal under funding opportunity number 20240912-CLI.

Additional Information

Projects focus on protecting a broad range of humanities assets, including historical, cultural, educational, intellectual, and physical resources.
The program is part of NEH’s Challenge Grants, which require cost sharing.
The NEH encourages collaboration and leveraging of resources to maximize impact.
For organizations with limited experience in climate planning, this grant offers an opportunity to build capacity and resilience.

External Links

Contact Information

Office	Contact Details
Office of Challenge Programs	National Endowment for the Humanities
Address	400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20506
Phone	(202) 606-8309
Email	challenge@neh.gov

This contact is recommended for questions about application access or program details.