NEA Research Grants in the Arts, FY 2026
NEA grants fund research on the value and impact of arts in the US, both within the arts ecosystem and its interaction with other areas of American life.
Funder: National Endowment for the Arts
Due Dates: March 24, 2025 (Part 1: Grants.gov) | April 3, 2025 (Part 2: NEA Applicant Portal)
Funding Amounts: $20,000–$100,000 per award; project start earliest January 1, 2026; 1:1 cost-share/match required.
Summary: Supports research studies investigating the value and impact of the arts within the U.S. arts ecosystem and its interaction with other domains of American life.
Key Information: Applicants must be organizations (not individuals), with at least 5 years of operating history; eligible entities include nonprofits, government units, and federally recognized tribes.
Description
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Research Grants in the Arts program funds research projects that explore the value and/or impact of the arts in the United States. This includes studies focusing on individual components of the U.S. arts ecosystem or how these components interact with each other and with other sectors of American life. The program encourages research that contributes to a deeper understanding of the arts’ role and influence in society.
This grant opportunity is part of the NEA’s broader research agenda, which also includes the NEA Research Labs program for larger, transdisciplinary projects. The Research Grants in the Arts program specifically supports smaller-scale research projects with funding ranging from $20,000 to $100,000.
