Frequent Funders

---

CARNEGIE CORPORATION OF NEW YORK

The Carnegie Corporation is a private, nonprofit grantmaking foundation that supports innovative projects, organizations, and individuals. They support education programs across the U.S. to promote the advancement of knowledge and understanding through proactive grantmaking for projects that can have “measurable impact and can create meaningful, transformative change.” The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, so reach out to UNC’s Foundation Relations and Industry Engagement (FRIE) for more information.

• Core Areas: Education, Democracy, International Peace and Security, Higher Education and Research in Africa
• Possible Outputs: Educational training; curriculum-based learning programs; curriculum and toolkits; new center; leadership and professional development; workshops; policy-related studies and reports; media projects; and more

---

DORIS DUKE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

The Doris Duke Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports artists and the performing arts, environmental conservation, medical research, child well-being, and greater mutual understanding among diverse communities. Their mission is to “build a more creative, equitable and sustainable future.” The foundation invites applications from organizations, sponsors regranting competitions through intermediary organizations, and holds open competitions through requests-for-proposals (visit their website for the latest).

• Core Areas: Arts (primarily performing), Medical Research, Environment, Child Well-being, Building Bridges, Museums & Centers, Special Initiatives
• Possible Outputs: Fellowships; tours; residencies; digital technology engagement; land and water conservation; solutions communication and policy development; and more

---

HENRY LUCE FOUNDATION

The Luce Foundation supports projects at universities, policy institutes, media organizations, museums—groups who are committed to putting knowledge in the hands of the individuals and communities that need access to it. They are especially committed to cultivating public knowledge and supporting research in action, leadership, and creative cross-pollination through their areas of focus: knowledge in practice, equity and mutual understanding, inspiring leadership, and art and public discourse. This foundation does sponsor competitions under specific grant-making programs, but they do accept unsolicited funding requests, which they call “concept notes,” on a rolling basis. For more on this funder, check out the “Henry Luce Foundation” report on the Documents and Downloads page.

• Core Areas: American Art; Asia; Clare Boothe Program for Women in STEM; Democracy, Ethics & Public Trust; Indigenous Knowledge; Luce Scholars; Public Policy; Religion & Theology
• Possible Outputs: Research and scholarship; public or educational programming; conservation projects; public humanities and arts projects; visual art and creative storytelling; exhibitions; podcasts; publications; films; and more

---

JOHN TEMPLETON FOUNDATION

The Templeton Foundation is a philanthropic organization whose funding priorities reflect the ideas of its founder, John Templeton. It supports interdisciplinary research—especially at the intersection of religion and science—and high-impact projects that promote human flourishing, wonderment, and creativity. As the Foundation writes, “We are working to create a world where people are curious about the wonders of the universe, free to pursue lives of meaning and purpose, and motivated by great and selfless love.” Templeton accepts unsolicited Online Funding Inquiries (OFIs) in two cycles yearly within their primary funding areas. For more on this funder, check out the “Grant Perspectives – John Templeton Foundation” resource package on the Documents and Downloads page.

• Core Areas: Individual Freedom & Free Markets; Religion, Science & Society; Character Virtue Development; Public Engagement; Mathematical & Physical Sciences; Life Sciences
• Possible Outputs: Seminars; symposia; publications; research centers; fieldwork research; digital resources; curricula and educational programming; and more

---

JOHN WILLIAM POPE FOUNDATION

The Pope Foundation is a nonprofit charitable foundation based in Raleigh, NC, which makes grants to “improve the well-being of North Carolinians by advancing ideas of limited government, individual freedom, personal responsibility, and strong communities.” They’re interested in projects that strengthen the roots of civic society and broaden access to opportunity. Each core area they support has different application cycles during which they accept letters of inquiry.

• Core Areas: Public Policy, Education, Human Services, The Arts
• Possible Outputs: dance and music performances; scholarship funds; internships; professorships creation; lecture series; summer learning programs; and more

---

KRESS FOUNDATION

The Kress Foundation supports the work of individuals and institutions engaged in the appreciation, interpretation, study, preservation, and teaching of European art, architecture, and archaeology from antiquity to the early 19^th century. The foundation offers grants for scholarly projects and professional development fellowships for historians, conservators, museum curators, educators, and librarians.

• Core Areas: History of Art Grants, Conservation Grants, Digital Art History Grants, History of Art Institutional Fellowship, Conservation Fellowship, Interpretive Fellowship at Art Museums
• Possible Outputs: archival projects; scholarly databases; museum exhibitions and publications; photographic campaigns; scholarly catalogs and publications; conferences and symposiums; and more

---

MELLON FOUNDATION

The Mellon Foundation is a private philanthropic organization that supports the arts and humanities through grants to institutions, organizations, and communities. They aim to build just communities where ideas and imagination can thrive. Mellon directly invites proposals from organizations but also accepts online inquiries. For a deeper dive into the foundation, check out the “Mellon Foundation” Funder Analysis on the Documents and Downloads page.

• Core Areas: Arts & Culture, Higher Learning, Humanities in Place, Public Knowledge, Presidential Initiatives (varies)
• Possible Outputs: Seminars, curricular development projects, fellowships, regranting programs, speaker series, collections and preservations, artistic programs, community-engaged programming, media (documentaries, websites, digital resources, etc.), research and scholarship, and more

---

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS (NEA)

The NEA is an independent federal agency that funds and promotes arts in the U.S. They support nonprofits, public arts agencies, colleges and universities, federally recognized tribal communities, and individual writers, translators, and artists. Their mission is to “broaden access to the arts and expand opportunities for educational experiences in the arts for Americans of all ages.” The NEA accepts applications from organizations and individuals during open funding cycles for each of their grant categories. For more on this funder, check out the “National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Report” on the Documents and Downloads page.

• Core Areas: Challenge America, Grants for Arts Projects, Our Town, Partnership Agreement Grants, Research Awards, Creative Writing Fellowships, Translation Project Fellowships, Special Program Solicitations
• Possible Outputs: Arts Projects (artist communities, arts education, dance, design, folk & traditional arts, literary arts, local arts agencies, media arts, museums, music, musical theater, opera, presenting & multidisciplinary work, theater, and visual arts), arts research, and more

---

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES (NEH)

The NEH is a federal agency that funds humanities programs in the U.S., which includes (but is not limited to) history, philosophy, literature, language, ethics, law, archaeology, political theory, comparative religion, anthropology, sociology, criticism and theory of the arts, media & culture studies, and other projects which have humanistic content and employ humanistic methods. The NEH accepts proposals from organizations and individuals during open funding cycles for each of their grant categories. For more on this funder, check out the “National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)” Funder Analysis on the Documents and Downloads page.

• Core Areas: Challenge Programs, Data & Evaluation, Digital Humanities, Education, Federal/State Partnerships, Preservation & Access, Public Programs, Research
• Possible Outputs: Books, articles & other publications; curricula & teaching resources; digital projects (websites, software & other tools); preservation & access projects; public humanities projects (historic sites, exhibits, media & other programs); fellowships, conferences, seminars & workshops; and more

---

NORTH CAROLINA ARTS COUNCIL

The NC Arts Council is an agency of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources that administers grants to sustain and advance the state’s diverse and widespread network of arts organizations and artists. They believe that through the arts, we can “creatively express ideas, concepts, and emotions that deepen our understanding of the human condition as well as challenge us to discuss and debate the important issues of our time.” The NC Arts Council accepts proposals from organizations and individuals during open funding cycles for each of their grant categories.

• Core Areas: Grants for Organizations, Grants for Artists
• Possible Outputs: Arts programs, traditional arts programs, performances, artist residencies, awards, fellowships, apprenticeships, professional development opportunities, projects serving military service members & veterans, operational support, technical projects, and more

---

NORTH CAROLINA HUMANITIES (NCH)

NC Humanities is a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the NEH whose mission is to “connect North Carolinians with cultural experiences that spur dialogue, deepen human connections, and inspire community.” They focus on projects that “deepen connections by broadening perspectives,” “equip communities with empathy, understanding, and respect,” and “inspire community and connect North Carolinians across differences.” NC Humanities accepts proposals from organizations (not individuals) during open funding cycles for each of their grant categories.

• Core Areas: Large Project Grants, Small Project Grants, Project Planning Grants
• Possible Outputs: Community conversation series; exhibitions; films & podcasts; interpretation of historic sites; oral history collection & interpretation; panels, lectures & conferences; reading & discussion programs; workshops for educators; walking tours; and more

---

OAK FOUNDATION

The Oak Foundation supports nonprofit organizations whose projects address issues of global, social, and environmental concern to “make the world a safer, fairer, and more sustainable place to live.” Each program area has its own funding criteria, geographic scope, and special requirements. The foundation invites applications directly to organizations, accepts unsolicited letters of inquiry, and holds open requests for proposals for special initiatives.

• Core Areas: Environment, Housing & Homelessness; International Human Rights; Issues Affecting Women; Learning Differences; Prevent Child Sexual Abuse; Special Interests
• Possible Outputs: unrestricted core and project support

---

SHUBERT FOUNDATION

The Shubert Foundation is dedicated to sustaining and advancing the live performing arts in the U.S., with a particular emphasis on theater and a secondary focus on dance. They are especially interested in providing support to professional resident theater and dance companies that develop and produce new American work. The foundation accepts unsolicited applications on rolling deadlines from professional producing theater and dance companies (not individuals or non-professional groups).

• Core Areas: Theatre, Dance, Arts-Related Organizations, Shubert Scholars
• Possible Outputs: Unrestricted support (can include general operating support)

---

THE SPENCER FOUNDATION

The Spencer Foundation makes grants to support research in areas of education (broadly conceived), which is their exclusive focus. They believe education research is integral to improving education, making education systems more equitable, and increasing opportunities to learn across the lifespan. The Foundation does not award grants directly to individuals but accepts proposals through a sponsoring institution during their annual cycles. For more on this funder, check out the “Spencer Foundation Report” on the Documents and Downloads page.

• Core Areas: Racial Equity Research Grants, Research Grants on Education: Large & Small, Research-Practice Partnerships: Collaborative Research for Educational Change, Education & Journalism Fellowships, Vision Grants, Transformative Research Grants
• Possible Outputs: Education-focused research projects; research training fellowships; field-building initiatives

---

WENNER-GREN FOUNDATION

The Wenner-Gren Foundation is a private foundation committed to advancing anthropological knowledge, amplifying the impact of anthropology worldwide, nurturing and safeguarding anthropology as a career and discipline, and fostering inclusivity for all anthropologists.

• Core Areas: Dissertation Fieldwork Grant, Post-PhD Research Grant, Engaged Research Grant, Conference and Workshop Grant, Wadsworth International Fellowship, Wadsworth African Fellowship, Hunt Postdoctoral Fellowship, Wenner-Gren Fellowship in Anthropology and Black Experiences, SAPIENTS Public Fellowship, Fejos Postdoctoral Fellowship in Ethnographic Film, Global Initiatives Grant, Wadsworth Institutional Grant, Historical Archives Program
• Possible Outputs: Research-related travel; conferences; workshops; curriculum development; pilot projects; educational training programs; film production; research materials preservation; and more