As 2025 draws to a close, savvy nonprofit leaders, researchers, and artists are already looking ahead.
Building a strong grant calendar for 2026 is the first step toward a fully funded year.
But sorting through countless opportunities to find legitimate, high-value grants can be a major challenge.
To save you time, we’ve done the research.
We’ve verified four significant arts and humanities grants with deadlines in early 2026. This guide provides the critical details you need—funding amounts, eligibility, and direct application links—to position your organization for success.
Federal Grants: The Gold Standard for Arts Funding
Federal grants are prestigious and can provide substantial funding for ambitious projects.
Applying for them requires careful planning, especially since registration in systems like SAM.gov can take several weeks.
Start the process now to be ready for these key deadlines.
1. National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Grants for Arts Projects
This is one of the NEA's principal grant programs, supporting public engagement with, and access to, various forms of art across the nation.
It is highly competitive and a hallmark of artistic excellence.
- Official Name: Grants for Arts Projects
- Funding Amount: $10,000 to $100,000
- Anticipated Deadline: The first deadline for 2026 is expected in mid-February.
Based on previous cycles, prepare for a Part 1 deadline around February 13, 2026.
- Who It’s For: Open to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, units of state or local government, and federally recognized tribal communities with a three-year history of arts programming.
- What It Funds: Projects in a wide array of disciplines, including artist communities, dance, design, folk & traditional arts, literature, music, opera, and visual arts.
- How to Apply: This is a two-part application process.
You must first submit the SF-424 form via Grants.gov and then submit your supplementary materials through the NEA's Applicant Portal.
Ensure your organization's registrations for both SAM.gov and Grants.gov are active and updated well before the deadline.
View the Official Grant Guidelines
2. National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Public Humanities Projects
The NEH supports projects that bring the ideas and insights of the humanities to general audiences through various formats.
This grant is ideal for museums, libraries, and educational institutions looking to create impactful public programming.
- Official Name: Public Humanities Projects
- Funding Amount: Up to $100,000 for Planning and up to $400,000 for Implementation.
- Anticipated Deadline: This program typically has an annual deadline in mid-August.
Plan for a submission date of August 13, 2026.
- Who It’s For: U.S. nonprofit organizations, state and local governmental agencies, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments.
- What It Funds: Projects that engage the public in humanities topics.
This includes exhibitions (permanent, temporary, or traveling), historic site interpretations, and reading and discussion programs.
- How to Apply: Applications are submitted directly through Grants.gov.
The NEH strongly encourages applicants to read the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) thoroughly and to contact program officers with questions before submitting.
Find the Official Application Package on Grants.gov
Prestigious Foundation & Corporate Grants
Beyond federal funding, private and corporate foundations are essential partners for the arts and culture sector.
These grants often offer more flexibility and can be a great way to build long-term relationships.
3. The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Organizational Grants
This foundation is a leading funder of contemporary visual art, supporting the creation, presentation, and documentation of art that is experimental, under-recognized, or challenging in nature.
- Official Name: Organizational Grants
- Funding Amount: Typically range from $50,000 to $100,000 over a two-year period.
- Anticipated Deadline: The foundation has two grant rounds per year.
The spring deadline is consistently March 1, 2026.
- Who It’s For: 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organizations, with a focus on museums, artist-run spaces, and curatorial programs that support visual artists.
- What It Funds: The program supports scholarly exhibitions, publications, and visual arts programming, with a special emphasis on curatorial research.
- How to Apply: The foundation uses an online portal for its two-stage application process, starting with a Letter of Inquiry (LOI).
Successful LOIs are invited to submit a full proposal.
Be sure to review their specific program areas and priorities before applying.
4. Bank of America Art Conservation Project
This unique corporate program provides funding to conserve historically or culturally significant works of art that are in danger of deterioration.
It is a globally recognized initiative that has funded the conservation of thousands of art pieces.
- Official Name: Art Conservation Project
- Funding Amount: Varies based on project needs (this is a grant for conservation services, not just cash).
- Anticipated Deadline: The application window typically closes at the end of January.
Prepare for a deadline of January 31, 2026.
- Who It’s For: Nonprofit museums, public-facing cultural institutions, and galleries from around the world.
- What It Funds: The direct costs of conserving paintings, sculptures, historical documents, and other cultural treasures.
The focus is on works that are important to a community's heritage and are accessible to the public.
- How to Apply: Applications are submitted through Bank of America's online portal.
The application requires a detailed description of the artwork, its condition, the proposed conservation plan, and the project budget.
Access the Official Application Portal
Pro Tips for a Winning Arts & Humanities Grant Application
Securing one of these competitive grants requires more than just a great idea.
It requires a flawless application.
- Align Your Narrative with the Funder's Mission: Read the guidelines multiple times.
Your project description should use the funder’s own language to describe how your work directly supports their specific goals—whether that’s public engagement (NEA/NEH) or preserving cultural heritage (Bank of America).
- Demonstrate Clear Community Impact: Funders want to know who will benefit from their investment.
Use data, testimonials, and clear metrics to explain how your project will serve your community, attract new audiences, or contribute to scholarly and public discourse.
- Prepare Your Budget and Financials Early: Don't let your financial documents be an afterthought.
Have a detailed, realistic project budget that is easy to understand.
Make sure all line items are justified in your budget narrative.
Most applications will require your organization's most recent financial statements or Form 990.
- Start Now, Don't Wait: The single biggest mistake is underestimating the time required.
Federal grant registration (SAM.gov) can take a month or more.
Writing a compelling narrative takes multiple drafts.
Give your team ample time to prepare, review, and submit the strongest application possible.
Planning your grant strategy for 2026 starts today.
By targeting these opportunities early, you can build a thoughtful, compelling case for your work.
Using a grant management platform to track these deadlines, organize your documents, and manage your writing process can be a game-changer, ensuring you never miss a critical opportunity.