The Humanities Council of Washington DC is seeking applications for its small grant program - Voices from the Frontlines. This Grant is part of the “Humanities Grant Program,” an initiative funded by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

Successful applications will propose projects and initiatives that seek to document and preserve the stories of individuals who been on the metaphorical or literal frontlines of recent major historical events. This may include, but is not limited to, recent struggles for racial justice, the fight against COVID-19, and the 2020 election.

These stories may document food and supply shortages, they may document marches, elections or voting experiences, they may be stories of work, they may be stories of family. The aim is to create space for the Washington, DC community to preserve and interpret their collective memories. Projects may seek to document these stories as one-on-one interviews, they may seek to collect self-recorded audio or video clips, they may organize group sharing sessions or community meetings. Ultimately, we are seeking creatively designed, projects aimed at wide audiences that can launch quickly to capture these memories before they begin to recede too far into the past.

Funding Information

• Applicants may request up to $2,000 depending on the scope of their projects.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligibility Requirements (Organizations):
  • Must be an IRS designated 501c3 non-profit organization.
  • Must be registered with, and authorized to do business in, the District as either a “Domestic” entity (that is, an entity that was incorporated in the District) or a “Foreign” entity (that is, an entity that was incorporated in another state).
  • Must register and comply with the regulatory requirements of the following agencies:
    • District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) – Corporations Division (indicating an “active” business license status at the time of application and agreeing to maintain such status throughout the grant period).
    • District of Columbia Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR).
    • District of Columbia Department of Employment Services (DOES).
    • United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
  • Must be able to obtain a certification of “Citywide Clean Hands” (CCH) from the District of Columbia Office of Tax and Revenue.
  • Must have a principal business office address that is located in the District of Columbia and is accessible to onsite review. Post office boxes will not be accepted.
  • Must be in good standing with HumanitiesDC.
  • Prohibited applicants include: private clubs and organizations that prohibit membership based upon race, gender, color, religion, or any other classes identified in the District of Columbia Human Rights Act; for-profit (commercial) entities; political organizations; foreign governments; federal government entities; and District of Columbia government agencies.
• Eligibility Requirements (Individuals):
  • Must be aged 18 years or older.
  • Be a legal resident of the District of Columbia for at least one year prior to the application deadline and must maintain residency during the entire grant period.
  • Have a permanent DC address as listed on proper identification or tax returns. PO Boxes may not be used as a primary address.
  • Must not hold any open grants awarded or administered by HumantiesDC at the time of the application deadline.
  • Must be in good standing with HumanitiesDC.
  • All grant recipients are responsible for reporting their respective grant award(s) as income on federal and local tax returns (in accordance with applicable law) and are strongly encouraged to consult with a tax professional and the United States Internal Revenue Service.
• Eligibility Requirements (Applicable to both Organizations and Individuals):
  • Must be either planning or executing a program (or representing an organization planning or executing a program if serving as a fiscal sponsor) that:
    • adheres to the summary and description outlined in this RFP.
    • has 100% of its geographic focus on Washington, DC or one of its neighborhoods.
    • will occur within the grant period
    • will have residents of Washington, DC as its primary audience.

For more information, visit HumanitiesDC.