Applications for all grant lines must be submitted using Connecticut Humanities’ online grant portal.

For more information about Quick Grants, Public Presentation Grants (Planning and Implementation), and Capacity Grants, please visit their linked pages.

Before applying, organizations must contact CTH staff member Scott Wands at swands@cthumanities.org to discuss your project idea. We are eager to help you submit a strong application and are available to review draft applications received at least two weeks before the grant deadline. Applications submitted without prior communication with CTH staff will not be considered.

CTH staff reviews applications for completeness and adherence to specific grant category guidelines. Click here to see a copy of the Application Quality Control checklist we use.

Late, incomplete, and non-conforming applications are rejected without further review.  Common problems that cause rejection include:

• late applications
• applications for non-humanities projects
• incomplete applications
• applications not submitted using CTH required application and budget forms
• missing required attachments
• project budget short of the requisite 1:1 matching funds (required of all grant types) or requisite external cash match percentage (required of Implementation grants of $5,000 or more).

Applicants are notified by email within one business week of the application deadline if their application has been rejected along with the reasons that caused CTH to take this action.

Applications for Quick Grants are reviewed by a committee of CTH board members, outside committee advisors, and staff members, approved by the executive director, and ratified by CTH’s board executive committee.  All applications are reviewed on:

• The project’s Humanities Content and Project Design

Project Team Quality
Interpretation & Connection to the Humanities
Goals & Learning Objectives
Project Details and Description

• How well the project meets CTH and Quick Grant Funding Priorities

Project Cost
Accessibility
Match to CTHF funding priorities

• The project’s overall Viability

Financial Support for Project
Budget Expenses
Audience Identification
Marketing Plan

For Capacity Building, Planning, and Implementation Grant applications, CTH staff conducts a thorough review of the application and produces a report that includes the applicant’s CTH grant history, a brief assessment of the organization’s financial documents, background on the application, and a summary of its strengths and weaknesses. This staff report is sent to the review committee.

Capacity Building, Planning, and Implementation Grants are then reviewed by a board-appointed committee of Connecticut Humanities board members and advisors from various cultural and humanities fields. A lead reviewer is assigned to conduct a detailed assessment and render an opinion on each application. The committee then evaluates applications against the goals and priorities for the Connecticut Humanities Fund, as well as their individual merits, to determine funding recommendations. CTH’s board of directors makes all final funding decisions. Grants may be partially funded depending on available funding for a given deadline.

CTH staff, review panelists, and board members adhere to applicable guidelines on ethical and confidentiality standards. They abstain from commenting or voting on a request for funding if they have:

Any recent financial or governance relationship with the applicant organization or any person connected with the proposal.
Played or will play a meaningful role in the development or execution of the project.