Capacity Grants

Capacity Grants help Connecticut organizations that bring humanities to the public think strategically, better understand their audiences, assets, and operations, and plan for the future. They support a wide range of consultant-led projects. For more information and examples of typical Capacity Grant projects, view the “Sample Capacity Grants” below.

 

Eligibility

Capacity Grants are intended to help organizations that present and interpret the humanities to the public improve their ability to do so. To learn more about the humanities, click here.

To apply for a Capacity Grant, your organization must be one of the following:

  • A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in the state of Connecticut for at least one year and governed by a board of directors that meets regularly
  • A municipality in the state of Connecticut
  • A Connecticut-based federally or State recognized tribe

For more information about eligibility, view the Guidelines below.

Guidelines

Please read the Capacity Grant guidelines before applying. The Capacity Grant Guidelines outline eligibility requirements, eligible expenses, matching requirements, grant duration, and more.

View Grant Guidelines

Funding Priorities

Priority for Capacity Grant funding is given to organizations that highlight the ways that they currently present and interpret the humanities to the public and articulate how their project will strengthen and improve their ability to do so moving forward.

CT Humanities seeks to fund projects that include significant humanities scholarship and content; explore topics and stories in an inclusive, diverse, and equitable manner; and commemorate the 250th anniversary of the formation of the United States consistent with the America 250 | CT Commission’s guiding themes.

View Funding Priorities

If your project involves or interprets Indigenous history or cultures, please also note CT Humanities’ Indigenous Values Statement and accompanying resources here.

FAQs & Resources for Applicants

Need help with navigating the CTH Grant Portal? Have questions about CTH’s grants? Seeking resources to help develop and strengthen humanities projects?

Click the button below to view our FAQs & Resources for Applicants:

FAQs & Resources for Applicants

Please also feel free to reach out to CTH Grants Staff at grants@cthumanities.org with any questions.

Important Dates

Upcoming Application Deadlines FY25-26:

  • December 1, 2025

*Due to the Thanksgiving holiday the week before the December 1 deadline, we strongly encourage interested applicants to reach out to CTH early regarding their Capacity, Planning, and Implementation applications. CTH staff will not be available Thursday, November 27 or Friday, November 28 to answer questions or consult on projects.

  • May 1, 2026

Award Notification: By the first workday of February (for December applications) or July (for May applications)

Grant Period: 12 months

Sample Capacity Grants

Capacity Grants can fund consultant-led projects, which may include:

  • Board assessments and training
  • Strategic planning
  • Market assessments and planning
  • Audience assessments
  • Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) assessments, planning, and training
  • Financial assessments and planning
  • Development (fundraising) assessments and planning
  • Collections assessments and planning
  • Interpretive assessments and planning
  • Technology assessments and planning

These sample grants are not an exclusive list of the types of projects Capacity Grants can fund. If you have a project idea you’d like to discuss, please reach out to Grants staff at grants@cthumanities.org!

Please note that application questions may change from year to year. Some sample model applications may not reflect all questions asked in the current application.

Audience Assessment and Planning

Who currently visits your organization? Who doesn’t visit? What programs and activities would excite your community most? Capacity Grants can help your organization conduct audience surveys, run focus groups, and more to gain a better understanding of your organization’s audience and create a plan for the future.

Sample Model Applications:

Collections Assessment and Planning

Do you know what your organization’s collections strengths are? Has your organization recently received an important new collection? Are there key collections that you need to digitize to be able to share them with the public? Capacity Grants can help you gain physical and intellectual control of your collections, identify your strongest humanities themes and stories, and prepare your organization to better share your collections with the public.

Sample Model Applications:

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility Assessment, Planning, and Training

Does your organization’s current audience reflect the diversity of the community you serve? Is your institution accessible to all visitors? Capacity Grants can give your staff and board the training, tools, and plan to become a more inclusive community asset.

Sample model application coming soon.

Interpretive Assessment and Planning

What are your organization’s most compelling stories? Do your exhibitions and programs highlight your strengths? Capacity Grants can examine your current interpretation and make recommendations for future projects that will help you stand out from the crowd.

Sample Model Application:

Strategic Planning

Does your organization struggle to prioritize all the things it needs and wants to do? Do you have a plan or vision to guide your organization for the next three to five years? Capacity Grants can help your staff and board think about its mission and purpose and craft a prioritized plan to move forward for the future.

Sample Model Applications:

Norwalk Pottery, Norwalk Historical Society

How to Apply

We are eager to help you submit a strong application. Before applying, organizations must contact CTH Grants Staff at grants@cthumanities.org to discuss your project idea. Applications submitted without prior communication with CTH staff will not be considered.

For a PDF preview of the current Capacity Grant application, click here.

For an overview of the application process, click here.

Online Grant Application Portal

Recently Funded Capacity Grants

In FY25, the success rate for Capacity Grants was

58%

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