California HumanitiesGrant

Up to $50,000 California Documentary Grants

Oct 14, 2026 17:00:00 PT

Opportunity type

Grant

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

United States

Deadline

Oct 14, 2026 17:00:00 PT

About this opportunity

California Humanities, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, funds nonfiction film, audio and digital media projects that explore the histories, cultures and experiences that shape California. The California Documentary Project has backed more than 250 projects since 2003, including Crip Camp and Free Chol Soo Lee, and it is especially interested in stories that mainstream narratives have overlooked. Applying starts with a short Letter of Intent, and about 30 applicants across the two grant types are invited to send a full proposal.

What you get:

Research and Development grants of up to $15,000 for projects in their earliest stages
Production grants of up to $50,000 for projects actively in production; awards typically range from $20,000 to $50,000
Funds can cover salaries and fees, stipends for humanities advisors, travel, pre-production costs and fiscal sponsor fees of up to 10 percent
A two year grant period for Research and Development and three years for Production, both starting 1 April 2027

What you'll do:

Submit a Letter of Intent through the California Humanities grant portal, with a sample of previously completed work
If invited, submit a full proposal and budget by 1 February 2027
Work with at least one humanities advisor, who can be a scholar, a community historian or a culture bearer
Take part in reporting, cohort calls and learning activities during the grant, and credit California Humanities on the finished work

Key dates:

Applications opened 14 September 2026
Letters of Intent close 14 October 2026, 5:00 PM Pacific Time
First-round decisions and proposal invitations 14 December 2026
Full proposals due 1 February 2027, 5:00 PM Pacific Time, by invitation only
Awards announced and grant period begins 1 April 2027

More information:

Separate guidelines and FAQs for Research and Development and for Production are linked from the programme page
A recording of the 18 September 2026 application webinar is linked from the programme page
Requests for application assistance or accommodations should reach the grants team by 5 October 2026

Who can apply

Applicants are California-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits, or California residents applying through an eligible tax-exempt fiscal sponsor
Fiscal sponsorship does not need to be confirmed at the Letter of Intent stage, only by the full proposal deadline
The project director must be a California resident
The applicant or fiscal sponsor needs an EIN, current California Secretary of State registration and California Department of Justice charity registration
A 1:1 match in cash or in-kind contributions from non-federal sources is required, and volunteer time and donated space count
At least one humanities advisor must be actively involved in the project
The project director must have a sample of previously completed work
Student work and work made as part of a degree programme are not eligible
Advocacy, promotional, humanitarian or social service projects are not eligible, and Production projects cannot already be in post-production
One application per deadline, and no open grant or pending application with California Humanities

AI Verification

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Good to know

+Research and development grants up to $15,000 and production grants up to $50,000 for humanities documentaries
+Run by California Humanities, the state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities
+You can apply as an individual through a fiscal sponsor
+Free to apply, and the full application questions are published in advance

Worth checking yourself

!The project director must live in California
!You must match the grant with non-federal cash or in-kind support, although volunteer time and donated space count
!Student projects are excluded and you need a sample of earlier work
!This is a letter of intent due 14 October at 5 pm Pacific; about 30 applicants are then invited to a full proposal due 1 February 2027

Sources checked

CAcalhum.orgApplyDRdrive.google.comOfficialDRdrive.google.comOfficialDOdocs.google.comOfficialDOdocs.google.comOfficialDOdocs.google.comOfficialDOdocs.google.comOfficialCHch-grants.smapply.ioOfficialCHch-grants.smapply.ioOfficial

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