The Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC) is now accepting applications for three open grant opportunities.

• Minnesota Musicians: $400,000 in total to individual Minnesota Musicians to create, produce, and perform music; application closes September 11, 2026.

• Youth Literary: $500,000 in total to individual authors and organizations to create, produce, and distribute books for youth, that celebrate cultural expression, with a focus on excellent creative work and educational value; application closes September 11, 2026.

• Underrepresented Cultural Studies Materials: $400,000 in total to individuals and organizations that will work to develop high-quality academic (K-12), cultural, and ethnic studies materials for communities that do not have adequate materials, or who are underrepresented in those materials, including but not limited to Hmong, Karen, Somali, and Oromo cultures; application closes October 2, 2026.

MHC has $1.3M (less allowable fees) to grant in total. Information about each grant line and application instructions can be found at mnhum.org/grants.

The Legacy Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund was established to amplify arts and culture in Minnesota and to increase the depth and breadth of arts and cultural programming within Minnesota. Recipients who receive Legacy funding are expected to provide programming for free or at reduced cost to ensure widespread enjoyment of Legacy programming.

“We are excited to administer the Minnesota Musicians and Youth Literary grants. This is the first time the Legislature has asked MHC to create such grant lines,” said MHC CEO Kevin Lindsey, “Whenever I travel throughout the state of Minnesota, several people invariably tell me about how a Legacy grant made a difference in their organization or community.”

About the Minnesota Humanities Center

MHC, an affiliate to the National Endowment for the Humanities, was founded as an independent non-profit organization in 1971. MHC strengthens our society by promoting the humanities and increasing shared understanding of our collective pasts. MHC creates a wide variety of humanities programming in collaboration with individuals, creators, scholars, and organizations to build a more curious, inclusive, and connected society. MHC has a long history as a grantmaking organization and operates a full-service event center in a historic building in St. Paul. More information is available at mnhum.org.

About Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment

The Minnesota Legislature passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment (Legacy Amendment) in 2008 to ensure clean water, preserve opportunities for Minnesotans to enjoy nature, parks, and trails, and to appreciate arts and culture that exists within the State. The Legacy Amendment increases the state sales tax by three-eighths of one percent to create the Legacy Fund – 19.75% of the Legacy Fund is dedicated to the arts and cultural heritage fund.