Currently 5 active cross-disciplinary and social impact grants, fellowships and residencies open to applicants in the US. Hand-curated and updated weekly. Almost every entry is funded; a few notable unpaid open calls and festival submissions are included as clearly flagged exceptions. Browse the list below, or use the interactive desk for filtering and shortlisting.
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Queer|Art|Mentorship (QAM) develops an intergenerational and interdisciplinary network of support and shared knowledge for LGBTQ+ artists, nurturing exchange between artists at all career levels and working against social separation between generations and disciplines. The 10-month program (January to October 2027) pairs each Fellow with a Mentor in their field. Applicants in Film, Literature, Performance, or Visual Art apply with a specific project they want to develop and select a Mentor they would like to work with; the relationship is driven by monthly 1:1 meetings, monthly virtual group meetings across disciplines, and an in-person weeklong retreat in spring. Fellows also take part in virtual QAM Intros artist talks and the in-person Works-in-Progress (WIP) series. SUPPORT: a USD 2,500 stipend, travel support for the Spring 2027 retreat, 1:1 coaching from Queer|Art staff, outreach to professional connections, and inclusion in the QAM alumni network. ELIGIBILITY: artists working at a generative level in at least one of Film, Literature, Performance, or Visual Art who are self-identified as queer, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, and/or intersex; based in the United States, including US territories; early-career and professionally focused with a body of work already behind them; not currently enrolled in school or university; and with a specific project to work on with a Mentor. This year the program accepts 12 Fellows (3 per field); each Mentor chooses the Fellow they will work with. PROCESS: a two-part application. Part 1 (a brief application) is due 15 June 2026; a smaller group meeting program qualifications is then invited to complete the full application on Slideroom, due 31 July 2026. Mentors and staff review applications in September and all applicants are notified by mid-October 2026; the cycle begins January 2027.
United We Om's Karma Projects micro-grants support and amplify the good works of people dedicated to karma yoga, acts of selfless service without attachment to outcomes, that create lasting change for individuals, communities, and humanity. The Fund seeks to support individuals and small nonprofits creating change in their communities, using their own life experiences to serve others facing similar struggles, where USD 2,500 would significantly benefit the work and represents 1% or more of an annual budget (nonprofits with annual budgets of USD 250,000 or less). Preference is given to those performing service work without financial compensation. The Fund supports fully formed ideas and projects with specific goals and outcomes: expansions of existing programs, innovative pilots, and projects providing necessary resources to people without access, that can be sustained beyond the grant period without further United We Om funding. NOT FUNDED: projects that are not karma yoga; wellness services to communities with traditional access; inflated or above-market budgets; art, film, music, or theatre performances that do not directly serve an underserved community; organizations with annual budgets over USD 250,000; programs requiring membership or ongoing participant fees; one-day events; partially funded projects (additional funds must already be in place); applicants or service work outside the USA; for-profit businesses; projects led by people not from the community they serve; projects with any participation fee including by-donation; religious activities (mantra and prayer); therapy or medical/herbal advice without an active license; political or societal activism; and projects still in development. Grant funds may not be used for staff salaries, travel, administrative or grant-prep work, legal or accounting services, volunteer stipends, tuition or fee subsidies, software/website/tech, or attendance incentives. Grantees may pay themselves up to USD 50 per hour for active service time. APPLICATIONS: two windows annually. The Fall 2026 window is open and closes 30 June 2026 at midnight; grants awarded September 2026. Separate applications exist for individuals and for nonprofits. Do not use AI to write the application. Questions: Executive Director Matt Jared at matt@unitedweom.org.
Centrum's single application covers three 2027 residency programs at Fort Worden in Port Townsend, Washington: Self-Directed Residencies (approx. 55-60 spots), In the Making Residencies (3-5 spots), and the Emerging Artist Residency (6 spots). The program gives artists, writers and creatives across all disciplines time and space to relax, focus and reinvent their practice, alongside a community of other residents. Open to practices including but not limited to visual arts, writing, curatorial, performance, dance, music and social practice. Applicants submit work samples/portfolio, the workspace/accommodation they need, and a short paragraph on what a residency would mean to them, and indicate which program(s) they want to be considered for. Selection is by a panel of alumni jurors; no feedback is offered. ELIGIBILITY: Self-Directed and In the Making are open broadly; the Emerging Artist Residency is restricted to Pacific Northwest-based artists residing in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana or British Columbia. Application window 15 April - 30 June 2026; applications absolutely cannot be accepted after 30 June 2026, so apply early.
Grand Canyon Conservancy's award-winning residency program invites artists, scientists, historians and educators to live on site at Grand Canyon National Park, pursue place-based research, and engage the public through meaningful programs that deepen understanding of the park's environmental, spiritual and cultural impact. Founded in 2020; competitive application + peer-panel review. THREE TRACKS: (1) Artist in Residence - for contemporary artists making interactive (immersive and/or participatory) work that shapes how people experience place; (2) Astronomer in Residence - for astronomers from any discipline who wish to share their knowledge and enthusiasm for dark skies; (3) Environmental Educator in Residence - for educators who use unique and inspiring methods to pique curiosity, prompt exploration, and build knowledge of the world. Residents receive free accommodation, financial support, and marketing/exposure; alumni return as part of a nationwide network. Read the individual track pages (linked from the main residency page) for track-specific eligibility, session lengths, stipend amounts, public-engagement expectations and any region/citizenship requirements before applying. APPLICATIONS OPEN: 15 May - 15 July 2026 for the 2027 cycle.
The Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship offers scientists, writers, scholars, public intellectuals, and artists a year to pursue ambitious projects in a vibrant interdisciplinary setting amid the resources of Harvard University. The Institute welcomes innovative work that confronts pressing social, scientific, and policy issues and seeks to engage audiences beyond academia. Reflecting Radcliffe's history, it welcomes (but does not limit eligibility to) proposals focused on women, gender, and society, or that draw on the Schlesinger Library's collections. It also invites proposals relevant to the Institute's 2024-2029 focus area, academic freedom and connecting across difference (intellectual virtues, free and open inquiry, diversity of thought, political polarization, peace and conflict, inequality, religious pluralism, and related higher-education policy issues), including work that constructively challenges disciplinary orthodoxies or advances transformative perspectives. SUPPORT: USD 78,000 stipend plus USD 5,000 for project expenses, with relocation, housing, and childcare funds available; fellows must reside in the Cambridge/Boston area from September through May. ELIGIBILITY: open to individuals across career stages; tenure is not required and applicants need not be academics. This is NOT a postdoctoral fellowship; those currently enrolled in a degree program are ineligible, as are former Harvard Radcliffe fellows (1999-present). Applicants must meet discipline-specific criteria. APPLY: register on the online portal and select an area (Humanities and Social Sciences; Creative Arts; Nonfiction and Journalism; or Science, Engineering, and Mathematics). Materials: application form, CV, 1,400-word project proposal (with bibliography when appropriate), a writing or work sample, and three references. DEADLINES: humanities, social sciences, creative arts, and nonfiction and journalism by 10 September 2026, 5pm ET; science, engineering, and mathematics by 1 October 2026, 5pm ET.