Foundation seeks storytelling projects about unheard histories, connections to the American Revolution.
We’re delighted to share that we have updated our signature storytelling grant program. This year, the Expand Massachusetts Stories (EMS) initiative provides Massachusetts residents with more opportunities to connect history, experience, and truth-seeking:
- “Promises of the Revolution”: As we prepare for the country’s 250th anniversary in 2026, organizations are invited to explore how people, past and present, responded to the promises of the American Revolution. Applicants are encouraged to shine a light on untold histories and make space for new stories.
- “Story Forward”: Organizations that have received funding from Mass Humanities in the past can advance their storytelling to reach new audiences or build on previous work.
- Reading Frederick Douglass Together grants are currently open. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year.
Application materials for EMS grants are available now on our website. Letters of Inquiry are due June 9.
Since its launch in 2021, Expand Massachusetts Stories has contributed to the courageous work of storytelling in every corner of the commonwealth. By highlighting the lived experiences of different cultures and communities, EMS provides Massachusetts residents with new ways to understand the present moment and imagine a new future.
Mass Humanities is setting aside $600,000 to fund projects in the “Promises of the Revolution” track. This commitment is intended to add context and insight to the history of the American Revolution and the core promises made by the Declaration of Independence: equality for all; the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and the belief that the power of any government rests on the consent of the people.
“The Revolution belongs to all of us, and 2026 should be a time to bring more people into a statewide conversation on our past and the future of our democracy. By expanding this Massachusetts story, we can make the Semiquincentennial a time of renewal for the original promises of equality and freedom that emerged here 250 years ago.”—Executive Director Brian Boyles
Mass Humanities launched the EMS initiative in 2021 with the support of Mass Cultural Council and the Barr Foundation. Since then, the foundation has distributed more than $3 million to projects across the state that included audio tours, documentary films, oral histories, public events, and archival research.
“Mass Cultural Council believes in the power of storytelling to connect us, challenge us, and inspire us,” said Michael J. Bobbitt, executive director at Mass Cultural Council. “We are proud to partner with Mass Humanities to support their 2025 Expanding Massachusetts Stories grant opportunity and are excited to reflect upon, celebrate, and learn from the chosen narratives that will bring Massachusetts history and culture to life.”
In 2024, we awarded $1.2 million in EMS grants to 64 cultural nonprofit organizations from Cape Cod to the Berkshires. The majority of funds (60%) went to organizations receiving their first Mass Humanities grant. People of color led 93% of the supported projects.
Eligibility requirements and grant guidelines can be viewed on the Mass Humanities grants website. Resources will be available in both English and Spanish.
For more information regarding Expanding Massachusetts Stories grants, contact Katherine Stevens, Director of Grants and Programs, at grants@masshumanities.org.
