RICH recognizes that the goal of increasing public understanding of the humanities may be advanced by projects not immediately involving a direct audience. RICH Humanities Resource Grants provide limited support for technical and archival assistance for museums and historical societies scholars-in-residence, cataloging for broader public use of library holdings, or any other project which will result in increased use and understanding of the humanities.

When considering humanities resource proposals, the Committee's chief concern is how the proposed project will strengthen efforts to present the humanities to the Rhode Island public. Humanities Resource Grants can support activities which are ineligible under other RICH grant categories.

While Humanities Resource Grants may support work of a non-public nature, the ultimate beneficiaries of any proposed humanities resource project must be identified and a clear statement of how they will be served must be included in the proposal.

Due to continuing resolution in Congress and uncertainties regarding RICH's budget for this fiscal year, the Rhode Island Committee for the Humanities regrets to announce that it will temporarily limit Early Response Grant (ERG) requests to $1,000. Please contact Grants Staff with any questions.

Independent Research Grants (IRG)

Independent Research Grants (IRG) support individuals conducting original humanities research and scholarship.  RICH seeks imaginative projects that will enhance public knowledge and whenever possible conclude with a public presentation.  The IRG award is limited to $2,000 (IRG Guidelines and Application).

Media Production Grants (MPG)

The mass media provides opportunities for humanities programs to reach a broad audience. All applications seeking support for films, videotapes, audio tapes, slide/tape presentations or live programming produced for television, radio or cable broadcast, and whose total RICH request exceeds $5,000, shall be considered under the Media Production Grant category.

The application requirements for a RICH Media Production Grant demand a level of information unlike that in any other category.

When considering media proposals the Committee is principally concerned with maintaining the primacy of the humanities and achieving the highest standards of creative and technical excellence. To assist in the evaluation of media proposals, the Committee has engaged a panel of technical advisors who review submitted work samples and advise the Committee of the potential strengths and weaknesses of each proposed production.

Humanities scholars must participate in as many aspects of development and production as are practicable. In addition, all applicants must prepare a syllabus of essays or formal presentations by humanities scholars which would explore topics suggested by the project. These essays would then be available for the initial presentations as well as any subsequent distribution. The costs of this companion piece would ordinarily be included in the RICH Media Production Grant request.

Budgets for proposed media projects must be divided into three phases: development, production (which includes technical post-production activities) and distribution. The Committee will award a grant to an entire project but release funds in phases, reserving the right to terminate funding or impose stipulations prior to the release of funds for any phase.

Public Project Grants (PPG)

RICH Public Project Grants support public programming. Public project grant activities may vary and include but are not limited to: lecture series, workshops, symposia, book discussion series, conferences. These activities are often planned in conjunction with exhibits or performances. Grants also may support in-school programming, supplements to existing humanities curricula, additional training for teachers, and other projects which serve to promote a greater understanding and appreciation of the humanities in elementary and secondary schools throughout the state.

The Committee has established no fixed limits on grant awards, although sponsors of large public projects will be encouraged to seek supplementary support from other sources.

Script Development Grants (SDG)

For many kinds of media productions, a script or a treatment for a script can be prepared by media professionals in association with humanities scholars. RICH recognizes both the advantages of such a preparatory state and the expense of effecting a workable script. In order to promote the framing of such a document, RICH offers Script Development Grants of up to $5000. These grants are restricted to the preparation of scripts for films, video productions, radio programs and slide/tape shows. While the norm is that the finished script will result in a request for a RICH Media Production Grant, that is by no means the rule.