Mellon Foundation: Higher Learning 2026

Location: United States and its territories

Open to:
Accredited, non-profit, four-year-degree-granting institutions of higher education that offer a liberal arts education. Projects must be demonstrably grounded in the humanities and led by humanities scholars.

Application Fee: None

What’s Provided:
Grant funding ranging from $250,000 to $500,000 for up to four years. Approximately $10 million total will be awarded. Selected institutions will be invited to develop full proposals for potential Mellon Foundation funding.

What the Applicant Must Cover:
Any additional project or institutional costs not covered by the grant.

Duration:
Up to four years

Deadline:

• Registration: December 1, 2025, by 3:00 p.m. ET

• Application: February 17, 2026, by 3:00 p.m. ET

Notes:

• Each institution may submit up to three concepts.

• Open to institutions enrolling more than 1,000 full-time, degree-seeking undergraduates.

• Ineligible applicants include for-profit institutions, research institutes, and fully online or special-focus schools.

• Contact: HLcall@mellon.org for questions.