Collections Grant
Sponsor: Terra Foundation for American ArtInternal Deadline: 07/24/2026Institutional Submission Limit: 1Sponsor Deadline: 10/13/2026Program Website
The Terra Foundation for American Art's Collections Grants program supports museums, art centers, and community-based cultural organizations seeking to reinterpret and re-present their permanent collections through research, scholarship, and public engagement. The program encourages projects that broaden understandings of American art and its histories through new interpretations, expanded narratives, and collaborative approaches.
Collections Grants support permanent collection reinstallations, temporary exhibitions drawn primarily from an institution's permanent collection, and planning, research, and development activities. Funding is available for projects that generate new scholarship, expand interpretation of American art and its histories, and engage a broad range of artists, scholars, and communities.
Planning grants typically range from $25,000 to $75,000, while implementation grants provide up to $100,000 in support. The Terra Foundation permits only one Collections Grant application per organization per grant cycle. Therefore, the University of South Carolina will conduct an internal competition to select the institutional nominee. Applications must be submitted through the institution's designated representative.
The Foundation prioritizes projects that generate new knowledge and interpretive frameworks, engage artists, scholars, and communities representing diverse perspectives, foster inclusive institutional practices, rethink collections through local, national, or transnational lenses, and increase public access to American art.
The Foundation does not support the creation or acquisition of artworks, capital expenditures or permanent equipment purchases, fully online projects, touring exhibitions or projects composed primarily of loans, projects principally focused on collections acquisition, or applications from individuals.
Submission Process
Those interested in pursuing this opportunity should submit the following materials as a single PDF to USCCFR@sc.edu by July 24th:
• Project information, including the project title, grant category (Temporary Exhibition, Collection Reinstallation, or Planning, Research, and Development), requested funding amount, anticipated opening date or project start date, and any co-organizing institution(s).
• A brief statement describing the organization's history, purpose, goals, and values (2,275-character limit).
• A description of the project, including its format, duration, and any plans for touring if applicable (1,500-character limit).
• A statement describing how the project addresses the following program objectives: generating knowledge and interpretive frameworks that reflect the breadth and complexity of American art and its histories through the artists represented, voices included, and stories told; engaging artists, scholars, and communities that present a plurality of perspectives and methods, including intercultural and interdisciplinary approaches; and catalyzing inclusive practices and expansive histories in the field of American art (3,000-character limit).
• A description of plans for disseminating project research and content, including exhibitions, publications, online content, educational programming, videos, or other formats, as applicable (1,200-character limit).
• A list of organizing partners, collaborators, and secured funding sources, including amounts, if applicable.
For questions regarding this opportunity, please contact: Frank Terrapin, Corporate & Foundation Relations, University Development; terrapin@sc.edu