2026 Craft Research Fund Grant - Eligibility

Proposals are welcome from applicants with a range of affiliations, including but not limited to, independent and academic researchers, artist-researchers, curators, organizations and institutions, and scholars.

• This grant is intended to support research and is NOT for the creation of artwork. ‍
• This grant does NOT provide funding for already completed research or the dissemination of already completed research.

Applicants must be:

• Able to receive taxable income in the United States for the duration of the grant
• Able to report this grant as income
• 18 years of age or older

Applicants cannot be:

• Substantial contributors to the Center for Craft, nor current employees, consultants, or board members of the Center for Craft, or immediate family members of such persons.

If an applicant has been previously awarded a Center for Craft grant but did not complete the project or is still in the process of completing a grant or fellowship, they are not eligible to apply.

Applicants may only receive one Center for Craft grant and/or fellowship per year. Awards cannot be deferred to the next year due to outstanding applications or multiple awards.

The Center encourages applications from historically underrepresented populations. The Center for Craft prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation based on sex, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability or perceived disability, age, marital status, gender identity, veteran status, or any other protected category. Applying does not constitute a promise or guarantee of being awarded a grant.

What is Craft?

The Center for Craft defines craft as a particular approach to making with a strong connection to materials, skill, and process. Artists, makers, scholars, and curators continue to grow the field, embracing new definitions, technologies, and ideas while honoring craft’s history and relationship to the handmade.

Craft, in all its forms, demonstrates creativity, ingenuity, and practical intelligence. It contributes to the economic and social well-being of communities, connects us to our cultural histories, and is integral to building a sustainable future.

Examples of craft research MIGHT include:

• Research providing new insight into work by historical or contemporary craft artists, communities, or practices in the United States
• Research that places American craft in a global context
• Research presenting a new understanding of the relationship between handmade production and digital technologies
• Research supporting new cross-disciplinary approaches to scholarship in craft
• Other topics that offer fresh perspectives within craft

USE OF FUNDS

• Funding is intended to support craft research.
• At least 85% of funding must be used for expenses directly related to conducting research, such as travel and living expenses; attending relevant archives, workshops, conferences, or symposia; subcontracted research assistance; stipends for interviews; commissioning research in the form of essay contributions; other contracted research services (such as photography); cost for support documentation such as images, rights to use images or text, photocopies, transcriptions, or other reproductions; purchase of primary source materials; and other incidental research expenses.
  • For museums, galleries, universities, and organizations, please limit staffing and overhead costs to 15% of your total budget request. For example, if you are  applying for $15,000 in support, total personnel and overhead costs should be a maximum of $2,250.
  • For individuals, please provide a rationale for your personal stipend or honorarium in the budget narrative.
• Fifteen percent (15%) of funding may be used for research dissemination. This may include publication printing costs, website and digital database development, exhibition production, workshop facilitation fees, and symposium and conference–related expenses for research dissemination.
• For travel purposes, the Center for Craft recommends applicants use the following resources to estimate expenses: U.S. General Services Administration and Budget Your Trip.
• Capital equipment purchases are NOT eligible for support. Examples of capital equipment may include laptops, recorders, printers, or other items not listed.
• The Center for Craft requires that all grant recipients provide financial remuneration to working artists for their time, labor, and services rendered toward the awarded project scope and goals. For remuneration estimates, we recommend consulting the floor wages listed on the Working Artists and the Greater Economy (W.A.G.E.) fee calculator website.
• When working with community members, the Center for Craft requires that all grant recipients provide financial remuneration for their time, labor, and services rendered towards the awarded project scope and goals.

2026 Craft Research Fund Grant - Requirements

Funded research must be completed within the designated timeline as proposed in the recipient application. Incomplete projects may result in funds being  rescinded, in part or in whole, and awardees will not be eligible to apply for a Center for Craft grant or fellowship opportunity in the future if the project remains incomplete. In addition, awardees will forfeit the right to use the Center for Craft award on their list of accomplishments, their name will be removed from the Center for Craft website, and they will forgo access to Alumni benefits.

• Seventy percent (70%) of the grant funds will be distributed upon the return of a signed grant agreement form between the Center for Craft and the recipient, and receipt of the recipient’s W9.
• Thirty percent (30%) of the grant funds will be distributed upon receipt of the recipient's final report and two copies of any publication produced as a result of the research grant award. Research and final reports must be completed in 18 months, with a deadline of September 30, 2027. If there is no publication, then applicants must provide a copy of the completed research in full. The final report should include:
  • 3–5 images relating to the research
  • Attendance and audience engagement numbers from conferences, workshops, symposia, and exhibitions associated with funded research  
  • Project/exhibition narrative and research outcomes
  • Budget report
• The project description provided by the recipient will be published on the Center for Craft’s website. Once we receive the final report and two copies of the publication or completed research, the project description will be updated to reflect the information from the final report, and a link to any deliverables will be added.
• Recipients will acknowledge support from the Center for Craft in any publications or presentations resulting from the grant, as well as on websites and social media posts related to the project. Please use the following text to acknowledge the grant: This research was supported by a Craft Research Fund grant from the Center for Craft.

2026 Craft Research Fund Grant - Review Process

Proposals will be reviewed by the Center for Craft staff for completeness and evaluated by an outside review panel comprised of recognized craft scholars, researchers, and/or curators, free of any conflict of interest, based on the following criteria:

• Program Goals Alignment: The proposal addresses one or more goals of the Craft Research Fund, such as conducting innovative research on critical issues in craft theory and history, investigating neglected questions of craft history and criticism, or engaging in cross-disciplinary approaches to scholarship in craft.
• Impact: The research is timely and needed. The dissemination plan will make a significant impact on the collective understanding of how and why craft matters.
• Feasibility: The project is feasible based on the timeline, applicant expertise, and budget reflected in the application.

The Center for Craft reserves the right to limit support of a project to a particular portion(s) or expense(s).

Considerations in final selection: The Center for Craft respects, values, and celebrates the unique attributes, characteristics, and perspectives that make each person who they are. We foster open communication of diverse perspectives and bring a broad range of individuals together to enrich and support programming. Ultimately, we will ask the selection panel to choose a set of recipients deserving of further recognition while prioritizing diversity, both in and outside of academia, and representing a range of geographies, materials, and communities served.

Priority will be given to applicants whose research and proposed research outcomes address underrepresentation in craft.

2026 Craft Research Fund Grant - How to Apply

GRANT ORIENTATION: A virtual application information session will be held on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, from 5 pm to 6 pm ET. The information session recording will be available on the Craft Research Fund grant webpage on the Center for Craft website.

DEADLINE: Applications for the 2026 Craft Research Fund must be submitted via SlideRoom no later than 11:59 pm ET on October 17, 2025. Free to apply.

NOTIFICATION: Notification of the results will be sent via email in December 2025. The grant period will begin on January 1, 2026. The email address listed on the application form will be used to send out notifications. Please be sure that it is a valid account that you check regularly.

HOW TO APPLY: Applicants must apply using the online application program SlideRoom at http://www.centerforcraft.slideroom.com. Please review the sample application below before beginning your application.

All applicants should create a SlideRoom account to begin the application. Before submitting your application, you will be directed to a confirmation page where you will be able to review your form and return to edit or delete your uploaded files as needed. Once you submit your application, you will not be able to access your form again. Applicants will receive a confirmation email once the application form has been successfully submitted.

SAMPLE APPLICATION
2026 Craft Research Fund—Project Grant

This is a sample application for planning purposes only; all applications must be completed in SlideRoom.

Demographic Survey
The Center for Craft recognizes that demographic data is a limited way of understanding who is applying to our grant programs. However, it is also one important component for developing equitable and accessible programs, and many of our funders require that we collect this information.

Please note that demographic data will remain anonymous, is not shared with the selection panel, will in no way affect your application, and will only be used for grant writing and reporting purposes. While completion of this form is required, you may answer any of the questions with the “Prefer not to answer” option. If you are applying as a collaborative or organization, please select “Not applicable.” Thank you.

1. Which age group best describes you?
2. Which of the following best describes your gender identity? (Select all that apply)
3. Do you identify as LGBTQIA+?
4. Which of the following best describes your race/ethnicity? (Select all that apply)
5. What is your total annual household income?
6. Do you identify as having a disability? (such as a physical disability, a cognitive or learning disability, sensory impairment, Autism Spectrum Disorder, or mental illness)
7. If you have a disability and feel comfortable sharing, how would you describe your disability, and what accommodations would be most useful to you? (If you do not identify as having a disability, are applying on behalf of an organization or collective, or prefer not to answer, please enter N/A) Note: your response to this question will be used to help us make decisions about where to invest resources in staff training and accommodations to make our grant programs more accessible. As with all questions in this survey, your response will remain anonymous and confidential.
8. What is the highest level of schooling you have completed or the highest degree you have completed? If currently enrolled, mark the highest level/degree already received.
9. Recognizing the limitations of check-box demographics surveys, is there anything you would like to tell us about your identity and/or the communities you belong to that the survey did not capture? (optional)
10. Which of the following do you most identify with? Artist/maker, scholar/researcher, curator, educator.

Cover Sheet

1. Name (applicant(s), collective, organization) and your title (if associated with an organization or institution)
2. Project Title (up to 15 words and 85 characters)
3. Bio (150–200 words)
4. Please indicate which images from your application you have permission to use.
5. Your personal or project-specific website
6. Grant amount requested (up to $15,000)
7. Are you 18 or older? (yes or no)
8. Are you able to receive income in the United States or U.S. territories that is taxable by the United States or U.S. territories for the duration of the project period?
9. Please list up to three of the communities with whom you most frequently work or which you plan to engage through your funded project. You might consider age, skill, materials, identity, sexuality, geographic area, or other characteristics that the people you work with have in common (for example, veterans, refugees, queer communities, youth, textile artists, residents of Western North Carolina, or other groups and communities of practice not mentioned here).
10. How did you learn about this opportunity?
11. Have you previously applied for a Center for Craft grant or fellowship?

Application

1. Please provide a summary of your proposal (no more than 50 words / 300 characters).
2. Please provide a project description (no more than 1,000 words / 6,000 characters) addressing the following:
   
   • Proposal goals and objectives
   • Research question and relevance to the advancement of new and interdisciplinary research of craft in the United States
   • Two to three other scholars who have written significant works on/around your topic and an explanation of how your work compares to and pushes the topic forward
   • Clearly identified intended outcomes of the research that will be completed within the 18 month grant period, including audiences and/or publishing opportunities. Will your deliverable include a publication, a peer-reviewed journal, papers presented at a scholarly conference, a university colloquium, a public forum, or online publications? If you are conducting curatorial research, please include the exhibition dates. If the project includes an online or ongoing component, please describe your sustainability maintenance plan.
3. How does your lived experience relate to your proposed area of research? Please describe your experience over time (no more than 100 words / 650 characters).
4. Please include a list of who you will work with to conduct your research, a short description of their role, and why they were selected. This may include scholars, historians, archivists, writers, artists, curators, museums, institutions, and other collaborators not listed ( no more than 150 words / 975 characters).
5. Please provide a list of at least 10 sources that you will utilize in your research. This may include a list of books, articles, manuscripts, journals, websites, catalogs, or a list of previous exhibitions on or related to the proposal (up to 350 words  / 1,750–2,275 characters).
6. Timeline (form provided in SlideRoom). Please provide a timeline for completing the project. The grant period begins on January 1, 2026. Projects must be completed by August 30, 2027 (18 months from start date).
7. Budget Income Form (provided in SlideRoom). The budget income form is to indicate if you have additional sources of secured or anticipated (prospected) income. In addition, please list the total amount requested from the Craft Research Fund here. Please list no more than 10 items. Examples of income:
   • Other grants secured/prospected
   • Support from institutions (school or university support)
   • In-kind support (for example, percentages of salaries or hourly rates for time commitments)
8. Budget Expense Form (provided in SlideRoom). Please list no more than 15 items. The minimum budget request should be $5,000; the maximum budget request should be $15,000. Please note which expenses you wish to cover through the Craft Research Fund under “Amount Requested CRF.” Budgets may exceed $15,000 if other support is listed in the budget. Please add expenses supported by funding outside of the Craft Research Fund under “Amount Other Source.” Expense examples:
   • Support stipends/honoraria (list research assistants with names)
   • Travel/expenses (include lodging and meals, itemized per destination); for travel purposes, the Center for Craft recommends applicants use the following resources U.S. General Services Administration and Budget Your Trip
   • Contracted services (such as photography)
   • Support documentation such as images or rights to use images or text, photocopies or other reproductions, purchase of primary source materials, and other incidental research expenses
9. Budget Narrative. Please provide a narrative for any budget items that require further explanation (up to 250 words/1,625 characters).

Optional Media Attachment

You have the option to upload up to 5 images. During the review process, only the first 2 minutes of each video sample will be reviewed, so please edit your materials accordingly.

• Up to 5 images (no more than 5MB each)
• Images should be in a JPG format no larger than 1600 pixels on any side @ 300 dpi
• Name each jpeg file: Last Name_ImageTitle_Number.jpg. For example., Smith_Untitled_1.jpg, Smith_ShakerBrooms_2.jpg, etc.
• Each uploaded image must be accompanied by:
  • Title, date, medium
  • Photo credit
  • Description (up to 50 words)

2026 Craft Research Fund Grant - FAQ

Where can I find information about previous recipients of the Craft Research Fund Grant?‍

Check out our online Grant Recipient Archive. You can sort by grant opportunity by searching for “Craft Research Fund” in the search filter. ‍

What is the final deadline for submitting my online application form?‍

Applications for the 2026 Craft Research Fund must be submitted via SlideRoom no later than 11:59 pm ET on October 17, 2025.

‍May I mail a hard copy of my application materials to the Center for Craft’s office?‍

No. Hard copy submissions will not be accepted. The application must be completed and submitted through SlideRoom.

‍Can I work on my application and return to complete it at a later date?‍

Yes. Creating a login account in SlideRoom will enable you to complete the form in several online sessions.

‍I just submitted my application, but I want to return to it and make an edit. Is this possible?‍

No. Once your application is submitted, you will not be able to return to the form or change any submitted information.

I have previously received a Center for Craft grant. Am I eligible to apply?

Yes.

I have previously received a Center for Craft grant but did not complete the project or am still in the progress of completing the project I was funded for. Am I eligible to apply?

No.

Are applicants responsible for obtaining copyrights to documents, images, and manuscripts included in their research?

Yes.

Are collaboratives allowed to apply?

Collaboratives are welcome to apply. There must be one fiduciary agent for the group or one person who will receive the award funds, as this person will be responsible for paying taxes on the award amount funded.

Who can I contact with questions?

Please reach out to Mellanee Goodman, Program Manager–Research & Ideas, mgoodman@centerforcraft.org or (828) 785-1357 x103