Gaines Center accepting applications for minigrants for 2025-26
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 4, 2025) — The University of Kentucky’s Gaines Center for the Humanities is now accepting applications for its minigrant program for the 2025-26 academic year. Now in its sixth year, the program provides grants of up to $500 intended to support humanities-related programming and expenses related to speaker fees and event logistics.
Since its inception, the minigrants have sponsored dozens of events across campus offsetting barriers and fostering new relationships in this hyper-digital era. Minigrant awardees represent a variety of departments and colleges across campus, including The Graduate School.
“The Gaines Center is pleased to be able to offer minigrants to support humanities programming for the sixth consecutive year,” said Michelle Sizemore, Gaines Center director. “These projects continue to enrich campus culture by providing robust extracurricular engagement with a wide range of humanities topics and events.”
The Gaines Center will award minigrants to programs that meet the following guidelines:
- Demonstrate a strong humanities focus;
- allow for maximum participation of faculty, students and/or community members when possible;
- occur before May 1, 2026; and
- list the Gaines Center for the Humanities as a sponsor or co-sponsor on all relevant announcements and marketing materials.
Individuals in any UK college or department are eligible to apply.
Applications for the Gaines Center’s minigrant program are open until Monday, Oct. 6. Apply at https://gaines.uky.edu/user/login?destination=/events/apply-gaines-mini-grant.
Questions regarding the Gaines Center’s minigrant program may be directed to Chelsea Brislin, associate director of the Gaines Center, at 859-257-1537 or clbris4@uky.edu.
Founded in 1984 by a generous gift from John and Joan Gaines, the Gaines Center for the Humanities functions as a laboratory for imaginative and innovative education on UK’s campus. The center is devoted to cultivating an appreciation of the humanities in its students and faculty. The Gaines Center embraces varied paths of knowledge and particularly strives to integrate creative work with traditional academic learning.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.