Now Accepting Applications: 2025-26 NEA Big Read

Applications are now open for the 2025-26 cycle of the NEA Big Read, a national program that offers matching grants of up to $20,000 to support community-wide reading programs.

This year, we’re excited to introduce a new theme: “Our Nature: How Our Physical Environment Can Lead Us to Seek Hope, Courage, and Connection.”

The 22 NEA Big Read books available for programming this cycle explore our relationship with the physical environment, from our cities and farms to our mountains and coastlines.

NEA Big Read At-A-Glance

What is it? The NEA Big Read is a reading program that brings communities together around the central theme “Our Nature,” using one of 22 available books as inspiration.
Who can apply? Nonprofit arts organizations, universities, libraries, service organizations, museums, school districts, and tribal governments are all encouraged to apply.
Where? Your organization must be located and operate within the United States or the Native Nations that share this geography.
When to apply? A mandatory Intent to Apply is due January 23, 2025, with final applications due January 30, 2025. Funded programs will take place between September 2025 and June 2026.

Read more about eligibility and how to apply in the guidelines.

About NEA Big Read

An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in partnership with Arts Midwest, the NEA Big Read supports a range of events and activities designed around a single NEA Big Read book. The goal of this program is to inspire meaningful conversations, celebrate local creativity, elevate a wide variety of voices and perspectives, encourage cross-sector collaboration, and build stronger connections in each community.

NEA Big Read programs vary and can be as short as a week or as long as several months. Beyond discussions of the book, organizations may choose to include a kick-off event, invite the author for a visit, or have other events inspired by the content and themes of the book, including panel discussions, lectures, film screenings, art exhibitions, theatrical and musical performances, poetry slams, writing workshops and contests, and community storytelling events.

In addition to funding for purchasing the books themselves, each grant recipient is provided with resources to help them succeed. That includes outreach materials to gather people from all walks of life and training on how to work with local partners, how to develop public relations strategies, and how to lead meaningful book discussions.

The NEA Big Read welcomes applications from a variety of eligible organizations, including first-time applicants; organizations serving communities of all sizes, including rural and urban areas; and organizations with small, medium, or large operating budgets.

Explore the NEA Big Read Library

Each of the 22 titles available this cycle explore our relationship with the physical environment.

Learn More

Sign Up for a Webinar

Consider attending the live informational webinar to learn more about the program. All registrants will be sent a link to the recording, even if you cannot attend the live event.

1-2pm CT Thursday, November 14, 2024.