The Trust for Mutual Understanding’s application process will open back up on December 1, 2025. At that time, you will have two weeks (until 5pm EST on December 15th) to submit an initial inquiry for the February 1, 2026 full application deadline (for projects taking place July 1, 2026 or later).
Please continue to check here for any additional updates.
Trust for Mutual Understanding (TMU) awards grants to organizations to support collaboration in the arts and the environment (and the intersection of the two) between professionals from the United States and Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
TMU believes improved communication, closer cooperation, and greater respect between peoples becomes possible through collaborations that create lasting relationships grounded in reciprocity, which leads to trust and mutual understanding. We are committed to a just and prosperous world where every individual has the opportunity to thrive in a peaceful and safe environment. Our grantmaking supports connections that benefit environmental well-being and artistic expression.
TMU provides sustained support for American cultural workers and environmental stewards to continue learning from their partners abroad and vice versa, to keep building on the mutual respect of these relationships. TMU also supports inter- and intra-regional connections and collaborations because we believe resilience emerges through the creation of community and the shoring up of networks, which often serve as lifelines and safety nets during uncertain times.