The Trust for Mutual Understanding (TMU) Grants program supports international cooperation, professional exchange, and collaborative projects linking cultural workers and environmental stewards from the United States with their peers in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. TMU believes that reflecting mutual respect through creative and ecological partnerships builds long-term global resilience. The fund specifically operates across fixed geographic pathways, explicitly designating Kazakhstan as a fully eligible priority country for direct project implementation.

Eligibility

The fund implements precise structural and regional criteria:
- Eligible Countries: Partnerships must involve professionals from the United States and one or more eligible countries, which explicitly includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
- Organisational Status: Grants are awarded to non-profit 501(c)(3) organisations in the United States acting as the primary applicant or fiscal sponsor. These U.S. organisations co-develop and execute the budget directly with their partner institutions, NGOs, or independent creative/ecological teams in Kazakhstan.
- Funding Exclusions: TMU does not fund direct commercial initiatives, capital campaigns, or political lobbying.

Priority Areas
- Artistic Expression & Cultural Exchange (theatre, filmmaking, music, artist residencies, museum curating)
- Environmental Well-being & Ecosystem Stewardship (biodiversity conservation, data collection, climate resilience)
- Intersectional Projects (initiatives combining community arts with environmental activism)