The grant was established by the Norwegian businessman and philanthropist Anton Christian Houen (1823–1894).
[1] There is some uncertainty about some of the awards that were associated with this fund, including whether the painter Astri Welhaven Heiberg received the grant in the 1920s.
The grant awarded scholarships by application, which could be enclosed with recommendations from other artists.
When the musician and composer Eyvind Alnæs applied for a grant in 1892, his application included a recommendation from Edvard Grieg.
Alnæs received the grant, and he used the funds to travel to Leipzig for further study.