RI Humanities

Resources for the Humanities Sector During the Pandemic

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UPDATED: May 8, 2020 — The humanities, arts, and culture are essential to our sense of connection and community, especially in times of crisis. As the Covid-19 public health emergency continues to unfold the Humanities Council will update this page with resources being made available to organizations in the humanities sector such as museums, libraries, and cultural nonprofits. We believe in the power of convening and connecting through the humanities – even when it must be done virtually – and in the power of community to strengthen our democracy and enrich our culture.

Important news:
As part of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Humanities Council will receive $416,300 in supplemental funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). We are committed to directly delivering these federal relief funds as quickly as possible to local nonprofit humanities and arts organizations serving Rhode Island communities. The application portal will open April 22, 2020 for general operating support grants and project grants. The first application review period deadline is May 1, with a second on May 15. Click here for more details about eligibility and the application process.

We are grateful to the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation for their support of this funding as well as NEH Chair Jon Parrish Peede for his leadership.

This page will be updated periodically as we are made aware of additional resources.

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) announced on April 20, 2020 new grant guidelines designed to rapidly distribute CARES Act funding to cultural nonprofits affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

This new funding opportunity, NEH CARES: Cultural Organizations, will provide grants of up to $300,000 to sustain humanities organizations and preserve jobs in the cultural sector. Click here for detailed application information.

Grant snapshot:

  • Maximum award amount: $300,000
  • Open to: Organizations
  • Period of performance: June 15, 2020 to December 31, 2020
  • Application available: April 20, 2020
  • Application due: May 11, 2020
  • Expected notification date: June 15, 2020
  • Project start date: June 15, 2020
  • Contact the Division of Education Programs Team at questions@neh.gov
  • Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing can contact NEH via Federal Relay (TTY users) at 800-877-8399

$15 Million in IMLS CARES Act Grants Now Available for Museums and Library Services
Applications for Pandemic Response Funding Due June 12, 2020

The Institute of Museum and Library Services announced two new funding opportunities for museums, libraries, federally recognized tribes, and organizations that primarily serve Native Hawaiians. The combined $15 million federal investment will provide direct support to these institutions, equipping them to respond to community needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Museums and libraries have never been more essential to their communities,” said IMLS Director Crosby Kemper. “COVID-19 has not only created a public health emergency, but it has also created a deep need for trusted community information, education, and connection that our libraries and museums are designed to provide.”

The CARES Act allocated funding to IMLS to enable libraries and museums and organizations serving tribal communities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, including by expanding digital network access, purchasing Internet accessible devices, and providing technical support services to their communities. The $15 million available through these new grants follows previous phases of funding announced over the past few weeks.

The deadline for submitting applications for either funding opportunity is June 12, 2020, with awards anticipated in August.

IMLS CARES Act Grants for Museums and Libraries supports museums and libraries in addressing their communities’ immediate and future needs caused by the pandemic. Projects may focus on preserving jobs, training staff, addressing the digital divide, planning for reopening, or providing technical support and capacity building for digital inclusion and engagement. Applicants are encouraged to prioritize services for high-need communities.

IMLS CARES Act Grants for Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum and Library Services assists tribes and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians in responding to the urgent and future needs of their communities. Applications focused on digital inclusion, technical support, rehiring or retraining staff, reopening planning, and other pandemic-related priorities are welcomed.

“Access to and use of all kinds of health, job, government, educational, social, and cultural resources are necessary to weathering the current situation, beginning efforts to reopen, and providing services to sustain communities,” said Kemper. “Together, we can brighten the future for museums, libraries, and people across America.”

Upcoming Webinars
Interested applicants are invited to attend free informational webinars to learn more:

These webinars will be through GoToMeeting, and advance registration is required. Recordings will be made available on-demand on the IMLS website.

For More Information
To apply for these grants, as well as to IMLS’s other available funding opportunities, please visit the IMLS website.

Leading your organization through a crisis: Fiscal and operational strength for facing COVID-19 a letter from Hilda H. Polanco, CPA, CCSA, CGMA, Founder and CEO of FMA: Fiscal Strangth for Nonprofits

Resources for the Small Business payroll protection program

This list of resources for the cultural sector was compiled by the Heritage Emergency National Task Force (HENTF)