Organizations receive COVID-19 grants
Sep. 17—DANVILLE — Illinois Humanities has awarded grants of $5,000 each to libraries in Georgetown and Sidell in Vermilion County, and the Vermilion Heritage Foundation, which oversees the Fischer Theatre in Danville.
At a time when the impacts of COVID-19 continue to devastate communities around the state, Illinois Humanities is awarding its largest grant pool in the organization's history for pandemic relief and recovery: $1.4 million to 254 organizations in 72 counties.
These awards support public humanities organizations in communities whose residents have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic, and which are often bypassed by traditional funding streams due to their size, organizational capacity or geographic location.
This round of grants — which combines funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities received through the American Rescue Plan Act with private donations — builds upon lessons learned during 2020 funding relief efforts.
"These grants support the people, places and spaces that document, preserve and share our state's histories, cultures, languages, stories, religions, philosophies and literature; during the pandemic they've been on the front lines of strengthening their communities' well-being and resilience. We are honored to be able to help them respond to and recover from the pandemic," said Gabrielle Lyon, executive director of Illinois Humanities, through a press release.
Two hundred and ten organizations — with budgets of less than $2 million — received general operating grants. Humanities organizations — which include history, cultural and ethnic centers, literature and literacy organizations, community media platforms, humanities museums, libraries and archives — play a critical role in documenting and strengthening the resilience of their communities by producing oral histories, curating local archives, creating virtual historic walking tours, producing documentary films and designing curricula.
"With so many of our nation's cultural and educational institutions reeling from the economic fallout of the pandemic, NEH's state and jurisdictional humanities partners are on the front lines of the crisis, adapting and responding to urgent needs within their states and communities to shore up the humanities organizations that enrich the lives of so many citizens," said NEH Acting Chairman Adam Wolfson. "NEH is grateful to Illinois Humanities for their help in quickly distributing American Rescue Plan relief funding to where it is most needed. Through the council's leadership, Illinois' libraries, museums, cultural centers, and history and literature organizations will be able to continue to serve and support communities around the state in recovering from the pandemic."
Illinois Humanities, the Illinois affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, is a statewide nonprofit organization that activates the humanities through free public programs, grants and educational opportunities that foster reflection, spark conversation, build community, and strengthen civic engagement. It provides free, high-quality humanities experiences throughout Illinois, particularly for communities of color, individuals living on low incomes, counties and towns in rural areas, small arts and cultural organizations, and communities highly impacted by mass incarceration. Founded in 1974, Illinois Humanities is supported by state, federal and private funds.
