| Apply May 4 for CARES Act Grants |
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Humanities institutions face unprecedented challenges due to the impact of the COVID-19 virus. Through a new funding opportunity made possible by the CARES Act, Mass Humanities will offer grants to museums, libraries, archives and other nonprofit organizations across Massachusetts.
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) received $75 million from the $2 trillion CARES Act legislation passed by Congress and signed by President Trump last month. As the state affiliate of NEH, Mass Humanities received funds to provide grants for unrestricted operating support to the smallest and most vulnerable institutions.
Applications for CARES Act grants will open on May 4. Interested organizations can visit MassHumanities.org/Cares-Act to preview the application, learn more about eligibility, and find additional resources.
Mass Humanities will award grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000, depending on the size of the organization’s operating budget. Eligible organizations will be evaluated on the audiences they serve, the centrality of the humanities to their mission, and the financial losses incurred by COVID-19. Priority will be given to organizations with annual budgets of less than $300,000.
In a recent survey by the Mass Cultural Council (MCC), cultural organizations reported more than $260 million in lost revenue and thousands of jobs impacted as a result of the pandemic. Due to lost admission and cancelled fundraisers, many organizations have laid off or furloughed staff. The economic fallout continues to threaten the survival of institutions of all sizes.
“The impact of COVID-19 on humanities organizations and their employees is unprecedented,” said Brian Boyles, Executive Director of Mass Humanities. “We see these grants as a lifeline to the working people who power the cultural sector in the Commonwealth.”
All grants will be approved by a subcommittee of the Mass Humanities board of directors, with consideration given to geographic distribution and the range of organizations that apply. Mass Humanities will award grants on a rolling basis until the CARES Act funds are expended.
“Our partners at NEH have called on us to serve the grassroots organizations that are so vital to our quality of life in Massachusetts,” said Boyles. “We intend to reach every corner of the state with the funds available.”
In addition to providing the funding for the Mass Humanities grants, NEH announced this week that it will offer grants of up to $300,000 to sustain humanities organizations and preserve jobs in the cultural sector. Visit NEH.gov for more info.
Through support from NEH and MCC, Mass Humanities has awarded more than $1.7 million in grants to nonprofit organizations over the last three years. |
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