You’ve probably heard the news, Governor Malloy’s budget for 2015–2017 has ZEROED out funding for Connecticut Humanities. In the coming weeks we will need your voice and enthusiasm to keep a place for history and the humanities in our state.

The governor’s proposed two-year budget (for FY 2015–2017) would eliminate what is currently $2 million in state support for the Connecticut Humanities Council, Inc., in the state library budget. This amounts to about two-thirds of Connecticut Humanities’ budget, which gets re-granted to heritage, cultural, and history institutions across the state. This would be devastating to these institutions, leaving those engaging with history and the humanities no place to go for funding support. Were this to happen, the way we interact with Connecticut history would…disappear.

You can help us make the case for support for all the good work CTH does! If you believe history and the humanities matter in Connecticut, and funding for cultural institutions is vital to Connecticut’s vibrancy and economic competitiveness, and adds to your knowledge and understanding of our state’s unique story, then we need you to stand with us!

How can we do this? It’s easy.

First, E-mail your legislators. You can find your state representative and state senator and their email addresses here. The length of your email is less critical than the fact that you contact your legislators directly. Your message should simply:

1) Identify who you are and your connection with Connecticut Humanities and ConnecticutHistory.org. For example:

• Are you a student who aced a paper because you used research you found on ConnecticutHistory.org?
• Do you feel like you went back in time when you hit that link to your town and virtually explored its history?
• Did you learn something new—a Who Knew? perhaps, that you got to use on your friends, impressing them with your smarts?

2) Tell your representatives how important history is and how state funding for the Connecticut Humanities helps preserve it.

Let them know the types of activities that you have been able to do with Connecticut Humanities’ support—and the problems it would cause your organization and community if this organization were to go away.

3) Share your opinion with Governor Malloy. He can be contacted electronically at this website.

4) Save the date: April 8. Connecticut Humanities, in partnership with the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, the Connecticut Historical Society, and the Connecticut League of History Organizations, is planning a “Rally Day” at the state capitol on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 8. More details to come, but we hope that you and other supporters of the humanities and history in Connecticut can arrange to join us in person that afternoon.

Much more information concerning the rally, which organizations are affected, tips on what message to give legislators, and sign up for messages and alerts, can be found on CTPlacesMatter.org

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Please watch our social media channels for more information. You can follow or join the conversation using:

#CTHistory

#ConnecticutHistoryMatters

#CTHistoryMatters

#CTHumanitiesMatter

#CTPlacesMatter

Or, for more information, contact us at info@cthumanities.org.

Thank you all in advance for your critical support with this effort. In the coming weeks, we will share updates and let you know how you can continue to help.