CT Humanities CARES Act Humanities Relief Grants – Awards Announcement

Connecticut Humanities (CTH) recently awarded a total of $415,000 in operating support grants to fifty-six (56) organizations from across the state through its  CARES Act Humanities Relief Grants.

The CT Humanities CARES Act Humanities Relief Grant program is made possible with funding provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to preserve jobs and help support organizations negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The third application deadline was July 1, 2020. After adjudication, CTH will grant out an additional, final $55,000 in CARES Act grants.

Kimberly Kersey, Executive Director at The Amistad Center for Art & Culture in Hartford, says, “this generous support from Connecticut Humanities allows The Amistad Center to be part of the bridge to renewed health and wellness of the communities we serve following the traumatic impact of COVID-19. It is our plan to accelerate the essential shift to developing a strong virtual presence so that we can continue to bring people together to discover and celebrate African American art and culture.” Kersey adds, “We look forward to expanding the work that we do in new and innovative ways as required by these challenging times.”

“Receiving a CARES grant through CT Humanities has been a tremendous lifeline and job-saver for the Fairfield Museum,” says Michael A. Jehle, Executive Director at Fairfield Museum. “The grant allows us to keep our talented education staff employed and focused on providing humanities programs online to our regional audiences,” continues Jehle.

Elizabeth Hart Malloy, Executive Director at The Haddam Historical Society, says, “ the Society is both thrilled and relieved to have received the CARES relief grant from Connecticut Humanities which will allow us to continue our important work to share local history to the greater community.” She adds, “the grant is vital to keeping the organization going through 2020 since all programming and fundraising events had to be canceled or postponed. The society deeply appreciates the assistance, guidance and ease of the application during this unchartered time. Thank you!”

The CARES Act Humanities Relief Grant recipients to date are:

American Clock & Watch Museum (Bristol)

Cheshire Historical Society (Cheshire)

Greenwich Historical Society (Cos Cob)

Deep River Historical Society (Deep River)

Essex Historical Society (Essex)

Fairfield Museum (Fairfield)

Stanley-Whitman House Museum (Farmington)

Open Arts Alliance Inc. (Greenwich)

Avery-Copp Museum (Groton)

Guilford Keeping Society (Guilford)

Dudley Farm Museum (Guilford)

Haddam Historical Society (Haddam)

Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum (Hamden)

Harriet Beecher Stowe Center (Hartford)

Amistad Center for Art & Culture (Hartford)

Connecticut Historical Society (Hartford)

Mark Twain House & Museum (Hartford)

Governor Jonathan Trumbull House Museum (Lebanon)

Litchfield Historical Society (Litchfield)

Madison Historical Society (Madison)

Middlesex County Historical Society (Middletown)

Mystic Seaport Museum (Mystic)

Connecticut League of History Organizations (New Britain)

Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame (New Haven)

Movimiento Cultural Afro-Continental, Inc. (New Haven)

New London Landmarks (New London)

New London Maritime Society (New London)

Thames River Heritage Park Foundation (New London)

Norwalk Historical Society (Norwalk)

Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum (Norwalk)

Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County (Norwalk)

Norwich Historical Society (Norwich)

Society of the Founders of Norwich (Norwich)

Florence Griswold Museum (Old Lyme)

Orange Historical Society (Orange)

Ridgefield Historical Society (Ridgefield)

Keeler Tavern Museum (Ridgefield)

Sharon Historical Society (Sharon)

Shelton Historical Society (Shelton)

Simsbury Historical Society (Simsbury)

Stonington Historical Society (Stonington)

Stonington Village Improvement Association/ James Merrill House Committee (Stonington)

Vernon Historical Society (Vernon)

Wallingford Historic Preservation Trust, Inc. (Wallingford)

Institute for American Indian Studies (Washington)

Mattatuck Historical Society (Waterbury)

Historical Society Inc Watertown (Watertown)

Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society (West Hartford)

Ward Heitmann House Museum (West Haven)

Westport Museum for History and Culture (Westport)

Wethersfield Historical Society (Wethersfield)

Windham Textile & History Museum (Willimantic)

Windsor Historical Society (Windsor)

New England Air Museum (Windsor Locks)

Amity and Woodbridge Historical Society (Woodbridge)

Glebe House Museum & Gertrude Jekyll Garden (Woodbury)

CTH is grateful to Connecticut’s congressional delegation for their support of the CARES Act and to the National Endowment for the Humanities for its partnership which seeks to have a positive impact on all  our communities through grant making.

As Connecticut’s only statewide public humanities organization, CTH is focused on grant making, capacity building, digital content, and advocacy for the state’s cultural sector. According to Jason Mancini, Executive Director at CTH, “CARES Act funding has allowed us to provide added and critically needed support to historical societies, museums, cultural centers, civics and education organizations, libraries, and arts organizations in communities across Connecticut. As the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted and devastated our state’s once-vibrant cultural and educational outlets, CT Humanities will continue working with its partners to secure additional funding that will be critical to the future and vitality of Connecticut’s cultural sector.”