Connecticut Humanities, the state’s affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities and counterpart to the state’s Office of the Arts, announces a $1.5 million COVID Relief Fund for Museums with funding provided by the Connecticut State Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD)/Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) through an allocation to the State of Connecticut from the CARES Act.

The goal is to support larger non-profit museums and other 501c3 non-profit organizations with full-time staff and annual operating budgets of at least $450,000 that provide humanities-based projects and activities for the public. Awards will be made as follows:

• Organizations with budgets above $2.5 million will be eligible for at least $40,000 grant awards; and
• Organizations with budgets from $450,000 to $2.5 million budgets will be eligible for at least $20,000 grant awards.

We will be accepting applications between December 9 and noon on Friday, December 11, and all contracts must be executed by December 30. Additional information on eligibility requirements and the application process can be found on our Connecticut Humanities’ website.

“Connecticut Humanities is extremely grateful to Governor Lamont, OPM Secretary McCaw, and DECD Commissioner Lehman for the $1.5M of support for Connecticut’s museums,” said Dr. Jason Mancini, executive director at Connecticut Humanities. “These organizations represent public humanities at the highest level and are critical sites of learning that shape Connecticut pride in where we live, encourage informed public dialogue, and ensure that our communities’ stories are told.”

“Museums are both education centers and tourism engines in our communities and must be sustained during this unprecedented catastrophe. CT Humanities will immediately regrant these funds to museums across Connecticut, continued Mancini. “The COVID pandemic has crippled these vibrant organizations and much more will be needed to ensure their long-term survival and sustainability. I encourage all residents of Connecticut to do what they can to support these community anchors. They are, after all, what connects our past with our future.”