Emergency relief grants available to nonprofit organizations with a public humanities mission affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
With support from Congress through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the National Endowment for the Humanities’ (NEH) Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan (SHARP) program, Ohio Humanities will award over $1 million in direct support to public humanities organizations across the state that have been challenged by the pandemic and the resulting economic crisis.
“Last year, Ohio Humanities distributed over $750,000 in CARES Act funding to cultural organizations across the state,” said Ohio Humanities Executive Director Rebecca Brown Asmo. “Ohio’s public libraries, museums, historical societies, and other cultural organizations are the cornerstones of many of our communities, places where we can once again come together as our state reopens. Through the SHARP program, we will continue to provide critical support to these local organizations.”
The American Rescue Plan Act allocated $51.6 million in emergency funding to the National Endowment for the Humanities to be distributed locally by the 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils. The funding will support humanities organizations, programs, and professionals at the local level, advancing economic recovery within a cultural sector devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible projects may include humanities programming, general operating costs, strategic planning and pandemic recovery efforts, and digital or accessible program development.
“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 and resources that enrich the lives of so many citizens,” said NEH Acting Chairman Adam Wolfson. “NEH is grateful to our state and jurisdictional partners for joining us in this effort to quickly distribute American Rescue Plan relief funding to where it is most needed.”
To be eligible for an Ohio Humanities SHARP grant, applicants must be not-for-profit organizations with a public humanities mission located in the state of Ohio that have experienced financial hardship because of the COVID-19 pandemic, including reduction, loss or furlough of staff, or loss of annual operating revenue. SHARP grants are not available to individuals, for-profit organizations, political or advocacy organizations, or for activities supported by non-NEH federal funding.
Applications will be accessible on Monday, July 12, with an application deadline of Monday, August 2. Additional deadlines may be announced pending the availability of funds.
To learn more about the SHARP grant program guidelines, and for more information about Ohio Humanities’ grant opportunities, please visit our grants page. For assistance navigating the application process, please contact Ohio Humanities staff.
Contact: Kiley Kinnard, Communications Coordinator