CONCORD, NH – When Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), providing $75 million in supplemental funding for cultural institutions affected by the coronavirus, $30 million of that was allocated to state and jurisdictional humanities organizations to support grants to eligible nonprofits for humanities programming and general operating support.
As one of 56 affiliates of the National Endowment for the Humanities, New Hampshire Humanities (NHH) was charged with distributing $400,000 in supplemental funding to New Hampshire-based humanities, cultural nonprofits and public libraries. The grants would range in size from $2,500 to $10,000 and were intended for New Hampshire-based humanities, cultural nonprofits and public libraries with annual budgets of $500,000 or less. New Hampshire Humanities is pleased to announce that as of May 22, all funds have been distributed.
“While we anticipated a high level of demand, the depth and breadth of financial need is overwhelming,” said Anthony Poore, NHH Executive Director. Since launching the effort three weeks ago, New Hampshire Humanities received 89 CARES Act grant applications and has awarded 64 CARES Act General Operating Support Grants, positively impacting nearly 50 communities throughout the Granite State. “We’re especially proud that a large percentage of these funds will go toward helping small cultural organizations and libraries in previously under-served areas keep their lights on and continue programming while we weather the storm of this pandemic together,” Poore shared.
Of the $400,000 distributed by NHH, libraries received 41percent of the funding; historical societies, 27 percent; cultural nonprofits, 20 percent; and the state’s museums, 13 percent. Of special note was participation from all ten counties as well as our peer organizations in New Hampshire’s North Country and Upper Valley.
“These funds will support our library’s efforts in making access to online resources possible,” said Brittany Overton, Library Director at the Minot-Sleeper Library in Bristol. “We know there is a digital divide in our community, and by putting technology into the hands of those who need it and offering the expertise of our librarians to help navigate the digital world, we work toward a more just future for all.”
A detailed After-Action Review & Impact Assessment will be made available at www.nhhumanities.org/cares on July 1, along with stories and testimonials from grant recipients about the impact these grants have had on their organizations and the diverse audiences they serve. For questions regarding the CARES Act, please contact Anthony Poore, Executive Director, at apoore@nhhumanities.org or office: (603) 224-4071, ext. 111, cell: (603) 661-9365.
About New Hampshire Humanities
For almost five decades, New Hampshire Humanities has provided the people of the Granite State with opportunities to cultivate curiosity, connect across cultures, examine beliefs, practice civility, strengthen community bonds, and engage in civic life. Last year New Hampshire Humanities sponsored 749 free programs and 11 low-cost programs reaching 241,034 residents in 170 communities, in partnership with 338 organizations. Learn more at www.nhhumanities.org.