Non-profit organizations that provide public humanities programming to Hoosiers across the state will receive more than $500,000 in operating support to help with funding relief due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Indiana Humanities awarded CARES Grants to 74 organizations, from Mishawaka to Milan. Awards range from $1,000 to $15,000, depending on the size of the organization’s budget. Organizations in the 5th Congressional District will receive $32,500.
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) provided the funding to Indiana Humanities as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act economic stabilization plan appropriated by the U.S. Congress.
Braun
“The CARES Act includes provisions to help small businesses and Hoosiers in many industries, including those employed by public humanities such as cultural sites, libraries, and museums. The funds appropriated for Indiana Humanities CARES Grants will help support these programs through this difficult time,” said U.S. Senator Mike Braun.
Local Hamilton County CARES Grant recipients from Indiana’s 5th Congressional District include:
- Carmel Clay Historical Society and Monon Depot Museum – Carmel ($5,000)
- Museum of Miniature Houses and Other Collections – Carmel ($5,000)
Brooks
“When Congress came together to support the CARES Act, which was aimed at providing relief to small businesses and families during this difficult time, we ensured funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities,” said Congresswoman Susan W. Brooks. “These cultural institutions provide opportunities for lifelong learning and preserve and provide access to cultural and educational resources for all Hoosiers. The over $560,000 funds awarded to Indiana, which specifically included five organizations in the Fifth District, will allow these organizations to maintain local historic and cultural sites, libraries, museums, and others, whose needs are tremendous and whose survival is critical to the economic and cultural lives of our communities.”
Requests for the grants exceeded $1.3 million, and the 186 applicants expressed $11.7 million in total losses to date, as well as projected losses of $44.9 million through Sept. 30.
“We are pleased to have awarded grants to groups large and small, carrying out a variety of programming, in each congressional district and in 48 of our 92 counties,” said Doran Moreland, Indiana Humanities board chair. “Because of the immense need we had to turn down many organizations that are doing good work, including some of our close partners. The grant committees put great care into the review, weighing a number of factors such as public humanities focus, need, audiences served, and geography.”
The grants do not require a match and will be distributed to the organizations in June. Organizations with budgets less than $250,000 received up to $5,000; organizations with budgets from $250,000 to $999,999 received $7,500; organizations with budgets from $1 million to $2,499,999 received $10,000 and organizations with budgets of $2.5 million or more received $15,000.
“These CARES grants will help meet immediate needs at cultural institutions around the state, allowing Indiana museums, archives, libraries and historical societies to maintain vital operations,” said NEH Chairman Jon Parrish Peede. “Thank you to Indiana Humanities for their swift and judicious distribution of CARES Act funding to the many humanities organizations suffering financial distress during the pandemic.”
To view an interactive map, an infographic and more information about the grant recipients, visit IndianaHumanities.org/INCares.