2020 CARES Act Relief Grants

As part of the $2 trillion federal CARES Act passed by Congress to provide economic relief to the nation during the coronavirus pandemic, $75 million was allocated to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to assist the many organizations operating within the cultural sector that preserve history, inspire creative thinking, foster understanding between citizens, and maintain the nation’s identity as a diverse, free society.

Of that amount, 40% was designated to be divided among the state humanities councils for distribution in their respective states. Connecticut Humanities re-granted a total of $478,467 in CARES Act funding to 70 organizations. Grant awards ranged from $2,500 to $20,000 and no match was required (maximum amount of funding was based upon an organization’s budget size).

Grants were used for general operating expenses such as salaries, rent, utilities, supplies, and equipment.

This map shows the location of the 70 grants awarded:

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. We look forward to expanding the work that we do in new and innovative ways as required by these challenging times.

--Kimberly Kersey, Executive Director, The Amistad Center for Art & Culture

The COVID-19 crisis has been devastating to small museums like the Mill Museum, which have little in the way of reserves. The CTH grant, coupled with other CARES Act relief, will enable us to keep our small staff employed and creating 'virtual' tours and exhibits through the summer, when perhaps we will be able to reopen and schedule fundraisers. There is still a tough road ahead, but grants like this have given us a fighting chance. Without them, we would probably not be here in 2021.

--Jaime H. Eves, Executive Director, Mill Museum

“CT Humanities continues to look for ways to meet the enormous needs of our state’s cultural institutions,” assures Dr. Jason Mancini, Executive Director at CTH. “We are actively pursuing partnerships with philanthropic organizations and donors looking to provide not only relief funding but to support organizations as they work to find effective and creative ways to engage residents in the humanities during the COVID-19 era and beyond,” he continues.

The humanities are essential as our state grapples with the continued impact of the pandemic, issues of racism, equity and access, and the coming fall elections. “The humanities provide spaces for celebrating cultural heritage, the means for telling and preserving our stories, and the framework for confronting difficult issues through thoughtful dialogue and informed decision making,” says Mancini, “Connecticut cannot afford a mass extinction event in the cultural sector – we need partners to help us prevent that.”

About Connecticut Humanities

Connecticut Humanities (CTH) is an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the  National Endowment for the Humanities . CTH connects people to the humanities through grants, partnerships and collaborative programs. CTH projects, administration, and program development are supported by state and federal matching funds, community foundations and gifts from private sources.