North Carolina Humanities is pleased to announce it has launched its American Rescue Plan Humanities Grants to strengthen the cultural sector's response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in North Carolina. 

These much-needed grants of up to $20,000 will provide economic relief, protect jobs, maintain humanities collections, and ensure that the experiences of North Carolinians and the stories of community resiliency during the pandemic are captured throughout the state. Over $1 million is available to aid in this statewide response and relief effort.

Archives, historical sites, museums, libraries, and other North Carolina-based cultural organizations are invited to apply for one of the following two types of American Rescue Plan (ARP) Humanities Grants:

American Rescue Plan Humanities Operating Support Grants

ARP Humanities Operating Support Grants may be used to support staff salaries, rent or utilities, securing and protecting property and collections, and other general operating costs affected by COVID-19.

American Rescue Plan Humanities Project Support Grants

ARP Humanities Project Support Grants may be used to support virtual humanities projects, digitizing collections and making them available online, staff salaries directly tied to a humanities program, COVID-19 projects highlighting the North Carolina experience, and other program services.

North Carolina Humanities encourages applications from organizations in rural communities, organizations serving traditionally under-resourced groups including communities of color or other marginalized groups, and organizations that do not receive significant public funding.

Funding for North Carolina Humanities American Rescue Plan Humanities Grants was provided to North Carolina Humanities by the National Endowment for the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), approved by Congress and signed into law by President Biden in March 2021. The $1.9 trillion ARP package included $135 million in supplemental funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities, nearly $51.6 million, or a total of 40%, of which was sent to the state and jurisdictional humanities councils across the nation, including North Carolina Humanities, to distribute to local cultural nonprofits and programming. North Carolina Humanities is a statewide nonprofit and the North Carolina affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

This new funding opportunity is preceded by North Carolina Humanities NC CARES: Humanities Relief Grants initiative of 2020. Amid COVID-19 shutdowns and stay-at-home orders, North Carolina Humanities tripled its support of North Carolina's cultural sector in 2020 by awarding $636,767 in NC CARES: Humanities Relief Grants to 60 cultural organizations.

About North Carolina Humanities: North Carolina Humanities is a statewide nonprofit and an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Through public humanities programs and grantmaking, North Carolina Humanities serves to connect North Carolinians with cultural experiences that spur dialogue, deepen human connections, and inspire community.