Impact
Our Vision
Our Vision is a New Jersey that delights in diversity, appreciates that there are no easy answers, and finds joy and understanding in the humanities. We do this by enabling public programs and humanities experiences that deepen our understanding of ourselves and our world.
Our Grantmaking
Our longstanding Incubation and Action Grants allow us to serve hundreds of organizations across the state by providing opportunities to innovate or implement public humanities programs.
Click here for a list of all the exciting programs we’ve funded since FY16.
Visual Arts Center of New Jersey
Summit (Action / $13,500)
To support an interdisciplinary exhibition and accompanying humanities-based public programs that explore the visual art and folklife traditions of the Caribbean diaspora in NJ.
Read moreNJ YMCA State Alliance
Trenton (Action / $15,000)
To support the implementation of a multimedia community engagement and dissemination strategy for a COVID-19 storytelling project that documented experiences from participants about impacts and perspectives of NJ residents during the pandemic.
Read moreIn FACT, Inc.
Willingboro (Action / ($13,500))
To conduct a broad examination of the Soul Line Dance culture and community in the New Jersey area through oral histories with dancers, choreographers, DJ's, event producers and other practitioners.
Read moreFriends of Yogi
Little Falls (Action / ($15,000))
To create a technology-driven data visualization exhibition that captures the story of Major League Baseball and COVID-19 as a window into the greater societal and cultural impact of the pandemic.
Read moreCranford Public Library
Cranford (Action / $4,300)
To host a series of quarterly author and artist talks with a focus on elevating the stories of underrepresented and marginalized voices.
Read moreCamden County College
Blackwood (Action / $6,125)
To support a series public presentations on Colonial America and the American Revolution, with a specific focus on African Americans, Jewish people, and Indigenous Americans.
Read moreTalking Eyes Media
Montclair (Incubation / $15,000)
To develop an exhibition and live storytelling events using personal narratives captured through The Newark Story Bus, a mobile audio-recording and photography studio that collects oral histories and portraits of the people of Newark.
Read moreRaíces Cultural Center (2023)
Highland Park (Incubation / $8,000)
To support the planning and development of a publicly accessible oral history library that seeks to document, preserve, and share family stories.
Read moreLost Souls Public Memorial Projec
Somerset (Incubation / $5,320)
To develop a digital history trail mapping the story of the Lost Souls—137 African Americans from New Jersey who were kidnapped and sold into permanent slavery in the South by a ring organized by a corrupt Middlesex County judge in 1818.
Read moreGloucester County Department of Parks and Recreation
Sewell (Incubation / $15,000)
To support community listening sessions to help inform the organization how to chronicle a recent archeological discovery at their site and shape future public programming.
Read moreEthical Culture Society of Bergen County
Teaneck (Incubation / $6,098)
To explore the concept of “sacred” spaces in a variety of contexts and create resources that can be employed by environmentalists, human rights advocates, community groups to preserve and protect public places and spaces.
Read morecoLAB Arts, Inc. (2023)
New Brunswick (Incubation / $12,000)
To support an oral history and verbatim theater project comprised of oral histories regarding medical support from international organization, Aid Access.
Read moreAIDS Resource Foundation for Children (2023)
Newark (Incubation / $15,000)
To develop an oral history project that celebrates, uplifts, and connects women in New Jersey who are living at the intersection of HIV/AIDS and domestic violence (HIV/DV).
Read moreCamden Repertory Theater
Camden (Action / $14,400)
To design a series of public programs and educational materials exploring the diverse and rich voices of Martie Evans, J.E. Franklin, and Barbara Ann Teer.
Read moreMahwah Museum
Mahwah (Action / $4,000)
To support a series of free programs and events at the museum.
Read moreAsbury Park African-American Music Project (2025)
Asbury Park (Action / $15,000)
To support the expansion of “Curating and Sharing History from the Heart of Asbury Park's African American Community” archive and oral history.
Read moreBayard Rustin Center for Social Justice (2025)
Princeton (Action / $10,000)
To support the Bayard Rustin Queer History Physical & Virtual Archive.
Read moreWillingboro Community Development Corporation (2025)
Willingboro (Action / $15,000)
To support "Futuro House Chronicles: Bridging History, Architecture, and Community," an exhibition, oral history, and archival research project exploring the historical and architectural significance of Willingboro’s “Futuro House.”
Read moreNewark History Society
Newark (Action / $15,000)
To support a weeklong series of events honoring Cudjo Banquante, an enslaved man who served as a soldier in the American Revolution and became Newark's first documented Black businessman.
Read morePiscataway Public Library
Piscataway (Action / $13,750)
To support “Food for Thought,” a community exhibit and event series exploring food and foodways.
Read moreMontclair Film Festival Inc.
Montclair (Action / $10,000)
To support an after-school documentary filmmaking class for teens in Paterson, NJ.
Read moreRitual4Return Inc.
Lambertville (Action / $15,000)
To support two cohorts of Ritual4Return, a 12-week program through which returning citizens use humanities and theater techniques to process their incarceration and life experiences and take part in a re-welcoming to their communities.
Read moreStockton University South Jersey Culture & History Center
Galloway Township (Incubation / $15,000)
To support research for a future exhibition on the use of poetry as a form of creative expression, public history, and activism in Southern New Jersey.
Read moreThe Moving Architects
Montclair (Incubation / $6,325)
To support "Be Still My Soul," a site-immersive dance performance project built on the rich and complex history of the Montclair History Center’s Crane House and Historic YWCA.
Read more120 East State
Trenton (Incubation / $15,000)
To support the creation of an interpretive plan for the historic First Presbyterian Church and Cemetery in Trenton.
Read morecoLAB Arts, Inc.
New Brunswick (Incubation / $15,000)
To support Shiv’s Project, an oral history archive and verbatim theater piece based on interviews with family, friends, and school officials who knew Shiv Kulkarni, a young boy in New Jersey, who took his own life.
Read moreMonmouth Museum
Lincroft (Incubation / $10,000)
To support the new exhibit “The Lenape and Native Americans of New Jersey: Past and Present.”
Read morePreservation New Jersey
Trenton (Incubation / $15,000)
To support the creation of educational workshops involving the public in efforts to preserve cemeteries and burial grounds throughout the state.
Read morePassaic County Department of Cultural & Historic Affairs
Wayne (Incubation / $15,000)
To support the exhibit “Expanding the Narrative: Indigenous Peoples in Passaic County.”
Read moreCavanKerry Press
Fort Lee (Incubation / $7,000)
To support the Poetry Heals Program, a series of literary workshops for physicians/clinicians in hospitals and students in medical schools designed to build empathy and understanding.
Read moreAssociation of New Jersey Environmental Commissions
Camden (Incubation / $9,921)
To support "Capturing Stormwater Stories in the City of Camden," encompassing individuals' oral accounts of environmental impacts.
Read moreRutgers University-Newark
Newark (Action / $15,000)
To support the university's hosting of the SOMOS NJ Poetry & Culture Festival.
Read moreElizabeth Youth Theater Ensemble
Elizabeth (Action / $15,000)
To support the EYTE's ongoing Walk the Beat Program, which uses multimedia techniques and facilitated discussion to foster improved relations between police and youth.
Read moreWriters House, Rutgers-Camden
Camden (Action / $7,272)
To support the continuation of the "Outside the Wire" multi-format program that highlights the history and narratives of American veterans.
Read moreWhitesbog Preservation Trust
Browns Mills (Action / $15,000)
To support the continuation of an oral and video history project documenting locals’ knowledge of the Pine Barrens area.
Read moreAAPI Montclair
Montclair (Action / $15,000)
To support the creation of an illustrated map highlighting the history and notable contributions of Asian Americans in New Jersey.
Read moreMillville Army Air Field Museum
Millville (Action / $13,074)
To support a project in which high school students interview military veterans using video cameras for submission to the LOC Veterans History Project.
Read moreFanwood Memorial Library
Fanwood (Incubation / $3,000)
To support the development of a community-wide read program aiming to spark dialogue and reflection on the small and large actions that saved lives during and after the Holocaust as well as the pervasive issue of anti-Semitism.
Read moreThe Briar Patch Collaboratory, Inc.
Westfield (Incubation / $5,000)
To support the development of develop an arts-based, living curriculum that contextualizes Black girls’ socio-political realities through exploration of history and writings from Black feminist perspectives.
Read moreStockton University
Galloway (Action / $15,000)
To support a project to collect, film, and transcribe the oral histories of the descendants of the Jewish farming communities of southern New Jersey.
Read moreUbuntu Cultural Pavilion, Inc.
Somerville (Incubation / $9,280)
To support a "citizen archivists" program offering community-based educational opportunities regarding traditional archival and oral history practices.
Read moreThe Theater Project
Union (Action / $3,750)
To support facilitated discussions and dialogues for high school students about the impact of antisemitism, Holocaust denial, and racism on contemporary society, using a new play, "The Interpreter," as a starting point.
Read moreMontclair State University (Indigenous Studies)
Montclair (Incubation / $14,943)
To support the development of an exploration of Indigenous women's roles in preserving cultural and spiritual well-being in New Jersey Native communities.
Read moreTrent House Association
Trenton (Incubation / $15,000)
To support the development of a multi-sourced investigation into the lives of domestic servants on the Stokes family estate (now the Trent House Museum) during the Gilded Age and Progressive Era.
Read moreTruehart Productions
Lambertville (Action / $15,000)
To support the production of an episode of the PBS documentary series "The Price of Freedom," exploring the history of Black New Jerseyans.
Read moreHispanic Family Center of Southern NJ, Inc.
Camden (Incubation / $15,000)
To support the engagement of a community of eight Hispanic women in conversations, education, and feedback circles to explore the creation of a documentary about their lives, inspired by their participation in The Dear Rosa Project.
Read moreAIDS Resource Foundation for Children
Newark (Action / $15,000)
To support The Rosa Logues, an initiative enabling women from The Dear Rosa Project to transform their oral history interviews about living with HIV/AIDS into monologues for performance at The Rosa Logues Festival.
Read moreRaíces Cultural Center
Highland Park (Action / $10,000)
To support a project that aims to preserve and share family histories and stories, with a focus on oral history and story gathering.
Read moreClinton Hill Community Action
Newark (Action / $15,000)
To support a multi-year public history project to create a collaborative history of Clinton Hill in multiple, accessible formats.
Read moreCounty of Somerset
Somerville (Incubation / $5,000)
To support the development of a plan for the preservation of a collection of pre-1804 records related to slave ownership.
Read moreMighty Writers
Camden (Action / $15,000)
To support a teen fellowship program that, using social and emotional learning lenses, teaches resiliency, emotion regulation, and empathy through literacy and digital media skills.
Read moreTurkish Cultural Center NJ
Wayne (Incubation / $15,000)
To support an exhibition taking visitors on an enlightening journey through the profound contributions of Islamic civilizations.
Read moreHaddonfield Public Library
Haddonfield (Action / $3,000)
To support the curation of 3-4 traveling trunks that feature hands-on exploration of historical topics relating to the Borough’s history.
Read moreAllen and Joan Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life
New Brunswick (Action / $10,173)
To support a series of public community events, a film discussion and virtual book clubs, in conjunction with a symposium, “Black Americans, Jewish Americans: Historical Intersections, Collisions, and Passings."
Read moreMorris County Historical Society
Morristown (Action / $15,000)
To support a county-wide survey of African American Historic Sites that will document, interpret, and promote a more comprehensive and accurate history of Morris County.
Read moreMontclair History Center
Montclair (Action / $6,450)
To support the virtual History at Home program series, bringing rich content from local scholars and historians to the public through live zoom presentations.
Read moreIsles, Inc.
Trenton (Action / $15,000)
To support the development of a virtual tour of the Trenton Historic Development Collaborative (THDC) neighborhood.
Read moreSouth Mountain TheaterWorks, Inc.
Maplewood (Action / $15,000)
To support an episode of "Drive By History" (NJ PBS) spotlighting Harriet Tubman’s deep connection to North and South Jersey.
Read morePeople & Stories / Gente y Cuentos
Lawrence Township (Action / $15,000)
To support the strategic recruitment and training of facilitators to enhance the diversity of the organization's facilitator pool.
Read moreIronbound Community Corporation
Newark (Action / $15,000)
To support the creation and operation of a community archives for Ironbound Community Corporation, a community-based organization in Newark, NJ.
Read moreTorch Leadership Academy
Galloway (Action / $6,235)
To support Torch Leadership Academy’s summer leadership program for high school students, hosted at Stockton University.
Read moreVietnamese Boat People
Montclair (Incubation / $15,000)
To support the development of the “Vietnamese Boat People Journeys: 50 Years after the Fall” 2025 exhibition.
Read moreRoebling Main Gate Museum
Roebling (Incubation / $15,000)
To support planning and prototyping for the public sharing of 44 recently obtained historic diaries of Roebling women.
Read moreMuseum of Early Trades & Crafts
Madison (Incubation / $14,050)
To support planning for revitalized galleries about early tradespeople to better incorporate the stories of women, immigrants, African Americans, and Native people.
Read morePaper Mill Playhouse
Millburn (Incubation / $15,000)
To support planning for a multidisciplinary cultural history project in commemoration of PMP's 85th anniversary season.
Read moreTabernacle Historical Society
Tabernacle (Incubation / $6,860)
To support the development of a project to document the history of African Americans who resided in Tabernacle, NJ, including locating missing records and conducting genealogy studies.
Read morePreserve Shady Rest
Scotch Plains (Incubation / $15,000)
To support the development of an inclusive master plan for the historic interpretation and public experience of Shady Rest Golf & Country Club (1921), a National Historic Landmark.
Read moreHistoric Paulus Hook Association
Jersey City (Incubation / $15,000)
To support the development of interactive and immersive experiences such as a story map and self-guided walking tours to bring Paulus Hook history into the community’s awareness and memory.
Read moreT. Thomas Fortune Foundation
Red Bank (Action / $15,000)
To support the creation of a permanent exhibit highlighting Fortune’s leading role in the Black Press, including his final years as publisher of the New York Age.
Read moreAsbury Park African-American Music Project
Asbury Park (Action / $10,000)
To support the continued documentation of the history and stories of Asbury Park’s Springwood Avenue, known as “Little Harlem,” once a vibrant center for music venues and businesses.
Read moreNorthern New Jersey Community Foundation
Hackensack (Action / $8,000)
To support the development of a website and digital content expounding on the meaning, significance, and process of The Black Women’s Mural in Englewood.
Read moreBayard Rustin Center for Social Justice
Princeton (Action / $15,000)
To support the development of a repository of the papers, artifacts, and ephemera of Bayard Rustin, chief organizer of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and advocate in the civil rights, nonviolence, and gay rights movements.
Read moreReturning Citizens Support Group Inc.
Newark (Action / $15,000)
To support the implementation of Ritual4Return, an arts-based dialogic cultural program exploring the many dimensions of mass incarceration, reentry, and homecoming for citizens who have returned home from prison.
Read moreLiteracy Volunteers of Somerset County Inc.
Bridgewater (Action / $12,628)
To support the next phase of a continuing project exploring topics related to the diverse cultures served by the organization.
Read moreJewish Community Center of Central New Jersey
Scotch Plains (Action / $3,600)
To support a three-part immersive series exploring the history and presence of racism and antisemitism in Scotch Plains.
Read moreSave Ancient Studies Inc.
Teaneck (Action / $15,000)
To support the “Archaeogaming Education Program,” which provides teachers with easy-to-use, engaging resources about the Ancient World for use in their classrooms.
Read moreGloucester County Library System
Swedesboro ($3,000 / Action)
To support a speaker series focusing on the history of New Jersey.
Read moreCASA for Children of Essex County
Newark (Action / $15,000)
To support recorded interviews conducted by and with individuals who have experience with the child welfare system to document the historic, systemic problems that have led to disproportional representation of families of color and the impoverished.
Read moreHunterdon County Cultural & Heritage Commission
Flemington (Action / $15,000)
To support content creation and revision for the HuntHistory.org website.
Read moreCivicStory
Summit (Incubation / $12,210)
To support the addition of a humanities journalist to the newsroom staff for a four-month evaluation period.
Read moreClassis New Brunswick Community Development Corporation
Highland Park (Incubation / $15,000)
To support the development of an interdisciplinary statewide project on art and mass incarceration.
Read moreHudson County Community College
Jersey City (Incubation / $14,960)
To support an oral history project to document the dramatic changes that have impacted Jersey City and surrounding communities, including rapid real estate development, altered neighborhoods, and resident livelihoods.
Read moreRowan University
Glassboro (Incubation / $15,000)
To support the development of a community-engaged digital archive around celebrations of Juneteenth in New Jersey.
Read moreMontclair State University
Montclair (Incubation / $14,981)
To support the Race and Regency Lab, an incubator for new ways to bring the public into community-based dialogues about trade and representation by tapping into renewed interest in the Regency period.
Read moreRamapo College
Mahwah (Incubation / $15,000)
To support “Englewood Makes History,” an initiative to collect and digitize archival materials related to the vibrant history of the City of Englewood, in particular those of African American residents in the 4th Ward and immigrant communities in the 3rd Ward.
Read moreSussex County Community College
Newton (Incubation / $5,000)
To support the Skylands Research Institute Innovation Lab, a hub for multidisciplinary research and scholarly activity in Northwest New Jersey.
Read moreAmerican Littoral Society
Highlands (Incubation / $15,000)
To support “River Relationships,” a story-gathering project focused on Camden residents’ experiences in relation to pollution of the Delaware River.
Read moreTruehart Productions
Lambertville (Incubation / $15,000)
To support production of a new installment of “The Price of Silence,” a popular documentary TV series on NJ PBS exploring the history of Black New Jerseyans.
Read moreGloucester County Historical Society
Woodbury ($8,029 / Incubation)
To support “History on the Road,” an inquiry-based “trunk show” to be made available for classroom use in Gloucester County schools.
Read moreWillingboro Community Development Corporation
Willingboro ($15,000 / Incubation)
To support ongoing research and public outreach around New Jersey’s only remaining Futuro House, one of just 19 of its kind in the country.
Read moreMeet a Grantee
Ritual4Return Inc.
Lambertville, (Action / $15,000)To support two cohorts of Ritual4Return, a 12-week program through which returning citizens use humanities and theater techniques to process their incarceration and life experiences and take part in a re-welcoming to their communities. Read more
Meet all of our grantees
Covid-19 Response
During the COVID-19 pandemic, NJCH helped encourage the recovery and resilience of New Jersey’s cultural sector by awarding CARES and ARP funding to organizations around the state. This funding, which was allocated through the NEH, was made available in two categories—General Operational Support and Program Support. In 2020 and 2021, NJCH awarded more than $1.6 million to over 175 organizations.
This funding helped connect approximately 1.5 million New Jerseyans with virtual and in-person humanities programming and saved some 120 jobs in the humanities sector.
