(Trenton, NJ) – The New Jersey Council for the Humanities (NJCH) recently awarded $45,000 in Incubation Grant funding to nine organizations. Incubation Grants help organizations plan, research, develop, and prototype public humanities projects and events. From investigating potential components of a new program to learning more about audiences, NJCH funding supports projects in early stages of development.
Public humanities programming allows individuals to engage in lifelong learning and share in the exploration of history, values, culture, and beliefs. NJCH supports and acts as a resource for cultural and service-oriented nonprofit partners as they bring the public humanities to the residents of New Jersey, harnessing the power of the humanities to strengthen communities.
Grants were awarded to:
• African American Cultural Collaborative, Trenton ($5,000) to host public gatherings to collect community input about new educational programming on the African diaspora.
• City of Paterson, Paterson ($5,000) to rebuild Paterson’s Grassroots Arts Commission, engaging both artists and humanists to redesign the Commission’s mission and vision in order to serve as an effective advisory body to the city.
• James R. Halsey Foundation of the Arts, Robbinsville ($5,000) to pilot a six-week collaboration between at-risk students and humanities professors to investigate issues affecting the students’ communities.
• Merchants and Drovers Tavern Museum, Rahway ($5,000) to conduct a survey of objects in their collections and convene focus groups to determine next steps in the Museum’s historical interpretation and practices.
• Montclair History Center, Montclair ($5,000) to continue the work of the Many Voices Oral History project, creating new online content from the collected oral histories to celebrate Montclair’s 150th anniversary.
• Montclair State University, Sprague Library, Montclair ($5,000) to expand a relationship between MSU and the Montclair Township School District in order to develop public programming that provides a humanities perspective on science and technology.
• Morris Arts, Morristown ($5,000) to develop a social media component to a county-wide event focusing on the county’s Latinx population, which will include events, exhibitions, and community discussions.
• Nimbus Dance Works, Jersey City ($5,000) to create an event series, in partnership with St. Peter’s University, that pairs humanities scholarship and arts presentations, exploring how humanities and arts intersect.
• Seton Hall University, Department of English, South Orange ($5,000) to plan for the expansion of the pilot program “Civic Engagement in the Digital Age,” which will help communities create citizen engagement programs in anticipation of the 2020 election.
“When an organization is ready to tackle an interesting question that involves history, values, culture, or beliefs,” said Director of Grants and Programs Gigi Naglak, “Incubation Grant funding allows for exploration and experimentation. We’re proud to support these important projects that explore questions that affect us all.”
As a humanities-focused nonprofit re-granting organization, NJCH awards Incubation Grants from $1,000 to $5,000 to experiment, research, prototype, and consider new models and topics for public humanities programs. NJCH also awards Action Grants, from $2,000 to $20,000, to implement or expand programs. Organizations interested in learning more about NJCH’s grant program should visit the Grant section of njhumanities.org.
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About the New Jersey Council for the Humanities
The New Jersey Council for the Humanities is a nonprofit state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. NJCH harnesses the power of the humanities to strengthen our pluralistic society. We envision a New Jersey that delights in diversity, appreciates that there are no easy answers, and finds joy and understanding in the humanities. We work statewide with cultural and community organizations to bring dynamic programming to the local level.
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