(Camden, NJ) – The New Jersey Council for the Humanities (NJCH) recently awarded $202,840 in Incubation and Action Grant funding to fifteen organizations. Incubation Grants help organizations plan, research, develop, and prototype public humanities projects and events. Action Grants help organizations implement a wide array of humanities-based projects, including public programs, exhibitions, installations, tours, and discussion groups.
Public humanities programming allows individuals to engage in lifelong learning and share in the exploration of history, values, cultures, 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.
Incubation Grants were awarded to:
- The Center for Aquatic Sciences Inc., Camden ($4,352) to record, produce, distribute, and preserve oral histories about the Delaware River and its tributaries, as told by the residents of Camden.
- The Petey Greene Program, Princeton ($13,500) to develop a college-bridge program for incarcerated students in New Jersey, focusing on academic writing and critical thinking.
- Ramapo College of New Jersey/Jane Addams Papers Project, Mahwah ($11,520) to develop curriculum modules to introduce students to primary source research on the history of the Progressive Era.
- Roebling Main Gate Museum, Roebling ($13,500) to explore the history and interpretation possibilities for a newly acquired building, helping to connect community members to the organization’s history.
- Vietnamese Boat People, Montclair ($15,000) to digitally crowdsource a collaborative community journey map to explore Vietnamese diaspora stories and journeys.
Action Grants were awarded to:
- Bayshore Center at Bivalve, Port Norris ($17,901) to produce a documentary video on the demographic shift of oyster shuckers in the Delaware Bay oyster industry.
- Jazz House Kids, Montclair ($15,120) to facilitate free, multimedia videoconference presentations about the nation’s rich African-American musical tradition, focusing on how that history reflects social and moral values.
- Literacy Volunteers of Somerset County Inc., Bridgewater ($8,460) to launch a series of discussion-based webinars presented by LVSC students who hail from more than 40 different countries around the world, including the USA.
- Macculloch Hall Historical Museum, Morristown ($5,000) to implement an accessible, interpretive audio guide using technology designed to enhance the patron experience.
- Newark Public Library, Newark ($15,000) in collaboration with the Clement A. Price Institute on Ethnicity, Culture & the Modern Experience at Rutgers University-Newark, Aspira New Jersey, and Ironbound Community Corporation, to capture oral histories, artistic expressions, and poetry related to the COVID-19 experiences of Newark youth.
- People & Stories / Gente y Cuentos, Lawrenceville ($16,835) to provide 8-week literature reading and discussion programs for disadvantaged NJ residents and a 2-day facilitator training workshop for 12 humanities scholars.
- Piscataway Public Library, Piscataway ($18,850) to host a series of public programs inviting participants to consider the concept of community to examine local history, diverse cultures, and shared beliefs and values.
- Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts, Camden ($12,802) to support education, community, and public programs for A New View – Camden, an outdoor exhibition of six public art sites in Camden that addresses civic and equity issues related to illegal dumping.
- Trenton Health Team, Trenton ($15,000) to document the relationship between historical redlining in Trenton and inequitable health outcomes today, including the disparate impacts of COVID-19.
- Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center, Millville ($20,000) to implement “Reflections and Expressions: Communities and Cultures of Central and South America”, a project that will address the history and cultural heritage of Central and South American communities in South Jersey.
“While many worthy grant requests were submitted by organizations from across the state, the fifteen selected grantees conveyed a clear, bold vision while carefully considering audience,” said Director of Programs Gigi Naglak. “Each of these Incubation and Action Grant projects will put the public humanities into action, providing opportunities for New Jerseyans to connect and engage over meaningful topics that affect us all.”
Incubation and Action Grant funding can range from $2,000 to $20,000 per project. Organizations interested in learning more about NJCH’s grant program should visit Grants page of the NJCH website.
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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.
