Participating nonprofits will receive expert guidance and up to $5,000 in seed funding to encourage innovation in the humanities
Six New Jersey nonprofit organizations have been selected to participate in “Humanities Lab,” a program of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities. The program provides a space for organizations to experiment with new program ideas, learn about new program models, and push their own practices in exciting directions.
Representatives from each organization will experience cohort learning sessions that include guest speakers, case studies of public humanities projects, and time to workshop project ideas, as well as one-on-one consultations with public humanities professionals. Each organization will receive $500 to defray the cost of participation, and up to $5,000 in follow-up funding to help them implement new programming developed during their Humanities Lab experience.
“To remain relevant to our society, the humanities must continue to innovate and evolve. Unfortunately, for many nonprofit organizations, the space and funding to experiment with new ideas are simply not there,” said Gigi Naglak, NJCH director of programs. “We’re thrilled to fill that gap to help broaden and diversify the humanities in New Jersey.”
While the program is open to any New Jersey-based nonprofit, unincorporated group, or state or local government entity, the opportunity is particularly valuable for organizations with budgets under $500,000, those that prioritize the perspectives of traditionally marginalized people, those for which the humanities are not a core part of their mission, and those that have not received prior funding from NJCH.
The six organizations selected are: Edison Public Library, Hudson Turkish American Cultural Association, Pinelands Preservation Alliance, Raritan Learning Cooperative, Rutgers Community Arts, and Union College.
To learn more about the program, visit https://njhumanities.org/programs/humanities-lab/.
