MHC Grants Program
The Great Michigan Read
The Great Michigan Read Grants

WANT TO PARTICIPATE?

Email contact [at] mihumanities.org or phone 517-372-7770.

TGMR Selection Committee

Sue Ann Martin (chair)
Dean, College of Communiation & Fine Arts
Central Michigan University
Mt. Pleasant

Bill Castanier
Contributor, Lansing City Pulse
Member, Michigan Notable Books Committee
Board Member, Kerrytown Bookfest
Lansing

Eric Hammerstrom
Teacher
Marquette High School
Marquette

Lisel Litzenberger
Author
Now You Love Me, The Widower
Grand Rapids

Nancy Robertson
State Librarian
Lansing

Marta Salij
Book Critic
Detroit Free Press
Detroit

Sandra Seaton
Playwright
The Bridge Party, A Bed Made In Heaven
East Lansing

The Great Michigan Read Grants Program

The Nick Adams Stories by Ernest Hemingway

The Great Michigan Read, a new program for the Michigan Humanities Council, is a funding priority at this time. The Michigan Humanities Council encourages proposals that expose new audiences to literature. Two grant categories are available for The Great Michigan Read: major grants of up to $7,500, and quick grants of up to $500.

Limit one grant per organization.

Examples and suggested programs (major grants up to $7,500):

• Public libraries, museums, and authors collaborate to provide reading and discussion programs for community members centered on the stories written by this year’s chosen author.
• Teachers and students from two or more school districts read a chosen work by this year’s author, and then participate in a creative writing contest featuring their own works which are shared with the community.
• An interpretive drama is written by high school students collaborating with a drama or theatre group, inspired by a work from the chosen author for The Great Michigan Read.
• Related Arts Projects: Creative writing, poetry, visual arts inspired by the author/book, Michigan as “place,” or other themes in the title.
• Documentary: Video, audio, photo projects inspired by the author/book, Michigan as “place,” or other themes in the title.
• Oral History: Projects inspired by the author/book, Michigan as “place,” or other themes in the title.
• Speakers/Chautauqua: Choose from the Council’s speaker’s list or find other humanities professionals to present on related topics. Or, bring in a author reenactor for a unique, firsthand experience.
• Discussion Group: Many different forms, including: small groups moderated by humanities professionals or by peers; adult-led teen groups, etc
• Film: Explore the author/book, or related themes in a film series and discussion.
• Read-a-thons: Celebrate the author/book, and Michigan with a
  read-a-thon.

The same application for The Great Michigan Read grants is also used for Michigan People, Michigan Places. Our Stories, Our Lives grants. Grant applications and complete guidelines (in PDF, 506 kb): download here.

Quick Grants (up to $500):

Program expenses supporting The Great Michigan Read, such as the cost of books, printing, promotion, video/audio taping, honoraria and/or travel expenses for humanities professionals leading a book discussion group or speaking on The Great Michigan Read. A scholar is not required for those quick grant projects applying under The Great Michigan Read.

Applications and more extensive guidelines for The Great Michigan Read quick grant are through the Council's main quick grant process. Link here.