$15,000 Grants Available for Public Humanities Projects, $5,000 for Great Michigan Read Projects
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- July 20, 2009
CONTACT: Scott Hirko, Public Relations Officer,
shirko [at] mihumanities.org, 517-372-0029 ext. 25
(LANSING)-----The Michigan Humanities Council announces it is now accepting applications from Michigan nonprofit organizations for up to $15,000 to fund public humanities projects and up to $5,000 to fund Great Michigan Read projects. The public humanities grants emphasize collaboration among cultural, educational, and community-based organizations. Great Michigan Read grants are available to encourage communities to create projects involving the book, Stealing Buddha’s Dinner, by Bich Minh Nguyen. Major grant applications must be postmarked no later than September 15, 2009.
Organizations interested in public humanities grants are encouraged to create projects which explore and retrace histories, roles in societies, advancements and changes, meaning in self-expression and fulfillment, and/or commonalities and differences. In 2008, the Council awarded $216,122 in major grants to support 17 projects across Michigan.
Great Michigan Read applicants should consider projects which incorporate themes of immigration stories, cultural understanding, or contemporary history – each of these themes are prevalent in Stealing Buddha’s Dinner. In the 2007-2008 Great Michigan Read, which featured Ernest Hemingway’s Nick Adams Stories, the Council awarded $70,027 in major grants to support Great Michigan Read projects across Michigan.
Council staff offers assistance to organizations to develop public humanities programs to meet community needs. A draft of major grant applications may be submitted for review and feedback no later than August 24. Major grant applications must be postmarked no later than September 15. Notification of major grant awards will be made by November 15.
The Council also has $500 quick grants available for public humanities projects and Great Michigan Read projects. Quick grant applications do not have a specific deadline but are due at least four weeks prior to a scheduled event. Projects eligible for quick grants include: Great Michigan Read activities (books, honoraria, event promotion); humanities professionals participating in events, conferences, and lectures; reading and discussion programs; or other public humanities projects that fall outside the design and deadline schedules of major grants. In 2008, the Council awarded $10,500 in quick grants to support 22 public humanities projects. In 2007-2008, the Council awarded $15,792 in quick grants to support 33 Great Michigan Read projects.
More information on Council grants, including grant applications and guidelines, a database of previously awarded grants, and an example of a previously submitted successful grant application narrative, is available at www.michiganhumanities.org/grants. To learn more about the Great Michigan Read, visit www.michiganhumanities.org/programs/tgmr
The Michigan Humanities Council, founded in 1974, is a private, non-profit organization, funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities. For additional information, please visit: www.michiganhumanities.org or call 517-372-7770.
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