Michigan Humanities Awards

Every year, Michigan Humanities recognizes and celebrates three individuals or organizations who are champions of public humanities through our annual Michigan Humanities Awards. Awards are given in the following categories:

Community Impact Partner of the Year

Community Impact Partner of the Year recognizes organizations that made a significant impact in the previous year. They may have brought to life a book, humanities project, historical project, discussion, or other humanities programs in an innovative or creative way, serving their community and our state. They have championed the value of public humanities and made a lasting contribution to the cultural life of Michigan in the previous year.

Erik Jones Reading Champion Award

The Erik Jones Reading Champion Award is a collaboration between Michigan Humanities and the Erik Jones Foundation. This award recognizes an individual who has significantly supported Michigan people to develop and nurture a passion for reading. The recipient of this award receives a $1,500 honorarium.

Humanities Champion of the Year

Humanities Champion of the Year—Individual recognizes a person whose contributions result in outstanding public humanities impact in their community and in our state. Examples are teachers, scholars, librarians, historians, and cultural leaders who have creatively and successfully brought humanities to the public forum.

Outstanding Humanities Organization

Outstanding Humanities Organization recognizes organizations, corporate funders, foundations, and organizational partners that have made a lasting contribution over time (five years or more) to the cultural life of their communities or our state through their active support of and involvement in promoting public humanities.

Nominee Criteria

• Actively promotes understanding and appreciation of the humanities in their community through their work, volunteerism, or leadership at cultural, civic, educational, or other organizations.
• Exemplary outreach and/or advocacy supporting the humanities and access to the humanities.
• Significant contribution to the community/state by promoting civil discourse and/or community engagement.

The public is welcome to nominate a person or organization of their choice every year, February 1 through March 15. Award recipients are announced in mid-May and are selected by a panel of humanities professionals who are past recipients of Michigan Humanities Awards. Winning organizations receive $2,500 to use towards a celebration in their community or a project supporting their work.

Have questions about eligibility? Please reach out to Estee Schlenner at eschlenner@mihumanities.org.