More than $800,000 in pandemic-relief grants awarded to Indiana humanities organizations

Indiana Humanities has awarded more than $800,000 in federal pandemic-relief grants to humanities organizations across the state. 

With funding provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021, Indiana Humanities has provided grants totaling $833,517 to humanities-focused nonprofit organizations in 45 Indiana communities. 

“In supporting this funding, the U.S. Congress has sent the message that the humanities are essential to our recovery from the impact of COVID-19,” said Keira Amstutz, president and CEO of Indiana Humanities. “These funds allow us to put much-needed resources into Indiana communities, where they can be used to strengthen humanities organizations and the programming they provide to Hoosiers.” 

To distribute the ARP funds, Indiana Humanities invited nonprofits to apply for two types of grants: Operating Support Grants and Programming and Capacity-Building Grants. Seventy-eight organizations have been awarded grants. The organizations receiving grants provide Hoosiers with programs and activities focused on subjects such as history, literature, languages, linguistics, archaeology, philosophy, ethics, jurisprudence and comparative religion.

“During the past 18 months, we have had limited engagement opportunities with our constituents, and this grant allows us to reengage with those we serve,” said Troy Fears, executive director of the CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Terre Haute. “As we all continue navigating these challenging times, sharing our message of hope, healing, respect and responsibility is more important than ever.”

Added Ted Rita, director of the Hesston Steam Museum in La Porte, “This grant validates our work and acknowledges that cultural centers like ours are valuable and essential to the quality of life and economic impact to the communities that we call home.”

Last year, Indiana Humanities provided more than $500,000 in similar grants to humanities organizations as part of CARES Act funding. 

ARP Grant recipients

(listed by congressional district and including town, amount received and purpose):

First Congressional District

• Calumet Collaborative, Whiting ($10,000/Programming)
• Cedar Lake Historical Association, Cedar Lake ($5,000/Operating)
• Decay Devils, Gary ($5,000/Operating)
• Legacy Foundation, Merrillville ($10,000/Programming)
• Morning Bishop Theatre Playhouse, Gary ($10,000/Programming)

Second Congressional District 

• Elkhart County Historical Society, Bristol ($5,000/Operating)
• Fulton County Historical Society, Rochester ($10,000/Operating)
• Goshen Public Library, Goshen ($9,549/Programming)
• Hesston Steam Museum, La Porte ($10,000/Operating)
• History Museum, South Bend ($10,000/Programming)
• Holy Cross College, Notre Dame ($10,000/Programming)
• LGBTQ Center, South Bend ($10,000/Operating)
• Ruthmere Museum, Elkhart ($10,000/Operating)
• Ruthmere Museum, Elkhart ($10,000/Programming)
• Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame ($7,235/Programming)
• Studebaker National Museum, South Bend ($20,000/Operating)

Third Congressional District 

• Allen County Courthouse Preservation Trust, Fort Wayne ($5,000/Operating)
• Allen County–Fort Wayne Historical Society, Fort Wayne ($15,000/Operating)
• ARCH, Fort Wayne ($10,000/Operating)
• Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum, Auburn ($20,000/Operating)
• Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, New Haven ($10,000/Operating)
• Huntington County Historical Society, Huntington ($9,900/Programming)
• Jay County Historical Society, Portland ($5,000/Operating)

Fourth Congressional District

• Association for Practical and Professional Ethics, Greencastle ($10,000/Programming)
• Cass County Historical Society, Logansport ($5,000/Operating)
• Howard County Historical Society, Kokomo ($10,000/Operating)
• Howard County Historical Society, Kokomo ($6,460/Programming)
• Montgomery County Historical Society, Crawfordsville ($10,000/Programming)
• Ouiatenon Preserve, Lafayette ($10,000/Operating)
• Tippecanoe County Historical Association, Lafayette ($15,000/Operating)

Fifth Congressional District

• Conner Prairie Museum, Fishers ($20,000/Operating)
• Indiana Council on World Affairs, Indianapolis ($5,000/Operating)

Sixth Congressional District 

• Bartholomew County Historical Society, Columbus ($10,000/Operating)
• Bartholomew County Historical Society, Columbus ($10,000/Programming)
• Dearborn County Historical Society, Lawrenceburg ($5,000/Operating)
• Delaware County Historical Society, Muncie ($10,000/Operating)
• Facing Project Gives, Muncie ($5,000/Operating)
• Historic Madison, Inc., Madison ($10,000/Operating)
• Historic Madison, Inc., Madison ($10,000/Programming)
• Jefferson County Historical Society, Madison ($10,000/Operating)
• Jennings County Public Library, North Vernon ($10,000/Programming)
• Randolph County Historical Society, Winchester ($5,000/Operating)
• Shelby County Historical Society, Shelbyville ($5,000/Operating)
• Wayne County Historical Museum, Richmond ($10,000/Operating)

Seventh Congressional District

• Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, Indianapolis ($20,000/Operating)
• Crown Hill Heritage Foundation, Indianapolis ($10,000/Operating)
• Freetown Village, Indianapolis ($10,000/Operating)
• Harrison Center, Indianapolis ($10,000/Programming)
• Indiana Album, Indianapolis ($5,000/Operating)
• Indiana Historical Society, Indianapolis ($20,000/Operating)
• Indiana Landmarks, Indianapolis ($10,000/Programming)
• Indiana Medical History Museum, Indianapolis ($10,000/Operating)
• Indiana State Museum Foundation, Indianapolis ($20,000/Operating)
• Indiana State Museum Foundation, Indianapolis ($10,000/Programming)
• Indianapolis Film Project/Kan-Kan Cinema, Indianapolis ($10,000/Operating)
• Indianapolis Film Project/Kan-Kan Cinema, Indianapolis ($9,000/Programming)
• Indianapolis Propylaeum, Indianapolis ($10,000/Operating)
• Indy Reads, Indianapolis ($15,000/Operating)
• Irvington Historical Society, Indianapolis ($5,000/Operating)
• James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home, Indianapolis ($5,000/Operating)
• James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home, Indianapolis ($9,660/Programming)
• Kennedy King Memorial Initiative, Indianapolis ($10,000/Operating)
• Kennedy King Memorial Initiative, Indianapolis ($10,000/Programming)
• Kheprw Institute, Indianapolis ($10,000/Operating)
• Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library, Indianapolis ($15,000/Operating)
• Madam Walker Legacy Center, Indianapolis ($15,000/Operating)
• Madam Walker Legacy Center, Indianapolis ($10,000/Programming)
• Spirit & Place, Indianapolis ($10,000/Programming)

Eighth Congressional District

• CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center, Terre Haute ($20,000/Operating) 
• Clay County Historical Society, Brazil ($5,000/Operating) 
• Corning Heritage Center, Montgomery ($5,000/Operating) 
• Dubois County Museum, Jasper ($10,000/Operating) 
• Evansville African American Museum, Evansville ($10,000/Operating) 
• Evansville Museum of Arts, History & Science, Evansville ($20,000/Operating) 
• Grouseland Foundation, Vincennes ($10,000/Programming) 
• Odon Winkelpleck Public Library, Odon ($4,000/Programming) 
• Pike County Public Library, Petersburg ($4,000/Programming) 
• Reitz Home Museum, Evansville ($10,000/Operating) 
• Scotland Historical Society, Scotland ($2,500/Operating) 

Ninth Congressional District 

• Clark County Museum, Jeffersonville ($5,000/Operating) 
• Jackson County History Center, Brownstown ($5,000/Operating) 
• Jeffersonville Township Public Library, Jeffersonville ($3,713/Programming) 
• Lakota Language Consortium, Bloomington ($5,000/Operating) 
• Monroe County History Center, Bloomington ($10,000/Operating) 
• Monroe County History Center, Bloomington ($5,000/Programming) 
• Preservation Alliance, Scottsburg ($5,000/Operating) 
• Seymour Museum, Seymour ($2,500/Operating) 
• Vintage Fire Museum and Safety Education Center, Jeffersonville ($5,000/Operating)