As the nonprofits in your jurisdiction struggle to cope with the effects of lost revenue due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Maryland Humanities shared the following:
"As part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which became law on March 27, 2020, the National Endowment for the Humanities received $75 million to protect at-risk humanities positions and projects at museums, libraries and archives, historic sites, colleges and universities, and other cultural nonprofits that have been financially impacted by the coronavirus. Of that total, $30 million was distributed to Maryland Humanities and our 55 sister state and territorial councils for emergency grantmaking to the public humanities community.
We are now accepting applications to our $500,000 CARES Act Emergency Relief Grants Fund. The goal of this new fund is to help sustain Maryland’s infrastructure to ensure that organizations can continue to provide opportunities for public humanities programming and civic learning in Maryland’s diverse communities during this unprecedented time. Grants will support nonprofit general operating expenses. Eligible nonprofit organizations include: museums, historic sites, preservation and historical societies, and community and cultural organizations with a significant humanities focus and an annual budget of $300,000 or less.
A minimum of 50 and a maximum of 100 grants will be awarded. The minimum grant award will be $5,000 and the maximum grant award will be $10,000. Applications will be competitively reviewed with a focus on both need and geographic location in an effort to disperse funds to all regions of the state. All grant awards will be for the same amount.
Applications will be accepted May 1 - 11 or upon receipt of 125 applications, whichever occurs first. Applicants will be notified of the decision on May 30. Further details.