In recognition that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a serious impact on the public humanities field across the state, California Humanities is directing funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, through the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), to meet the emergency needs of organizations in order to help sustain and grow the public humanities field in California.
In keeping with California Humanities’ mission, California Humanities Relief and Recovery Grants aim to provide support to public humanities-focused organizations that have experienced critical challenges as a direct result of COVID-19 including a decrease or loss of revenue, programming opportunities, paid staff, or venues.
| Grant Program | Application Open | Award Date |
| Relief Grants | June 1 to June 30 (5pm) | Week of August 9 |
| Recovery Grants | June 1 to July 21 (5pm) | Week of August 23 |
| Relief Grants (Round 2) | August 25 to September 15 (5pm) | Week of October 11 |
FAQs for the second round of Relief Grants can be found here.
California Humanities Relief Grants (Round 2)
Relief Grants will direct funds between $5,000 and $20,000 for short-term general operating support to public humanities-focused organizations to meet the immediate needs of their communities and respond to the current challenges presented by the pandemic. Appropriate activities include but are not limited to staff salaries, supplies and materials, and administrative expenses.
For full details of the Relief Grant program, including eligibility requirements, examples of what this program is meant (and not meant) to support, please see the Relief Grant Guidelines. Please note that if you applied during Round 1 and did NOT receive an award, you may apply again.
Apply for a Relief Grant in our portal here.
Applicant Webinar
Watch the California Humanities Relief and Recovery Grants Webinar on YouTube (recorded June 2). You will learn more about the intent of these programs, eligibility requirements, and how to apply for these grants. Please note the application window for Recovery Grants has closed.
California Humanities Relief & Recovery Grantees
212 Berlin Films
916 Ink
About Productions
Active Cultures
African American Firefighter Museum
Alliance for California Traditional Arts
Amador-Livermore Valley Historical Society
Anaheim Public Library
Anti-Eviction Mapping Project
API Cultural Center Inc
Arab Film and Media Institute
Arhoolie Foundation
Art Forum
ArtLab21 Foundation
ARTogether
Artward Initiative
artworxLA
Asian Improv aRts
AWOKE
Balboa Art Conservation Center
Barcid Foundation
Bay Area Creative
Bay Area Video Coalition Inc
Berkeley FILM Foundation
Beyond Baroque Foundation
Bilingual Broadcasting Foundation Inc
Bishop Mural Society / Eastern Sierra Artists
Black Voice Foundation
Blindspot Collective
Blue Lake Rancheria
Buddhist Film Foundation Inc
Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies
Calexico Arts Council
California Center for the Arts Escondido
California Historical Society
California Institute for Community Art & Nature
California Lutheran University
Canyon Cinema Foundation
Capital Storytelling
Center for Islamophobia Studies
Center for the Study of Political Graphics
Chico Air Museum
China Alley Preservation Society
Chinese Culture Foundation of San Francisco
Chinese Historical Society of America
CIACLA – Contemporary Irish Arts Center Los Angeles
Citizen Film Inc
City of South Gate fbo South Gate Museum
Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California
Clockshop
Collage Dance Theatre dba Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre
CRE Outreach Foundation Inc
CSU Fresno College of Arts and Humanities
Cultura y Arte Nativa de las Americas
Cultural & Natural History Collections, University of La Verne
Dance Film SF Inc
David Brower Center
DigAll Media
Diversifying the Classics, a project of UCLA
Documentary Film Institute, San Francisco State University
Eagle Rock Community Cultural Association
East Bay Media Center
El Teatro Campesino
Feather River Rail Society
Fiat Justicia Ruat Caelum Inc dba Restorative Justice Fund
Filmmakers Collaborative Inc
Foundation for the Future of Literature and Literacy
Fresno Pacific University
Friends of Peralta Hacienda Historical Park
Gateway to Merced
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society
Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media
Gerth Archives and Special Collections, CSUDH Library
Get Lit-Words Ignite Inc
Global Girl Media
Go For Broke National Education Center
Gray Area Foundation for the Arts Inc
Harry Bridges Project
Hayward Area Historical Society
Hip Hop For Change Inc
Historic Italian Hall Foundation
Historical Society of Long Beach
Historical Society of Southern California
Imagining America
Imperial Valley Desert Museum Society Inc
Inlandia Institute
Japanese American National Museum
Japanese Friendship Garden Society of San Diego
Jewish Film Institute
Justice for my Sister, a project of Community Partners
Kala Art Institute
KALW Public Media Inc
Kelly House Museum
KVIE Public Television
LA Commons, a project of Community Partners
La Jolla Historical Society
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes Foundation
Lambda Archives of San Diego
Las Fotos Project
Litquake Foundation
Los Angeles Conservancy
Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust
Los Angeles Poverty Department
Los Angeles United Methodist Museum of Social Justice
Los Gatos Museum Association
Macro Waves
Manilatown Heritage Foundation
Mariachi Women’s Foundation
Marin Shakespeare Company
Mechanics’ Institute
Media Arts Center San Diego
Mil-Tree Veteran Project
Mineral King Preservation Society
Mingei International Inc
Mirabel Pictures
Mission Inn Foundation
Monterey County Historical Society
Museum of Ancient Wonders
Museum of Latin American Art
Museum of Sonoma County
Museum of the African Diaspora
Museum of the San Fernando Valley
Museum of Ventura County
National AIDS Memorial
National Latino Research Center at CSU San Marcos
Native Women’s Collective
NAVEL LA CO
Nevada County Community Library System
NewFilmmakers Los Angeles
Oakbrook Park Chumash Indian Corporation
Oakland Museum of California
ONE Archives Foundation
Onstage Playhouse Inc
Outside the Lens
Oxnard Performing Arts Center
Pacific Arts Movement
Palo Alto Art Center Foundation
Playhouse Arts
Prophet World Beat Productions
QCC – The Center for Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Art & Culture
Radio Bilingüe Inc
Raizes Collective
Rancho Los Alamitos Foundation
Rancho Los Cerritos Foundation
Red Nation Celebration Institute
Renaissance Cultural and Intellectual Foundation
Re-Present Media
Richmond Main Street Initiative Inc
Richmond Museum Association Inc
Rim of the World Historical Society
Riverside Art Museum
Riverside Community Players
Riverside Public Library System
Rogue Artists Ensemble
Rosie the Riveter Trust
San Bernardino County Museum Association
San Diego Automotive Museum
San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum
San Diego Chinese Historical Society and Museum
San Diego History Center
San Diego Museum of Art
San Francisco Botanical Garden Society
San Francisco Film Society
San Francisco Writers Conference
San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles
San Lorenzo Valley Historical Society
Santa Barbara International Film Festival
Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation
Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum
Santa Monica Historical Society Inc
Shasta Historical Society
Sherman Heights Community Center
Skirball Cultural Center
Skylight Theatre Company
Small Press Traffic
Society of California Pioneers
Sonoma State University Native American Studies
Southern California Library for Social Studies & Research
Southern Exposure
Street Poets Inc
Taiko Community Alliance
TeAda Productions
The Lab SF
The Museum of Art and History at the McPherson Center
The New Children’s Museum
Theatre of Yugen
Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians
U.S. Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II
UC Davis Humanities Institute
UCLA Film & Television Archive
Unsung Heroes Living History Project
Uptown Tenderloin Inc
Valley Public Radio, KVPR/KPRX FM89
Venice Arts
Visual Communications
Viver Brasil Dance Company
Voice of Witness
Watsonville Public Library
Whittier Historical Society
Whittier Public Library
Women’s History Reclamation Project Inc
Write Out Loud
Yolo County Archives
Yolo County Arts Council
Z Space Studio
