Humanities Washington
/OVERVIEW: The Humanities Washington supports the humanities, cultural understanding, artistic expression and the human connection in the state of Washington.
IP TAKE: This accessible funder is a good one to know for community groups that serve youth and people of color, who have disabilities, live in rural areas, or are non-native English speakers.
PROFILE: Established in 1965, Humanities Washington is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit that awards grants and is based in Seattle, Washington. After Congress enacted the National Endowment for the Arts and the Humanities Act, the National Endowment for the Humanities founded Humanities Washington, which was originally called the Washington Commission for the Humanities. It was solely a grantmaking organization until 1984, which is when it started producing programs and pursuing initiatives. The organization “opens minds and bridges divides by creating spaces to explore different perspectives.” It funds local efforts for humanities, cultural understanding, artistic expression and the human connection.
Humanities Washington is interested in supporting the fields of History, philosophy and literature to help people see the broader views of their lives and society. It holds programs and events that involve discussions by scholars, storytellers and cultural experts. Most events are free of charge and all are open to the public. Humanities Washington also awards three types of grants. CARES Act Humanities Relief grants were a type of emergency support grants for Washington nonprofit cultural groups that provided programming during the COVID-19 pandemic. Opportunity grants are more general and fund small and rural organizations for their public humanities presentations. The funder provides Washington Stories Fund grants once per year to projects that share little-known stories of people and groups who have contributed to the greatness of Washington. Aside from grants, Humanities Washington programs include a speakers’ bureau, poet laureate, hosted provocative conversations, connections between children and literature and the Center for Washington Cultural Traditions.
Important Grant Details:
Grants range between about $500 and $5,000. Learn more about this funder’s local giving by examining its recent tax records. Grantmaking focuses on the entire state of Washington. Past local grantees include the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center and the Burke Museum Association.
This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits for some grant programs at certain times of the year. Visit the funder’s website to learn about current opportunities available. Direct general questions to the staff at info@humanities.org or 206-682-1770.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
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