Maryland Humanities Offers New Round of Relief Funding to Cultural Organizations Suffering Longterm Economic Impacts from COVID Through New “SHARP” Grant Program

(Baltimore, MD) – Maryland Humanities announces the Sustaining Humanities through the American Rescue Plan (SHARP) Grants, a new funding opportunity for Maryland nonprofits with a primary focus on the humanities. The grants will support Maryland nonprofits that have been adversely impacted by the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The goal of the $910,000 grant fund is to ensure that organizations can continue to provide opportunities for Maryland’s diverse communities to access and engage with public history, cultural heritage, and civic learning. Grants will support nonprofit general operating expenses, which include salaries, rent, utilities, supplies, equipment, programs, or other expenses. Applications open September 15 with a deadline of September 30 at 11:59 P.M.

Eligible nonprofit organizations will offer humanities programming as a significant part of their mission. They include: museums, historic sites, preservation and historical societies, and community or cultural organizations with a significant focus on the humanities and an annual budget of up to $300,000. All grant awards will be for  minimum of $10,000 with a maximum of 91 grant awards. Maryland Humanities aims to fund organizations throughout all regions of Maryland.

These grants are funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 appropriated by the U.S. Congress.

“Maryland Humanities is proud to provide support for organizations across the state of Maryland. They are central to telling the current and past stories of our state,” says Lindsey Baker, Executive Director at Maryland Humanities. “Thank you to our elected officials in Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities for entrusting us with this significant responsibility and opportunity to be a leader for the field.”

Learn more about our SHARP Grants, eligibility, and deadlines here.  To apply for a Maryland Humanities SHARP grant, register or sign-in to our online Grants Portal. For questions, email Maryland Humanities’ Grants Team at sharp@mdhumanities.org.