Our Impact
How We Work
Love Wisconsin Storytelling Project
A digital storytelling platform reaching over 100,000 followers with authentic, first-person stories from across Wisconsin. Now marking its 10th anniversary with a digital collection of 150 stories, Love Wisconsin brings together people of all backgrounds through powerful personal narratives that reveal our shared experiences and connections.
Fellows receive six months of intensive training in storytelling, cultural preservation, and community engagement techniques, plus ongoing mentorship to turn ideas into action. With over 80 applications for its last cohort, this in-demand program is creating a powerful statewide network of community leaders equipped to strengthen their communities.
A practical toolkit and curriculum that equips students and community members with concrete strategies to address and prevent hate in their communities. Through guided discussions and real Wisconsin stories, this program gives people the tools they need to have difficult conversations, build understanding, and create safer, more united communities.
Stories of the Humanities at Work
La Crosse Public Library
The library's online exhibit shares stories from some of the 15,000 Cuban refugees who were sent to Fort McCoy in Sparta, Wisconsin and explores this paramount moment in the Cold War.
Headwaters Council in Eagle River
"Veterans and Families' Expressions" in Vilas County included a musical performance piece and events for veterans of past and recent conflicts.
Barron County Historical Society
"Interwoven Roots and Routes: Somali and Scandinavian Heritage Events in Barron County" included a field trip for local schools at Pioneer Village and a weaving workshop featuring Somali and Nordic-American craftswomen at the library.
Storytelling in Milwaukee
A collaboration between HYFIN, a media project of Radio Milwaukee, and Ex Fabula to create lovely events, foster community, and share great stories.
Eau Claire"s Uniroyal Tire History
A documentary film made by Eau Claire natives shares personal stories about the closing of a major factory that put about 1,300 people out of work, and how the city adapted and bounced back.
Nature Preserve in Sturgeon Bay
Crossroads at Big Creek brings together the young and old, experts and learners, researchers and policy makers to archaeological sites for important hands-on experiences.
Humanities During the Pandemic
Wisconsin Humanities provided $1.3 million of rapid-response funding to over 150 nonprofit organizations facing financial hardship resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2020 and 2021, Wisconsin Humanities provided rapid-response funding to nonprofit humanities and cultural organizations facing financial hardship resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. These WH CARES grants were followed by WH Recovery Grants. To date, we have awarded over 1.3 million dollars to over 150 nonprofit organizations across the state. We have been hearing that these funds have provided crucial support during difficult times. Some of these stories are shared here.
Funding for the CARES grants was been provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act economic stabilization plan. A list of CARES grantees is below.
Funding for the RECOVERY grants was provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. A list of Recovery grantees is below.
VIEW CARES GRANT RECIPIENTS ➞ VIEW RECOVERY GRANT RECIPIENTS ➞
CARES Grant Recipients
Algoma Public Library
Alma Public Library
Barron County Historical Society
Bayfield Carnegie Library
Bayfield Heritage Association
Bekkum Memorial Library-Westby
Beloit Historical Society
Black Arts MKE Inc.
Black Earth Public Library
Bloomington Public Library
Brandon Public Library
Buffalo County Historical Society, Inc.
Campbellsport Public Library
Children’s Museum of Fond du Lac
Chippewa Valley Museum
Cobb Public Library
Coloma Public Library
De Soto Public Library
Door County Historical Society
Douglas County Historical Society
Dunn County Historical Society
Eager Free Public Library
Eagle River Historical Society
Ephraim Historical Foundation
Ex Fabula, Inc - Milwaukee
Family Resource Center of Sheboygan County/Literacy Council of Sheboygan County
Farnsworth Public Library/Oconto
Folklore Village Farm, Inc
Friends of Hearthstone, Inc.
Friends of the Lodi Public Library
Friends of the Mining & Rollo Jamison
Grant County Historical Society
Milton Historical Society
Mineral Point Public Library
Museums/Platteville
Hancock Public Library
Historic Indian Agency House (National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Wisconsin)
Historic Milwaukee, Inc.
History Museum at the Castle
Jane Morgan Memorial Library/Cambria
Johnson Creek Public Library
Kenosha County Historical Society
Kewaunee Public Library
La Crosse County Historical Society
Lake Mills Aztalan Historical Society
Madison Reading Project
Manitowoc County Historical Society
Marinette and Oconto Counties Literary Council, Inc.
Marathon County Historical Society
Markesan Public Library
Marsh Haven Nature Center - Waupun
Mount Horeb Area Historical Society, Inc.
Neenah Historical Society
Norskedalen Nature & Heritage Center/Coon Valley
North Freedom Public Library
New Richmond Preservation Society/NR Heritage Center
New Glarus HIstorical Society
Optimist Theatre - Milwaukee
Ozaukee County Historical Society
Paul Bunyan Logging Camp Museum/Wisconsin Logging Museum
Poy Sippi Public Library
Prairie du Chien Historical Society, Inc.
Princeton Public Library
Pump House Regional Arts Center - La Crosse
Racine County Historical Society and Museum. Inc.
Redgranite Library
Richard I Bong Veterans Historical Center
Rock County Historical Society
Sauk County Historical Society, Inc.
Sheboygan County Historical Research Center
Sheboygan County Historical Society
Sherman & Ruth Weiss Community Library - Hayward
Spring Green Community Library
Sturm Memorial Library – City of Manawa
Superior Public Museums, Inc.
Tomah Area Historical Society, Inc.
Vang Council of La Crosse, Inc.
Vernon County Historical Society
Walker’s Point Center for the Arts
Waukesha County Historical Society & Museum
Winneconne Public Library
Winter Public Library
Wyocena Public Library
Recovery Grant Recipients
Adams County Historical Society
African Heritage, Inc
Aldo Leopold Foundation, Inc.
Alfred & Lois Kelch Aviation Museum
Appleton Historical Society
Art Start
Badger History Group
Bayfield Heritage Association
Beloit Historical Society
Bembe Drum and Dance
Black Arts MKE, Inc.
Black Earth Historical Society
Black Earth Public Library
BODWEWADMIMWEN ETHE TEK, INC.
Burnett County Historical Society
CAPITA Productions, Inc.
Chippewa Valley Museum
Coloma Area Historical Society
D.R. Moon Memorial Library
Dane County Historical Society
Dane County Library Service
Dr. James Cameron Legacy Foundation (America’s Black Holocaust Museum)
Dunn County Historical Society
Eagle River Historical Society
Egg Harbor Historical Society
Ex Fabula
Farnsworth Public Library
FOREST COUNTY HISTORICAL & GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Burnham Block, Inc.
Friends of Hearthstone
Hawks Inn Historical Society
Heritage Military Music Foundation
Historic Milwaukee
History Museum at the Castle
Irvin L Young Memorial Library
Jewish Museum Milwaukee
Kenosha Public Library
Kenosha Public Museums
L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library
La Crosse County Historical Society
La Crosse Public Library
Lafayette County Historical Society
Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua
Langlade County Historical Society
Madison Children’s Museum
Madison Trust for Historic Preservation
Manitowoc County Historical Society
Marathon County Historical Society
Marquette University
McIntosh Memorial Library
Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin
Milton Historical Society
Milwaukee County Historical Society
Milwaukee Preservation Alliance
Mondovi Public Library
Muehl Public Library
Namur Belgian Heritage Foundation Inc
National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (Fort Winnebago Surgeon’s Quarters)
National Society of the Colonial Dames of America - State of Wisconsin (Historic Indian Agency House)
Neenah Historical Society
New Richmond Preservation Society
Norskedalen Nature & Heritage Center
Oconto County Historical Society, Inc.
Oneida Nation
Osceola Historical Society
Oulu Cultural & Heritage Center
Ozaukee County Historical Society
Patterson Memorial Library
People of Progression INC
Philadelphia Community Farm, Inc.
Portage County Historical Society
Princeton Public Library
Racine County Historical Society and Museum, Inc.
Reedsburg Area Historical Society
Rib Lake Public Library
Roy Chapman Andrews Society
Sauk County Historical Society, Inc.
Southside Organizing Committee
T.B. Scott Free Library
The Building for Kids, Inc.
The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums
Tomah Area Historical Society Inc
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (Museum of Natural History)
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (Wisconsin Farms Oral History Project - Lands We Share)
UW-Madison - Center for the Humanities
UW-Milwaukee-Electa Quinney Institute for American Indian Education
UW-Platteville
Vang Council of La Crosse, Inc.
Vaughn Public Library
Vernon County Historical Society
Waukesha County Historical Society & Museum
Waupaca Area Public Library
Waupaca Historical Society
Westby Area Historical Society
Western Taylor County Public Library
Whitehall Public Library
Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum
Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS)
Wisconsin Logging Museum
Fermentation Fest 2020
Over the course of nine days in the fall of 2020, visitors stayed ‘one cow apart’ to experience the creative work that farmers and artists do everyday. Wisconsin Humanities is proud to have supported the biennial Art/Farm DTour, produced by Wormfarm Institute, and spoke with the project director recently to learn about how special adaptations were made to keep visitors, and presenters, safe during the pandemic. What was learned, and how will this impact future fests?
Walker's Point Center for the Arts
For over 30 years, Walker’s Point Center for the Arts has been a vibrant local hub for arts education, exhibition, and engagement.
Superior Public Museums
Superior Public Museums strives to preserve the rich history of Superior, Wisconsin, and to share that history with the community.
Children’s Museum of Fond du Lac
The Children’s Museum of Fond du Lac has a special place in the hearts of many area families. Children come to play, learn, and forge lasting connections with their caregivers and their community.
