Over the past 50 years, Wisconsin Humanities has given more than 3,000 grants to projects in every corner of the state, serving rural and urban communities, and making Wisconsin a better place for all of us to live. That equals nearly 34 million dollars to over 1,300 organizations!
In our February round of Mini Grants, awards were given to four organizations in Dane, Manitowoc, and Sauk Counties. These grants support a range of public humanities projects serving our state. The programs create opportunities for communities to reflect on things that matter and work together to address current challenges and celebrate history.
We are proud to support educational and cultural programs around the state. Check out our Grant Program to learn more about what we fund!
Mini Grant Awards
NOTE: The next Mini Grant deadline is May 1, 2023
Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters was awarded $2,000 for Wisconsin Climate Stories, a new program that follows their successful Climate Fast Forward 2022 conference. Driven by questions about who is impacted by climate change, what equitable solutions exist, and how can individuals and organizations contribute to climate change solutions, speakers from rural communities and communities of color will harness the power of storytelling to inspire action. There will be in-person and Zoom sessions about forestry, flooding, human health and ecosystem health, all with an emphasis on urban, rural and BIPOC communities.
The Manitowoc County Historical Society was awarded $1,999 in support of their upcoming Heritage Maker’s Market. The market will take place in June and feature craftspeople and artisans who will be juried for historical relevance and accuracy based on their presentation of primary source documentation about crafts such as shoemaking, harness making, fiber arts, broom making, tin-smithing, blacksmithing, rosemaling, and more. Visitors of all ages will be able to see, hear, and smell the demonstrations and interact with the skill-keepers of these endangered crafts.
The Hmong Institute was awarded $2,000 for “Resiliency: Hmong Women’s Mental Health Journeys During the COVID-19 Pandemic," a video project that documents a group of elder Hmong women who came together to create traditional Hmong story cloth quilts and to discuss their experiences overcoming grief, isolation, and mental health challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Wisconsin Humanities grant will be used to hire a Hmong American video editor/producer to work with existing raw footage of interviews done by The Hmong Institute, in partnership with the Wisconsin Women’s Council. The project provided a safe and healing process for participants to share their experiences and stories through the cultural practice of creating themes within a “story cloth” or quilt wall hanging. The edited videos will be posted to a page on The Hmong Institute’s website so that when the story cloth/quilt is exhibited, viewers can follow a QR code to view the videos. The story cloth exhibit and QR code to the video will be at the State Capitol in May during Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and at more sites to follow.
The City of Reedsburg was awarded $2,000 in support of phase one of the development of the Reedsburg Historic Preservation Commission website. They will expand their presentation of historic downtown buildings, including the Nishan Chapel, the Masonic Lodge, the former Badger Shirt Company, and the National Sportswear Factory, with 360-degree imagery, links to resources, and stories about the buildings. Funds will also be used to build an interactive virtual exhibit based on a collection of historical items recently donated to the Commission.
Wisconsin Humanities grants support locally-initiated public humanities programs that promote reflection, dialogue, and civic participation. If you or your organization has never applied for a grant, or you just want some feedback on an idea you aren’t sure about, please contact us to discuss your idea. Our Director of Grants and Outreach, Meghan Dudle, is here to help! It might be anything from brainstorming an idea to connecting with a humanities expert.
