News

Dear Wisconsin Humanities Family, Supporters, and Friends, Earlier this spring, you stood with Wisconsin Humanities like never before. In the midst of a whirlwind of challenges—losing federal funding, making the painful decision to lay off valued colleagues, giving up our office, and pausing beloved programs like our award-winning Community Powered training and Love Wisconsin, and our… Read more »

Dear Wisconsin Humanities Family, Supporters, and Friends, When I came to work with Wisconsin Humanities, I was so excited by its mission. I believed that what the organization did was deeply important and I agreed with Max Harris, the director then, that the humanities help people gain new perspectives on their fellow humans. Over time, I’ve broadened… Read more »

Last week marked a big transition. We moved out of our office, we gathered our leaders together, and we charted a path for the next six months. The Move … After our federal funding was terminated, we had to lay off most staff and suspend all our programs. We also ended our lease.  Last week we… Read more »

I have terrific news to share. Thanks to our wonderful supporters, by the end of May we made the match for the $50,000 challenge we received from the Federation of State Humanities Councils with support from the Mellon Foundation! Wow! That’s $100,000 that will make a BIG difference in Wisconsin Humanities’ ability to sustain our… Read more »

By Meghan Dudle, WH Director of Grants and Outreach For 53 years, Wisconsin Humanities has re-distributed federal funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities with integrity and a passion for always improving. WH’s grant program has made accessible public humanities programming possible for everyday Wisconsinites. Due to the devastating termination of our NEH General… Read more »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 30, 2025 Contact: Tony Sansalone Director of Development, Wisconsin Humanities 608-265-5594, tony.sansalone@wisconsinhumanities.org In Response to Federal Cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities, Mellon Foundation Announces $15 Million in Emergency Funding for Humanities Councils ➞ This investment by the Mellon Foundation will help stabilize Wisconsin Humanities, which is launching a… Read more »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 3, 2025 Contact: Dena Wortzel, Executive Director, Wisconsin Humanities (608) 438-1712, (608) 265-5593, dena.wortzel@wisconsinhumanities.org The end of National Endowment for the Humanities funding to state humanities councils threatens to harm communities in every Congressional district. April 3, 2025 — Madison. The future of the Wisconsin Humanities (WH), and the myriad statewide… Read more »

A Q&A with Kitonga Tumaini Alexander, written by Sheila Drefahl. Milwaukee Bronzeville is a vibrant neighborhood born from the Great Migration. It stands as a testament to the resilience and entrepreneurial spirit of African Americans seeking better opportunities. This area blossomed into a thriving community, marked by sustainable businesses and cultural richness. However, like many… Read more »

Wisconsin Humanities provides crucial financial support for locally-driven humanities projects across Wisconsin. In 2024 alone, WH awarded over $215,000 to support innovative community programs in fifteen counties. These are matching grants, meaning each investment is amplified by community support and energy. The twenty-eight WH grants leveraged nearly 900,000 in matching funds.  As the dots on… Read more »

The Community Powered Tribal Health Initiative marks a significant expansion of Wisconsin Humanities’ award-winning training program. Wisconsin Humanities announces the launch of the Community Powered Tribal Health Initiative (CPTHI). The new initiative represents a collaborative partnership between a statewide nonprofit and Wisconsin tribal communities to address the tribes’ contemporary challenges and will result in culturally-relevant… Read more »

In 1980, there was an exodus of Cubans who left their homes for the United States as part of the Mariel Boatlift.  It was a paramount moment of the Cold War. Almost 125,000 Cubans came to the U.S., including about 15,000 Cuban refugees who were sent to Fort McCoy in Sparta, Wisconsin. Wisconsin Humanities awarded a… Read more »

Introducing Ten Public Humanities Projects in Barron, Brown, Dane, Fond du Lac, Milwaukee, Portage, Sauk, and Vernon Counties: We are so excited to announce the second round of Opportunity Grant awardees! These ten projects will reach people of different ages, interests, and abilities. The organizations receiving WH support are working in rural communities and urban… Read more »