Wyoming Humanities Network

The Wyoming Humanities Council does not consider Humanities Matter! to be an isolated event; it is the starting point for an ongoing statewide conversation. To that end, the council has created the Humanities Matter! grant initiative, which will kick off at the conference.

So at Humanities Matter!, after we’ve heard about innovative projects that incorporate the humanities around the state, after we’ve thought about how to strengthen the voice of the humanities in our communities and schools, and right after the Art of Regional Change folks have shared their model for interdisciplinary community-academic partnerships, we will have a grant project brainstorming and networking session. Art of Regional Change representatives and council Grants Coordinator Jenny Ingram will be on hand to offer guidance and answer questions.

Here are a few general guidelines for the Humanities Matter! grant initiative:

• Humanities Matter! grants are $1500, to be disbursed to Wyoming community colleges.
• Projects must have a significant humanities component.
• Projects must involve at least one community college and at least one community partner.
• If two or more colleges wish to combine forces and do a joint project with their community organizations, they may combine funds.
• The grants are intended to foster new public humanities projects, so existing projects are not eligible.
• There is no restriction on the geographic scope of the projects (other than the state of Wyoming); they can be local, regional, or statewide.

If you are not at or near a community college, or your idea for an innovative humanities project doesn’t fit these guidelines, we’d still love to have you at the brainstorming session! The council also gives out Mini Grants of up to $2000 and Regular Grants of up to $10,000 for public humanities projects and programs, and the session will be an excellent chance to develop ideas and proposals for those grants as well. And who knows? You might be able to find a creative way to be part of a Humanities Matter! project after all!