Humanities Washington [1] has retooled its project grants program and announced its fall 2012 application schedule and deadlines.
Renamed Spark Grants [2], funds of up to $7,500 are available for projects that encourage thoughtful consideration and conversation about important issues using the humanities as the basis for the discussion.
Responding to feedback from past partners, Humanities Washington has also moved from two grant rounds per year to three, and simplified the application process.
“While we are flooded with information today, there are relatively few outlets for people to come together to discuss their thoughts, ideas and concerns about this information – especially with people who might have different viewpoints from themselves,” explained Julie Ziegler, executive director of Humanities Washington. “Spark Grants are available to help create and sustain these important conversations.”
The new discussion-based focus of its grants program brings to life Humanities Washington’s mission [3] of sparking conversation and critical thinking to nurture informed, engaged communities across the state. Spark Grants will support projects at organizations of all sizes and types that encourage thoughtful consideration of issues and provide social, historical and philosophical context to better understand a complex world.
Programs supported by Spark Grants must be based in dialogue and discussion, be open to the general public and be free or low-cost to attend. Applicants are encouraged to think creatively in terms of content, partners, audience and format.
Letters of interest are due October 5. To learn more about how to apply, visit the Grants area at Humanities.org [4].