Foreground Rural Initiative Grants

Foreground Rural Initiative Grants is sponsored by Illinois Humanities. These unrestricted grants support local nonprofits, public institutions, artists, cultural workers, and others who work to keep their communities creative and connected in rural Illinois communities and small towns.

Illinois Humanities | Foreground Rural Initiative Grants We invite Illinoisans to document their story for the Nation's 250th. Foreground Rural Initiative Grants Individuals and Organizations Not currently accepting applications for this grant opportunity. The Foreground Rural Initiative offers grant funding and capacity-building for partners in rural Illinois communities and small towns.

These unrestricted grants support local nonprofits, public institutions, artists, cultural workers, and others who work to keep their communities creative and connected. Eligibility and Guidelines Nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations in good standing (learn what “good standing" means here ) are eligible for up to $10,000 in unrestricted funds Eligible organizations include public libraries, civic groups, arts collectives, and more.

For-profit businesses are not eligible to apply. Organizations should be based in or serve primarily rural populations and small towns. Be involved in community-building and cultural work in your region.

We hold a broad definition of community-building and embrace the many ways this may manifest in your community. Often, this means bringing people together from across generations, ethnic differences, and disciplines to explore history, imagine vibrant civic futures, and experience art and culture together.

Demonstrate a commitment to your community, civic engagement, historically under-resourced groups, and collaboration with partners and peers. Be up-do-date on reporting for any previous grants from Illinois Humanities Questions about your eligibility? View our Frequently Asked Questions or contact us.

Individual civic and cultural workers, educators, artists, archivists, and many others are eligible for up to $5,000 in unrestricted funds. Individuals should be based in or serve primarily rural populations and small towns. Be involved in community-building and cultural work in your region.

We hold a broad definition of community-building and embrace the many ways this may manifest in your community. Often, this means bringing people together from across generations, ethnic differences, and disciplines to explore history, imagine vibrant civic futures, and experience art and culture together.

Demonstrate a commitment to your community, civic engagement, historically under-resourced groups, and collaboration with partners and peers. Be up-do-date on reporting for any previous grants from Illinois Humanities Questions about your eligibility? View our Frequently Asked Questions or contact us.

Evaluation and Documentation Evaluation and documentation are important to us, and we are eager to see how grant applicants define success and plan to measure progress toward it. We ask grant applicants to describe in precise terms the project's desired outcome, and how they will know if it was successful. Within 30 days of the conclusion of a project or grant period, grantees must complete a final grant report .

Complete your final report via our online grantee portal . Grant Acknowledgement Language: This program was made possible in part by a grant from Illinois Humanities. Resources for grantee partners and grant seekers .

Grantee Partner Communications Toolkit Photo courtesy of Foreground grantee partner, the Historic Ellisville Restoration Organization. A memorial in Kaskaskia, Ill. Director of Statewide Programs statewide@ilhumanities.

org Grantee Partner Spotlight Image from 2023 Barbershop Bombaza event Southern Illinois Culture & Arts in Bilingual Education (SI CABE) Grantee Partner Spotlight: SI CABE SI CABE, or Southern Illinois Culture and Arts in Bilingual Education, has received Illinois Humanities funds to help create a sustainable foothold in the Southern Illinois arts and culture scene.

Learn more about its mission, successes, and work in this month's grantee partner spotlight. Image from 2023 Barbershop Bombaza event Frequently Asked Questions How do you define "rural?"

For the purposes of this initiative, Illinois Humanities considers an organization “rural” if it meets at least two of the following four criteria: It is located in a county with a population density of 150 or fewer residents per square mile; It is located either in an unincorporated area or in a village, town, or city with a population of 7,500 or fewer residents; It is located at least 20 miles from the nearest city with a population of 75,000 or more; It has an explicit mission to serve rural communities or people who reside in rural locations.

We will continue to develop these criteria based on input from partner organizations and consultants. What do you mean by "community-building?" In many historically under-resourced communities, there is a strong need to bring people and organizations together to help shore up history–and help people imagine what a culturally and civically vibrant future might look like.

This often requires bringing people together from across generations, ethnic differences, and disciplines. We are interested in these areas, and the role that cultural work–in the arts, in the humanities–plays in furthering this creative work. What is your definition of the humanities?

Broadly, the humanities help us understand and interpret what it means to be human; participating in the humanities equips us to form a diverse society. In academic settings, the humanities encompass studies of art, art history, communications, culture, ethnic and gender studies, ethics, folklore and folk culture, literature, languages, music, dance, theatre, history, and philosophy.

At Illinois Humanities, our focus is on the public humanities that happen (most often) outside of academic institutions. We create — and support — programs, and modes of engagement that emphasize curiosity, questioning, and dialogue. Public humanities programs feature the following practices: The public humanities create a public.

Gathering is designed with intentionality, and the people who gather may not already know each other. People are talked with, not talked at. People are learning “with,” not just learning “from.

” People are encouraged to ask questions to better understand their own — as well as others’ — experiences and points of view. Regardless of the mode of practice, public humanities support people to employ capacities we inherently hold as humans — being curious, listening closely, changing our minds, and embracing complexity and nuance.

The public humanities call upon us to use, practice and develop ways of engaging with one another that help us discern our own beliefs, expand our understanding of what is possible, and appreciate that differences make us stronger. These particular human abilities are like any other skill: they get better with practice and, when underdeveloped or underattended, they atrophy.

Does your organization have a working definition of the public humanities? Share it with us–we’re eager to explore how others are addressing this complex question. What activities and expenses does Illinois Humanities not fund?

Illinois Humanities supports public humanities programs, initiatives, and organizations.

We do not fund: Activities that promote a specific political position or ideology Capital projects (i.e., renovation or purchase of buildings or land) Major equipment purchases (though equipment to assist a specific program is admissible) Out-of-state programs that have no specific relevance or thematic connection to people in Illinois (though technically a grant recipient or fiscal agent can be located elsewhere in the U.S.) Programming that falls outside of the humanities Social services (though a social services agency may apply for funding for a humanities project) Are previous grantees eligible to apply?

To be eligible for this grant opportunity, a previous Illinois Humanities Grantee must be: Must be up-to-date with all reporting requirements. If you are unsure if your organization has outstanding reports, please contact us at communitygrants@ilhumanities. org .

Previous Illinois Humanities grantees cannot have an open Project Grant or an open General Operating Grant. All grants are considered open until the final report has been submitted by the grantee and marked as complete by the Illinois Humanities Grants Team. Meet the eligibility criteria as an individual or as an organization.

Note: If your organization acts as a fiscal agent for another, you may have an open grant and still receive funding for any grant offered by Illinois Humanities. Nonprofit organizations in good standing can apply for Illinois Humanities grants. This includes 501(c)3 organizations and nonprofits under state law, as well as libraries, schools, faith-based organizations, and universities.

We do not accept grant applications from individuals (unless otherwise indicated) or for-profit companies. If you are unsure about whether you can apply, reach out to us . Why does Illinois Humanities have a grant-making program?

Illinois Humanities has been making grants since its inception in 1973, with over 3,000 awards given, totaling over $22 million. We are proud to have supported dozens of documentary films, conferences, exhibits, training programs, oral history projects, and scores of other activities.

We are firm believers in the many organizations and individuals throughout the state of Illinois that value the humanities, culture, and dialogue as community-building activities, and wish to help them fulfill their missions, carry out high-quality programming, and grow their organizations. We are indebted to the Illinois General Assembly for the support that allows this grantmaking program to exist.

Donate to Illinois Humanities Suite 650, 125 South Clark St. Illinois Humanities is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Illinois General Assembly [through the Illinois Arts Council], as well as by contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations.

Illinois Humanities respects the privacy of its audiences and will at no time sell or distribute personal information to any party not directly affiliated with Illinois Humanities and its programs. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed by speakers, program participants, or audiences do not necessarily reflect those of the NEH, Illinois Humanities, our partnering organizations, or our funders.