Illinois Humanities, the Illinois affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, is a nonprofit dedicated to activating the humanities through free public programs, grants, and educational opportunities aimed at fostering reflection, sparking conversation, building community, and strengthening civic engagement. Focused on providing high-quality humanities experiences in Illinois, especially for marginalized communities such as communities of color, low-income individuals, rural areas, small arts and cultural organizations, and those impacted by mass incarceration.
Action Grants offer project grants of up to $4,000 for nonprofit organizations in Illinois or projects impacting Illinois audiences. The goal is to support groups interested in innovative public humanities programming approaches. These grants are available to nonprofits including churches, libraries, and educational institutions and are intended for projects exploring digital humanities, audience engagement techniques, and building diverse audiences. Projects can range from oral history and filmmaking to journalism and storytelling, with a keen interest in creative interactivity, audience development, and enhancing the long-term viability of organizations through experimentation in the humanities.