Relief for Arts and Humanities

This page will be updated continuously to reflect the most recent information. This page was last updated on March 12, 2021.

Congress has passed several rounds of financial assistance and relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including most recently the American Rescue Plan.  The American Rescue Plan includes the following assistance for the arts and humanities, museums, libraries, and public broadcasting.

The American Rescue Plan includes $135 million in emergency funds for the National Endowment for the Arts.  Funds are available under the same terms and conditions as funds appropriated in fiscal year (FY) 2021.  Forty percent of funds will be distributed to state arts agencies and regional arts organizations.  Sixty percent of funds are for direct grants.

Hawai‘i is estimated to receive $770,400.  These funds may be used to support staff salaries, fees for artists or contractual personnel, and facilities costs by providing grants and support to arts organizations, museums, and other organizations during the coronavirus crisis.

Information on how to apply for NEA grants can be found on the agency’s website here: https://www.arts.gov/grants

Additional resources for artists and art organizations can be found on NEA’s website here: https://www.arts.gov/covid-19-resources-for-artists-and-arts-organizations

The American Rescue Plan includes $135 million in emergency funds for the National Endowment of the Humanities.  Funds are available under the same terms and conditions as funds appropriated in FY 2021.  Forty percent of the funds will be distributed to the state humanities council.  Sixty percent of the funds will be used for direct grants.  The matching requirements for these grants may be waived.

Hawai‘i is estimated to receive $842,400.  These funds may be used to allow cultural organizations to retain staff to preserve and curate humanities collections, advance humanities research, and maintain buildings and core operations by providing grants and support to humanities organizations, libraries, and other organizations during the COVID-19 crisis.

Frequently asked questions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and relief funding can be found on the agency’s website here: https://www.neh.gov/COVID19_FAQs.

Information on how to apply for NEH grants can be found on the agency’s website here: https://www.neh.gov/grants.

Additional information for NEH grantees can be found on the agency’s website here: https://www.neh.gov/news/information-neh-and-covid-19.

The American Rescue Plan includes $200 million for the Institute of Museum and Library Services to provide grants to museums and libraries.  These funds may be used to expand digital network access, including purchasing internet-enabled devices and providing technical support services in response to the disruption of schooling and other community services during the COVID-19 emergency.

IMLS will award the first $178 million of the $200 million through the State Library Administrative Agencies program.  The remaining $22 million will be used to support the role of museums and libraries in responding to the coronavirus pandemic through grants from IMLS.

Hawai‘i will receive an estimated $759,086 to be used to expand digital network access, purchase internet-enabled devices, and provide technical support services to citizens to address digital inclusion efforts and related technical support.

Frequently asked questions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and relief funding can be found on the agency’s website here: https://www.imls.gov/coronavirus-covid-19-updates/information-imls-grant-applicants-and-awardees.

Information on how to apply for IMLS grants can be found on the agency’s website here: https://www.imls.gov/grants.

Additional resources for museums and libraries can be found on IMLS’s website here: https://www.imls.gov/covid-19-resources-libraries-and-museums

The American Rescue Plan includes $175 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to provide grants to public television and radio.  These funds may be used to make fiscal stabilization grants to public television and radio stations facing declines in non-federal revenues.  These funds will help maintain programming and preserve small and rural stations threatened by declines in non-federal revenues.