Illinois Humanities Grants

The Envisioning Justice Grants program, supported by Illinois Humanities, focuses on leveraging the arts and humanities to foster a truly just society. This initiative aligns with the foundation's broader mission to create understanding about mass incarceration and its profound impact on communities throughout Illinois. By funding impactful initiatives that use creative and intellectual approaches, Illinois Humanities seeks to build more affirming, engaged, and empowered communities, ultimately contributing to a more equitable and just society. The program targets a diverse range of beneficiaries, specifically prioritizing currently or formerly incarcerated individuals, people serving long-term sentences, justice-involved young people, women (particularly women of color and/or those impacted by gendered violence), the LGBTQAI+ community, migrants, asylum seekers, refugees, immigrants, elderly populations, people with disabilities, and Indigenous populations. Furthermore, the grants prioritize projects that focus on communities that are sites of prisons or jails, experiencing significant incarceration, and/or undergoing significant demographic change due to the criminal legal system. The overarching impact goal is to facilitate understanding of mass incarceration and support those working to mitigate its effects. Envisioning Justice Grants prioritize projects that are regional or statewide in scope and partnership-oriented, emphasizing collaborative efforts to address complex issues. The funded initiatives include prison education programs, independent media, community dialogues, and conferences. These efforts are designed to create spaces for critical reflection, artistic expression, and humanistic inquiry, which are central to the foundation's strategic priorities. While specific measurable results are not explicitly detailed beyond "create understanding" and "build more affirming, engaged, and empowered communities," the program implicitly aims for increased community engagement, enhanced public discourse on carceral issues, and improved conditions for affected populations. Organizations can apply for grants of up to $10,000, with no matching funds required, making the program accessible to a wide range of groups. Eligibility is limited to nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations or those with a fiscal sponsor, based anywhere in Illinois. While all Illinois applicants are eligible, individuals from East St. Louis, Decatur, Carbondale, Galesburg, Urbana-Champaign, and the Bloomington-Normal Metro Area are particularly encouraged to apply. This geographic focus, coupled with the thematic priorities, underscores Illinois Humanities' theory of change: that by supporting arts and humanities initiatives, particularly in highly impacted areas and among vulnerable populations, they can drive meaningful social change and foster a more just and informed citizenry.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations, local governments, and trauma centers in Illinois to implement comprehensive violence prevention programs aimed at reducing firearm violence in high-risk communities.

This funding opportunity supports Illinois-based nonprofit organizations with planning and capacity-building initiatives that prioritize equity, diversity, and inclusion in their public humanities programming.

This grant provides funding to organizations in Sangamon County that offer programs and services aimed at improving the lives of seniors.

This program provides funding to individuals and small organizations in Illinois to engage communities with local history through projects that utilize archives, stories, and photography.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Henry County, Illinois, focusing on educational assistance for local students, historic preservation, religious initiatives, and nursing home care for those in need.

This fund provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in the Chicago area that focus on arts, education, healthcare, and human services for underserved populations, particularly older adults.

This program provides capital funding to nonprofit organizations in Kane and Kendall counties, Illinois, for projects that improve their facilities and infrastructure, such as technology and equipment upgrades.

The Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation is offering the Untold Stories Grants, ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, to institutions in Coles County that aim to preserve, educate, and disseminate stories of historically underrepresented individuals, thereby promoting racial equity and social justice.

This funding opportunity supports community-based projects in Illinois that use the arts and humanities to promote justice and address the impacts of mass incarceration, particularly for marginalized populations.

This funding opportunity supports Illinois-based nonprofit organizations in creating innovative digital humanities projects that engage and diversify audiences through creative public programming.

This program provides funding for nonprofit organizations in Kane and Kendall counties, Illinois, to make capital improvements that enhance their ability to serve the community, such as upgrading technology, equipment, and facilities.

This program provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in specific areas to promote children's well-being, cultural enrichment, and essential community services.

This grant provides financial support to public agencies and nonprofit organizations for preservation planning and educational outreach efforts related to historic sites across the United States.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in specific states for capital projects and endowments in libraries, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities.

This funding opportunity provides up to $10,000 to small humanities organizations in Illinois to support their operational needs and enhance community engagement through public programming.

This grant provides financial assistance to charitable organizations in Illinois and California, particularly in Long Beach, to help individuals facing genuine financial hardship who do not have adequate support from public welfare programs.

This funding opportunity supports local nonprofit organizations, schools, and government entities in Springfield, Illinois, to restore or preserve historically significant buildings and promote awareness of historic preservation.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations and public entities in West Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri to enhance community services in areas such as arts, education, health, and youth development.

This funding opportunity provides up to $5,000 for individuals in Illinois to use arts and humanities projects to address and challenge the impacts of mass incarceration, particularly focusing on marginalized communities.