US Virgin Islands Hotel & Tourism Association
May 8, 2020/
Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands Receives $442,200
from the National Endowment for the Humanities
Funds to support development and implementation of humanities programming
and activities throughout the USVI
U.S. Virgin Islands, May 7, 2020 — The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) announced that it has been awarded two grants totaling $442,200 from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).
The initial $200,000 grant was announced by the NEH on April 7th as one of $22.2 million in grants for 224 humanities projects across the country. Funds will be used to support humanities programs throughout the USVI that reflect the Territory’s diverse communities and advance the public’s knowledge and understanding of humanities, culture, heritage, and preservation.
“In these somber times, when every individual, community, and organization in America is feeling the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, it is a joy to be able to announce new projects that will produce vibrant humanities programs and resources for the reopening of our cultural centers and educational institutions,” said NEH Chairman Jon Parrish Peede. “These 224 projects exemplify the spirit of the humanities and their power to educate, enrich, and enlighten.”
Following the initial announcement, the NEH was also allotted funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, including additional grants to state humanities councils and other subawardees. CFVI will receive $242,200 to provide emergency funding to USVI museums, libraries, archives, historic sites, and other nonprofits impacted by the pandemic.
According to CFVI President, Dee Baecher-Brown, “All of us at the Community Foundation are so very grateful for this grant from NEH, particularly at a time of such uncertainty for the Virgin Islands, our country and our world. This support is cause for celebration at a time when our community needs to have good things for our attention.” She noted that, “In alignment with the National Endowment for the Humanities’ goal to advance knowledge and understanding in the humanities, CFVI is honored to be providing leadership in promoting the humanities in our Virgin Islands,” said Baecher-Brown.
CFVI’s Grants and Programs Director, Anna Wheatley Scarbriel, explained that “funding will be used to bolster local humanities entities, as well as to enrich the lives of people throughout the Territory through humanities education, lifelong learning, and public humanities programming.”
CFVI will be working closely with NEH to develop the details of the funding opportunities for the USVI. Announcements will be forthcoming with details on the requests for proposals for both funding opportunities. For information on the NEH’s use of CARES Act funds, visit: https://www.neh.gov/
For details on the NEH announcement of $22.2 Million for 224 Humanities Projects Nationwide, visit:https://www.neh.gov/news/neh-
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this press release do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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About the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands
Since 1990, the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) has been a catalyst for positive change in the Territory through initiatives committed to youth, learning, family support and the environment. With a professional staff and a volunteer Board of Directors composed of community leaders, CFVI is a trusted advocate and supporter of programs that ensure opportunity and sustainability for current and future generations. CFVI is a registered non-profit organization entirely supported by individual donors, grants, trusts, corporate donations and estate planning. For more information, visit www.cfvi.net.
About the National Endowment for the Humanities
Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at: www.neh.gov.