Friends of Denny Ashby Library receives $2k grant

POMEROY–The Friends of the Denny Ashby Library received a $2,000 Humanities Washington, Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan (SHARP) grant award, specifically designed for non-profit organizations affected by COVID.

Nonprofit Humanities Washington, Washington State's affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, has awarded over $1 million in relief funding for Washington State cultural organizations affected by COVID.

The grants, known as "SHARP" grant, will support Washington State nonprofit cultural organizations that provide humanities programming and that are facing financial hardship due to the coronavirus. The grants are funded by the American Rescue Plan via the National Endowment for the Humanities.

"It was quite the process [government grants] that we had to go through and involved," said Friends of the Denny Ashby Library Chair Barbara DeHerrera. "We were pleased to see we were among those selected this year as a recipient for an award. The grant is intended to be used for specific activities such as humanity speakers who will be invited this year as a free public event."

A total of 122 organizations were awarded $1,024,139, ranging from $2,500 to $15,000 per organization. The funding supported either general operating or specific projects. Organizations serving and led by members of communities traditionally under-resourced in the humanities were given priority, especially those organizations serving people of color, immigrants and refugees, those who identify as LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, and people whose first or only language is not English.

This was the second round of grants awarded to cultural organizations from Humanities Washington during the pandemic, the first being in the spring of 2020 via the CARES Act.

"The pandemic has brought isolation, uncertainty, and loss to so many," said Julie Ziegler, CEO of Humanities Washington. "The humanities, with their ability to provide connection and perspective, are an essential part of our recovery. The sector, however, is far from whole compared to pre-pandemic. It is our hope that this investment from the federal government will be further leveraged with state investment for the benefit of the sector."