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.
Vision Grants offered by Illinois Humanities are $2,000 grants targeting Illinois nonprofit organizations. These grants support planning and evaluation projects related to the humanities, as well as participation in DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) workshops and trainings. Emphasizing the public humanities as a mode of inquiry and conversation, these grants aim to engage, support, or challenge communal ideals, beliefs, tensions, and prejudices, promoting civic engagement and addressing critical issues faced by communities. Specifically, the grants encourage planning for interactive public humanities programming and targeting new audiences, exploring collaborations, and harnessing digital technology. Additionally, they support succession planning and working with consultants to develop evaluation tools, conduct research, and provide training. Vision grants also aim to help organizations become more effective as anti-racist entities and address issues of gender, class, sexuality, disability/ability more holistically. Applicants can request an additional $250 for accessibility services at public events to ensure inclusivity.