Florida Humanities, the statewide, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, has awarded 129 organizations across the state with a total of $1.88 million.

The funds are part of the $135 million received by the NEH from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, approved by Congress this past spring.

The state humanities councils, including Florida Humanities, each received a portion of the NEH award to support museums, archives, historic sites and other humanities-focused nonprofits that continue to experience financial hardship as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is the largest single grants initiative Florida Humanities has ever managed and the most funding it has distributed at one time.

Among the recipients was the Cape Coral Historical Society Inc., which received $11,500. Another Lee County recipient, the Sanibel Historical Museum & Village, received $23,000.

The Cape Coral Historical Society, which was established to collect, preserve and display the unique history of the city, operates the Cape Coral Historical Museum, which is located at 544 Cultural Park Blvd.

“We really put the focus on the smallest organizations because without this funding, they could permanently close their doors,” said Florida Humanities Associate Director Patricia Putman. “Some of these organizations are the heart of their community. They’re not just cultural agencies, but they’re conveners and meeting places. Some have even served as vaccination sites. When those organizations go away in a main street community, you really impact the whole community and that’s why these dollars are so critical for operating support.”

The ARP funding from Florida Human-ities is intended to meet immediate operational needs in order for organizations to remain viable and maintain delivery of public humanities programming and resources in their communities. Florida Humanities received 188 applications for ARP funding, with nonprofits requesting the most funds for staffing and utilities.

For additional information about the grant, please visit www.FloridaHumanities.org/ARP.