Virginia Humanities receives $300,000 for local programs

Last year, the Trump administration eliminated funding that had already been granted for humanities councils across the entire county. For Virginia Humanities, that mean an expected $1.7 million disappeared.

In response, the organization vacated their offices in the Dairy Market complex and reduced staff. The Mellon Foundation stepped in with some replacement funding but Virginia Humanities is still operating at a lower capacity.

Now a local foundation has come through with additional funding to support programs in the immediate region around Charlottesville. The Anne and Gene Worrell Foundation have provided $300,000 to support the Virginia Festival of the Book, the Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship program, and a grantmaking program.

“This investment by the Anne & Gene Worrell Foundation will support our work in Central Virginia to help inspire human connection and preserve the cultural richness that defines the region,” an information release quotes Matthew Gibson, executive director of Virginia Humanities. “The Foundation has been an incredibly generous partner in our efforts to expand and deepen cultural programs across Virginia.”

The funding will take effect in the fiscal year that begins on July 1.

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