Ridgefield Nonprofit Scores $20K Grant For Cultural Programming

RIDGEFIELD, CT — A Ridgefield cultural hotspot has been awarded a $20,000 grant by Connecticut Humanities, a nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The funding is part of $203,479 approved in Capacity, Planning, and Implementation grants to 13 cultural organizations to support humanities projects throughout the state.

The Planning and Implementation grant awarded to The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum will be used for its Connecticut Edition of the National Scrollathon. This special one-day community event will take place at The Aldrich on Feb. 25, and will invite residents from diverse social, ethnic, and economic backgrounds to the museum to participate in a workshop of civic engagement, "asking them to reflect on their experience as an American and what they hope for the future of our nation."

Connecticut Humanities funds, creates and collaborates on hundreds of cultural programs across Connecticut each year. It administers a competitive grant pool made possible by the Connecticut General Assembly.

Of the 13 total awards, three were for Capacity grants, totaling $25,650. Capacity grants help Connecticut organizations that bring humanities to the public think strategically, better understand their audiences, assets, and operations, and plan for the future, according to a news release from Connecticut Humanities.

The remaining $177,829 was awarded to 10 organizations for Planning and Implementation grants, which support the planning and execution of humanities projects, such as exhibitions, public programs, and interpretive digital media projects.

Funded projects include ones that:

• Expand the historic and cultural narrative around marginalized peoples including Black, Indigenous, Puerto Rican, and queer communities.
• Commemorate America’s Semiquincentennial – the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence taking place in 2026.
• Inspire civic involvement among youth and adults.
• Support exhibitions, lectures, and films on Connecticut artists, writers, and photographers.

"We are pleased to support opportunities for the public to connect and engage with humanities content and themes, and these projects are stellar examples," said Dr. Jason R. Mancini, executive director for CT Humanities. "Through our grant funding, we help our cultural organizations cultivate the curiosity, knowledge, and understanding that is essential to a healthy democracy."