The West Virginia Humanities Council aims to support and promote public humanities programming for audiences in West Virginia. Through their efforts, they facilitate understanding and appreciation of the humanities, encompassing a wide range of disciplines, to foster a deep sense of the human condition, heritage, and the relevance of humanities in contemporary society.
The grant program offered by the West Virginia Humanities Council is designed to enrich public understanding and appreciation of the humanities within West Virginia. These matching grants are available to nonprofits that deliver humanities programming to state residents. The Council supports a wide range of humanities disciplines, emphasizing their role in analyzing the human condition and contributing to societal well-being. Specific initiatives under this grant program include Travel Assistance Grants, which fund individuals associated with educational and cultural institutions in West Virginia to attend professional meetings and conferences related to the humanities. These grants aim to enhance professional development, foster inter-organizational collaboration, and ensure the broader community benefits from the expanded expertise and experiences of the attendees. Selection criteria for these grants focus on the anticipated benefits to the humanities field, the individual, their organization, and the community, rather than supporting academic coursework or general research.