What does the Council do?
In short, the Council encourages Hoosiers to think, read ­and talk. How? By creating its own programs, such as Community Workshops, Evenings at the House and Novel Conversations; by providing grants for humanities programs throughout the state; and by providing a space—physically and digitally—for people to connect and converse.

Indiana Humanities Council programs and initiatives include:

• Food for Thought – The Council’s signature two-year program will engage Hoosiers in discussions about food — ranging from the personal to the global. Participants will talk about how food helps to define Indiana’s culture, and consider food in the context of history, law, politics, science, the arts, religion, ethnicity, etc. Components include a traveling exhibit and a partnership with the Spirit & Place Festival.
• Dynamic Indiana – A digital town hall and a one-stop shop for convening and encouraging Indiana ideas, innovation and creativity, the Council's re-designed Web-site includes a special “Think.Read.Talk.”section.
• Evenings at the House – Taking advantage of Indianapolis’ First Friday arts tour, the Council opens its doors for humanities-inspired programming the First Friday of every month.
• Community Workshops – In a joint project with the Bowen Center for Public Affairs at Ball State University and other statewide partners, the Council facilitates community conversations around the state on topics such as local government reform and community and economic development.
• Novel Conversations – A free lending library with sets of books available to book clubs, public libraries, and organizations seeking to pursue and discuss new knowledge.
• Governor’s Awards for Tomorrow’s Leaders – Presented in conjunction with the Office of the Governor, the annual awards recognize outstanding young Indiana entrepreneurial, academic and community leaders.
• Teacher Center – An online resource for educators, which includes professional development opportunities, curriculum guides and toolkits, and access to the Council's Resource Connection--a searchable catalog of primary sources, images, videos, student activities, classroom assessments, and lesson plans.
• Grants – In the past five years, the Council has awarded more than $330,000 to nonprofit groups in 73 Indiana cities and towns. Grants fund lectures, workshops, historic preservation education activities, and more.

What are "the humanities"?
Often grouped as the fields of history, literature, philosophy and other related disciplines, “the humanities” are not a thing, but a process for pursuing truths about the shared human condition. They inspire, engage and enrich us, allowing us to remember our past, envision our future and consider ourselves as individuals and as members of communities. In essence, the humanities are the study of, participation in and sharing of the things humans make and the things that make us human.

What types of grants does the Council provide?
The Indiana Humanities Council offers a competitive grants program which awards funding to Indiana not-for-profit organizations, schools, and other institutions. We divide our grants into two broad categories: Humanities Initiative Grants and Historic Preservation Education Grants.

• Humanities Initiative Grants are awarded to not-for-profit organizations that wish to sponsor public humanities programs such as town hall meetings, panels, workshops, lectures, reading and discussion programs, film discussion programs, festivals, and production of humanities resources.
• Historic Preservation Education Grants are awarded to support educational programs related to historic properties in Indiana.

Visit our Grants page for more information.

How is the Council funded?
The Indiana Humanities Council is generously funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The remainder of the funding for the Council comes from private, philanthropic and corporate donations. In order to effectively provide programs, grants, and resources to Indiana citizens, the Council needs your financial support. Please print out the pledge form and mail it with your gift, or you can contribute online through PayPal. All contributions to the Council, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, are fully deductible within federal and state law.

How can I get involved with the Council?
Have a book club? Take advantage of the Novel Conversations library. Know a child? Download educational activities from the Teacher Center and Resource Connection pages. Have an interesting Indiana food story to tell? Share it here.

Show your support for the humanities by attending one of our Evenings at the House, or an event held by one of our grantees. Check out the Council's calendar for humanities events throughout the state. Subscribe to our e-newsletter list to get monthly updates from the Council about grant deadlines, upcoming events and general humanities news.

The Council is always searching for citizens interested in serving on its volunteer, statewide Board of Directors. Please review our Request for Board Nominations. You can also pledge your support financially by filling out this pledge form and mailing it with your gift, or you can contribute online through PayPal.

How can I get updated information from the Council?
The Indiana Humanities Council provides most of its updates digitally. You can sign up to receive monthly e-newsletters from the Council (above) and you can follow the Council on Twitter (@INHumanities) or on Facebook for more timely updates. The interactive section of the Web site (Think.Read.Talk.) also includes information about Council activities, as well as updates from partners around the state.