Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Humanities Center Grants topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Minnesota Humanities Center reports $15.4 million administered this biennium, requests $2.5 million for 2026–27
Summary
The Minnesota Humanities Center told the Legacy Finance Committee it administered about $15.4 million in grants during the 2023–25 biennium and described several new grant lines, strong applicant demand, and a streamlined application process. The center asked for $2.5 million for 2026–27 to expand programming.
Kevin Lindsey, CEO of the Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC), and grants manager Tristy Auger briefed the Legacy Finance Committee on March 5 about grant administration during the 2023–25 biennium and the center’s funding request for 2026–27.
"We really seek to create a space for everyone in the state of Minnesota to have their story told," Tristy Auger said during an overview of MHC’s expanded grants work and outreach efforts.
Auger told the committee MHC administered approximately $15.4 million in grants in the current biennium, noting that was the highest total the center has managed and that several new grant lines were introduced. The center said cultural heritage grants were its largest single bucket (about $9 million in the biennium), and MHC also ran new lines including capacity building, emergency response, festival grants and competitive children’s‑museum grants.
Auger described steps the center took to expand outreach and streamline applications: targeted promotion in community and ethnic media, informational webinars, 30‑minute informational sessions for prospective applicants and more than 150 applicants who took advantage of one‑on‑one meetings. She said nearly 500 individuals or organizations attended MHC informational events during the period.
Demand outpaced available funds in several lines. Auger told the committee the festival grant line drew roughly $2.4 million in requests against $450,000 available. She described a three‑step review process: initial screening for eligibility, review panels that score and rank applications with statutory language and metrics provided, and a final internal review of financial documentation before CEO decisions.
Kevin Lindsey described MHC programming highlights — Indigenous language symposiums, veterans storytelling and educational projects such as Learning from Place and Museum on Main Street — and explained the center’s 2026–27 Legacy request of $2.5 million to expand its reach and services.
Lindsey and Auger said the center had focused grant materials and outreach on underserved communities and used community partners to broaden applicant pools. They described grantee supports that include orientation sessions, monthly check‑ins and newsletters that share best practices and reporting tips.
The committee did not take formal action on the request during the meeting. Lindsey said members and staff were welcome to follow up with the center for additional data and examples of funded projects.
