The Groton History Center and the Westford Museum were among several organizations throughout the 3rd Congressional District that were awarded funding to support the response and recovery of the cultural sector from the challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Groton History Center was awarded $7,543, while the Westford Museum was provided $2,780 through the Sustaining the Humanities Through the American Rescue Plan (SHARP) grant program, according to a press release from U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan’s office.
“Our local museums, cultural centers, and historical sites are the hearts of our communities — but they’re also some of the organizations hit hardest by pandemic restrictions,” Trahan said in the release. ““Building back better means providing relief to support them in their recovery, and the American Rescue Plan’s SHARP grants enable us to do just that.”
The American Rescue Plan, passed in March, included $135 million in relief funding to support humanities organizations and cultural institutions, the release states. In June, the U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities distributed $51.6 million of that funding to state humanities councils.
The release states the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities received $987,000 of that funding to distribute to local organizations through the SHARP grant program. A total of 90 local museums, historical societies, and historic sites received awards, including seven in the 3rd Congressional District, received funding.
More than half of the recipients were especially in need of this federal relief, operating on budgets of $300,000 or less, according to the release.
In addition to the Groton History Center and the Westford Museum, other organizations in the 3rd Congressional District that received the latest round of SHARP funding included:
The Andover Center for History and Culture, Andover: $14,707
The Thoreau Society, Concord: $13,000
The Lawrence History Center, Lawrence: $11,375
Massachusetts Center for the Book, Concord: $10,043
