Indiana Humanities on the Power of Connection and Culture

Recently, CICF sat down with Indiana Humanities’ Keira Amstutz, president and CEO, and Marisol Gouveia, director of engagement. Together, they shared insights on the vital role humanities play in shaping vibrant communities across Indiana. From funding grassroots initiatives in rural towns to creating statewide programs that connect Hoosiers through literature, history, and culture, Indiana Humanities ensures the humanities are accessible to everyone. In our conversation, Keira and Marisol reflected on the organization’s impact, current challenges, and what gives them hope for the future.

How do humanities organizations across the state enrich the communities?

Indiana Humanities is part of the essential cultural infrastructure of the state. We work to ensure that everyone has access to the humanities – subjects like history, literature, languages, world cultures, religion, law. We spark curiosity, connect people, and explore the human experience through programs, grants, and storytelling. We provide a space, both physically and digitally, for people to connect and converse. We highlight the importance of the humanities and engage Hoosiers to create stronger, more vibrant communities.

We partner with libraries, schools, colleges and universities, local historical societies and museums, cultural and arts organizations, local municipalities, community foundations, and tourism/economic development corporations to help enhance the quality of life and quality of place in Indiana’s communities. Through our free public programs, grants, and storytelling, we offer Hoosiers of all ages and backgrounds an opportunity to explore the history and culture of their communities, inspiring civic pride, investment, and engagement.

Indiana Humanities offers resources and support to all 92 counties in Indiana each year, and is one of the few organizations offering support for humanities programming in underserved and rural areas, often in the form of small, catalyzing grants to grassroots organizations. With our partners, we promote the vibrancy of Indiana’s communities through our grantmaking and staff support.

If a donor wanted to give a gift to support Indiana Humanities, what would their gift go towards?

The most valuable funding we can receive now is general operating support, which would replace the unrestricted funds lost from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) which we had received for 53 years. Although we don’t expect philanthropy to take the place of the essential governmental funding, we need operating support during this time of transition.

Other areas of critical need are:

• Funding to restart our Action Grants – a small-dollar, high-support program – which is fundamental to the organization’s work and necessary for us to serve the community. We were founded in 1972 as the state affiliate for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) specifically for the purpose of grantmaking. While our work has grown to include programming and storytelling over the years, grants remain core to our identity and purpose, and is the primary way we support communities in all 92 counties.
• Funding to support Proof: A Midwest Lit Fest, an annual literary festival held in Indianapolis in October. Proof is a vibrant, all-ages celebration of writers and readers, created in partnership with local poets and community liaisons Mitchell L.H. Douglas and Chantel Massey. The free festival includes conversations with and about Midwest writers; author readings; opportunities to connect with publishers and literary magazines; free workshops led by experienced writers; an open mic showcasing spoken-word artists; a book fair with local booksellers; a family activity area; author meet-and-greets; and a mixer for writers. Through this event, we foster connections among writers and between writers and their readers; grow the visibility of Central Indiana as an exciting literary destination; support the region’s talented contemporary authors; provide resources to the next generation of Hoosier literary talent; and encourage reading from a young age.
• Funding to support the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, through programs like a speaker’s bureau, a civics-focused grant program, and a tour of the Smithsonian’s Voices and Votes: Democracy in America exhibition across the state. In 2026 and 2027, seven Indiana communities will host the Voices and Votes exhibit for six weeks each and receive extensive training, funding and other resources from the expert staffs of the Smithsonian and Indiana Humanities. Each of the hosts will also curate a unique section of the exhibit that explores their community story of civic engagement. These projects will engage audiences, and encourage them to think, read, and talk about our country’s history with others.
• Funding to support our storytelling and advocacy work, sharing the stories of people and places in Indiana. While our grants and programs are paused because of funding uncertainty, our communications team has become even more important as we highlight the ways in which the public humanities have deepened community connections, enriched quality of life, and enhanced vibrancy of place in our state.

We are lucky to have a modest endowment, and welcome donors to consider gifts to that fund if they have the long-term sustainability of Indiana Humanities in mind. We also encourage donors to consider gifts that endow staff positions or grant programs, for example.

What have you learned the past four months that will advise you moving forward?

We have been reminded of how much our community cares and how the work we do with them matters deeply. It is a reminder of how essential our work is to access, culture, and quality of life statewide.

We’ve also learned that communication with all your audiences is key – the public, board, donors, funders, media. Keeping everyone informed and being as transparent as possible is essential. Share your story!

Where do you find hope right now?

We find hope in all the messages of encouragement we’ve received. People truly care about our team and our work. They want to see us succeed, and that keeps us going.

The humanities have always mattered, and that is especially true now. They help us all bridge the spaces that divide us, and are essential as we think about our American democracy on the eve of the 250thanniversary of the Declaration of Independence.