The grant will support Essential Conversations programming to get important stories in the hands of kids and teens 

Honesdale, PA – The Highlights Foundation is pleased to announce that they have been approved to receive a $50,000 American Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to help the arts and cultural sector recover from the pandemic. 

The Highlights Foundation will use the grant to support operations, faculty, and artist fee expenses to continue our Essential Conversations programming.  Essential Conversations workshops and courses are designed to help children’s authors, illustrators, and creatives bring important stories to kids and teens, fostering representation and diversity in children’s literature. 

“Our nation’s arts sector has been among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Endowment for the Arts’ American Rescue Plan funding will help arts organizations, such as The Highlights Foundation, rebuild and reopen,” said Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson, chair of the NEA. “The arts are crucial in helping America’s communities heal, unite, and inspire, as well as essential to our nation’s economic recovery.” 

“We are proud to be recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts for our work to positively impact children by amplifying the voices of storytellers. This recognition helps reinforce the important impact books can have on a child’s life. We’re especially thrilled to have support for our Essential Conversations series,” said George Brown, Executive Director of The Highlights Foundation. 

The American Rescue Plan was signed into law in March 2021 when the NEA was provided $135 million for the arts sector. This funding for organizations is the third installment, providing more than $57.7 million for arts 567 arts organizations in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington, DC. In April 2021, the NEA announced $52 million (40 percent) in ARP funding would be allocated to 62 state, jurisdictional, and regional arts organizations for regranting through their respective programs. The second installment in November 2021 allocated $20.2 million to 66 local arts agencies for subgranting to local artists and art organizations.  

For more information on the NEA’s American Rescue Plan grants, including the full list of arts organizations funded, visit www.arts.gov/COVID-19/the-american-rescue-plan.  

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CONTACTS: 

George Brown, Executive Director, Highlights Foundation (George.Brown@highlightsfoundation.org)