ACLS Sustaining Public Engagement Grants were designed to repair the damage done to publicly engaged humanities projects and programs by the social and economic disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. These grants supported publicly engaged humanities programs based at accredited American colleges and universities that experienced programming setbacks and/or staffing reductions related to pandemic conditions. The program supported 24 humanities projects and programs that engage with issues of urgent public interest in one or more of six key areas: racial equity; climate change; US-global relations; public health and pandemic recovery; strengthening democracy; and exploring America’s diverse history. 

ACLS Sustaining Public Engagement Grants were made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the American Rescue Plan Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan (SHARP) initiative.