Museum of Early Trades & Crafts Awarded Grant

The Museum of Early Trades & Crafts (METC) is excited to announce that it is a recipient of a $5000 COVID-19 Response Grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities (NJCH).

As part of the federal CARES Act funding package, $75 million in emergency funding was allocated to the National Endowment for the Humanities to assist humanities organizations who have faced hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each state, including the New Jersey Council for the Humanities received a part of this funding.

82 organizations, including METC, received emergency grant funding that totaled $649,620. This funding will help support the important body of work that these organizations do throughout the state that promote lifelong learning, and the exploration of history and culture.

With doors closed to the public, no school programs, and a decline in donations museums have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In a study done by the American Alliance of Museums, museums in the United States are losing $33 million per day due to COVID-19 related closures and as many as 30% of the nation’s museums, especially small institutions in rural areas, will not re-open without financial assistance.

The Museum of Early Trades & Crafts is very grateful to the NJCH for their support. These grants provide opportunities for museums like us to make history relevant and to engage all people to reflect on the shared human experience, especially during unprecedented times.