California Humanities has announced $40,000 in grant awards to eight local organizations through the second round of its Connecting California initiative.
Oakland, CA (Tuesday, July 21, 2026) — California Humanities has announced $40,000 in grant awards to eight local organizations through the second round of its Connecting California initiative. Spanning from Butte to Los Angeles, the funded projects harness storytelling, history, and the humanities to bridge cultural divides and spark meaningful local conversations.
“Connecting California invests in community-led initiatives that help us see the world through our neighbor's eyes,” said Rick Noguchi, President & CEO of California Humanities. “We are proud to support these eight organizations as they create welcoming spaces for communities to gather, build relationships across differences, and deepen their local roots.”
This slate of grants marks the second of three funding rounds slated for 2026. Featured projects demonstrate the power of local history and creative expression to address complex social dynamics.
“Stories have the power to build bridges where differences might otherwise create distance,” said Thom Waldman, Founder & President of We Are Atascadero Pride. “Through interactive humanities experiences, we’re creating welcoming spaces where people can listen, ask questions, share their own experiences, and discover the common humanity that connects us.”
The eight funded projects represent a broad geographic spread across the state and a spectrum of local experiences and a range of humanities approaches.
2026 Connecting California Grant Recipients: Round Two
Bay Area:
Alkebulan Fiscal Sponsors DBA West Oakland Cultural Action Network (Oakland) – The Pla[y/n] for Reparation$: Public Redistribution Workshops ($5,000) – Community workshops combine shared meals, facilitated dialogue, and collaborative decision-making to explore California's reparations report and encourage conversations about justice, equity, and community responsibility.
Petaluma Museum Association (Petaluma) – Belongings: What We Bring, What We Leave Behind ($5,000) – A community storytelling exhibition where immigrants, migrants, and longtime residents share meaningful objects and personal stories that explore migration, memory, and belonging while encouraging dialogue across generations and cultures.
Organization of Anonymous Contributors (San Jose) – Hùng Vương: Vietnamese History, Language, and Belonging ($5,000) – Bilingual educational programs hosted in schools and public libraries bring together Vietnamese American youth, families, elders, and community members to celebrate language, history, and cultural identity while strengthening intergenerational and cross-cultural understanding.
Central Coast:
JMM Dance Co. (Hollister) – Cafecitos & Comunidad: Connecting Across Difference Through Culture, Conversation, and Movement ($5,000) – Public gatherings in Hollister, San Juan Bautista, and Gilroy combine storytelling, guided conversation, and movement-based reflection to strengthen relationships among families and neighbors from diverse backgrounds.
We Are Atascadero Pride (Atascadero) – Creating Safe Spaces: A Rural Community Connection Series ($5,000) – A three-day community series brings together LGBTQ+ residents, families, youth, seniors, and Spanish-speaking neighbors through storytelling, dialogue, and creative activities that foster belonging and understanding in a rural community.
Inland Empire:
Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California (Riverside) – Touchpoints: Community Dialogues about Seeing Differently ($5,000) – A four-part workshop series brings together blind, low-vision, and sighted community members through dialogue, arts experiences, and hands-on activities that foster accessibility awareness and mutual understanding.
Los Angeles Metro:
Community Partners / Mindful Veteran Project (Los Angeles) – Building Bridges: Veterans and the Non-Military-Connected Population ($5,000) – Following a short film, veterans, students, faculty, and community members will share stories and a community meal at California State University, Northridge, creating opportunities to break down stereotypes, foster understanding, and strengthen relationships between military-connected and civilian communities.
Northern California:
Butte Defense Equity Project (Chico) – Pivot: Stories of Breaking the Cycle ($5,000) – Individuals with lived experience of incarceration share stories of transformation during public events that encourage conversations about justice, rehabilitation, and second chances.
About California Humanities
California Humanities, a nonprofit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities, connects Californians to ideas and one another to better understand our shared heritage and the many cultures that shape our state. For 50 years, our grants and programs have fostered connection, community, and learning through storytelling, dialogue, and the arts. To learn more, visit calhum.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
