CFVI Awards $3000,000 in USVI Grants
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
M.A. Dworkin
USVI - In a major investment in the territory’s cultural landscape, the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI)—acting in its role as the official Humanities Council of the Virgin Islands (HCVI)—has awarded nearly $300,000 in grant funding to 13 organizations and individual practitioners across the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The individual grant awards, which range from $7,500 to $25,000 (with a majority receiving the maximum $25,000 award), are designed to safeguard, share, and celebrate the rich history and vibrant traditions of Caribbean culture.
"Every community in the Virgin Islands has a story worth preserving and sharing," said Dee Baecher-Brown, President of CFVI. "We are proud to invest in organizations that are documenting our history, celebrating our culture, preserving our heritage, and creating opportunities for residents and visitors to better understand what makes the Virgin Islands so unique."
Where the Funding Goes: Six Strategic Focus Areas
The awarded projects span a wide range of creative and scholarly disciplines, addressing critical needs in cultural heritage preservation:
Digital Preservation: Modernizing public access to historic Caribbean narratives through digital archives and online tools.
Music & Dance: Documenting ancestral rhythm, song, and dance traditions before they fade from memory.
Historical Archiving: Preserving artifacts and curating exhibits highlighting pivotal USVI moments, including the Danish West Indies Transfer and the 1848 Emancipation.
Art & Literature: Exploring local cultural identities through fine art, oral histories, and poetry.
Documentary Film: Recording visual Caribbean stories to ensure future generations stay connected to their roots.
Public Education: Bringing Virgin Islands history to life through literacy drives, interactive exhibits, and community events.
Featured Awardees & Funding Partners
The 2026 cohort of grant recipients includes standout local institutions alongside independent historians and artists, such as:
The Children’s Museum of St. Croix
The Center for Educational Growth
The United Jazz Foundation
This crucial funding stream was made possible through a collaboration of national and regional partners, including $173,361 from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and $125,000 from the Federation of State Humanities Councils, with significant support from the Mellon Foundation.
Why It Matters
Since becoming the official Humanities Council for the USVI, CFVI has expanded its mission beyond traditional charitable giving to actively steward the region's historical and artistic legacy. By supporting grassroots educators, archivists, and performers, these grants ensure that the stories of the Virgin Islands remain accessible, documented, and celebrated for generations to come.
To learn more about grant opportunities or the work of the Humanities Council of the Virgin Islands, visit cfvi.net.
