The DHSM shared in June that it was one of 122 other organizations in the state that Mass Humanities announced received funding through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The grants were made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), which received $75 million from the $2 trillion CARES Act legislation passed in March 2020.
The DHSM is pleased to announce that it received $2,500 and that these funds will be used to:
* Purchase an online database program that will link the DHSM collections database to the DHSM website, providing access to the important archives and collections in our holdings. This access will, for the first time, expand awareness of and aid in the sharing of the DHSM’s important archival and collections holdings with scholars and people interested in the material culture and history of Dedham, one of the earliest towns in the nation.
* Purchase an external HD to store images for the collections database and for future digitization projects.
* Purchase a new membership database program that will vastly improve the current system. The new program will aid in the retention of current members, aid in cultivation and new members, and enhance communication efforts.
The DHSM is most appreciative to Mass Humanities and to the NEH for providing this important funding, particularly during these challenging economic times. The ability to improve accessibility and outreach while the DHSM is temporarily closed to the public is critical.