UPDATE:

On April 1, 2025, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) proposed cutting the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) budget by $175M—an 80% reduction that would effectively shut down the agency

These cuts INCLUDE prematurely canceling grants specifically made to fund state humanities councils. This funding, obligated by the government’s continuing resolution, canceled without warning almost half of New Hampshire Humanities funding for the remainder of the year. 

Because Connections is partly supported by generous foundations, corporations, and organizations (please see the list of program sponsors at the bottom of this page), New Hampshire Humanities is able to continue accepting applications for Connections programming at this time. We will post a notice when applications need to close. Please contact mnolin at nhhumanities.org for more information. If you would like additional information about the NEH cuts and their impact on New Hampshire Humanities, please see our public statement.

Connections Adult Literacy


The Connections adult literacy program is a book discussion program designed to promote English language skills, cultivate conversations about ideas, reinforce family literacy, and support a culture of reading to more than 500 adult learners across the state of New Hampshire each year. Connections participants can receive up to four free books and keep the books they read.

Using a range of children's and adult literature, Connections provides accessible, humanities-based book discussions for refugees, immigrants, individuals with disabilities, general adult basic education students, and incarcerated parents. More importantly it allows participants to see their own stories in literature, to learn about perspectives different from their own, and provides the opportunity to travel to worlds real or imagined through literature. 

In 2024, teachers reported that 72% increased their knowledge of history or culture, 72% of students increased conversation skills, and 81% of students increased their vocabulary through their participation in the Connections program. 

 

Funded in part through generous support from our program sponsors:

 

 


  

 

 

Ledyard National Bank

Eversource Energy

We thank the following foundations for their generous support:

Ella F. Anderson Trust

The Norwin S. and Elizabeth N. Bean Foundation

Citizens Charitable Foundation - NHCF Henry Lord Scholarship

For Teachers and Program Coordinators
For Facilitators and Participants
Teacher Resources and Lesson Plans
Connections Blog