Culture Keeper Mutual Aid Fund

The Culture Keeper Mutual Aid Fund is a community-powered initiative providing direct financial relief to cultural workers—artists, educators, scholars, librarians, and others—facing economic hardship. As public funding for the arts and humanities continues to be slashed, most recently with deep federal cuts to the NEA, NEH, and IMLS in 2025, cultural workers are increasingly left without a safety net. The Fund exists to help close that gap.

Rooted in the principles of mutual aid, the Fund supports those who sustain our cultural life through small, need-based disbursements for essential expenses. From rent and groceries to work-related transportation and childcare, the Fund helps cultural workers navigate times of instability with dignity and support. To learn more about how the Fund works, see our Q&A section below. For a printable version of the Fund Q&A click here.

Contribute to the Fund
Request Aid

  • The Culture Keeper Mutual Aid Fund is a financial relief initiative for cultural workers—artists, scholars, humanities professionals, museum staff, librarians, and more—experiencing economic hardship during times of instability. The fund operates through community contribution, providing direct support for essential needs.

  • Individuals and organizations are invited to contribute a minimum of $10, whether as a one-time, occasional, or monthly donation. The donated funds will be added to a pool of money that is specifically reserved to support cultural workers. Cultural workers who have contributed to the Fund and have demonstrated a need are eligible to request aid from the Fund based on available resources.

    Monies donated to the Fund ARE NOT for Higher Ground Society’s use. HGS acts as fiscal administrator for the Fund. To this end, the Fund is overseen and co-operated by a team of cultural worker volunteers external of HGS and based across the country.

  • Anyone can participate as a contributor to the Fund, but only certain people can request aid. There are two kinds of contributors:

    👥 Keepers

    Keepers are cultural workers, individuals who work within the cultural sector, including:

    • Museum and library workers

    • Arts and humanities administrators

    • Historical society staff

    • Independent contractors and consultants

    • Arts and humanities educators

    • Artists and scholars

    Keepers may contribute to the fund and request aid from it.

    🤝 Friends

    Friends are supporters of cultural workers—family, friends, colleagues, nonprofits, or members of the public.

    • Friends may contribute to the fund, but cannot request aid.

    • All contributions made by Friends go directly to assisting Keepers with essential expenses.

    • Organizations wishing to contribute are considered Friends, and as such are not eligible to request aid.

  • A Keeper can request aid from the Fund once a quarter, or four times a year. To be eligible for this benefit a Keeper must have contributed to the Fund at least $30 per quarter, or ($10 per month).

    Keepers may submit mutual aid requests using our request form HERE. Requests must include adequate documentation, such as a bill, to support their ask.

    A member of the Fund volunteer admin team will respond within one week with any follow up questions or tasks.

  • The Culture Keeper Mutual Aid Fund was established to assist cultural workers navigate financial hardships while continuing to work in their field. To that end, mutual aid requests are categorized into two tiers—I and II. Tier I requests are given highest priority, followed by Tier II requests. The lists below provide examples of tier requests.

    Tier I

    • Aid toward rent/mortgage costs

    • Food/groceries

    • Childcare/school fees

    • Utility bills

    • Prescription medications

    • Transportation for work (e.g. gas, bus/train fare, rideshare)

    Tier II

    • Medical bills

    • Professional development opportunities (e.g. conference or workshop registration, certification)

    • Auto insurance or repair

    • Credit card payments

    • Emergency travel

    • Burial/funeral expenses

    While Keepers will be asked to identify which tier their request fits in, the Fund admin team will make final tier determinations.

  • A Keeper who has met the minimum quarterly contribution requirement may request a maximum of $300 in aid per quarter.

    A Keeper who has contributed more than the quarterly requirement may request a maximum of $500 in aid.

    Examples:

    It is March (quarter one). Delaney contributed $30 to the Fund in January. Delaney’s tire blew out on the interstate and she needs a replacement. Delaney submits a request Tier II request to help pay for the replacement tire.

    It is November (quarter four). Hakeem contributed $150 to the Fund in October. Hakeem’s energy bill for the month is $689. Hakeem submits a Tier I request of $500 to help cover the bill.

    We will provide aid so long as adequate funds are available, so we ask all Keepers to request only what they need.

Meet the CKMAF Management Team

Harvee White, South Carolina Public Historian & Arts Administrator

Jacob Pelletier, Vermont Humanities Community Programs Officer

Shannon Stokes, North Carolina Arts & Cultural Organizer, Wellness Entrepreneur

Want to assist with facilitating the Culture Keeper Mutual Aid Fund? Fill out our volunteer form using the button below.

Join the Volunteer team

Got questions? Reach out to us at our Contact form.