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In response to the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the nation, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 has made federal funds available to affected enterprises including nonprofits. The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) was funded to make grants to qualifying organizations, and through California Humanities (Cal Hum), Buddhist Film Foundation (BFF) received a Recovery Grant.
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This specific grant program targets capacity-building projects to enable organizations to respond to the challenges of the pandemic. BFF’s primary efforts are directed towards completing its video streaming platform, a long-held strategic goal made a priority by the reality of the closing of movie theaters. The grant is key for BFF since, with an all-volunteer team, BFF is not eligible for payroll support. With theaters closed, all of its public screening events for the year have been cancelled; these screenings generate revenue and also attract contributions from attendees.
Funding has been provided by California Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
