Union County Invests in Local Arts and History Through 2026 HEART Grants

The Union County Board of County Commissioners announces that 81 artists, historians and local non-profit organizations will receive funding through the 2026 Union County HEART (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) Grant Program.

The HEART grant program was created by the Board of Commissioners in 1998, in recognition of the importance of culture and the arts to the Union County economy and quality of life. The innovative program supports projects related to history, the arts and humanities, and demonstrates a commitment to the artists and non-profit community organizations of Union County. Total funding for this year's grants is $100,000.

"We are proud to support the individuals and organizations who create meaningful opportunities for our residents to connect through arts, history, and education. The HEART Grant Program helps make these experiences accessible and keeps our communities connected," said Union County Commissioner Chairman Joseph C. Bodek. "At its core, this program supports the people who make Union County a vibrant place to live."

Union County HEART Grants Awarded 2026:

Individuals

• Adelle Molina, New Providence, $500.00
• Bridget Briant, Garwood, $600.00
• Candace Waller, Fanwood, $800.00
• Christina Izmirlian, Westfield, $600.00
• Dario Scholis, Elizabeth, $800.00
• Hao Feng, Summit, $800.00
• Kiyanna Lawrence, Westfield, $500.00
• Lowell Schantz, Westfield, $800.00
• Maria Daniel, Scotch Plains, $600.00
• Robin Chang, Westfield, $600.00
• Tylie Shider, Plainfield, $500.00
• Valerie Porter, Roselle, $500.00

Organizations

• Borough of Fanwood, Fanwood, $1,500.00
• Borough of Mountainside, Mountainside, $1,200.00
• Borough of Roselle Park, Roselle Park, $800.00
• Carolyn Dorfman Dance, Union, $1,750.00
• City of Plainfield, Plainfield, $1,500.00
• City of Summit, Summit, $800.00
• Connecticut Farms First Presbyterian Cemetery, Union, $1,500.00
• Cranford Housing Board, Cranford, $800.00
• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Westfield, Westfield, $800.00
• Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center, Plainfield, $1,500.00
• Dreamhouse Theater Company, Plainfield, $1,200.00
• Elizabeth Avenue Partnership, Elizabeth, $1,500.00
• Elizabeth Public Library, Elizabeth, $1,000.00
• Elizabeth Renaissance Foundation, Elizabeth, $1,500.00
• Emerson Community School, Plainfield, $1,500.00
• Fanwood-Scotch Plains Rotary Frazee House Inc., Fanwood, $1,500.00
• Forgotten Victory Trail, Summit, $1,500.00
• Garwood Partnership for Arts and Culture, Garwood, $700.00
• Girls on a Mission with Ambition, Roselle Park, $1,500.00
• Green Thumb Garden Club of Cranford, Cranford, $700.00
• Groundwork Elizabeth, Elizabeth, $1,450.00
• Haitian Flag Day Planning Committee of New Jersey, Elizabeth, $1,450.00
• Hanson Park Conservancy, Cranford, $1,000.00
• Historical Society Elizabeth NJ, Elizabeth, $800.00
• Historical Society of Plainfield, Plainfield, $1,750.00
• Institute of Music for Children, Elizabeth, $1,500.00
• JCC of Central NJ, Scotch Plains, $1,450.00
• Jefferson Park Ministries, Elizabeth, $1,500.00
• Jersey Central Theatre Company, Fanwood, $1,450.00
• Jewish Family Service of Central New Jersey, Elizabeth, $1,200.00
• Josephine's Place, Elizabeth, $1,650.00
• Kenilworth Historical Society Incorporated, Kenilworth, $1,200.00
• Liberty Hall Museum, Union, $1,500.00
• Merchants and Drovers Tavern Museum, Rahway, $1,500.00
• Music For All Seasons, Scotch Plains, $1,500.00
• New Jersey Festival Orchestra, Westfield, $1,500.00
• New Jersey Intergenerational Orchestra, Summit, $1,500.00
• Occupational Center of Union County, Roselle, $1,750.00
• Peruvians for Progress, Rahway, $1,450.00
• Premiere Stages at Kean University, Union, $1,500.00
• Preserve the Shady Rest Committee, Scotch Plains, $1,650.00
• Roselle Board of Education, Roselle, $1,500.00
• Roselle Park Loves Arts, Inc., Roselle Park, $1,500.00
• SAGE Eldercare, Summit, $1,500.00
• Second Street Youth Center, Plainfield, $1,500.00
• Social Justice Matters, Inc., Scotch Plains, $1,500.00
• Stony Hill Players, Summit, $1,500.00
• Summit Community Players - Central Presbyterian Church, Summit, $1,500.00
• The Connection for Women and Families, Summit, $1,200.00
• The H.U.S.H. House Foundation, Plainfield, $1,200.00
• The Musical Club of Westfield, Inc., Westfield, $1,500.00
• Township of Cranford, Cranford, $600.00
• Township of Scotch Plains, Scotch Plains, $1,500.00
• Township of Union School District, Union, $1,500.00
• Union County Historical Society, Cranford, $800.00
• Union Township Historical Society, Union, $800.00
• Visions and Pathways, Plainfield, $1,500.00
• Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, Summit, $1,500.00
• Vivid Stage, Summit, $1,500.00
• Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route NJ, Westfield, $1,500.00
• Westfield Arts Collective, Westfield, $1,500.00
• Westfield Coalition for the Arts, Westfield, $1,200.00
• Westfield Community Center, Westfield, $1,000.00
• Westfield Historical Society, Westfield, $800.00
• Westfield Neighborhood Council, Westfield, $1,500.00
• Westfield Public Arts Commission, Westfield, $1,500.00
• Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts, Berkeley Heights, $1,500.00
• YM-YWHA of Union County, Union, $1,500.00
• YMCA Association of Eastern Union County, Elizabeth, $1,300.00

For information about next year's HEART Grant Program, artists, educators, civic groups and historical non-profit organizations can contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at (908) 558-2550 or by email at [email protected]. NJ Relay users can dial 711.