Thanks to an unprecedented increase in funding from the state of New Jersey, the Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Commission has announced $225,000 in grant awards available for 2022 – double the usual amount of its regular funding programs. Of that total, $150,000 is allocated for the arts and $75,000 is for history.

Additionally, the commission has announced a pilot program for a special funding initiative that will provide $30,000 more this year to new and emerging nonprofit organizations,…