CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – The Thomas Jefferson Foundation, which owns and operates Monticello, has secured a two-year, $1 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, “for support of its project to rebuild civic infrastructure and engagement in museums in coordination with the Educating for American Democracy national network,” according to Carnegie’s grant database.

“Monticello has long been a place where people come to wrestle with the meanings and possibilities of our constitutional democracy,” said Dr. Jane Kamensky, president of the private, non-profit foundation. “This transformational grant allows us to share skills and strategies with other museums and cultural institutions pursuing the same goals. At a time when civic understanding feels especially urgent, we’re proud to help lead this important work.”

The Educating for American Democracy Community Learning Partners network is a group of over 200 historic sites, libraries, museums and public institutions across 47 states and territories, which reaches millions of people annually “working to embed civic purpose in their programs,” according to a release from the Jefferson Foundation.

In 2026, the nation will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration on Independence, written by Jefferson – the architect and resident of Monticello.

“Monticello will serve as a national hub, coordinating a community of practice that helps museums and other learning spaces use the EAD Roadmap, a framework for civic and historical learning developed by educators, historians, and public leaders,” according to the foundation’s release. “From large institutions like the Smithsonian to local museums, libraries, and historical societies, the network will work together to bring history alive and show how civic knowledge can strengthen our shared future.”