TIVERTON — The Little Compton Historical Society was among the grant recipients when civic and cultural organizations around Rhode Island gathered at the Tiverton Public Library Thursday as the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities announced a total of $146,132 in new grants for 16 projects across the state.

“This outstanding group puts the humanities into action in our communities every day,” said Elizabeth Francis, executive director of the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities. “The innovative ways that these grant projects engage diverse audiences and spark meaningful civic dialogue made them stand out in a competitive field of applicants. Rhode Island has a strong history of investing in the humanities and we are proud to partner with each of them.”

Among major grant winners were:

• Little Compton Historical Society, $10,000 for ‘Rethinking the Wilbor House Tour.’
“Strengthening the Little Compton Historical Society’s ability to tell a richer, more authentic, and more relevant community history by redeveloping the Wilbor House Tour. Project will include formalizing docent training, and developing new marketing approaches to reach wider audiences.”

• The Preservation Society of Newport County, $10,000 to ‘Edible Schoolyard at Green Animals.’

“Support for implementation of a K-12 historic foodways program at Green Animals Topiary Garden in Portsmouth. This experiential learning curriculum, developed with a planning grant from the Council, offers school groups and the public an opportunity to explore connections between food and horticultural practices with cultural heritage, health, and the environment.