President Trump has announced his Fiscal Year 2019 budget recommendations, which proposes eliminating federal funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities and other cultural agencies. Although Indiana Humanities receives support from individuals, corporations and foundations, we depend on federal funding from the NEH to carry out our work. We need your help to voice your support for the humanities.
- You can explain that thanks to federal dollars, humanities programs flow into small-town libraries, tiny cultural centers, and hometown fairs and festivals from Valparaiso to Vevay.
- You can explain that every Hoosier deserves access to thought-provoking cultural programs.
- And, most important, you can help convey that communities with vibrant humanities programs have a greater quality of life, which leads to economic growth and jobs.
Here are two ways you can do that right now: 1. Reach out to your congressional representatives. We encourage you to call and speak directly to the office. Phone calls make the most impact. Click here to find out who they are and how to contact them!
Not sure what to say? Here are a few examples:
“As you and your colleagues discuss and work on the budget, I want to convey the important role that Indiana Humanities plays in our district. Funded through the National Endowment for the Humanities, Indiana Humanities awards grants, provides resources and creates programs that have enhanced the quality of life in my community. Cutting the NEH would not significantly trim the federal budget, but it would significantly affect the quality of life in states and communities like ours. Help Indiana and our country thrive by providing us with more resources—not less.”
Tell a personal story about how Indiana Humanities has impacted an organization in your community—through a grant, a Frankenstein Community Read program or an ALL-IN Block Party, a Community Conversation, a Next Indiana film discussion or Novel Conversations, for example. See how we’ve made an impact in your congressional district with the maps on the right-hand side of this page.
2. Share your story—How has Indiana Humanities impacted your community?
Write a letter to the editor, tell your friends on social media (#SavetheNEH) or discuss it over lunch with your colleagues. Make sure you tell us about that impact, too.
Need some inspiration? Read this letter to the editor from our board of directors that ran in newspapers across the state last year.