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NEH Funding Terminated

Indiana Humanities recently received notice on April 2, 2025 from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) terminating congressionally approved grant funding that provides support to our organization and allows us to serve Hoosiers in all 92 counties.

What does this mean for Indiana?

Although we will remain operational, the loss of NEH funding will profoundly impact our ability to serve Hoosiers statewide. Residents in cities, towns, and rural areas will lose access to traveling exhibitions, speakers series, film screenings, conversations, and many more programs that support Hoosier communities.

In 2024, we provided 127 organizations with more than $317,000 in direct grants and program support. Without NEH funding, we will have limited resources to provide assistance for groups to celebrate local history, hold teacher workshops, host festivals, provide educational activities for students, or engage residents in their towns’ unique architectural heritage.

Who is hurt by this loss of funding?

This loss will be felt particularly in small towns and rural areas with fewer funders to invest in cultural programs that enrich lives and create a sense of belonging. A loss of NEH funding will prevent us from providing these services to Hoosiers, which will diminish our quality of life.  

What can you do?

We have been in regular communication with our congressional and state representatives, and we need your help to amplify this message alongside us.

Here are steps you can take now:

  • Write to your congressional representatives to let them know that this work is meaningful to you and your community! You can find sample language below, and customize your message to express how this loss of funding would impact you and your community.
  • Share the message with your network on social media and send it directly to five people and ask them to take action as well.
  • Consider making a donation to Indiana Humanities. As an independent nonprofit, we rely on your support to help us provide public programming and grants for projects statewide. A gift of any size will help us continue to serve our state in this time of great uncertainty.
  • Write a letter to the editor at your local newspaper explaining why the work Indiana Humanities does in your community is important and the impact these federal dollars have in your state.

UPDATE APRIL 29, 2025 : Help Us Meet Our Match!

The Mellon Foundation announced a $15 million emergency funding commitment to the Federation of State Humanities Councils in response to federal funding cuts that have devastated state humanities councils. This emergency funding will provide $200,000 for Indiana Humanities with a Humanities100 $50,000 match opportunity for our state.

Any donations received by Indiana Humanities starting April 29, 2025, count towards the dollar-for-dollar match.

Even with this support, a gap of at least $500,000 remains after the loss of federal funding for this fiscal year alone, which jeopardizes our ability to serve Hoosiers of all ages and circumstances in all 92 counties through free public programs, grants, and storytelling. So please give generously.

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Script for Contacting Elected Officials

Protect the NEH and Save Indiana Humanities

As a constituent, I am [writing/calling] to urgently request that you support the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in the face of the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) attempt to substantially reduce its staff, cut the agency’s grant programs, and rescind grants that have already been awarded.

[Say something personal about your connection to Indiana Humanities and the impact of their work on your community here.]

NEH is the only agency that funds our nation’s 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils, which provide vital cultural services and critical funding to local nonprofit organizations across the nation. 

NEH was created by an act of Congress in 1965 and reaffirmed by Republican and Democratic Presidents and legislators over the following 60 years. DOGE’s reductions to the NEH budget and workforce will block the agency’s ability to carry out Congressional intent.

Every Congress for 50 years has supported the state humanities councils and their effective distribution of federal dollars across America. These funds go directly to states (and your district) and allow councils to raise $2 in private investment for every federal dollar spent.

The loss of NEH funding to humanities councils will decimate the ability of these nonprofits to serve communities across our state, eliminating programs that are essential to our region’s cultural infrastructure. 

Again, I urge you to protect NEH and NEH funding for humanities councils. 

——

If you need to find your representative’s contact information, click here.


Other Resources

Find out about Indiana Humanities | https://indianahumanities.org

Read the statement from the National Humanities Alliance |
https://nhalliance.org/federal-funding/savetheneh

Read the statement from the Federation of State Humanities Councils |
https://www.statehumanities.org/action-alert-neh-targeted-by-doge

If you have feedback or questions, please contact Marisol Gouveia at mgouveia@indianahumanities.org.

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