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On Monday, March 31, the Federation of State Humanities Councils learned that DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) is targeting the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) with the aim of substantially reducing its staff, cutting the agency’s grant programs, and rescinding grants that have already been awarded. The National Endowment for the Humanities is the only federal agency that funds our nation’s 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils.
Starting late in the evening on Wednesday, April 2, all humanities councils received emails and letters under the signature of NEH Acting Chair Michael McDonald notifying them that all awarded grants—including their 5-year General Operating Grants and other program-specific awards—were canceled in their entirety, effective April 1.
We asked humanities councils around the country to share what their state will lose if these cuts go through. Here’s how states in the Southern US will be negatively impacted by the loss of National Endowment for the Humanities funds and defunding of their state humanities council. While not every state contributed to this article, every state in the South will be affected.
What will be lost in Alabama if NEH funding for humanities councils is cut?
Founded in 1974, the nonprofit and nonpartisan Alabama Humanities Alliance (AHA) is the official humanities council of Alabama. It is funded through the National Endowment for the Humanities. Executive Director Chuck Holmes shared what Alabama will lose if AHA’s federal funding is cut.
“Alabama Humanities Alliance’s full grantmaking program is at stake, which Alabamians and nonprofits rely on statewide. In 2024, AHA provided $380,000 in grant funding to nonprofits statewide.
NEH funding also enables AHA to leverage state, corporate, foundation and individual support, which supplements AHA’s original programming that includes our Alabama History Day program for middle and high school students; our Road Scholars Speakers Bureau that’s beloved by local libraries, historical societies, and senior citizen centers; Smithsonian traveling exhibits; teacher workshops and scholarships; and much more.
Long-term, without federal funding, AHA would have to dramatically reduce its offerings or shutter completely. In addition to our grantmaking, we rely on NEH funding for our operational costs, including staff salaries and office [expenses].”
Read Alabama Humanities Alliance’s statement on cuts and their impact.
News coverage of these cuts’ impacts in Alabama: BirminghamWatch, AL.com
What will be lost in Arkansas if NEH funding for humanities councils is cut?
Founded in 1974, the nonprofit HumanitiesAR is the official humanities council of Arkansas. It is funded through the National Endowment for the Humanities. Executive Director Jama Best shared what Arkansas will lose if HumanitiesAR’s federal funding is cut.
“Without continued funding, the essential initiatives of HumanitiesAR would be severely impacted, and many of the programs it supports would come to an end. The council’s invaluable role in providing grant opportunities, facilitating educational programs, and offering resources for nonprofits would be undermined, particularly in rural communities. These communities, which often lack access to other avenues for such programs and support, would be left without vital resources.
Should federal funding be reduced or eliminated, the impact on Arkansas’s communities would be profound. Without these essential resources, students’ literacy rates would suffer, the stories of Arkansas’s past and present would go untold, and nonprofits, schools, museums, and historical societies—particularly those in rural areas—would lose access to crucial programming and support. For many of these communities, HumanitiesAR represents one of the few avenues for such opportunities.”
What will be lost in Georgia if NEH funding for humanities councils is cut?
Founded in 1971, the nonprofit Georgia Humanities is the official humanities council of Georgia. It is funded through the National Endowment for the Humanities. President Mary Wearn shared what Georgia will lose if Georgia Humanities’ federal funding is cut.
“Georgia Humanities is the only humanities organization in Georgia with a statewide mission. We efficiently leverage federal funds through state, private, and partnership dollars to support quality programming in every corner of the state.
Our National History Day program improves the critical thinking skills and college-readiness of thousands of Georgia students each year. The program also provides primary source training for hundreds of Georgia history teachers each year, amplifying the power of the program. Georgia Humanities also sits on the Georgia US250 Commission. Loss of federal funding will curtail plans for programming commemorating America’s 250th birthday in every corner of the state.”
What will be lost in Kentucky if NEH funding for humanities councils is cut?
Founded in 1972, the nonprofit Kentucky Humanities is the official humanities council of Kentucky. It is funded through the National Endowment for the Humanities. Executive Director Bill Goodman shared what Kentucky will lose if Kentucky Humanities’ federal funding is cut.
“Kentucky Humanities has been ‘Telling Kentucky’s Story’ for fifty-three years. We cover 120 counties in the Commonwealth with literacy programs, Chautauqua performances, book discussions, and visits to schools with authors and book giveaways.
The National Endowment for the Humanities makes it possible for us to do our work in Kentucky. Without our federal allocation, many of these programs would disappear from the rural landscape in our state. Federal funding is vital to our future success.”
What will be lost in Louisiana if NEH funding for humanities councils is cut?
Founded in 1971, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities is a nonprofit and the official humanities council of Louisiana. It is funded through the National Endowment for the Humanities. President/Executive Director Miranda Restovic shared what Louisiana will lose if the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities’ federal funding is cut.
“[It would mean a] total loss of competitive, statewide re-grants on Louisiana history and culture [and] significantly diminish educator professional development support and resources
Supporting Louisiana’s educators has been an important part of LEH’s work for decades. In 2022, LEH proactively partnered with the Louisiana Department of Education to bring high-quality social studies resources into K–12 classrooms and began creating standards-aligned teacher workshops that became the Institute for Louisiana Culture and History. No other organization is offering Louisiana educators access to and opportunities to train on the implementation of free, accessible classroom content linked to the state’s new social studies standards. With 94 entries added [to the 64 Parishes Encyclopedia] in 2024, this growing and valued resource will be in jeopardy without federal funding.”
What will be lost in Mississippi if NEH funding for humanities councils is cut?
Founded in 1972, the Mississippi Humanities Council is a nonprofit and the official humanities council of Mississippi. It is funded through the National Endowment for the Humanities. Executive Director Stuart Rockoff shared what Mississippi will lose if the Mississippi Humanities Council’s federal funding is cut.
“Mississippi is a poor state, without significant corporate, philanthropic, or foundation resources to support cultural life. And yet, Mississippi has long been rich in creativity and on the front lines of America’s most important historical events. Our history and culture are nationally significant. Without federal funding for the Mississippi Humanities Council, this rich legacy will struggle to be preserved and passed down, especially in our state’s rural areas.
[The state will also lose] our extensive work providing educational opportunities for incarcerated Mississippians. We currently work with 5 community colleges to fund for-credit courses at seven Mississippi prisons. We have 16 different scholar-led book clubs in prisons across Mississippi. The clubs read great works of classic and contemporary literature, and have had a profound impact on the lives of these men and women and the culture within these institutions. They are proof that engaging with the humanities can change lives.”
What will be lost in North Carolina if NEH funding for humanities councils is cut?
Founded in 1972, North Carolina Humanities is a nonprofit and the official humanities council of North Carolina. It is funded through the National Endowment for the Humanities. Executive Director Sherry Paula Watkins shared what North Carolina will lose if North Carolina Humanities’ federal funding is cut.
“Federal funding is critical to North Carolina Humanities because it ensures that all North Carolinians can access humanities programs in all districts in North Carolina through the North Carolina Center for the Book, [Smithsonian] Museum on Main Street Programs in rural museums, and grants to all districts to nonprofit organizations.
North Carolina Humanities is the only organization that is dedicated to funding the humanities for the public in the state of North Carolina. Federal funding allows North Carolina Humanities to offer resources to rural and urban communities, curated programs for hundreds of community groups without the capacity to provide services to their communities, and grants to community-originated project grants. Federal support provides the foundation needed to serve rural communities, preserve cultural heritage, and sustain community life and vibrancy for North Carolinians.
Federal funding to North Carolina Humanities is leveraged for additional resources from hundreds of partnerships and community groups for significant resources from private foundations, state government funds, and individuals. North Carolina Humanities-funded programs are critical [for] rural economic [development], tourism, and community vibrancy.”
What will be lost in Oklahoma if NEH funding for humanities councils is cut?
Founded in 1971, Oklahoma Humanities is a nonprofit and the official humanities council of Oklahoma. It is funded through the National Endowment for the Humanities. Caroline Lowry, Executive Director of Oklahoma Humanities, was interviewed by the New York Times about the impact these cuts will have on Oklahoma:
“Caroline Lowery, the executive director of Oklahoma Humanities, said her organization, which has seven employees, received roughly $1 million in operational support from the agency each year, which amounts to about 75 percent of its budget. That money is then used to support projects serving all of Oklahoma’s 77 counties, most of which, she said, are rural and lack any other humanities infrastructure.
‘The impact will be devastating statewide,’ she said. ‘There will be an immediate loss of support for programs that serve veterans, programs that serve rural communities.’
Projects have included an oral history project with survivors of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, and an effort to digitize news coverage and other records relating to the 1995 bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City.
‘Our history will literally be lost,’ she said. ‘We are the stopgap. We are the institution that is making sure Oklahoma’s stories are preserved.'”
More coverage of how these cuts will impact Oklahoma: KTUL, KGOU, The Oklahoman
What will be lost in Tennessee if NEH funding for humanities councils is cut?
Founded in 1972, Humanities Tennessee is a nonprofit and the official humanities council of Tennessee. It is funded through the National Endowment for the Humanities. Executive Director Tim Henderson shared what Tennessee will lose if Humanities Tennessee’s federal funding is cut.
“[Tennessee will lose] free reading and book programs like the Southern Festival of Books— connecting readers and authors for 36 years; access to book news and events via Chapter16; young writer and reader programs like Student Readers Days that connect school students with authors while providing free books; our annual writing workshops for high school students; our Shared Futures Lab podcast spotlighting Tennessee stories and exploring ways to create a thriving future for all Tennesseans; opportunities for K-12 students across the state to participate in Tennessee History Day and National History Day competitions; funding for rural museums and historical societies; scholarships for volunteers at small museums to attend the annual Tennessee Association of Museums conference
Federal support of our programs allows Humanities Tennessee to offer [these programs] free and open to all public participants, which is increasingly difficult in the world of book-related events. NEH grant funds are the key to offering high-quality programming freely to everyone.”
What will be lost in Texas if NEH funding for humanities councils is cut?
Founded in 1973, Humanities Texas is a nonprofit and the official humanities council of Texas. It is funded through the National Endowment for the Humanities. Executive Director Eric Lupfer shared what Texas will lose if Humanities Texas’ federal funding is cut.
“Humanities Texas has served Texans of all ages for five decades through programs that improve classroom teaching, support libraries and museums, and create opportunities for lifelong learning. These programs also contribute to Texas’s thriving economy, culture, and civic life. Like our fellow state humanities councils, Humanities Texas pursues our mission as a public-private partnership, leveraging federal funding with significant state and private support. Without NEH funding, we lose the operational support that not only supports our service to Texans statewide, but also catalyzes local investment from individuals, foundations, and corporations.
[Texas will lose] teacher professional development workshops in Texas and US history, government, and language arts that have improved the quality of classroom teaching throughout the state for nearly twenty years; small, easy-to-administer grants to rural communities that are not served by private philanthropy; traveling exhibitions program that serves small libraries and museums nationwide; a reading and discussion program for veterans that promotes reflection upon the experience of combat, military service, and the return to civilian life; a family reading program that supports school-readiness and promotes early childhood literacy; and popular film screenings and public lectures addressing the state’s distinctive history and culture.”
