The Mellon Foundation, the largest funder of the arts and humanities in the US, said it would give $15 million in emergency funding to the Federation of State Humanities Councils (FSHC). The funds will be disbursed to state councils in all 50 states and six jurisdictions.
The news comes almost a month after the Trump administration said that it would cut $65 million from the budget of the National Endowment of the Humanities, which was earmarked for the funding of these state councils as well as additional grants. Because of the abruptness of these cuts, many state councils were expected to face severe deficits or possible closure altogether.
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In a statement, Mellon Foundation president Elizabeth Alexander said, “The places where American communities come together to read, learn, and engage with the humanities’ vast and varied forms of knowledge and creativity are often those supported by these Councils. At stake are both the operational integrity of organizations like museums, libraries, historical societies in every single state, as well as the mechanisms to participate in the cultural dynamism and exchange that is a fundamental part of American civic life.”
Each council will receive a one-time grant of $200,000, totaling $11.2 million. The remaining $2.8 million are designated as challenge grants, in which each council is expected to get local donors to donate $50,000 worth of funding, which the Mellon Foundation will then match. (Donations can be made via the FSHC website.)
State humanities councils and the FSHC, which acts as a membership organization, were established through an act of Congress in 1977 to bring the humanities to every part of the country. These nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations fund community programs in their jurisdiction, from rural literacy initiatives to museum exhibitions to cultural festivals.
In a letter explaining the termination of NEH funds, the federal government explained that the cuts were “necessary to safeguard the interests of the federal government, including its fiscal priorities” and that the money would be repurposed “in a new direction in furtherance of the president’s agenda.” As of last week, $17 million of those cut NEH funds was being directed toward a Trump-designated National Garden of American Heroes of 250 individuals that would be depicted in a “realistic” manner.
FSHC president Phoebe Stein said in a statement, “This is more than a grant—it’s a lifeline for communities across the country who rely on their humanities councils’ programs and grants to fill critical needs and enrich their lives. Mellon’s support allows us to not only preserve this vital network—it helps ensure that everyday Americans can thrive through lifelong learning, connection, and understanding of one another.”