A Call to Action & Updates
4/8/25
Dear Friends of North Carolina Humanities,
I write with great urgency today to share an update of proposed cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as reported by NPR. Last week, the Trump administration’s DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) recommended catastrophic cuts that could result in the shutting down of the NEH.
North Carolina Humanities is North Carolina’s state affiliate of the NEH. These cuts could result in the loss of approximately $1.6 million annually for North Carolina Humanities and its nonprofit partners. This funding supports North Carolina communities, both urban and rural, in nearly all 100 counties.
The NEH, which has supported local humanities programs, scholarship, museums, historic sites, teachers, and research since 1965, has been targeted by the Trump administration’s DOGE with the aim of reducing its staff by 80% and cutting the agency’s grant programs. On April 3, we learned that DOGE rescinded NEH grants that have already been awarded, including operating support grants for the 56 affiliated humanities councils like North Carolina Humanities. The NEH is North Carolina Humanities’ primary source of funding.
What will North Carolinians lose if North Carolina Humanities’ funding is cut?
– North Carolina Reads: North Carolina Humanities’ free, virtual, statewide book club will be forced to significantly scale back or suspend programs and the resources it provides to libraries and community groups in all of North Carolina’s districts.
– North Carolina-based nonprofits will lose critical access to grants for projects that serve libraries, museums, educational institutions, and communities.
– Fellowships that advance humanities research and scholarship.
– Reading programs that encourage literacy skills and lifelong learning.
– Opportunities for North Carolina students and teachers to participate in National History Day programs.
– North Carolina Humanities’ traveling Smithsonian Institution exhibition program that provides funding and capacity development to rural museums and historical societies.
– Book and cultural festivals that draw tourism and private investment.
– Vital cultural services and jobs.
– AND SO MUCH MORE.
North Carolina Humanities is one of 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils in the nation that distribute NEH funds to public humanities projects. We are working with the Federation of State Humanities Councils, our national membership body, to ensure national advocacy efforts. Humanities councils work, on average, with over 120 local partners each year and raise $2 in private investment for every $1 of federal support. The ripple effects of these cuts will be felt in every state and territory.
Making sure this important work continues will require all of us to come together and advocate for what we believe in.
Here’s What You Can Do:
– Please use this tool to communicate with your Congressional representatives.
– Please use this tool to communicate with your local representatives.
– Share this update with the people in your life who care about history, culture, stories, reading, and writing, and urge them to voice their support.
– Share this alert on social media. You can like and re-share our posts on social media, and we ask that you tag or share them with others in your network.
We recognize that we are not alone in feeling the impact of federal budget cuts and know you have many causes you care for deeply. We thank you for your efforts to stand up for the humanities, for all North Carolinians, and for all Americans.
Unrestricted financial support for the humanities and for North Carolina Humanities to continue operations is more important than ever. If you feel compelled, we encourage you to make a gift that is meaningful to you.
Finally, I recognize this message may prompt more questions. Our team is committed to providing regular updates on our website with factual information as we’re able to assess the situation and our response.
With gratitude,
Sherry Paula Watkins
Executive Director
Frequently Asked Questions:
Who is North Carolina Humanities?
Through programs, initiatives, community grants, fellowships, and more, North Carolina Humanities (NC Humanities/NCH) connects North Carolinians with cultural experiences that spur dialogue, deepen human connections, and inspire community. North Carolina Humanities reaches nearly all 100 counties in the state, increasing the cultural capacity of local institutions and positively impacting local economies. Founded in 1972, we are one of 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils created by Congress and supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to make the humanities accessible across the nation. North Carolina Humanities is a nonpartisan, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. The NEH is North Carolina Humanities’ primary source of funding.
I am a current grantee and/or a participant in a North Carolina Humanities program. What does this mean for me?
It is not yet clear what this will mean for North Carolina Humanities programs and grants. We will provide updates here as more information becomes available. For now, our operations will continue as normal, and we are asking you to please help us advocate for the continuation of NEH funding.
How can I help advocate?
– Please use this tool to communicate with your Congressional representatives.
– Please use this tool to communicate with your local representatives.
– Share this update with the people in your life who care about history, culture, stories, reading, and writing, and urge them to voice their support.
– Share this alert on social media. You can like and re-share our posts on social media, and we ask that you tag or share them with others in your network. Links to our social media channels are on the bottom of our webpage.
– Sign up for our public e-mail list to receive updates as the situation progresses and learn how you can support humanities councils.
– Donate. Unrestricted financial support for the humanities and for North Carolina Humanities to continue operations is more important than ever. If you feel compelled, we encourage you to make a gift that is meaningful to you.
What are humanities councils?
Our nation’s 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils are nonpartisan 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations established by Congress to make outstanding public humanities programming accessible to everyday Americans. Funds sent to the councils by NEH are locally controlled and used by councils to create locally-tailored programs and distribute grants to American institutions like historical societies, museums, heritage sites, and schools.
What do humanities councils do?
Every council creates unique programs, partnerships, and grants based on local needs, but here just a few examples:
- Reading programs that encourage connection and lifelong learning, like North Carolina Reads, NC Humanities’ popular statewide book club celebrating the history and culture of the state.
- The Smithsonian partnership program that brings high-quality national exhibits to small towns.
- Life-saving programs for veterans that honor their service.
- Family reading and literacy programs.
- History programs commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
- Provide vital support for K-12 teachers and students, like NC Humanities’ free reading program Great Reads from Great Places that provides access to books and literacy resources.
- Opportunities for students and teachers to participate in National History Day programs.
- Funding for rural museums and historical societies.
- Book and cultural festivals that draw tourism and private investment.
- AND SO MUCH MORE
What is the NEH budget?
The NEH’s overall budget was $207 million in 2024 which amounts to the equivalent of a rounding error in the overall federal budget. Within that, $65 million of that is appropriated by Congress for humanities councils through the NEH Division of Federal/State Partnership. Of that, $1.6 million comes to North Carolina Humanities.
How are humanities councils funded?
Humanities councils are funded by Congress through an appropriation line in the annual budget of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Why does the Federal government fund humanities?
The rationale for establishing the NEH and funding humanities on a Federal level was explained in 1965 in its founding legislation:
“An advanced civilization must not limit its efforts to science and technology alone, but must give full value and support to the other great branches of scholarly and cultural activity in order to achieve a better understanding of the past, a better analysis of the present, and a better view of the future.
Democracy demands wisdom and vision in its citizens. It must therefore foster and support a form of education, and access to the arts and the humanities, designed to make people of all backgrounds and wherever located masters of their technology and not its unthinking servants.”
Humanities councils reach every corner of their states and jurisdictions. Federal funding allows them to offer grants and programs to individuals and organizations in small town and rural areas.
Why do we need humanities councils?
Humanities councils are the most direct and concrete way for federal dollars to reach local constituents and institutions. Many small local organizations (like historical societies and rural school districts) do not have the capacity or training to compete for federal and private grants and program resources. Humanities council grants are simpler to apply for with dedicated staff support for applicants, offered throughout the year, and reviewed locally with the capacity of small organizations in mind.
We recognize this situation may prompt more questions. Our team is committed to providing regular updates here on our website with factual information as we’re able to assess the situation and our response. Thank you.
Last Updated 4/8/25
