In 2024, a gathering was held in Fargo, orchestrated by Humanities North Dakota, featuring critically acclaimed author and podcast host, Kate Bowler. This organization is one amongst 56 other humanities councils across the United States that are financially bolstered by the National Endowment for the Humanities, an agency formed by Congress in 1965 to promote and support education in culture, arts, and civics.
However, in the early part of April, a cloud of uncertainty loomed over these councils, as the federal government abruptly withdrew their grant funding for the fiscal years of 2024 and 2025. The stark cutbacks amounted to hundreds of millions and were revealed in court documentation. The National Endowment for the Humanities justified this by stating a redirection of their financial resources to align more closely with the President’s objectives.
The wave of uncertainty that swept over Humanities North Dakota was especially significant as they risked losing a significant $600,000 in grant money assigned for the fiscal year 2024. In response to this financial predicament, Humanities North Dakota secured $300,000 in private donations to maintain operations. Despite this, they projected some curtailing of its programming owing to the financial shortfall.
Judge Michael Simon of the Oregon U.S. District, in an order issued on a Wednesday, criticized the executive branch’s decision to withdraw funding from humanities councils, terming it ‘unlawful’. He suggested that it is likely that this move would be reversed in the future. No grants were reinstated immediately following the judge’s order, but it did prevent the federal government from reallocating the funds, as notified by the Federation of State Humanities Councils.
Brenna Gerhardt, the executive director of Humanities North Dakota, expressed that following the court’s decision, the organization would start reviving the initiatives that were paused, reestablishing connections with their community partners, and making financial decisions responsibly. These decisions would be shaped by the evolving dynamics of the recent months and also take into account their long-term commitments.
The cuts in grants were part of a series of program eliminations implemented throughout the executive branch agencies, enacted by the Department of Government Efficiency. Subsequent to the reduction in funding, The National Endowment for the Humanities was compelled to lay off approximately 65% of their staff, as outlined in Judge Simon’s order.
The current controversy originated from a lawsuit filed against both the Department of Government Efficiency and the National Endowment for the Humanities by the Federation of State Humanities Councils along with Oregon Humanities, one of its members. The plaintiffs accused the federal government of disregarding the council’s role, as mandated by Congress, which is to ensure the reach of humanities programs throughout the United States.
The cancellation of the funding by the federal government, as per the plaintiffs, was done without any concrete analysis and looked upon as an utter lack of regard. The National Endowment for the Humanities expressed that the cancellation occurred because the grants were deemed to advocate subjects including diversity, equity, inclusion, accommodation of disability, and environmental justice. These subjects were set to be eliminated as per an executive order issued earlier that year by President Donald Trump.
Judge Simon criticized this approach, stating it contradicted Congress’s intention of how the National Endowment for the Humanities should utilize the grant money. As per federal law, these funds should support programs that ‘reflect the diversity and richness of our American cultural heritage’, and should take into consideration scholars, educational and cultural institutions that have normally been underrepresented.
The repercussions of these funding cuts were far-reaching. Among the programs suffering were an Indigenous language preservation initiative in Alaska, a department focusing on end-of-life care at a children’s hospital in Ohio, and rural libraries based out of Oregon. Judge Simon highlighted these disruptions in his order.
In support of his decision, Judge Simon emphasized the profound nationwide impact caused by abrupt halt in humanities funding. From the urban metropolises as well as remote rural communities, the sudden shortage of financial support for humanities had brought the programs to a standstill.
Despite praising Judge Simon’s decision, Phoebe Stein, the president of the Federation of State Humanities Councils, stressed that the current state of humanities councils funding remains far from ideal. The cutbacks have already led to layoffs and cancellation of crucial programs.
Contrarily, The National Endowment for the Humanities mentioned in their court documentation that current federal regulations provide them with the authority to terminate grants if they determine a grant does not align with their agency priorities. This indicates the complexity and ongoing debate around the funding decisions, highlighting how the coming days ahead hold key implications for the future of humanities councils throughout the country.
Overall, the financial stability of numerous humanities councils hangs in the balance due to these abrupt funding cuts. This saga has underscored the importance of the humanities in fostering cultural, intellectual, and artistic growth across communities throughout America, and has put a spotlight on the pivotal role of federal funding in ensuring this richness thrives.
The post Abrupt Funding Cut Threatens National Humanities Councils appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
