Update
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to California Humanities funding?
On April 2, 2025, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) abruptly and unexpectedly terminated its funding to California Humanities, along with all state and jurisdictional humanities councils, as part of an initiative of the “Department of Government Efficiency’s” a White House-created entity.
Why was the funding terminated?
After the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) visited the National Endowment for Humanities (NEH) on April 1, California Humanities, along with 54 other state and jurisdictional humanities councils, received a letter late in the evening on April 2 from Acting NEH Chair Michael McDonald informing us that our work “no longer effectuates the agency’s needs and priorities.” The letter explains that “the NEH is repurposing its funding allocations in a new direction in furtherance of the President’s agenda.”
How much of California Humanities budget comes from the NEH?
Nearly 90% of its funding comes from the NEH. Without this funding we are unable to continue operating our programs.
Funding and Program Status
What is happening to your programs now?
All of our programs have been suspended until further notice. This includes both current and upcoming grant cycles. We are no longer accepting applications or disbursing funds at this time.
What programs are affected?
All of California Humanities programs are impacted, including:
- Humanities For All Quick Grants and Project Grants,
- California Documentary Project Production and R&D grants,
- Library Innovation Lab,
- Literature & Medicine,
- Emerging Journalist Fellowships, and
- Civics & Humanities
These programs are all suspended until further notice.
I’m a current grantee. What should I expect?
We understand this is difficult news. If you have an active award, you should have received a notice about the termination of funding. You may use already-disbursed funds to advance your project, but we are unable to issue any further payments.
While we are not currently able to process any further disbursements, we strongly encourage you to observe the reporting obligations tied to your grant agreement. This helps us meet our obligations to the NEH while also offering an opportunity to demonstrate the impact that the termination of NEH funds has on our communities. Please know that we deeply value your work and your continued commitment to public humanities. While we are unable to provide financial support at this time, we remain dedicated to uplifting your efforts in every way we can—through advocacy, visibility, and continued relationship-building.
Will these programs come back in the future?
At this moment, it is not clear if California Humanities will be able to continue its programs. Unless federal funding is restored or new funding sources are secured, California Humanities is not in a position to continue these programs. That said, we’re working closely in coalition with other state and jurisdictional humanities councils to explore every possible pathway forward and advocate the restoration of long-term support.
Can I still apply for a grant?
No. All programs are currently closed for application due to the termination of our federal funding. We know this is deeply disappointing, especially for those hoping to share urgent and powerful work. While we are unable to offer funding at the moment, we remain committed to supporting the transformative humanities work across California. Let us know how we can be of support in this difficult time by emailing us at programs@calhum.org.
Who can I contact if I have more questions?
You can reach out to our team at programs@calhum.org. We’ll do our best to answer your questions and keep you informed as we learn more.
Advocacy
What is being done to respond?
California Humanities is collaborating with 56 other councils to strategize a unified response and resist closure.
What can I do to help?
This is a moment that calls for action. You can:
- Stay informed, contact your elected officials, express your concerns, and consider donating—no amount is too small.
- You can take immediate action by contacting your Congressional and State legislators and supporting California Humanities directly. Click this link to Take Action Now!
- The National Humanities Alliance is collecting stories around the country that help frame the impact of the Trump administration’s efforts to eliminate the National Endowment for the Humanities. Click here to Share Your Story!
April 4, 2025
Dear friends, colleagues, and fellow Californians,
On April 2, late in the evening, we learned that our funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) was unexpectedly terminated. We were told that the “NEH is repurposing its funding allocations in a new direction in furtherance of the President’s agenda.” This happened after fifty years of California Humanities stewarding federal funds to fulfill our mission to connect Californians to ideas and one another in order to understand our shared heritage and diverse cultures, inspire civic participation, and shape our future.
The “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) visited the NEH to enact radical cuts to staffing and operating and program budgets (your taxpayer dollars), including funding that had already been awarded to support countless programs in every state and territory of the United States. This is another effort of efficiency that will result in a systematic dismantling of the agencies that are designed to support learning, knowledge-building, preservation of history, celebrations of the wisdoms of our cultures—that is, no less than what helps us understand the meaning and value of our lives together as Americans.
The hollowing-out of the Department of Education that tracks the learning progress of our children and sustains our ability to have a system of higher education that is the envy of the world; the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ no longer being able to ensure access to libraries in every community and the preservation of our cultural heritage in museums; the threats to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and nonpartisan reporting that is not profit-based, but truth-based; the attacks on the Smithsonian Institution and the National Archives threatening our ability to know our history and having transparency of government—all of this happening at this very moment and the planned destruction of the NEH is of a piece with this methodical take-down of what democracy is built on.
For 50 years, California Humanities, a nonpartisan affiliate of the NEH, has served as the cultural heartbeat of our state. In our history, we have supported 2,175 projects with funds totaling more than $44 million to connect people, preserve stories, and build bridges of understanding across communities. Through impactful programs like Humanities for All, the California Documentary Project, the Library Innovation Lab, Literature & Medicine, and Emerging Journalist Fellowships, we’ve empowered Californians to voice, frame, hear, and see their own experiences and to share them.
We are the only organization solely dedicated to supporting the public humanities in California. What does that mean? We give resources to the organizations and individuals who bring you family library programs, documentary films that uncover little-known CA histories, hospital staff who focus on their patients as people, not pathologies, and stories generated by local journalists, not AI. With over 90% of our funding tied directly to the NEH, these devastating cuts not only impact California Humanities but ripple across our entire state—weakening our ability as Californians to think critically, communicate effectively, and contribute meaningfully to our democracy.
But we are not surrendering. California Humanities joined 56 other state and jurisdictional councils to strategize how to work together to ensure no humanities council will shut its doors. Though we must put all of our programs on pause while we learn more about what all this means, we know the rule of law is being seriously challenged. We will do what we can to fight for our right to support you, your work, and your voice. We will be as transparent as possible to keep you informed as we learn more.
This is an assault on culture and democracy, and we need to safeguard humanity’s soul and intellect. Let’s stand for the humanities, the arts, and culture. Let’s stand for education, the IMLS, the Kennedy Center, CPB, the Smithsonian, and the National Archives.
What can you do? Stay informed. Stay connected. Stay engaged. Speak up for what you value and believe in. Let your Congressional and State legislators know what you think. We need your support now more than ever. In a few clicks, you can email your elected officials. Please help us by taking action to show your support, express your frustration, and spread the word.
The only way we will get through this is together. We could use your support to help keep the humanities alive in California. Please make a gift—no dollar amount is too small, as the future is uncertain. This is a battle we cannot fight alone.
Thank you for your commitment to knowledge, to truth, and to our democracy.
Rick Noguchi
President/CEO
URGENT: TAKE ACTION NOW