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.

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.”

Nearly 90% of its funding comes from the NEH. Without this funding we are unable to continue operating our programs. 

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.  

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

California Humanities is collaborating with 56 other councils to strategize a unified response and resist closure. 

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!