California Humanities 2025 Impact Report
In 2025, California Humanities marked 50 years of statewide public humanities leadership during a year of profound challenge and reflection. Following the unexpected termination of National Endowment for the Humanities funding in April, our organization paused new grantmaking while honoring every multi-year commitment already made to communities across the state.
Despite significant uncertainty, we invested more than $1 million in active grant commitments, including $395,000 through the California Documentary Project and $30,000 in Humanities for All Quick Grants. We supported storytelling, civic dialogue, and cultural connection in every region of California.
Since 2003, the California Documentary Project has invested more than $8.5 million in nonfiction media documenting the state’s people, histories, and cultures. In 2025 alone, ten documentary films and audio projects were funded to explore urgent California stories.
The Humanities Endure reflects not only a milestone year, but a reaffirmation of our mission: to connect Californians to ideas and to one another in ways that strengthen civic life.
Look at the full report to celebrate our milestones despite the tumultuous time.
