Indiana Humanities could cut arts and culture programs that serve residents across the state because their federal funding has been terminated, the organization announced April 3.
Indiana Humanities said the decision to eliminate the funding they receive from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) was made by the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency. DOGE sent emails on April 2 to 56 humanities councils nationwide, with an attached letter signed by the NEH’s acting chairman Michael McDonald, according to NPR.
“We have not identified exactly what will be affected but we will have to make some hard choices,” said Keira Amstutz, who has been president and CEO of Indiana Humanities since 2008.
Indiana Humanities was awarded a grant of around $1.3 million from NEH this year, said Marisol Gouveia, director of engagement. They’ve spent about $540,000 of that so far, according to the NEH. But they will lose access to the remaining $760,000.
Gouveia told Mirror Indy the federal funds have been used to support public programs that educate Indiana residents about historic places and properties. It also supports organizations that put on film screenings, podcasts and other programs that bring people together to explore different perspectives.
Amstutz said the annual NEH grant accounts for about 35-40% of Indiana Humanities’ total budget. The remainder of the nonprofit’s funding comes from other sources, including private donations.
Indiana Humanities, formed in 1972 and based in Indianapolis, funds and produces literary festivals, film screenings, speaker series and traveling exhibitions in counties across the state. In Indianapolis, they are known for programs such as Proof: A Midwest Lit Fest, the Indiana Author Awards and INConversation.
In 2024, Indiana Humanities received around $1.3 million in general operating support from the NEH, which was utilized to support community-centered programming, direct grants and storytelling support in Indiana.
Though Indiana Humanities will remain open, they claim the loss of NEH funding means they might be forced to cut public events in rural communities and small towns across the state.
Indiana Humanities is an independent nonprofit affiliate of NEH, a federal agency established in 1965 to support research, education, preservation and public programs in the humanities. According to NPR, DOGE is placing over 80% of NEH’s staff, or 145 people, on administrative leave.
In the letter sent to Indiana Humanities and obtained by Mirror Indy, McDonald wrote “NEH is repurposing its funding allocations in a new direction in furtherance of the President’s agenda. Your grant’s immediate termination is necessary to safeguard the interests of the federal government, including its fiscal priorities.”
“One of the things that’s really troubling to us is the fact that not only did we receive this notification of rescission, but that it was done in this way,” Amstutz said.
Indiana Humanities is inviting people to call their congressional representatives and donate to the organization.
“We’re going to be doing a lot of advocacy, trying to help tell those stories and encouraging folks to reach out to Congress,” Amstutz said. “We are doing our best to think about more private fundraising and inviting our supporters to help. But that’s a pretty big gap to fill, so we’re trying to be creative and scrappy.”