Last month, Humanities Texas, the state’s nonprofit affiliate organization of the National Endowment for the Humanities, published an action alert on its website, noting that its federal funding for fiscal year 2025, totaling $2.6 million, has been terminated, effective immediately.
“These cuts will have a devastating effect,” the message reads. The organization explained that it receives $2.6 million per year from the National Endowment for Humanities, which accounts for 65% of its budget. The federal funding termination comes as part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) recommendation of dramatically reducing NEH staff and canceling grants made under the Biden administration.
Humanities Texas’ alert calls for supporters to contact members of Congress, send a note or video about Humanities Texas’ impact on their communities, subscribe to its monthly newsletter, and consider donating.
Eric Luper, Executive Director of Humanities Texas, told Glasstire that since the establishment of the organization in 1973, it has awarded nearly 5,000 grants to 1,738 organizations in 405 Texas communities. He explained that among the grantees are major cultural and educational institutions as well as local libraries, museums, cultural, and historical organizations.
Humanities Texas holds an annual Holiday Book Fair featuring local authors with proceeds benefitting Texas libraries.
Mr. Luper said, “Humanities Texas pursues our mission as a public-private partnership, leveraging federal funding with significant state and private support. Without NEH funding, we lose the operational support that not only supports our service to Texans statewide, but also catalyzes local investment from individuals, foundations, and corporations.”
He continued, “Programs directly affected by the cuts provided critical services to Texas communities. They include the small, easy-to-administer grants we award to rural communities not consistently served by private philanthropy; our traveling exhibitions program, which serves small libraries and museums nationwide; and our reading and discussion program for veterans, which promotes reflection on the experience of combat, military service, and the return to civilian life.”
Humanities Texas Veteran’s Voices initiative, a reading and discussion program for veterans and their families.
According to an FAQ document released by Humanities Texas, grantees that were awarded funds before April 2 — when NEH grants were terminated — are obligated to continue their program and utilize the funds. However, it also notes that grant-funded programs must comply with recent executive orders issued by the White House. Humanities Texas is currently seeking funding sources to support organizations that were awarded a grant but did not receive payment prior to the federal funding termination.
Mr. Luper noted that despite the loss of funding, the organization has not eliminated any staff positions. He shared that as Humanities Texas and other humanities councils across the U.S. seek funding, the Mellon Foundation has granted $15 million to the Federation of State Humanities Councils, a membership organization that supports state and jurisdictional humanities councils through advocacy, events, partnerships, and shared resources.
Humanities Texas’ traveling exhibition, “Lonesome Dove.”
When asked what Humanities Texas is doing as it looks to the future, Mr. Luper told Glasstire, “We’re moving ahead with programs that are supported with state funding and private philanthropy.” He also shared that the Awards Committee is reviewing applications for the 2025 Outstanding Teaching Awards; summer teacher institutes will take place in Houston, Austin, Denton, and Lubbock; traveling exhibitions are available for rent; and Texas Originals, the organization’s radio program, is available via public and commercial radio stations at no cost.
Learn more about Humanities Texas’ programming via the organization’s website.
