UPDATE AS OF 4/4/2025 - The Trump administration made drastic cuts at the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), placing 80% of its staff on indefinite administrative leave and canceling all open grants issued under the Biden administration. These extreme cuts were made by DOGE, part of Elon Musk’s government restructuring effort. The move has drawn strong criticism from humanities advocates, who warn that it could devastate state humanities councils and cultural institutions that rely on NEH funding.

► Read the full statement from the National Humanities Alliance.

On Monday, March 31, 202,5 we learned that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is targeting the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) with the aim of substantially reducing its staff, cutting the agency’s grant programs, and rescinding grants that have already been awarded. DOGE is targeting a small federal agency that—with an annual appropriation that amounts to a rounding error in the U.S. budget—has a positive impact on every congressional district.

Let your Members of Congress know that you condemn these actions and support the National Endowment for the Humanities!