Letter from Executive Director Chris Sommerich, April 3, 2025
“This letter provides notice that the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is terminating your federal grant.”
Those are the words that greeted me first thing this morning. Words that were sent in a late-night email signed by the acting chairman of NEH, but not through normal federal communications channels. The same letter was sent to all 56 state and jurisdictional humanities council executive directors. We also know that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been on site at NEH in recent days.
The letter goes on to say that “the termination of your grant represents an urgent priority for the administration,” and “is necessary to safeguard the interests of the federal government.”
I have been with Humanities Nebraska for 20 years, and since long before that, the state humanities councils have had strong bipartisan support in Congress. Republicans and Democrats alike admire the efficiency and effectiveness of the humanities councils as we reach communities all throughout our states. The councils were created as independent nonprofits 50 years ago to be the state partners of NEH, and to help distribute funding to communities of all sizes and people of all walks of life.
Congress directs a significant portion of NEH’s budget (about 40%) to the state councils. Last year that was roughly $65 million out of a $207 million total NEH budget. The loss of this funding will decimate our ability to serve our communities, reducing and eliminating programs that are essential to each state’s cultural infrastructure.
If humanities councils lose NEH funding, we will also lose:
- Programs for veterans that honor their service (like Nebraska Warrior Writers)
- Family reading and literacy programs (like Prime Time Family Reading)
- History programs commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence (like Chautauqua)
- Vital support for K-12 teachers and students (like Capitol Forum on America’s Future)
- National History Day programs for students across the country (including Nebraska)
- Funding for rural museums and historical societies (including HN grants, speakers, and our Museum on Main Street partnership with the Smithsonian)
- …and so much more.
Without NEH support of the councils, our citizens lose access to grants and programs that educate, inspire, and bring communities together. Humanities Nebraska works with hundreds of local partners each year; the ripple effects of these cuts will be felt in throughout Nebraska and in every state and territory.
I am so grateful for the private support we receive from individuals and organizations across Nebraska, and for the Nebraska Cultural Endowment and state appropriation funding we also receive. Thanks to that, Humanities Nebraska will survive and continue serving Nebraska as best we can. But if we work together to make our voices heard by Congress and beyond, we can continue to enrich the lives of all Nebraskans.
An email link and telephone numbers can be found in the FAQ below. Thank you for your help!
Sincerely, 
