Mellon Foundation Announces Emergency Funding for State Humanities Councils
The Mellon Foundation has announced a $15 million emergency funding commitment to the Federation of State Humanities Councils in an effort to counteract the impact of recent federal funding cuts that have cut off funding from state humanities councils. The investment follows the elimination of $65 million in support for state humanities councils as a result of federal cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities, which provides a substantial portion of their funding for programs and for general operations.
The funding aims to provide support to all 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils across the United States. Of the total grant, $2.8 million will be allocated as challenge grants of up to $50,000 for each council to encourage and empower local funders and individual donors to have their donations matched, thus doubling their support for the valued programs, people, and institutions that humanities councils fund in their communities. A list of humanities councils and how to donate to them directly can be found here.
