WILMINGTON — Delaware Humanities Continues To Respond To The Sudden Suspension Of Federal Funding From The National Endowment For The Humanities (NEH), Following An April 2nd Notice From Acting NEH Director Michael McDonald. The Funding Cut, Ordered By The Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Took Effect Retroactively On April 1st, Affecting All 56 State And Jurisdictional Humanities Councils Nationwide.

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Delaware Humanities hosted a virtual policy briefing alongside the Delaware Division of the Arts and the Delaware Division of Libraries to address the broader implications of DOGE-ordered cuts to the NEH, NEA, and IMLS.Photo by Headway on Unsplash)

WILMINGTON — Delaware Humanities (DH) continues to respond to the sudden suspension of federal funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), following an April 2nd notice from Acting NEH Director Michael McDonald. The funding cut, ordered by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), took effect on April 1st, affecting all 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils nationwide.

READ: Delaware Humanities closes grant applications due to recent DOGE cuts

Federal NEH funding comprises 85–90% of Delaware Humanities’ operating budget, with the majority directly supporting grants and community programs across the state. As a result, DH has temporarily paused new requests for its Speakers and Community Conversations programs and its Action/Innovation and Opportunity Grants. However, previously approved programs and awarded grants will still be honored.

“This abrupt and retroactive funding termination undermines our mission and violates the legislative foundation on which NEH and state councils were created,” said DH Executive Director Michele Anstine.

“More than $500,000 in federal support for Delaware communities is now at stake.”

Approximately 70% of the NEH staff is expected to be eliminated through a Reduction in Force (RIF), and grants to all state and jurisdictional humanities councils were terminated on April 2. Over 1,100 NEH grants have been rescinded. Delaware Humanities and other partners are mobilizing to raise awareness and push back against these actions.

Delaware organizations meet to discuss federal cuts

Delaware Humanities has joined forces with other state organizations to raise awareness and coordinate a response. On April 10, DH participated in a virtual policy briefing alongside the Delaware Division of the Arts (DDOA) and the Delaware Division of Libraries (DDL) to address the broader implications of DOGE-ordered cuts to the NEH, NEA, and IMLS.

“These are three major federal arts and cultural agencies that have been funded since decades ago. They are all required in federal statute to exist,” said Neil Kirschling, Executive Director of the Delaware Arts Alliance.

“A budget was passed last year that allocated $207 million to all of the states for the NEA and NEH, and $294 million for IMLS.”

According to the presentation, IMLS (Institute of Museum and Library Services) already begun canceling grants as of April 1, 2025. The agency has placed 70% of its staff on administrative leave and dismissed all 23 members of the National Museum and Library Services Board. As of now, work processing grant applications for 2025 has ceased.

“So on Sunday, March 23 and of course, that was how the board members spent the weekend, kind of scrambling because we weren’t getting direct information, but managed to pull together a board letter, which was sent to the new acting director Sonderling. On Monday, March 31 all the staff were RIF’d and then Thursday, April 3, the IMLS board submitted a second letter to Sonderling, and that afternoon, all the board members each received termination letters.” said Dr. Annie Norman, State Librarian.

This abrupt change has prompted lawsuits from 21 state attorneys general, including Delaware, and has drawn bipartisan concern from members of Congress.

“The AGs from 21 states, including Delaware, filed suit in Rhode Island,” said Kirschling.

Meanwhile, the NEA has begun a reduction in personnel by eliminating non-statutory positions and encouraging early retirements. Although the agency is attempting to avoid a formal RIF, delays in grant approvals and compliance processes are already evident. Partnership grants are now scheduled for approval in May, with award notices delayed until June. Guidelines for FY2026 are expected to be postponed until late summer.

“FY 25 federal budget has allocated roughly the same amount of funding to the states for these purposes. FY 26 is the next upcoming budget year that has not happened yet,” said Kirschling.

Despite federal uncertainty, the DDOA reported that its mission and work continue without interruption. Grants and programs remain operational, with existing guidelines and deadlines intact. The agency reassured stakeholders that decisions are based on artistic excellence, community responsiveness, and management capacity, not political considerations.

“I’ll point out, this is a marathon. It is not a sprint”. We are going to be here through next year’s budget, the following year’s budget, my organization, others will exist to help, hopefully be experts for all of you in the field, to aggregate and find trends, build community, allow us to lean on each other and work together moving forward,” said Kirschling.