Turning the Page: Announcing Delaware Humanities’ Next Chapter
May 28, 2025
A Letter from Executive Director Michele Anstine
As humanities scholars and professionals, we are no strangers to a good story. We encounter them every day in the histories we share, the books we provide, and the people with whom we connect. Just this week, Delaware Humanities wrapped up our Book Fair Fundraiser, where we opened our doors to welcome friends and colleagues to peruse our collection of 800+ books. Yes, we’re very familiar with stories – how they’re created; how they impact our world; the triumphs, and the tragedies – and that we all have one. As for Delaware Humanities’ own story, we are currently going through what some may say is a difficult chapter.
On April 2nd, we received notice of the abrupt termination of state humanities councils’ National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) general operating support grants. Since that notice, the last two months have been difficult for the Delaware Humanities staff, Board, and stakeholders. We, our colleagues in the 55 other state and jurisdictional councils, and our support staff members in the NEH Federal/State Partnership division have formed a community, and we collectively feel the effects of job loss, local grantmaking and program termination, and changing relationships with program partners and current and prospective grantees.
The work we do to bring people together to explore new concepts, learn about one another, and think critically is important, even essential, to the well-being of Delawareans and to building strong communities. In the past two months we have heard from partners, grantees, donors, legislators, and participants that you agree, and that reassurance has made us work even harder to ensure that our core programs like Speakers and Prime Time Family Reading will continue.
Our Board has already made some difficult decisions about reductions to our budget to keep our organization sustainable. In addition, we will be scenario planning over the summer to envision the future of the organization and the programs and services you value, considering both possibilities if our federal funding returns and if it does not. These conversations will be challenging, but they will also spark innovation. They will require Board and staff members to think critically. We are up for the task. Scenario planning and both federal and local funding decisions will all guide our next steps with resuming our programming.
Yet, as we’ve learned these past two months, some chapters in life are simply difficult, even perilous, but they always lead to a new outcome. You just have to turn the page – and keep going.
On April 29th, we were heartened to learn that the Mellon Foundation announced a $15 million grant to the Federation of State Humanities Councils to be shared evenly between all 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils with an outright award of $200,000 per council for stabilization and an opportunity to receive up to an additional $50,000 through a matching challenge award. We are now leaning on our local friends and neighbors more than ever and asking each of you to help us meet that challenge so that we can continue the work we have done for 52 years in communities across the state.
During the month of May, we held three Book Fair Fundraiser days in our Wilmington office where we raised over $500 in donations. For those who participated in our in-office Book Fair, thank you! We were floored by the response and loved seeing so many new and familiar faces take home books. Your donations will serve as part of the match for our $50,000 challenge and will help support continued operations. If you weren’t able to join us in our Wilmington office – don’t worry, there is another chance to peruse our book collection and make a selection (or several)!
We hope you will come to see us for our final Book Fair on Saturday, June 7 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Claymont Community Center…which will be our new home beginning July 1st!
That’s right. After 27 years in Wilmington’s Community Service Building, Delaware Humanities will be officially moving our offices to the Claymont Community Center this summer. While we remain realistic about the difficult circumstances facing our organization, we are reassured to know that we have the support of our community, the dedication of our staff, and the guidance of our Board toward maintaining a sustainable future for Delaware Humanities. Right now, that future means a new home.
While we will miss all our friends at the Community Service Building, we will be joining new partners for a new beginning at this historic location. Established in 1975, the Claymont Community Center serves the needs of children and families in Claymont and the surrounding area. The Community Center operates out of the former Claymont High School – one of the cornerstone cases cited in the Brown v. Board of Education decision and the first school in Delaware to integrate African American students. Although unexpected, we are thrilled to be moving to a location that is so deeply tied to providing knowledge and connection for all in Delaware – a notion that is aligned with our own mission and vision.
As always, we will continue to share updates via our website, social media channels, and monthly e-newsletter. If you have any questions during this time of transition, you can reach out to us at info@dehumanities.org. We hope you will visit us at our June 7th Book Fair and wish us well as we begin our next chapter!
Sincerely,
Michele Anstine
Executive Director