URGENT: DOGE Orders Cuts to NEH and Delaware Humanities

April 3, 2025

To friends and partners of Delaware Humanities, 

This week, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) ordered the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to make deep reductions in its staffing and budget, including to its grantmaking.  

Delaware Humanities is Delaware’s state affiliate of the NEH and therefore these reductions will greatly impact our program and grantmaking efforts. We want to be clear: this situation is unusual and unprecedented. Humanities councils across the country, including Delaware Humanities, received notice of these cuts through emails and letters sent on the morning of April 3^rd notifying us of the termination of our funding, effective April 1st.   

Delaware Humanities, along with our partners, grantees, and the communities we support throughout all three counties in Delaware, will be greatly impacted by these cuts. The impact may include: 

• Delaware Humanities will be forced to significantly scale back or suspend programs and grants 
• Delaware-based nonprofits will lose critical access to grants for projects that serve libraries, museums, educational institutions, and local communities throughout the state 
• Our Speakers Program, which provides over 100 public talks and classroom presentations per year on history, culture, literature, ethics, the environment, and everything in between, will be disrupted – effectively preventing communities from access to free learning opportunities 
• Prime Time Family Reading, which builds strong foundations for children’s literacy and family bonding through literature, may be suspended – impacting local libraries and the families and children that regularly attend  
• Community Conversations, which provides discussions to help build strong relationships within organizations and among communities across different backgrounds, may be suspended – affecting local communities and hindering opportunities for connection  

As we navigate these abrupt changes, we are evaluating the next steps on how to best support our partners. We will remain steadfast in our mission to strengthen our communities by connecting Delawareans through the diversity of human experiences. 

Here’s What You Can Do: 

• Call or message your U.S. senators and representatives and urge them to protect NEH and humanities councils: https://p2a.co/DdtlGIT  
• Call or message your state and local elected officials and let them know how this loss of funds will impact your community: https://p2a.co/HJwNkhW  
• Share this action with your networks whether by social media, email, or word of mouth 
• Join our mailing list to receive advocacy updates as the situation progresses and learn how you can support humanities councils. 
• Make a private donation in support of Delaware Humanities here 

Delaware may be small in size, but we are mighty in spirit. With your support we will be able to amplify our efforts and continue to provide humanities programs that enrich the lives of Delawareans throughout the state.  

With gratitude, 

The Delaware Humanities Team