The White House recently directed the termination of thousands of grants from federal agencies that serve the history field, including the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and National Park Service (NPS). These grants provide vital support for history organizations of all types, sizes, and locations.
This sudden, widespread loss of funding is rapidly creating a crisis for America’s history community. We are hearing of public programs and services diminished, multiyear projects canceled, practitioners furloughed or laid off, and even organizations forced to consider closing permanently.
AASLH is doing everything it can to support the field during this challenging time. This includes encouraging outreach to elected officials and local news media, sharing advocacy resources and updates, gathering stories of local impact, and, most recently, considering possible legal avenues for defending NEH, IMLS, and NPS. (See our advocacy updates for NEH and IMLS.)
Copies of grant cancellation notices could bolster analysis of potential legal options in support of these federal agencies. For this reason, we are asking history organizations that have received cancellation letters and emails from NEH, IMLS, and/or NPS to send copies of these notices to AASLH by filling out this survey. Submitting these notices will not only help deepen AASLH’s understanding of the state of the field, but—when shared with your permission—could strengthen possible strategies for seeking legal remedy.
If your organization has been affected by recent executive actions, please take a few minutes to fill out this form to share your experience and, if applicable, evidence of grant cancellation.
Weakening the federal agencies that power our field deprives the American public of access to history. Thank you for joining AASLH in our efforts to defend these agencies and America’s history community.
