NEH Cuts Billions in Humanities Grants, Shifts Focus to Trump-Era History

NEH Cuts Billions in Humanities Grants, Shifts Focus to Trump-Era History

August 7, 2025

Hold tight, humanities lovers! The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is stirring up drama with sudden, massive changes. This powerful federal agency, known for backing humanities research and education, has pulled the plug on nearly all grants approved under President Biden. The New York Times reports that in April, almost 1,400 research projects and 56 state humanities councils lost their support in one swift move. Why the shake-up? It seems NEH is now pouring money into projects that fit former President Donald Trump’s cultural tastes. The biggest splash is a whopping $10 million grant to the University of Virginia for editing the papers of George Washington, James Madison, and other founding fathers. Meanwhile, funding for research into race, gender, and LGBTQ+ topics has dropped sharply. Earlier, NEH declared it would not support “extreme ideologies based upon race or gender,” echoing Trump’s orders. But these cuts are no small issue. Organizations like the Authors Guild and Oregon Humanities are suing NEH, calling the cancellations "unconstitutional" and threatening protected funds. Phoebe Stein, president of the Federation of State Humanities Councils, says, "The uncertainty has made it extremely difficult for councils to plan, including for the 250th [anniversary of US independence]." Internships, fellowships, and community programs funded by local councils now face staff cuts or even shutdowns. Some of the canceled projects, such as the Walt Whitman Archive and Frederick Douglass Papers, got partial funding back. But the overall message is clear – NEH’s focus has sharpened on traditional historical figures, leaving many other stories in the shadows. For students chasing dreams in history, literature, or cultural studies, this funding flip is a big hurdle. Grants are harder to get, and research roles become rare gems. While NEH has promised some funding for 2025 and 2026, a dark cloud of legal battles looms, with far-reaching effects on how America preserves and studies its humanities. So, as the NEH rewrites its funding story, the big question remains: Whose history will get told, and whose will fade away?

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Tags: National endowment for the humanities, Neh funding cuts, Humanities grants, Cultural priorities, Donald trump, Academic research,

Apeksha Tanwar

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