Nonprofit institutions, such as libraries and museums, face potential threats from Trump's administration.
In the United States, the arts, humanities, and learning opportunities are facing a precarious future due to the Trump Administration's attempts to dismantle key federal agencies. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) have collectively aided communities for nearly 150 years, but their future is uncertain.
The Trump Administration's Actions
The Administration has taken several steps to undermine these agencies. On March 31, 2025, the case Declaration of Blake Doe, State of Rhode Island et al. v. Donald J. Trump et al. was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island (No. 1:25-cv-128-JJM-LDA). This case challenges the Administration's actions, including the cancellation of approximately 1,200 competitive IMLS grants, the termination of over 1,400 existing NEH grant awards, and dozens of previously committed NEA grant awards.
The Administration has also placed the entire IMLS staff on administrative leave, despite previously signed appropriations for IMLS. Similarly, NEH staff were put on immediate leave, as discussed in the NPR article published on April 4, 2025.
The Impact on Federal Funding
The proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2026 includes a significant 35% cut to the NEA and NEH, reducing each agency’s budget to $135 million—a $72 million cut from FY2025 levels. This would severely impact federal support for arts and culture programs, especially in regions like the Midwest that rely heavily on these funds for widespread community support. However, a Senate subcommittee proposed maintaining funding at FY2025 levels ($207 million each for NEA and NEH), which could offer some relief if upheld.
As of late July 2025, the appropriations for IMLS have not been finalized but remain uncertain. The effects of these actions are being felt across the United States, particularly in small, rural, and low-income communities.
State and Local Support
In response to these federal funding threats and reductions, many state governments have stepped up to support arts agencies. Despite a slight decrease of 7.4% for FY2026 compared to 2025, 29 states actually increased their arts funding, reflecting continued but cautious commitment to arts and humanities amid uncertain fiscal environments.
At the local level, organizations affected by federal funding cuts have received targeted relief efforts. For example, Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) launched an Arts Relief Fund program in 2025 to support local nonprofits that lost federal grants due to changes in priorities or terminations by the NEA, NEH, or IMLS.
The Road Ahead
While the Trump Administration's efforts to dismantle IMLS, NEH, and NEA have created disruptions and funding threats, federal support persists but faces serious proposed reductions in 2026. The arts sector remains vulnerable to political and fiscal challenges, but state and local governments are partially compensating, with some emergency aid programs. The final outcome of the budget negotiations and legal challenges remains to be seen.
[1] House Interior Appropriations Committee, FY 2026 Discretionary Budget Request [2] National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, State Arts Agency Budget Data, 2026 Fiscal Year [3] Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Arts Relief Fund Program
The Trump Administration's actions in undermining federal agencies such as the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) have extended beyond arts, humanities, and learning opportunities, reaching into general-news areas like politics and crime-and-justice. The Administration's proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2026 includes a 35% cut to the NEA and NEH, affecting federal support for crime-and-justice and general-news programs. This could potentially lead to an imbalance in the distribution of news and information across the country.
