The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1965. As one of the largest funders of humanities programs in the United States, NEH provides critical support for research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities through grants to a wide range of educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and individual scholars nationwide. URL: www.neh.gov
updated 3/3/10
SUMMARY
NHA urges Congress to provide $204 million in program funds for the National Endowment for the Humanities in the FY 2011 Interior Appropriations bill, a $64 million increase over FY 2010. This includes $144 million for NEH National Programs (a $44.4 million increase), and $60 million for the NEH Federal/State Partnership (a $19.6 million increase).
We strongly oppose cuts for NEH program funds totaling $7.2 million in the President’s FY 2011 Budget Request.
Additional funds are needed to:
See also:
FUNDING OVERVIEW
NEH is funded at $167.5 million in the current fiscal year (FY 2010) ending September 30, 2010. The NEH overall budget includes $140.0 million for programs and $27.5 million for administration. Within FY 2010 program funds, $99.6 million is allocated to NEH National Programs (representing the pool of funds available to support competitive grants), and $40.4 million is provided for the NEH Federal/State Partnership (responsible for distributing annual, formula-based operating grants to the 56 state humanities councils). NEH did not receive funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.
Historically, NEH has demonstrated the capacity to operate at much higher funding levels. Even with recent adjustments, the overall NEH budget is still just over a third of its funding peak in 1979 ($429 million in 2009 dollars), and has not yet recovered from a nearly 40% cut in 1996. In FY 1994 (the agency’s nominal funding peak), NEH operated at the equivalent of $256.9 million ($2009) when adjusted for inflation. See also: NEH Appropriations Chart, FY 1966-2010
NEH is funded under the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. The FY 2010 Interior bill (H.R. 2996) was enacted on 10/30/09 as P.L. 111-88. Final FY 2010 funding for NEH represents an increase of $12.5 million (8.1%) over the FY 2009 level of $155.0 million. See also: NHA News item (10/29/09)
FY 2011 BUDGET REQUEST
For FY 2011, the Obama Administration has requested $161.3 million in overall funding for NEH, including $132.8 million for programs and $28.5 million for administration. The President’s Budget Request represents a $7.2 million (5.6%) cut to NEH program funds for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2010. See also: NHA News item (2/5/10), NEH FY 2011 Budget Request (agency press release and budget documents)
SUMMARY
The NEH was established by the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 (P.L. 89-209). NEH was last reauthorized in 1990, under P.L. 101-512. See also:
OVERSIGHT
The following Congressional committees have jurisdiction over NEH authorization and nominations:
ADVOCACY
FUNDING
GRANTS
