Throughout the United States, National Endowment for the Humanities funding supports academic research, public programs, education initiatives, and preservation projects that strengthen communities, preserve our cultural heritage, and help us explore our past and present. Crises facing the National Endowment for the Humanities have underscored a crucial need to increase awareness among policymakers and the public regarding the value of the NEH, in particular, and the humanities, more generally. 

In response to this need, NEH for All documents and communicates the impact of NEH funding to organizations located throughout the United States and builds the capacity of humanities organizations to make the case for their own work.

Researching the Impact of NEH-Funded Work

Using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, NEH for All documents the impact of NEH-funded work. Through interviews with project directors and program participants, we articulate and describe the impact of past NEH funding. In partnership with project directors, we also survey ongoing NEH-supported programs, learning more about the way humanities projects have an impact on communities, organizations, and individuals. 

Communicating the NEH’s Impact

NEHforAll.org, a Digital Clearinghouse

A digital clearinghouse that profiles influential National Endowment for the Humanities projects across the nation, NEHforAll.org articulates how the Endowment benefits a wide range of communities. On the website, you can find:

• More than 200 profiles highlighting NEH-funded work happening in every state.
• Resources—including briefing documents and case studies—that showcase the impact of NEH funding and of the humanities more broadly.
• Maps, facts, and figures that demonstrate the broad reach of NEH support and showcase our survey data.

Briefings and In-District Meetings

The National Humanities Alliance holds regular briefings on Capitol Hill and In-District Meetings with partners throughout the U.S. Through these programs, we reach Members of Congress, their staffers, and humanities advocates, showcasing the impact of humanities work and organizations that the NEH supports.

Building the Capacity of Humanities Organizations

We are developing a range of resources to help build the capacity of humanities organizations to showcase the value of their work.

• Our Pitching the Humanities Toolkit provides information about working with communications officers, pitching the media, and making a media kit. In addition, it offers compelling examples of the humanities in the media and case study on writing an effective press release. 
• Our Impact Survey Toolkit provides information on how to document the impact of humanities programs through surveys, as well as sample survey questions grouped by impact and a suite of editable surveys.

NEH for All has received generous support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

For more information, please contact Cecily Erin Hill (Director of Community Initiatives) at [email protected] or 410-921-6835.