In Response to Federal Cuts to National Endowment for the Humanities, Mellon Foundation Announces $15 Million Emergency Funding for Humanities Councils, including up to $250,000 for Vermont Humanities
This investment by the Mellon Foundation will help stabilize Vermont Humanities after the sudden cancellation of its federal operating grants by NEH earlier this month.
“This grant from Mellon means an immediate $200,000 for Vermont Humanities and an additional $50,000 available in matching grants through “Humanities 100” offered by the Federation of State Humanities Councils with support from the Mellon Foundation. Any donations received by Vermont Humanities starting April 29, 2025, count towards the match.”
Christopher Kaufman Ilstrup
Executive Director
Montpelier, VT — Today, the Mellon Foundation announced a $15 million emergency funding commitment to the Federation of State Humanities Councils (the Federation) in response to federal funding cuts that have devastated state humanities councils. This emergency funding will help provide support to all 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils across the United States, including up to $250,000 for Vermont Humanities.
Mellon’s investment comes at a critical moment when $65 million in federal support for state humanities councils has been eliminated as a result of cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). On April 2, Vermont Humanities received notice that all its grant funding through NEH had been cancelled effective immediately, a loss of $728,523.
Vermont Humanities is the state’s foremost funder of public humanities work and this funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation will be critical in helping to maintain programming while seeking restoration of federal support for the humanities.
Vermont Humanities Executive Director Christopher Kaufman Ilstrup notes that “This grant from Mellon means an immediate $200,000 for Vermont Humanities and an additional $50,000 available in matching grants through “Humanities 100” offered by the Federation of State Humanities Councils with support from the Mellon Foundation. Any donations received by Vermont Humanities starting April 29, 2025, count towards the match.”
We have met the $50,000 match! While the Humanities 100 match has been officially met, we are still only 50% of the way to making up the total NEH funds that we lost on April 2. If you haven’t contributed already, please consider a gift that is meaningful to you by visiting vermonthumanities.org/donate.
Kaufman Ilstrup continued, “We are deeply grateful to the Mellon Foundation for this opportunity, the Federation for State Humanities Councils, and to all the Vermonters who have already made gifts in this moment of need.”
Vermont Humanities’ public programs include a statewide, one-book community reading program; book discussions for veterans and medical professionals; free public talks; a fall festival; spoken word readings in Vermont state parks; and a growing grants program supporting cultural organizations around Vermont; among others.
Vermont Humanities’ literacy programs include Never Too Early, which offers trainings for childcare providers; Read With Me programs for families with young children; the Vermont Early Learning Initiative, which partners with libraries; and, finally, Humanities Camps, which provide high-quality, enriching educational activities for middle and high school students.
Vermont Humanities is a statewide nonprofit organization founded in 1974, which uses the humanities to connect with people across Vermont to create just, vibrant, and resilient communities and to inspire a lifelong love of learning. Learn more at www.vermonthumanities.org
For over 50 years, Vermont Humanities has developed a broad range of programs that serve all Vermonters of all ages and backgrounds. In 2024, 60,998 people took part in our programs, and we held 1,017 activities, either hosted by us or by our community partners.
Founded in 1977, the Federation of State Humanities Councils (Federation) is the membership organization of the 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils. The Federation supports, connects, and amplifies the work and voices of our members, demonstrating councils’ value for communities and their collective impact on civic health and cultural vibrancy. The Federation envisions a fully resourced, inclusive, and thriving humanities council network.
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. We believe that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity, and that everyone deserves the beauty and empowerment that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and guided by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive.
Our seasonal “Words in the Woods” program allows Vermonters and visitors to enjoy our state’s natural beauty while listening to and reading literature in the outdoors.
Humanities Camps are filled with reading and writing projects, field trips, and outdoor activities.
We won a 2020 Schwartz Prize for best public humanities programming in the U.S. for Vermont Reads 2019: “March: Book One.”
We supported the Chandler Center for the Arts’ Global Connections Youth Outreach program, which highlights artists from around the world.
Our free public events help bring the power of the humanities to communities across Vermont.
