The Trump Administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (“DOGE”) has enacted sweeping cuts that could imperil funding for one of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance’s closest partners, PA Humanities. According to a New York Times article about DOGE’s demands for cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the department is recommending up to an 80% reduction in NEH staff and canceling all grants awarded under the Biden administration that have not yet been fully disbursed. The Cultural Alliance’s close partner, PA Humanities, receives significant funding from the NEH as a state humanities council, one of the NEH's independent nonprofit partners. Last night, PA Humanities received an abrupt notice from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), signed by Michael McDonald, Acting Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), that its general operating grant has been terminated, effective immediately. This harmful, drastic action is part of a sweeping and unprecedented effort by DOGE to dismantle the NEH, halt its programs, and withdraw funding from all 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils. The Cultural Alliance has worked with PA Humanities for many years on significant research, such as PA CultureCheck, which measures the far-reaching and lingering consequences of the COVID pandemic, and Arts, Culture and Economic Prosperity: Greater Philadelphia, which confirmed the creative sector’s essential contribution to the region’s economic vitality and the quality of life of our residents. In addition, we are collaborating on a federal funding survey to collect unassailable data on the potential impact of recent executive orders. Further, the Cultural Alliance and Creative Philadelphia have invited PA Humanities to lend its proven community engagement and data collection methodologies to the ongoing Cultural Dynamics: Community Conversations, in an effort to amplify the sector’s input in the development of Philadelphia’s first cultural plan. Collectively, these shared initiatives inform and shape the Cultural Alliance’s advocacy and cultural planning efforts for the City of Philadelphia In addition to supporting PA Humanities, the NEH provides grants to libraries and humanities organizations across Pennsylvania, bringing more than $37 million to the Commonwealth over the past five years. Libraries are critical to the educational attainment of young people and the well-being of the elderly, especially those in marginalized communities. The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance stands with our partners at PA Humanities and strongly encourages you to contact your congressional representatives and express your concern about these proposed cuts. Your voice matters. To make it easier, PA Humanities has drafted a sample message you can personalize and send: CALL/LETTER SCRIPT Hi, my name is [Your Name], and I’m a constituent from [City/Town, PA]. I’m [calling/writing] to express my strong opposition to the recent actions by the Department of Government Efficiency to terminate NEH grants, including funding for PA Humanities. This is an unprecedented and damaging move that puts critical community programs and cultural organizations across Pennsylvania at risk. The NEH has brought over $37 million to our state in the last five years alone, supporting education, local history, youth programs, and civic engagement. Defunding the NEH undermines our communities, our classrooms, and our shared values. I urge [Senator/Representative Name] to take action to protect the NEH and to stand against these harmful cuts. Thank you. [Your name and address] Find your congressional representatives to send your messages. Alternatively, you can use the legislator contact form that the National Humanities Alliance set up. | 
