Arts and culture groups around the country have lost millions of dollars in funding after the National Endowment for the Humanities canceled its grants — including grants for several Iowa programs.
Humanities Iowa planned to receive a grant of more than one-million dollars to share with smaller organizations statewide, like libraries and historical societies.
Now, executive director Heather Plucar says Humanities Iowa will have to scramble to find other funding sources.
Plucar says, “If we aren’t successful in finding corporate sponsors and private donors to support at a grassroots level, we’ll be in trouble.”
Canceled grants also include programs at multiple Iowa colleges and universities. Humanities Iowa is partnering with other cultural organizations like the Iowa Museum Association and the Iowa Library Association to advocate for supporting the humanities.
Plucar says dozens of smaller organizations will be impacted by the cuts because significant grants to state humanities councils have been canceled.
“We won’t be able to help librarians and volunteers and folks in historical societies in a meaningful manner without this funding,” she says.
The National Humanities Alliance, an umbrella organization that supports the humanities, says it’s heard directly from all three of Iowa’s public universities and the State Historical Society about grants they were awarded that have been terminated.
(By Josie Fischels, Iowa Public Radio)