Alaska Humanities Forum Faces Budget Cut After National Endowment for the Humanities Slashing

The Alaska Humanities Forum is facing a significant cut to its budget after the Trump administration’s decision to slash the National Endowment for the Humanities. The more-than-50-year-old organization uses federal funding, along with matching dollars from local grants and donations, to support programs across the state that aim to bring communities together.

Kameron Perez-Verdia, president and CEO of the Alaska Humanities Forum, highlighted the impact of these programs, including youth initiatives, language preservation efforts, and historical projects. However, the forum recently received a letter from the National Endowment for the Humanities informing them that their federal grant of approximately $900,000 was being terminated, effective immediately.

This move is part of a broader effort by the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency to cancel around $175 million in grant funding that had not yet been disbursed to humanities programs in all 50 states. Perez-Verdia expressed concern over the abrupt nature of the decision and is exploring legal options to restore the funding.

If the funding is not reinstated, Perez-Verdia emphasized that it would be challenging to make up the loss through local fundraising efforts. He noted that the organization would have to undergo significant restructuring and could potentially lose a lot in the process.

Despite the setback, Perez-Verdia remains optimistic, citing strong support from Alaska’s congressional delegation and national partners. While the road ahead may be difficult, he believes that with time and perseverance, the Alaska Humanities Forum will ultimately emerge victorious in this fight.

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Photo credit alaskapublic.org