Colorado Humanities, a cultural organization in Colorado, is on the brink of halting its major statewide programs after losing the majority of its operating funds due to budget cuts enacted by the Trump administration.
Approximately 80% of Colorado Humanities' $1.2 million annual budget is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). However, a significant cut to the NEH budget this month by the Trump administration has left Colorado Humanities facing an 80% reduction in its funding.
On April 2nd, Michael McDonald, the acting chairman of the NEH, informed Colorado Humanities and similar organizations nationwide in a letter that their grants would no longer be funded, stating, "your grant is no longer aligned with the agency's needs and priorities." According to the Colorado Humanities website, all 56 of the state's regional humanities councils received the same notification.
The letter cited President Trump's February 19, 2025, executive order, explaining that "the President's Executive Order directs NEH to terminate all activities and functions not legally required." This language echoes similar justifications federal agencies and employees across the country have become familiar with in recent months as the Trump administration and its allies push for widespread budget cuts.
With the NEH grant forming the bulk of its budget, Colorado Humanities is left with only around $200,000, rendering it unable to carry out its planned educational and cultural programs.
"This year alone, approximately 80 organizations across Colorado have received some form of funding from the NEH," said Sarah Olivier, the deputy director of Colorado Humanities, in an interview on Friday. "Some have already received their funds, but many have not. If they didn't receive it before last Wednesday, they won't receive it at all. This will have a devastating impact on the cultural and educational infrastructure of our state."
Among the major programs now facing suspension are the "Black History Live tour," which traveled to over a dozen locations statewide, including the Denver Public Library in early February, and the "Museum on Main Street" program, which brings Smithsonian exhibits like "Crossroads: Change in Rural America" to ten communities across Colorado.
The budget cuts have created an immediate crisis for all staff and the sustainability of their programs. "The cessation of NEH funding has put us in a position where we will likely have to close our doors in the coming months," Olivier stated. "We are, of course, exploring every avenue for other funding sources, but if those don't materialize, closure is a real possibility."
She noted that an online fundraising effort was underway, but donations through a link on the Colorado Humanities website had only reached approximately $1,500 by Friday.
Meanwhile, other arts organizations in Colorado are also facing an uncertain future as the mission of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) shifts under the Trump administration.
Last week, the 12 staff members at their Littleton office were reeling from the likely disappearance of their jobs and the work they had been doing.
"We have all been watching the news as [the Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE] moves to dismantle many federal agencies. We anticipated something similar when we saw that DOGE had its eye on the NEH," Olivier explained. "While it wasn't entirely shocking when we received the news, it is incredibly upsetting, sad, and infuriating to think about our staff and all the people across Colorado and the country who will lose access to these important educational and cultural resources."
One of her team members leads conversation-based programs, which are also now in jeopardy.
LaNaya Butler, the dialogue coordinator for Colorado Humanities, explained, "My program was almost entirely funded by the NEH, so with the budget cuts, it can no longer continue." Her work involves developing topics and formats for discussions involving around 20 people from diverse perspectives on specific issues and creating spaces for these conversations.
The dialogue topics Butler has facilitated have included the changing demographics of rural Colorado due to new immigration, LGBTQ+ issues, the utilization of local commercial spaces, and questions of Latino cultural heritage.
She has also provided specialized training on her reflective dialogue facilitation methods, noting, "Often, many librarians attend this training. That's why many of our dialogues happen in libraries."
Now, she faces uncertainty about how much longer her position will last, or even where she will report to work, as the office rent was also covered by the NEH grant.
"This feels like a major blow to my life's work because I'm so passionate about what I do," Butler said. "We get to travel around the state and meet with such a diverse range of people – professors, mayors, local leaders… honestly, it's just really hard to process."
According to Olivier, at least one major Colorado Humanities program has secured funding from other sources or had pre-allocated funds and will continue.
"For some of our programs, we have grants or funding from other sources that are allocated or restricted for specific purposes. The Colorado Book Awards Ceremony, which celebrates authors across the state, is one of those," she said. The event is still scheduled to take place at the Opera House Studio Loft on July 26th.
This is one of the few secure programs, and an upcoming conversation with author Ana Castillo at the Denver Botanic Gardens in late April will also proceed unaffected.
However, Olivier emphasized, "If we cannot replace the NEH funding after July, these kinds of programs will no longer be sustainable."
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