Humanities Montana Receives Up to $250K from Mellon Foundation
The contribution follows the Trump administration’s cut, but Humanities Montana still short $500K; Carbon County Historical Society's Festival of Nations Tribute among projects cut
By Keila Szpaller, Daily Montanan
Humanities Montana announced Tuesday it is receiving a grant of up to $250,000 from the Mellon Foundation following news its budget was slashed as part of recent federal budget cuts.
The contribution is made up of an immediate $200,000 and an additional $50,000 available in matching grants, according to a news release from Humanities Montana.
The money is part of a $15 million “emergency funding commitment” from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for all 56 states and jurisdictional councils of the Federation of State Humanities Councils, according to the news release.
Match the Grant
Any donations received by Humanities Montana starting April 29, 2025, count towards the match, Humanities Montana said. Members of the public can donate to Humanities Montana by visiting www.humanitiesmontana.org.
Humanities Montana Executive Director Jill Baker said the organization is “deeply grateful and humbled” by the outpouring of support it has received in response to news early this month that its federal grant was being terminated.
“This significant investment from the Mellon Foundation is a powerful affirmation of the value of public humanities,” Baker said in a statement. “Investing in the public good, our communities, and our neighbors has always been a source of pride for Montanans. I remain hopeful that this tradition will hold.”
Humanities Montana supports arts and civics programs across the state. It passes on most of the money it receives to other organizations and arts projects, and last year, it said funding reached all 56 counties.
In the news release Tuesday, Humanities Montana said the money comes at a critical moment, when $65 million in federal support for state humanities councils has been eliminated as a result of federal cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities.
However, Humanities Montana also said a nearly $500,000 shortfall remains.
“Additional support is necessary in order to continue providing a robust level of public humanities programming, which brings writers, poets, historians, scholars, artists, and performers to museums, community centers, parks, libraries, and educational institutions, including in public, private, and homeschool settings, across Big Sky Country,” the organization said in the news release.
On April 2, Humanities Montana received a letter from the acting chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities that said its grant was terminated “in its entirety” effective the same day, April 2.
The letter cited an executive order from the Trump administration to reduce “federal bureaucracy” and “safeguard the interests of the federal government, including its fiscal priorities.”
“The termination of your grant represents an urgent priority for the administration,” the letter said.
In the news release Tuesday, Humanities Montana said the loss totaled $725,000.
The funder and network of humanities councils praised the impact the arts have on communities in a separate news release Tuesday from the Mellon Foundation.
“The places where American communities come together to read, learn, and engage with the humanities’ vast and varied forms of knowledge and creativity are often those supported by these councils,” said Elizabeth Alexander, president of the Mellon Foundation, in a statement.
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation describes itself as the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities with a belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding.
Federation of State Humanities Councils President Phoebe Stein said the support from the Mellon Foundation allows the Federation to preserve the network, along with the connections and understanding it fosters.
“This is more than a grant — it’s a lifeline for communities across the country who rely on their humanities councils’ programs and grants to fill critical needs and enrich their lives,” Stein said in a statement.
Founded in 1977, the Federation of State Humanities Councils is the membership organization of the 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils.
About the Author: Keila Szpaller
Keila Szpaller is deputy editor of the Daily Montanan and covers education. Before joining States Newsroom Montana, she served as city editor of the Missoulian, the largest news outlet in western Montana.
Daily Montanan is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
Montana Independent News Note:
One of the local projects that lost funding is the Red Lodge Festival of Nations Tribute taking place June 27, 28 and 29, “Celebrating 75 years of traditions: dance, music, culture, classes and culinary experiences” with activities and demonstrations celebrating the cultural diversity of the people who built the community. The Carbon County Historical Society and Museum is putting on the event in its entirety to the best of their ability. You can read about the Festival of Nations HERE. If you would like to donate your time or money to this event, please contact Rebecca Van Horn, Carbon County Historic Preservation Officer, at preservation@carboncountyhistory.com or (406) 446-3667.