Federal Rapid Response

The federal arts and culture landscape is evolving quickly. This page includes opportunities to take action for arts and culture, resources, and opportunities to remain notified about future actions and resources specific to your work.

May 5 2025: Last week, the Trump administration called for the elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts. Immediately following the announcement, organizations nationwide began receiving notice that their open and pending grants are being rescinded.

The agency now finds itself alongside the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) as a target for federal cuts.

View our statement here. This page has been updated with key actions and next steps for the field.

April 16 2025: Our federal cultural agencies are confronting existential threats—and the stakes could not be higher.

This is the time to act. We must rally around our democratic principles and demand that our elected officials safeguard and rebuild our arts and cultural infrastructure—not simply for its own sake, but for its power to strengthen communities, protect free expression, and uphold our collective humanity.

Immediate priority: protect the NEA & restore NEH and IMLS. We must push for robust support for the National Endowment for the Arts ahead of executive action, even as we fight to restore essential funding to the NEH and IMLS. Read our statement about the NEH here.

Take Action

Take action and tell your networks to contact members of Congress.

Outreach Tools

Rapid Response Toolkit

Our Rapid Response Toolkit contains helpful talking points, social media posts, and outreach tips to help you get your friends and neighbors involved.

Talking Points

National Endowment for the Arts

On May 2, the Trump administration called for eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts. Immediately following the announcement, organizations nationwide began receiving notice that their open and pending grants are being terminated or withdrawn.
In the past five years alone, the NEA has distributed $27,177,676 in federal funding directly or through state and regional partners in Illinois.
40% of the NEA’s budget goes directly to state arts agencies, including the Illinois Arts Council (IAC), which stewards federal funding into every corner of our state.
The arts are an economic driver. According to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Illinois creative economy contributes over $36.1 billion to our state economy annually, with the national creative economy generating over $1.2 trillion a year.

National Endowment for the Humanities

Since April 1, DOGE has put dozens of the NEH’s staff on administrative leave, making it impossible for the agency to fulfill its statutory obligations.
DOGE has also terminated more than 1,200 grants to organizations and individuals throughout the United States, including operating support grants to humanities councils in every state, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. territories.
If we lose the NEH, Illinois will lose nearly $2 million annually, erasing support for:
- Free education programs for youth and adults
- Grants to rural museums and historical societies
- Community storytelling projects
- Programming tied to America’s 250th birthday

Institute of Museum and Library Services

On March 31, the entire Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) staff was placed on administrative leave.
This move undermines the will of the American people, 96% of whom want to see federal funding for museums maintained or increased—and prevents American taxpayer dollars from reaching America’s communities.
IMLS makes up only 0.0046% of the federal budget and efficiently provides critical resources to libraries and museums in all 50 states and territories, in rural and urban communities.
The museum sector, in turn, generates $50 billion in economic impact.

View the Impacts of Federal Grants in Illinois

This interactive map uses data from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services from 2021 to present to show the impact of federal funding cuts on our state.

Nonprofit Board Supports

We’re gathering materials and planning future gatherings focused specifically on how to support nonprofit boards in the current federal climate. Interested in staying in the loop? Fill out the form.

Arts Alliance Temperature Check Survey

Arts and culture businesses and organizations: our one-minute temperature check asks about current financial health, which is critical information for our advocacy right now.

Americans for the Arts National Pulse-Check Survey

AFTA is conducting a national pulse-check for arts and culture organizations and creative businesses to gain an understanding of the arts financial landscape in this moment. Your response will help inform next steps on the national level.

If You've Had Funding Terminated or Withdrawn

View the Unofficial Step-By-Step Guide

If you’ve received a termination notice or notice of withdrawn funding recommendation from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), follow this unofficial step-by-step guide to understand what actions you need to take and how to remain in compliance. The guide includes a template you can use to construct an appeal, which must be sent no later than seven days after receiving a termination notice.

Document the Grant Termination or Withdrawal

We’re assessing the scale and scope of the funding losses to the arts field in Illinois as a result of these grant terminations. Given the current state of the NEA, the only way we’ll know you have been impacted is if you tell us. Take a minute to fill out the form and send it to anyone in your network who received a termination notice. This form also provides a chance to get connected with legal resources.

News You Can Use

National Endowment for the Arts

National Endowment for the Humanities

Trump Administration Cuts to NEH Grants Leave Illinois Humanities Facing $1 Million Shortfall (WTTW)
Today In Culture, Tuesday, April 8, 2025: Klaus Mäkelä Returns To Chicago | How NEH Slashes Affect Illinois | Water Tower Place Conversion (New City)
Funds cut for cultural groups (Politico Illinois Playbook)
Abrupt $1 million loss for Illinois Humanities after Trump cuts funding tap (WBEZ Chicago)
Abrupt $1 million loss for Illinois Humanities after Trump cuts funding (WCBU Peoria)
DOGE is Cutting NEH Cultural Funding to Illinois and Across Country (EIN News)

Institute of Museum and Library Services

Judge Grants IMLS a Temporary Reprieve in ‘ALA v. Sonderling’ (Publisher’s Weekly)
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul Files Lawsuit to Protect Illinois Library and Museums (River Bender)
SIUE loses grant for high school library program, cites Trump Administration (Fox2 Now)
Libraries and museums in Illinois are hit by Trump executive order (WGLT)
Prison libraries brace for staffing and program cuts after IMLS funding loss (Correction 1)

Standing with National Campaigns

In addition to the advocacy actions we have provided above, there are numerous cultural advocacy efforts across the country you can view for additional context and information.

Visit the Help Desk

Come to the to Help Desk and let us know (or ask questions about) how federal cuts will affect you. While we may not be able to provide answers about every specific scenario, we’re collecting information to share with our partners and shape our advocacy.