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Vital Public Institution at Risk Colorado Humanities Immediate Closure

June 10, 2025

Colorado Humanities, the state’s only nonprofit organization solely dedicated to public humanities education and programming, is facing imminent closure following the federal government’s termination of National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) funding. 

On April 2, the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) notified all 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils that their funding was being eliminated, effective immediately. 

At just 21 cents per Coloradan, NEH support has delivered extraordinary public value that no other source can replace.

“This decision is not just a funding cut—it’s an existential threat to cultural life in Colorado,” said Maggie Coval, Executive Director. “It endangers a vital public institution that has served Coloradans of all ages, in all regions, for over 50 years.”

NEH funding has been the backbone of Colorado Humanities’ operating budget, enabling the organization to reach more than 300,000 Coloradans annually with humanities content and 300 free public programs in partnership with 120 schools, libraries, museums, and community organizations. 

These programs span all eight Congressional districts and serve rural and urban communities. Humanities councils are the most direct way federal dollars reach local communities—especially in rural areas where organizations lack grant-writing capacity. Without NEH support, this work cannot continue. 

Programs now at risk include the Colorado Book Awards, the State Poet Laureate, Author Talks, Community Conversations, annual living history festivals in Greeley, Grand Junction, and Durango, Black History Live, Smithsonian exhibitions in small towns, and educational resources for K–12 students and teachers. The Emmy-winning documentary The Five States of Colorado—which has brought together diverse audiences for conversations about land, identity, and shared history—would not have been possible without NEH funding and future free screenings will also no longer be possible.

Federal NEH dollars do more than fund programs—they catalyze local investment and community engagement. When Colorado Humanities brings exhibits from the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street to small towns, local museums receive financial support to create accompanying programs that preserve local history, mobilize volunteers, attract sponsorships, and ultimately drive customers to nearby businesses. Without NEH funding, such ecosystems would collapse, drastically reducing public access to humanities programming and financial resources for local economies and cultural sector jobs.

For over 50 years, Colorado Humanities has provided essential resources that foster literacy, civic dialogue, and cultural preservation. Without immediate action to restore funding, Colorado will lose access to the very programs that help communities connect, reflect, and thrive.

To learn more and support Colorado Humanities, visit www.coloradohumanities.org.

About Colorado Humanities

Established in 1974, Colorado Humanities is the only Colorado organization exclusively dedicated to supporting humanities education for adults and children statewide. Also the home of the Colorado Center for the Book, Colorado Humanities, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, partners with hundreds of community partners across the state, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Library of Congress Center for the Book, and the Smithsonian Institution. To learn more about our mission and programs, visit www.coloradohumanities.org.