The Mellon Foundation recently announced a $15 million emergency funding commitment to the Federation of State Humanities Councils in response to federal funding cuts that have affected state humanities councils. The emergency funding will help provide operating support to all 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils across the United States, including up to $250,000 for Oklahoma Humanities.

The Seminole Nation Museum in Wewoka and the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum in Seminole have been recipients of Oklahoma Humanities grants.

Mellon’s investment comes at a critical moment after $65 million in federal support for state humanities councils was eliminated by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). On April 2, Oklahoma Humanities received notice that its grant funding through the NEH had been suddenly cancelled.

The Mellon grant provides an immediate $200,000 for Oklahoma Humanities and an additional $50,000 available as a matching grant. Any donations received by Oklahoma Humanities now through December count towards this match. Members of the public can donate by visiting okhumanities.org/donate.

“We are grateful to the Mellon Foundation for providing this crucial funding,” said Oklahoma Humanities Executive Director, Caroline Lowery. “It allows us more time to plan and make thoughtful, informed decisions about the future of our council.” She added, “We are calling on Oklahomans, known for coming together during difficult times, to come together once more and help us meet the $50,000 matching grant with a donation. We are a small organization that supports community projects across the state and now, we need your support.”

For 50+ years, Oklahoma Humanities has administered the distribution of over $42 million in federal funds from the NEH to all 77 Oklahoma counties and all five Congressional Districts. Grantees are required to match funds 1:1 in this partnership, fostering local involvement and investments that maximize the efficacy of the programs and the efficient use of government money.

In addition to awarding grants, Oklahoma Humanities also provides three, free programs: Let’s Talk About It, a dynamic book club celebrating its 40th anniversary that brings people together into conversation and contemplation; Museum on Main Street, a partnership with the Smithsonian Institution that brings traveling exhibits to rural communities; and Oklahoma Humanities magazine, a rich mix of cultures, issues, and ideas.

Learn more about Oklahoma Humanities at okhumanities. org. About the Federation of State Humanities Councils: Founded in 1977, the Federation of State Humanities Councils (Federation) is the membership organization of the 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils. The Federation supports, connects, and amplifies the work and voices of our members, demonstrating councils’ value for communities and their collective impact on civic health and cultural vibrancy. The Federation envisions a fully resourced, inclusive, and thriving humanities council network.

About The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation: The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. We believe that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity, and that everyone deserves the beauty and empowerment that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and guided by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive.

About the National Endowment for the Humanities: Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at neh.gov.