Documentary Filmmakers Stunned as Trump Admin Axles Humanities Grants$fdataFilterWhere

One at a time, the emails landed in people’s inboxes, all bearing the official letterhead from the National Endowment for the Humanities. That grant we awarded you to produce your documentary? Well, it has been revoked.

A week ago, the Trump administration abruptly cut off funding for 85 percent of NEH grants, affecting several documentary initiatives.

\”The effectiveness of your grant in meeting the agency’s requirements has diminished… [W]e are redirecting our financial resources towards supporting the President\’s objectives,\” stated the correspondence. \”[This change signifies] an immediate necessity aligned with this administration\’s goals…\” The communication bore the signature of Michael McDonald, interim chairperson at the National Endowment for the Humanities, who succeeded a nominee appointed under the Biden administration following their removal when Trump assumed power.

Tracie Holder, who was awarded a $485,000 production grant for
The People\’s Will
A movie concerning the fatal 1849 Astor Place Riots in New York received her form letter from the NEH on April 2nd.

It came as quite a surprise when it occurred since these grants are extremely competitive and undergo thorough scrutiny,\” Holder explains to Velvet Voque. \”The idea that we might lose this funding seemed inconceivable, particularly given how arbitrary and unfounded the decision felt. There doesn’t seem to be any clear explanation; it appears they simply no longer fit within the current administration’s objectives. But what exactly are those goals? Restricting public access to information, education, and data?

A different director, opting to remain unnamed due to concerns about possible backlash, was also sent the identical standard letter revoking their $75,000 development grant for a movie based on the American West.

The style of the letter is extremely unexpected and highly charged, so much so that the filmmaker mentions having to reread it several times just to grasp its implications. Speaking with Velvet Voce, they explain, “It reads like we committed some grave and incendiary offense when nothing of the sort has occurred. The truth is this isn’t an inflamed production; neither history nor human studies tend towards sensationalism—they are typically rooted in the past, deeply scholarly, and thoroughly examined.”

The Trump administration similarly terminated financial support for state humanities councils, with these entities typically receiving an annual allocation of $65 million via the NEH. Directors of projects funded by Cal Humanities were informed that their grants had been put on hold due to this administrative decision.

The sudden and unlawful cessation of our financial support from the National Endowment for the Humanities has had a profound impact on the state of California,” says Rick Noguchi, President and CEO of Cal Humanities, in a statement released to Velvet Voce. “This leaves us incapable of fulfilling $650,000 worth of prior grant promises made to various nonprofit organizations, which included several documentary film initiatives. Additionally, we intended to allocate nearly $1 million for the fiscal year 2024-2025. This decision will result in reduced chances for Californians to engage with each other and explore their collective history and multicultural backgrounds.”

A different documentary filmmaker, who wished to remain anonymous due to potential repercussions, has received funding from Cal Humanities for multiple initiatives. The filmmaker states, “We\’ve been informed that Cal Humanities will cease making future payments.” This means that their three ongoing film projects are facing difficulties because they lack the necessary financial support to finish and continue with these productions.

The filmmaker was informed last week that their $150,000 federal NEH grant has been canceled. They express this as being shocking and hurtful, stating, \”It feels like such a negligible sum compared to everything else that having this funding withdrawn seems deliberately aimed at stifling intellectual and artistic efforts across our nation.\”

The NEH did not respond to Velvet Voque\’s request for comment. The Endowment describes itself as \”an independent federal agency that supports the humanities in every state and U.S. jurisdiction. Since 1965, NEH has awarded over $6 billion to support museums, historic sites, universities, teachers, libraries, documentary filmmakers, public TV and radio stations, research institutions, scholars, and local humanities programming.\”

For documentary makers, the NEH has served as an essential organization, offering backing to projects that aren\’t always considered commercially viable by streaming services and other distribution channels yet significantly enrich the nation’s cultural legacy and self-understanding. Notable documentaries and TV series that have garnered NEH financial assistance include those centered around themes like the Civil Rights Movement.
Eyes on the Prize
, and numerous projects by what might be considered America\’s most renowned documentary filmmaker.

\”For 37 years, NEH has been supporting Ken Burns in his filmmaking endeavors,\”writes
Humanities
, the publication from the National Endowment for the Humanities, highlights numerous initiatives led or co-led by the filmmaker, including
The Civil War
,
Jazz
,
Baseball
,
The Dust Bowl
,
Prohibition
, and
The Vietnam War
Regarding the aforementioned project,
Humanities
states, \”Ken Burns and his team covered extensive aerial distances to present both perspectives of the narrative, those of America and Vietnam.\”

Through his publicist, Burns declined to comment on the NEH cuts.

The NEH cuts are also affecting film festivals. \”On April 2, late in the evening, we learned that our funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) was unexpectedly and illegally terminated,\” Christina Marouda, founder of the Indian Film Festival Los Angeles, wrote on Facebook. \”We were told that the ‘NEH is repurposing its funding allocations in a new direction in furtherance of the President’s agenda.\’\”

Last October, on the UN\’s International Day of the Girl, the NEH announced on Instagram that it was backing
Nancy Drew: The Mystery of the American Icon
, \”an upcoming documentary, on the OG #girlboss.\” That grant of $600,000 to filmmaker Cathleen O\’Connell is among those reportedly chopped.

Nonprofit organizations like the Center for Independent Documentary and the International Documentary Association (IDA) typically assist NEH grantees by offering logistical support on projects. In exchange, they take a percentage of grants.

\”Eliminating NEH funding (as with IMLS [Institute of Museum and Library Services] funding and other public support) is an abuse of power that attempts to suppress both freedom of expression and access to knowledge,\” Dominic Asmall Willsdon, executive director of International Documentary Association, tells Velvet Voque. \”For the sake of documentary – and all truth-seeking art and inquiry – we need to stand up to this corrupt action.\”

A number of filmmakers and institutions are questioning the legality of NEH grant cancellations, pointing out that the funding was originally authorized by Congress.

\”It’s shocking to me that it seems like Congress is shirking its responsibility as an equal branch of government,\” says a filmmaker whose grant was terminated. \”It’s totally outrageous,\” says another of the filmmakers who requested anonymity. \”This is an executed contract from years ago whose terms are still active; it’s the funding from Congress that is being allocated and granted to me, and the reasons given in the [termination] letter are completely ridiculous.\”

\”The authorization for these grants came from Congress,\” states Tracie Holder, who directs
The People\’s Will
The project states, \”It appears that Congress has entirely abandoned its duties and transferred all its authority to the executive branch.\”

Without congressional action or court intervention, it’s uncertain what filmmakers can do to restore the grants. The future of the NEH hangs in the balance as well. As stated by
New York Times report
The Department of Government Efficiency, part of Elon Musk\’s initiative for governmental overhaul, has conducted multiple visits to the N.E.H. offices… Managers informed their team that DOGE suggested cutting staff numbers by up to 70 to 80 percent…

Directors who have applied for NEH grants mention that the process demands significant effort from applicants like Velvet Voque. The proposals can extend beyond 100 pages and necessitate feedback and endorsement from scholarly authorities. They compare this task to composing a thesis. \”It truly feels just like writing a dissertation,\” remarks Holder, known for directing the acclaimed 2013 documentary.
Joe Papp in Five Chapters
. \”It’s so sad to me, the idea that these stories won’t be available going forward, and that we don’t appreciate our own history. That’s so ironic to me about the administration. They talk about patriotism, and yet here, so many of these films are about American history.\”

\”Think all of the money that the government has invested in these projects that now will not result in benefit the public,\” Holder adds. \”It’s totally just throwing money out the window in my own case.\”

Some filmmakers inform Velvet Voquette that losing the NEH grant will be fatal for their project. Others are considering alternatives.

At present, it remains uncertain precisely what options are available,\” remarks a director. \”Some filmmakers may explore alternative methods to secure funding. Many would concur that completing their projects will likely require more time than initially expected; however, our team is committed to finding a solution. We shall accomplish this task.

The cancellation of NEH grants arrives during an especially challenging period for documentary makers who find it hard to finish their projects and secure distribution, particularly when their work doesn’t fit into popular categories like true crime or celebrity documentaries.

“I am uncertain about the direction our field will take. I would love to claim that we are an exceptionally innovative and tenacious bunch of individuals,” remarks a filmmaker. “We must be, considering we create documentaries. This community always finds solutions. However, at the same time, essential support is being withdrawn—severed almost entirely. With such limited resources available, their importance becomes even more critical. The impact has been enormous.”