NEA, NEH to Each Distribute $75 million in Relief Aid to Arts & Humanities Organizations in Need

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) will each distribute $75 million in relief aid to arts and humanities organizations affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

The additional funds for the two federal agencies come from the $2.2 trillion economic stimulus plan — the largest economic stimulus package in modern American history — signed into law today.

The NEA will award 40 percent, or $30 million, to state and jurisdictional arts organizations and commissions. The remaining 60 percent will be awarded directly to applicant organizations.

And in departure, the new legislation allows the emergency NEA funds to be used for general operating expenses, rather than the project-based funding the federal agency usually distributes. In addition, arts organizations do not have to provide matching funds to receive their grant. Details regarding timing and applications are being developed and will be announced as soon as they are available. Please check arts.gov in the coming days for more information.

Specifics can be found at NEH Supplemental Funding.  

The nation’s $878-billion arts and cultural economic sector accounts for 4.5 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product, according to the NEH.

Likewise at the NEH, 40 percent will go directly to 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils. The remaining 60 percent to “support at-risk humanities positions and projects at museums, libraries and archives, historic sites, colleges and universities, and other cultural nonprofits that have been financially impacted by the coronavirus.”