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Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, says the Trump Administration's unprecedented and legally dubious grantmaking practices have called the integrity of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) into question.

The problems at NEH began in April, when the Trump Administration implemented sweeping DOGE cuts that terminated previously awarded federal grants and laid off more than 65% of NEH employees. Biden-appointed NEH Chair Shelly Lowe was fired, and Michael McDonald was installed as Acting Chairman.

Since then, the agency's ability to conduct its core mission has collapsed:

Grant Programs Eliminated Despite Available Funding

According to a federal court decision, only six employees remain in the Office of Grant Management and five in accounting, making it "virtually impossible for NEH to perform its statutorily required role." The agency has cancelled numerous existing grant programs that have bipartisan Congressional support, citing lack of staff capacity—a self-imposed deficiency caused by the reduction in force.

In one glaring example, on July 8, NEH announced a Humanities Research Centers on Artificial Intelligence competition—in keeping with the administration's stated focus on AI. The program was abruptly cancelled in September, just weeks before the application deadline, with the agency claiming it didn't have staff capacity to process applications.

Massive Non-Competitive Grants Raise Red Flags

Rather than conduct NEH's traditional rigorous competitive grantmaking process, which distributes funding widely across the country, the Trump administration has awarded two of the largest grants in the agency's 60-year history—both apparently non-competitive.

On August 1, NEH announced a $10 million grant to the University of Virginia. On September 15, the agency announced a $10.4 million grant to Tikvah, a conservative Jewish think tank. Together, these two grants alone represent 10% of NEH's entire annual appropriation.

According to sources, the National Council on the Humanities reviewed the Tikvah application and rejected it. NEH leadership overrode the Council's decision and awarded the grant anyway—a move that, while not illegal, is unprecedented in both the volume and non-competitive nature of such large awards.

"A non-competitive process for grantmaking suggests that NEH doesn't have the staff capacity to ensure that the most promising proposals are being elevated," Pingree wrote. "It is a concerningly irresponsible approach to awarding taxpayer dollars."

National Council Gutted, Quorum Impossible

At the beginning of October, the White House dismissed most of the members of the National Council on the Humanities members, leaving just four of 26—far short of the 14 required for a quorum.

The Council's authorizing statute requires that, for grants over $30,000, the NEH Chairperson cannot approve applications without the Council's recommendation. With no quorum possible, it remains unclear how NEH can legally function in its grantmaking role.

Chairman's Awards Raise Additional Questions

The NEH Chairman has authority to unilaterally award grants up to $30,000 without Council approval. Pingree expressed concern about McDonald's use of this authority, including one award entitled "Meritocracy vs. Equity: the Declaration of Independence in Tension with Critical Race Theory and DEI"—despite the fact that, earlier this year, NEH cancelled awards that were "at variance with agency priorities, including but not limited to those on diversity, equity, and inclusion."

In her letter, Pingree requested a meeting with McDonald and demanded answers to detailed questions about:

• Current staffing levels and plans to rebuild capacity
• A complete list of cancelled grant programs
• Application materials and justification for the large grants to UVA and Tikvah
• Whether Council members were dismissed in retaliation
• A list of all Chairman's Awards and the procedure for selecting recipients

Pingree has given McDonald 30 days to respond.

Dear Mr. McDonald:

I have been closely monitoring the developments at the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) since the administration illegally terminated previously awarded federal grants and laid off more than 65% of NEH employees earlier this spring. 

In recent weeks, it has become increasingly apparent that the agency’s ability to conduct grantmaking has been seriously damaged.

First, it is my understanding that dozens of NEH grant lines have been eliminated. In just one example, NEH abruptly cancelled the Humanities Research Centers on Artificial Intelligence competition. The grant application was made available July 8, 2025, in accordance with this administration’s stated focus on AI. Yet, the program was cancelled in September, only weeks before the application deadline. NEH attributed the cancellation to a lack of staff capacity, a self-imposed deficiency caused by the reduction in force.

Second, NEH announced the award of two of the single largest grants in the agency’s history – both seemingly non-competitive. These two grants alone make up 10% of the agency’s annual appropriation. NEH has a long history of maximizing its impact through numerous smaller awards across the country. Departure from this tradition to fund such large awards presumably comes at the expense of numerous smaller grants. Further, a non-competitive process for grantmaking suggests that NEH doesn’t have the staff capacity to ensure that the most promising proposals are being elevated. It is a concerningly irresponsible approach to awarding taxpayer dollars.

Third and finally, at the beginning of October, the National Council on the Humanities (Council) was dismantled when the White House dismissed a significant number of its members. Only four of the 26 members remain on the Council, far short of the 14 required for a quorum.

To help me better understand the situation at NEH and fulfill my responsibility to conduct oversight, I would like to schedule a meeting with you. To aid our conversation, please provide answers to the following questions in advance of that meeting, but no later than 30 days from receipt. 

• According to information contained in the August 6, 2025, U.S District Court’s decision, “only six employees remain in the Office of Grant Management and five employees in accounting, making it virtually impossible for NEH to perform its statutorily required role rigorously to review more than one hundred million dollars in federal grants and oversee tens of millions of dollars in Federal/State Partnership grants.”
  • Is this figure accurate? 
  • How many FTEs responsible for grantmaking are necessary for NEH to meet its obligations, including ensuring that announced competitions such as the Humanities Research Centers on Artificial Intelligence are actually awarded? 
  • What steps is NEH taking to rebuild its capacity?
  • What is the status of the funds covered by the injunction issued by the U.S. District Court?
  • Please provide a breakdown of FY25 funding by program.

• Due to the diminished capacity caused by the reduction in force, I understand that NEH has eliminated numerous existing grant programs, despite there being sufficient appropriations. Many of them have bipartisan Congressional support. The cancellation of these important grants is harmful and unacceptable. 
  • Please provide a list of all previously awarded grant programs have been cancelled in Fiscal Year 2025 due to capacity issues resulting from the reduction in force.
  • Please provide a list of open grant competitions that were cancelled after the funding opportunity was issued.

• On August 1, NEH announced a $10 million grant to the University of Virginia. On September 15, NEH announced a $10.4 million grant to Tikvah.
  • Please share any application materials associated with these grants.
  • What are the funding sources for these grants?
  • It is my understanding that the Council reviewed the Tikvah application and denied it. What was the justification and authority for overriding the Council’s decision?
  • Did the Council review the University of Virginia grant?
  • Were these larger awards made because of staffing shortages?
  • Is NEH moving toward a model of selecting fewer recipients for larger grant awards?
  • Is NEH in the process of inviting other organizations to apply for large-scale non-competitive grants?
  • How many other grant opportunities were not offered to offset the size of these grants?

• As noted above, only four out of 26 members remain on the National Council for the Humanities. The Council’s authorizing statute stipulates that for awards over $30,000, “the NEH Chairperson shall not approve or disapprove any such application until the Chairperson has received the recommendation of the Council on such application, unless the Council fails to make a recommendation thereon within a reasonable time.” 
  • Were the councilmembers dismissed in retaliation for raising questions about the Tikvah application or other agency initiatives?
  • What is the timeline for appointing new members to the Council?
  •  In the absence of the Council’s ability to have a quorum, what is the NEH’s procedure for grantmaking? 
  • How is NEH planning to move ahead with the Garden of Heroes funding opportunity without a quorum on the Council?
  • Please provide a list of any grants awarded this year that did not receive a recommendation from the Council.

• It has come to my attention that you have made liberal use of the authority to make Chairman’s Awards of up to $30,000 to institutions and individuals. 
  • One such award is entitled “Meritocracy vs. Equity: the Declaration of Independence in Tension with Critical Race Theory and DEI.”
    •  Earlier this year, NEH cancelled awards that are, “at variance with agency priorities, including but not limited to those on diversity, equity, and inclusion.” Why is this award that is directly related to DEI different?
    • The recipient for this grant award is listed as unaffiliated independent scholar. Please provide the name of the recipient.
  • Please provide a list of all Chairman’s Awards that have been selected this year.
• What is the NEH’s procedure for identifying recipients of Chairman’s Awards?

I am deeply concerned by the rapid destruction of NEH, and am committed to ensuring that 

NEH can once again conduct a rigorous process for selecting grantees, as it had previously successfully done since its founding in 1965. It is imperative that the damage inflicted on this agency be undone and that the integrity of NEH be rebuilt. Communities across the country are relying on it.

I look forward to our meeting.

Sincerely,

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