Figure

IV-05b: Humanities Council Revenues, by State (Including the District of Columbia), Fiscal Year 2014*

* Excludes revenues of the territorial/jurisdictional councils of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands because complete data were not available for these areas.

Source: Federation of State Humanities Councils, 2014 Income Survey.

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) provides each of the state humanities councils with an annual supporting grant through its Federal/State Partnership program. The funds are allocated according to a legislatively mandated formula, which directs $200,000 to every council, with the remainder of the appropriated monies being distributed in the following manner:

  • 44% is allocated equally among councils that serve a population of 200,000 or more;
  • 22% is allocated to all councils according to population; and
  • 34% is allocated to councils according to the wishes of the NEH chairperson.

Councils also receive discretionary (nonformula) funding from the NEH. In addition, councils receive funding from the NEH in the form of matching grants and are eligible to apply for funding under the NEH’s competitive grant programs. NEH is not the only source of council funding. Some councils receive monies from other federal sources, and most are funded by their state governments. Most councils also receive at least some funding from private organizations (corporations or foundations) and/or individuals. Councils also raise funds through special projects or sales. The 56 councils are governed by volunteer boards composed of humanities scholars and members of the general public and receive the majority of their funding from the federal government. While the United States is home to a variety of humanities-focused organizations, councils are the focus of their own indicator because they are the primary channel through which the federal government provides resources to states for the purpose of making the humanities accessible to the general public.

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