Friends, We could use your help today. Deliberations have begun in Congress over the federal government’s FY2026 budget, which includes considerations about whether to fund the work of state humanities councils like Michigan Humanities (MH). Please call and write (via email) your Congressional Representative today. Ask them to encourage their colleagues on Appropriations committees to support direct funding of state humanities councils, such as MH right here in Michigan. This is a timely ask: The House Subcommittee that has historically designated funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities meets tomorrow morning, July 15. Full House and Senate deliberations will continue through the summer. We are thankful for the support and guidance we have often received from Michigan’s Congressional delegation. Stories like yours can make a difference during what will certainly be a challenging budget season in Washington, D.C. In your message, please share why this matters to you: How have you seen Michigan Humanities’ grantmaking and public programming bring Michiganders together through the sharing of our stories? If you’re a grant recipient, how has MH funding made a difference for your nonprofit, your mission, your community? Keep it positive, make it personal, and emphasize what’s at stake for Michigan Humanities. Recent Michigan Humanities news you can reference: MH is bringing another Smithsonian traveling exhibit to six towns across Michigan in 2026-2027, encouraging dialogue around Native Americans and their culture, history, and how they have shaped our country from the beginning. The Great Michigan Read continues to unite our state in conversation about diverse perspectives fostering empathy and mutual understanding. WHY WE’RE ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT: On April 2, 2025, the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency terminated MH’s 50-year partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities — and, with it, 90% of our annual budget. For more than half a century, MH had used federal dollars appropriated by a bipartisan Congress to support annual grantmaking and programming across the state. Since 1974, in fact, MH has contributed $11 million to local communities statewide, making humanities-rich public programming available to hundreds of thousands of Michiganders. Without a new source of sustainable, annual funding to replace what we’ve lost this year, the work of Michigan Humanities will be very limited moving forward. As always, thank you for believing in the value of lifelong learning and in the power of sharing our stories with one another. We appreciate you. Jennifer Rupp President and CEO Michigan Humanities | 
