An independent federal agency has cancelled one of its 2026 grant opportunities, leaving some art organizations concerned about funding. This change came after Trump administration’s push to eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs.
The National Endowment for the Arts was created by Congress in 1965. This agency is the largest art grant funder in the United States. A February press release announced that its Challenge America grant will stop for next year’s cycle. This grant is specifically for projects designed to help infuse art in underserved groups and communities.
Mary McNamara Bernsten is the executive director of the Rockford Area Arts Council. She said these changes may impact the council.
“And one of those grants we apply for every year is for our summer Spark! programs,” she said, “increasing access to art programs for youth in our community. And we make them all free. We have $30,000 out of our $170,000 budget for summer programs [that] is from the National Endowment for the Arts.”
Bernsten said other funds come indirectly from NEA.
“We get about $30,000 for operations," she said,".... from the Illinois Arts Council, and we get about $40,000 right now for regranting from the Illinois Arts Council, which then gets its money from the National Endowment for the Arts. So, there are several ways in which the NEA and their funding freeze, or their funding cutbacks will impact the Rockford Area Arts Council.”
Jessica Modica is the executive director of the Freeport Art Museum. Modica said she also has concerns.
“It has all of us in the arts and culture sector just kind of reeling a little bit," she explained, "about where things stand with, you know, these directives in relationship to DEI. It's really hard for us to understand the reason.”
She said the museum indirectly receives a state grant for its BIPOC initiative through Healing Illinois, but she has at least one federal grant opportunity sitting at her desk. She said isn’t sure if she can rely on those funds.
Laura Gomel is the executive director of 317 Collaborative in Rockford. This organization switched over to a nonprofit in 2023. She said so far, they haven’t been able to apply for one of the national grants, since they haven't been a nonprofit for that long.
“Just because we don't, maybe directly get a grant from the NEA," she added, "doesn't mean all of our surrounding people that we work with aren't counting on that. So, it inadvertently will affect us regardless."
Gomel recently did a fundraiser. She said the response from the community and businesses were great and that the nonprofit raised some money.
Claire Rice is the executive director of Arts Alliance Illinois. Arts Alliance Illinois is an advocacy group. She said it’s important to understand that the NEA is not being specifically targeted by Trump’s administration -- many agencies and organizations are impacted.
“The Kennedy Center is, of course, an issue, and you know that is relevant to the arts and there are impacts on the grants from the National Endowment for the Arts,” Rice said, “but there is not a specific, you know, there's no discussion at the moment of the NEA being eliminated.”
Rice said she encourages those who love the arts to give what they can. She also said the Alliance has a help desk.
“We’re going to keep fighting for public funding for the arts, of course, at the federal level," she said, "but also at the state level, where, happily, the governor just introduced his budget yesterday, and we got no cuts, which is amazing given the budget situation in Illinois to the Illinois Arts Council agency's budget.”
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker gave those updates Feb. 18. The proposed budget still needs legislative approval.
Rice advises people to reach out to their elected officials. This includes those at the local, state and federal level.
McNamara Bernsten recently attended an Arts Alliance meeting. She said arts organizations are also encouraged to attend Capitol Day for the Arts on April 30 in Springfield.
The National Endowment of the Arts did a webinar to answer many questions about the updates.
A group of artists have already sent a letter to NEA asking them to reverse their changes.
The Illinois Arts Council told WNIJ in an email that they “are still in the process of understanding updates with the NEA” and will keep its constituents informed as they learn more.
In the meantime, McNamara Bernsten said the arts council may have to redirect its focus for the summer program, by shifting the spotlight to increasing access to different mediums -- instead of access to underserved groups.
Disclaimer: WNIJ also receives funding from the Illinois Arts Council.
