The Department of Government Efficiency is targeting the National Endowment for the Humanities for deep cuts to staff and programs offered by the agency. This means many cuts to programs in Kentucky.
Bill Goodman is the executive director of the Kentucky Humanities Council. He said this will have a sweeping impact on organizations across the commonwealth.
“They have essentially taken the grant money that goes to museums, cultural centers, universities, colleges across the state and frozen that money.”
He said many of their programs will take a major hit because of these cuts.
“We do a very robust book giveaway program, where we take authors into schools, mostly rural schools and underserved communities where they may not get to the Kentucky Book Festival or they might not ever get to a library like we have in Lexington and Louisville.”
Goodman said the money the Kentucky Humanities Council would use for operations is also no longer available.
This news comes on the heels of DOGE putting all of the employees at the Institute of Museum and Library Services on administrative leave; a move that has many in rural communities concerned about the fate of local libraries.
Kentucky Humanities is a financial supporter of WEKU.
** WEKU is working hard to be a leading source for public service, and fact-based journalism. Monthly supporters are the top funding source for this growing nonprofit news organization. Please join others in your community who support WEKU by making your donation
