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Opportunities to Take Action Against Federal Agency Cuts

Dawn Heinen, Digital Communications Manager

a work on paper that depicts the top half of a male figure with crossed arms. It's clouded over with a layer of beeswax. The face is obscured by a large, black scratch out.
Blindfolded, by Eben Haines (Grantee ’18). Graphite, acrylic, beeswax on paper-mounted panel, 8″ x 5″ x 1″, 2016.

As Congress is currently accepting funding requests for FY26, Americans for the Arts has released a time sensitive resource guide to help people advocate against funding cuts to federal agencies. This marks the latest in a series of such resources created to help amplify the voices of the cultural sector during this volatile time.

Your voice as a local arts leader/creator carries significant weight with Congress. When legislators hear directly from constituents about the impact of arts and cultural funding in their districts, it makes a real difference in their decision-making.

Please email AND call your members of Congress today. It is important that you include in your communication how important these federal agencies are to you and/or your cultural organization and the community your work serves.

Here are some recently created advocacy tools to help you shape your emails and/or call scripts:

Americans for the Arts is taking a national pulse survey of arts and culture organizations and creative businesses to gather critical information to demonstrate the human, programmatic, and financial impacts of federal cuts. Please respond by May 16. It takes about 6 minutes to complete.

Americans for the Arts’ Appropriations Guide walks you through exactly how to submit funding requests for:

  • National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
  • National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
  • Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
  • Arts Education Programs
  • Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Americans for the Arts – Standing United: Protecting America’s Arts and Cultural Future

American Alliance of Museums – Urgent: Act Now to Save IMLS

American Library Association – Show Up for Our Libraries

MASSCreative

Mass Cultural Council blog posts:

Mass Humanities – Take Action on NEH Cuts

Mass Nonprofit Network and The Boston Foundation – The Shifting Federal Landscape: Massachusetts Nonprofits Raise the Alarm event on May 5, 2025.

National Endowment for the Arts – Fact Sheet and Talking Points

Additional Advocacy Resources from MASSCreative

Resources and Guides
Write a Letter to the Editor
Advocacy 101 Training (and slides)
Advocacy 201 Training (and slides)
Advocacy 301 Training: 501(c)3 Dos and Don’ts for Advocacy is being offered on April 18, 2025


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