> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://hyperallergic.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # 11 Foundations Defend NEA and Denounce Trump Budget Proposal - URL: https://hyperallergic.com/foundations-reject-trump-budget/ - Published: 2018-02-28T22:58:36.000Z - Updated: 2025-11-24T16:25:27.000Z - Description: Trump has twice suggested that the NEA be shut down, but for the first time, 11 foundations signed a joint statement of opposition. - Author: Elena Goukassian - Tags: News, NEA, #wp, #wp-post, #image-position-hidden, #Import 2025-11-18 14:37 (2018) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2018/02/15308182334_654521289f_h.jpg) Jane Chu, Chairman of the National Endowment fort the Arts, during the Knight Arts Challenge Miami 2014 Awards ceremony (photo by Patrick Farrell for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, via Flickr) A couple weeks ago, [President Trump released his 2019 budget proposal](https://hyperallergic.com/trump-2019-budget-proposal-arts-funding-nea-neh/), which, among other things, called for the dissolution of the National Endowment for the Arts. This week, the heads of 11 major national foundations — the Barr Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Surdna Foundation, Rasmuson Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, William Penn Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Bush Foundation, Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, Ford Foundation, and McKnight Foundation — [signed a joint statement](https://www.artplaceamerica.org/blog/statement-president-trump%E2%80%99s-2019-federal-budget-request?ref=hyperallergic.com) in opposition to the proposed funding cuts. The statement follows in the footsteps of other cultural institutions — such as the [11 arts organizations](https://www.metopera.org/user-information/save-the-national-endowment-for-the-arts/?ref=hyperallergic.com), including the Metropolitan Opera and The Juilliard School, that make up Lincoln Center — calling for continued NEA funding. Last year, [24 senators](https://hyperallergic.com/360647/24-senators-sign-letter-urging-trump-to-keep-the-national-endowments-for-arts-and-humanities/) signed a similar letter. > Artists play a vital role in our communities. That is why McKnight president [@KateWolford](https://twitter.com/KateWolford?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=hyperallergic.com) is joining foundation leaders across the country to highlight the value of federal agencies like the [#NEA](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NEA?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=hyperallergic.com). [https://t.co/sQu9ESOJ7I](https://t.co/sQu9ESOJ7I?ref=hyperallergic.com) > > — McKnight Foundation (@McKnightFdn) [February 26, 2018](https://twitter.com/McKnightFdn/status/968217123569971200?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=hyperallergic.com) As the joint foundation statement reads, the budget proposal “has the potential both to end valuable direct investments in our local communities and to dismantle tremendous partnerships with philanthropy that have strengthened our country.” It cites the NEA’s [Exploring Our Town](https://www.arts.gov/exploring-our-town/?ref=hyperallergic.com) initiative, which funds collaborative projects and partnerships between local governments and their artistic communities, as an inspiration for the organizations coming together to fund [ArtPlace America](https://www.artplaceamerica.org/?ref=hyperallergic.com): “Some seven years ago, it was the then Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts who was able to bring us together as foundation leaders because his agency had a strong history of investing in each of our communities.” In the 2018 fiscal year, as of February 12, the NEA had awarded 1,134 grants totaling $26.68 million to organizations and individuals in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. In 2016, the agency’s budget was approximately 0.004% of total federal spending. > In light of the released Federal 2019 fiscal budget that proposes cuts to valuable agencies and partnerships, [@ArtPlaceAmerica](https://twitter.com/ArtPlaceAmerica?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=hyperallergic.com) & our philanthropic partners respond with this statement. [https://t.co/TzWxB9wH0x](https://t.co/TzWxB9wH0x?ref=hyperallergic.com) > > — Surdna Foundation (@Surdna\_Fndn) [February 26, 2018](https://twitter.com/Surdna%5FFndn/status/968124786143584256?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=hyperallergic.com) The foundations note the importance of federal agencies in “serving all Americans in every community; no private philanthropy has the resources or the infrastructure to do that.” Their statement further argues the importance of artistic projects to the general the well-being of communities small and large: “If we lose federal agencies like the National Endowment for the Arts, we will not only lose significant direct investments in communities across all 50 states, we also lose the infrastructure that brings us together as one United States of America.” Although this is the second year the Trump administration has suggested scrapping the NEA, it’s the first year these 11 foundations have come together in a joint statement in opposition. **\* \* \*** *The complete statement appears below:* President Trump has delivered his [budget request](https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/budget-fy2019.pdf?ref=hyperallergic.com) to Congress for fiscal year 2019, which proposes significant cuts to and, in some cases, the complete elimination of key federal agencies – like the [National Endowment for the Arts](https://www.arts.gov/?ref=hyperallergic.com). This has the potential both to end valuable direct investments in our local communities and to dismantle tremendous partnerships with philanthropy that have strengthened our country. As just one example, in 2011, we were so inspired by work that the National Endowment for the Arts was doing through its “[Our Town](https://www.arts.gov/exploring-our-town/?ref=hyperallergic.com)” investments that we came together to capitalize [ArtPlace America](https://www.artplaceamerica.org/?ref=hyperallergic.com), which exists to extend and build upon the federal government’s work enlisting the arts and culture sector as an ally in creating equitable, healthy, and sustainable communities of all sizes across the country. This partnership – which has invested more than $100 million to date in communities that span the country from [Kivalina, AK](https://www.artplaceamerica.org/funded-projects/re-locate-kivalina?ref=hyperallergic.com) to [Boston, MA](https://www.artplaceamerica.org/funded-projects?f%5B0%5D=field%5Fgrants%5Fprojloc%5Fstate1%3A116&or=116&ref=hyperallergic.com), from [Bastrop, TX](https://www.artplaceamerica.org/funded-projects/lost-pines-art-center?ref=hyperallergic.com) to [Minot, ND ](https://www.artplaceamerica.org/funded-projects/artspace-magic-city-lofts?ref=hyperallergic.com)– has allowed us an even closer look at what is possible only when private philanthropies have strong and robust partners in the federal government. Some seven years ago, it was the then Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts who was able to bring us together as foundation leaders because his agency had a strong history of investing in each of our communities. He was also able to bring together senior officials from agencies like the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency because he was their peer in federal government. Together, we have worked more effectively than we could have done alone exactly because the public sector and philanthropy are not meant to do the same thing. Federal agencies are charged with serving all Americans in every community; no private philanthropy has the resources or the infrastructure to do that. Foundation dollars are meant to be risk capital; public funding exists to bring tested interventions to scale. Government is responsive to voters through election cycles; foundations are charged with thinking across longer timelines. We coalesced around a shared commitment to strengthen local communities. And, in this case, we came together because we all understood that artists are a resource present in every community. We also understood that those artists help root us in our communities, help connect us with our neighbors, and help to drive civic participation. Quite simply, we understood that it is not possible to have strong local communities without having a strong arts and culture sector. If we lose federal agencies like the National Endowment for the Arts, we will not only lose significant direct investments in communities across all 50 states, we also lose the infrastructure that brings us together as one United States of America. James E. Canales President and Trustee [Barr Foundation ](https://www.barrfoundation.org/?ref=hyperallergic.com)Boston, MA Patricia E. Harris Chief Executive Officer [Bloomberg Philanthropies ](https://www.bloomberg.org/?ref=hyperallergic.com)New York, NY Phillip W. Henderson President [Surdna Foundation ](http://surdna.org/?ref=hyperallergic.com)New York, NY Diane Kaplan President and CEO [Rasmuson Foundation ](https://www.rasmuson.org/?ref=hyperallergic.com)Anchorage, AK Earl Lewis President [The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation ](https://mellon.org/?ref=hyperallergic.com)New York, NY Shawn D. McCaney Executive Director [William Penn Foundation ](http://www.williampennfoundation.org/?ref=hyperallergic.com)Philadelphia, PA Rip Rapson President and CEO [The Kresge Foundation ](https://kresge.org/?ref=hyperallergic.com)Troy, MI Jennifer Ford Reedy President [The Bush Foundation ](https://www.bushfoundation.org/?ref=hyperallergic.com)St. Paul, MN Douglas Bitonti Stewart Executive Director [Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation ](http://mmfisher.org/?ref=hyperallergic.com)Southfield, MI Darren Walker President [Ford Foundation ](https://www.fordfoundation.org/?ref=hyperallergic.com)New York, NY Kate Wolford President [The McKnight Foundation ](https://www.mcknight.org/?ref=hyperallergic.com)Minneapolis, MN