Q: How will changes in NEA funding affect literary magazines?

"These are, of course, significant changes for the NEA. "

Welcome to our weekend conversation!

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This week, The National Endowment for the Arts announced that it was changing the focus of its funding for arts projects in fiscal year 2026-2027. Per the NEA’s press release:

The Challenge America opportunity is canceled for FY 2026…

…The FY 2026 deadlines are now March 11, 2025, for GAP 1 and July 10, 2025, for GAP 2. Organizations that have already submitted an application must submit a new application under one of these deadlines.

Under the updated guidelines, the NEA continues to encourage projects that celebrate the nation’s rich artistic heritage and creativity by honoring the semiquincentennial of the United States of America (America250). This can include incorporating an America250-related component or focus within a larger project.

Additional changes to the Grants for Arts Projects guidelines include a requirement for applicants to have completed a five-year history of arts programming prior to the application deadline. If arts programming was suspended due to the pandemic, applicants may include examples that occurred in 2018 or 2019 to meet the five-year requirement. Do not include examples prior to 2018. Virtual programming is acceptable. Organizations may no longer submit applications in the same fiscal year for both Grants for Arts Projects and Our Town funding categories (a separate application in the Research Awards category is allowable).

For those unfamiliar with this grant program, let’s go over all of this. First, what was Challenge America? Per grants.gov:

Challenge America supports projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved groups/communities. The program welcomes applications from applicants that are primarily small organizations, first-time applicants to the NEA, and/or returning Challenge America applicants. Eligible applicants include: nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organizations; units of state or local government; Federally recognized tribal communities or tribes; and applicants that have not been recommended for funding in any of the three most recent Fiscal Years…

Some key changes, as of February 6th:

• The new funding opportunity is now called “Celebrate America” rather than “Challenge America.”

• The deadlines have been moved back.

• Applicants for Celebrate America must “have completed a five-year history of arts programming prior to the application deadline.”

• Organizations that have already submitted an application must submit a new application.

And, of course, there is this (emphasis my own):

Under the updated guidelines, the NEA continues to encourage projects that celebrate the nation’s rich artistic heritage and creativity by honoring the semiquincentennial of the United States of America (America250). This can include incorporating an America250-related component or focus within a larger project.

I wanted to highlight not only the new focus on “incorporating an America250-related component” but also the vagueness of the NEA’s language. It appears they are encouraging projects on this theme, though not expressly requiring it.

For anyone rightly confused about all this, there will be a webinar covering the updated guidelines on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.. The NEA’s site will also soon have more information.

Now, was the NEA responding to a specific Executive Order? If so, which one? They do not specify.

It may be this one from WhiteHouse.gov:

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in anticipation of the 250th anniversary of American Independence on July 4, 2026, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Purpose. It is the policy of the United States, and a purpose of this order, to provide a grand celebration worthy of the momentous occasion of the 250th anniversary of American Independence on July 4, 2026. It is also the purpose of this order to take other actions to honor the history of our great Nation.

This Executive Order establishes a task force specifically to:

commemorate and celebrate our 250th anniversary with inclusive programs that inspire Americans to renew and strengthen our daring experiment in democracy. The shared experiences of America250 will have ignited our imaginations, elevated our diverse stories, inspired service in our communities, and demonstrated the lasting durability of the American project.

These are, of course, significant changes for the NEA.

My first thought, when I heard all this, was that the NEA was attempting to beat Trump at his own game. In other words, I thought surely they must be trolling him. Not only are they scrapping the Challenge America grant, but they’re encouraging projects related specifically to the Declaration of Independence?

Leslie Pietrzyk articulated my thoughts exactly:

post on X

In all seriousness, I do wonder about what appears to be a dramatic shift in the NEA’s focus.

I also wonder about the new stipulations regarding the level of experience applicants must have now in order to be eligible. Not to mention the requirement that those who have already applied must now reapply.

What I am wondering most of all is, will the changes to this particular grant affect literary magazines?

It is important to note that as of right now, the NEA has not changed its guidelines for other grants. The guidelines for individual writer grants, whose deadline is approaching, are unchanged, as are the grants for research projects and translation.

So then, what about lit mags? How might these particular changes affect them? Will it?

Has the Challenge America grant funded lit mags in the past? Will these changes affect lit mags as they apply for other sorts of grants from the NEA?

I do not know the answers to these questions. So, I turn to you.

Let’s talk about it.

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Editors, was the Challenge America grant specifically one that you applied for?

Are the changes to this particular grant’s orientation relevant to your organization?

Writers, do you anticipate changes to the individual writer grants as well?

Might this change create opportunities for organizations who do have projects related to these subjects and are in need of funding?

If you’ve applied for this grant in the past, will you try re-applying now, or is that off the table?

Do you anticipate seeing further changes in grant funding, at the NEA or elsewhere?

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