COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) terminated grants for all state humanities councils late last week.  

Millions of federal dollars that were already appropriated for cultural and art groups were abruptly canceled early Thursday morning and some arts advocates are worried about the effects on local museums and their programs.  

Ohio Humanities is in charge of distributing funding to different cultural organizations and projects.

“We are the only source of funds for most local history organizations, for humanities organizations throughout the state, and so this is now a source of funding that’s just no longer available,” Ohio Humanities Executive Director Rebecca Asmo said. 

She received an email early Thursday morning canceling all the grants.  

“These are funds that have already been appropriated by Congress,” Asmo said. “We actually are the only entity that is mandated by Congress to distribute these funds to local communities in congressional districts all across America.”  

Small and midsize museums and their programs could be impacted the most, according to Johnna McEntee, the executive director of the Ohio Museums Association.  

“I don’t think everyone has really understood the economic cost, the job cost and the education cost across Ohio,” McEntee said. “These cuts will really impact these organizations and how they’re able to function within the state.”

McEntee said she is worried about museums, their employees and the education they provide, like art classes, exhibitions and cultural presentations. She said there could even be a direct impact on the local economy in small and rural areas.  

“Programs will stop,” she said. “Initiatives will cease to be. Communities will lose access to these important public spaces and to the programs and to the organizations that they love and that are central to their community.” 

Asmo and McEntee said there has not been much guidance from DOGE and they don’t know what will happen from here.  

Asmo said Ohio Humanities is doing everything possible to bring these taxpayers dollars back to local communities. McEntee said the money allocated for humanities is a very small part of the federal budget. The Trump Administration said its latest move is aimed at reallocating funding in a way that aligns with the president’s agenda.