Indicator IV-3
|
State Humanities Council Revenues
|
NOTE TO READERS: Please include the following reference when citing data
from this page: "American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Humanities Indicators,
http://HumanitiesIndicators.org".
|
Created by Congress in the early 1970s, the
state humanities councils
are independent, not-for-profit entities that support humanities programs and community-based
activities in the 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia and the jurisdictions
of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
The 56 councils are governed by volunteer boards composed of humanities scholars
and members of the general public and receive the majority of their funding from
the federal government. While the United States is home to a variety of humanities-focused
organizations, councils are the focus of their own indicator because they are the
primary channel through which the federal government provides resources to states
for the purpose of making the humanities accessible to the general public. (For
data on the number and revenues of the larger universe of not-for-profit humanities
organizations in the United States, which includes—in addition to the state humanities
councils—museums, reading promotion groups, and ethnic and cultural awareness organizations,
see Indicator IV-9,
Revenues of Not-for-Profit Humanities Organizations.)
The NEH provides each of the councils with an annual supporting grant through its
Federal/State Partnership
program. The funds are allocated according to a legislatively mandated formula,
which directs $200,000 to every council, with the remainder of the appropriated
monies being distributed in the following manner:
|
44% is allocated equally among councils that serve a population of 200,000 or more;
|
|
22% is allocated to all councils according to population; and
|
|
34% is allocated to councils according to the wishes of the NEH chairperson.
|
Councils also receive discretionary (nonformula) funding from the NEH. Thus, for
example, a portion of the NEH’s appropriation for
We the People
(a special initiative that directs monies to activities that explore significant
themes or events in American history) was distributed to the state councils. In
addition, councils receive funding from the NEH in the form of matching grants and
are eligible to apply for funding under the NEH’s competitive grant programs.
NEH is not the only source of council funding. Some councils receive monies from
other federal sources, and most are funded by their state governments. Most councils
also receive at least some funding from private organizations (corporations or foundations)
and/or individuals. Councils also raise funds through special projects or sales.
One source of data regarding council revenues is Internal Revenue Service Form 990,
which humanities councils, as public charities, are required to submit annually.
In the fiscal year (FY) ending in 2010, the 50 state humanities councils and the
council for the District of Columbia reported a total of $71.6 million in revenues
(2010 dollars), which, once inflation is taken into account, represents a 19% increase
over the 1994 level (Figure IV-3a; 1994 is the first year for which data
from Form 990 are available for these councils; the five jurisdictional councils
are not included because data are not available for all years). But as funding increased,
so did population, with the result that per capita revenues remained constant, hovering
in the vicinity of 23 cents per U.S. resident (and overseas military service member)
over the entire period.
Figure IV-3b presents total and per capita revenues for each of the state
councils and the District of Columbia council for FY 2010. In that year, per capita
funding levels ranged from five cents for the state of California to over a dollar
for the District of Columbia and such states as Alaska, Maine, and Wyoming. The
median state per capita revenue level was 30 cents.
The
Federation of State Humanities Councils’
annual income survey is another rich source of data on council revenues. The Federation
collects detailed information from its member councils about the amounts of funding
they garner from different sources. Figure IV-3c indicates the relative importance
of different funding sources for the councils. In 2011, almost 65% of council funding
was from the federal government, nearly all from the NEH. State and local governments
contributed the next largest share of council revenue, just under 20%. (This is
in contrast with state arts agencies, the bulk of whose funding comes from state
government. See Indicator IV-6,
State Arts Agencies, for details.) Councils received 11% of their funding
from private contributors, and earned approximately 3% via projects and sales.
|