Oregon Humanities Council is Suing DOGE for Unlawfully Blocking Endowment Grants

The Oregon Humanities Council has asked a federal judge to declare as unlawful the move by DOGE to block and terminate endowment grants that would have been spent on rural libraries, mental health sessions, and storytelling projects.

An operation grant of $2.5 million was approved for the Humanities Council, effective from 1 November 2022 to 31 October 2027. The grant covers 50% of its annual budget.

According to court documents, the lawsuit requests a federal judge to issue a court order compelling the government to sanction the grant passed by Congress.

In Oregon, the money would have financed grants to rural libraries in Blue River, Burns, Forest grove, and Joseph. Other projects included mental health sessions led by the youth in Medford, and storytelling by the Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland.

The funding stream is the largest financial lifeline for the Oregon Humanities Council, which has operated as a nonprofit since 1971. The Federation of State Humanities Councils, representing 54 out of 56 state and territorial councils, has joined Oregon in the legal challenge.

The endowment is the Humanities Council’s largest source of funding and since its creation as a nonprofit in 1971.

The lawsuit says the agency had requested a further $292,000 for expenses through to 31 March, pointing out that there is still $258,934 available for the current financial year.

The Federation of State Humanities Councils, representing 54 out of 56 state and territorial councils, has joined Oregon in the legal challenge.