SAIPAN, CNMI — October 16, 2025. The Northern Marianas Humanities Council (NMHC) has received a $200,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation to support Pacific Islands humanities councils following sharp federal funding cuts this year. The three-year aid package will help sustain and revitalize programs across the region, including NMHC, Humanities Guåhan, the Amerika Samoa Humanities Council, and the Hawai‘i Council for the Humanities.
In June 2025, the National Endowment for the Humanities reduced FY2025 operational support to councils nationwide by up to 46 percent and ended a three-year NEH Pacific Islands Cultural Initiative that had fostered regional collaboration and capacity-building. The Luce grant steps in to keep core work moving and deepen public engagement.
The grant will fund selected NMHC projects, including public discussions, writing contests, and exhibits on the NMI’s ideas and aspirations in relation to its ties with the United States; a documentary on traditional seafaring culture; a documentary series on stories of service, sacrifice, and resilience among U.S. veterans and first responders; an expansion of a digital archive of historically and culturally significant records and artifacts; and the continuation of “Your Humanities Half-Hour,” NMHC’s talk show on humanities issues.
NMHC Executive Director Leo Pangelinan said the grant “ensures NMHC’s operational stability” while strengthening its commitment to cultural identity and public understanding of the humanities. Sean Buffington, vice president for programs at the Henry Luce Foundation, called humanities councils “crucial for the creative, intellectual, and civic health of the nation,” noting Luce’s honor in partnering with NMHC and the people of the Northern Mariana Islands.
