Unpredictable policy changes at the federal level hit close to home this past week as nonprofits in the Princeton region learned that grants had been withdrawn and funding for certain programs cut off.
Below are statements from three such groups: Princeton’s McCarter Theater, which lost a $200,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts; Trenton’s Isles Inc., which lost $221,000 in funding due cuts to the AmeriCorps program ordered by the Department of Government Efficiency; and People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos which lost a matching grant from the NEA and the Poetry Foundation.
McCarter Theater
After learning this past Friday of plans to eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts, McCarter was notified that our approved grant for the current season had been withdrawn.
Sadly, McCarter is far from alone in feeling the pain of this loss — artistic institutions across our community and country are learning of terminated grants to support programs that are underway. For our company alone, public funding will now total $200,000 less than it did last year. This impact, multiplied, has a profound effect.
The arts build empathy, transform our children’s lives by sparking creativity and imagination, and connect us to each other. These shared experiences fulfill a basic human need and deserve to be enduringly supported in the kind of society we want to live in.
We know you share that belief, and hope you’ll take the opportunity to send a different message by supporting the cultural non-profits in our community — and using your own voice to advocate for the importance of public support for the arts.
McCarter is an independent non-profit, with just a third of our budget covered by ticket sales. Our programs — from our work on stage and in local schools, to our access initiatives extending scholarships for youth and free and reduced-price tickets — are vulnerable to these unforeseen cuts. If you are able, please consider making a timely gift to help us replace these critical funds. We’re working hard to bring this memorable season to a strong close.
McCarter’s values of justice and joy, beauty and belonging do not just exist on our stages: they are the guideposts for how our community shows up for each other. Thank you for your kindness, friendship, and support. To help, visit www.mccarter.org.
Isles
Isles, Inc., a community development and environmental organization serving Trenton, announced on May 7 that its Trenton Community Corps program has lost $221,000 in funding following the elimination of the AmeriCorps program nationwide by the Department of Government Efficiency.
This unexpected cut impacts 12 AmeriCorps members currently working in Trenton communities and threatens vital services including urban agriculture education, youth job training, community space maintenance, tree planting initiatives to combat urban heat islands, and sustainable stormwater management projects.
“These Corps Members are a vital part of our work in Trenton,” said Jason Allen, Managing Director of Community Planning and Development at Isles. “They train new gardeners. They plant hundreds of trees, cleaning our air and cooling our overheated neighborhoods. Their stormwater projects reduce flooding. The community are our partners and see how these investments are helping to strengthen the Trenton community.”
Over the past three years, Isles has engaged 30 AmeriCorps program members, many of whom are Trenton residents receiving their first employment experience. These service members develop valuable workplace skills while making a significant difference in their own community.
“This is not efficiency. This not strategic planning,” said Sean Jackson, Isles CEO. “AmeriCorps was created to offer Americans of all ages the chance to serve their country, to make a difference in their community, and help transform lives. Instead, President Trump has broken America’s promise to these Service members and the communities they serve.”
The funding loss affects thousands of AmeriCorps members across all 50 states who are now forced to abandon their positions without notice, losing opportunities for further education through the education credit and impacting their ability to afford basic needs.
Isles is actively responding to this crisis by:
• Communicating with U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman and U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim
• Seeking alternative funding sources for the Trenton Community Corps program
• Providing information to support NJ Attorney General Matt Platkin’s lawsuit, along with Attorneys General from 20 other states, to overturn this decision
“The work is too important. The impact is too significant. The lives we touch are too valuable to just walk away from this fight,” added Jackson. “We need the public’s help to keep our Community Corps going.”
Isles urges elected officials, partners, supporters, and community members to stand behind these AmeriCorps service members and their work. The organization remains committed to serving Trenton and supporting those who step up to serve.
To help, visit www.isles.org.
People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos
You may have seen the troubling headlines: the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) are under severe threat from the current administration. Unfortunately, the ripple effects have reached our own doorstep.
Last week, People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos received notice that our matching grant from the NEA and the Poetry Foundation — funding that has sustained the majority of our current programs — will be terminated on May 31, 2025. Though we were fortunate to receive the funds initially allotted, there is still uncertainty; the federal government may yet claw back those resources.
To compound this, the NEH and the New Jersey Council for the Humanities — our longtime partners — have had staff eliminated and canceled current funding applications. And they are not alone.
A staggering number of the grants we rely on, making up a large percentage of our operating and program budgets, are being slashed or eliminated altogether. This means that our projected annual funding — used to bring literature-based programs to underserved communities — is now in jeopardy.
Why This Matters. For more than 50 years, People & Stories / Gente y Cuentos has brought the transformative power of literature to those who need it most: individuals in transitional housing, people re-entering society after incarceration, older adults, newly arrived immigrants, youth, and others too often left behind. Are you, or someone close to you, one of the many whose life has been touched directly or indirectly by our work?
We’re asking you to help us continue this important mission.
1. Make a Donation Today. Your gift — no matter the size — will help close the funding gap and ensure we can continue to serve our partner sites and the people who rely on us.
2. Share Your Story. Have you been moved by a People & Stories / Gente y Cuentos session? Send us a note, photo, or quote to share the impact: email info@peopleandstories.org
3. Introduce Us to Corporate Sponsors. Know a business that values employee wellness or community engagement? Introduce us! We offer 8-week programs in both English and Spanish that companies can sponsor or offer to staff, while providing an 8-week program to those in an underserved community. Contact debra@peopleandstories.org
4. Attend or Host a “Try It” Session. Experience the power of a session for yourself. We’re hosting in-person and virtual “Try It” events this summer. Interested in attending — or even hosting one? Let us know: email info@peopleandstories.org
We know these are difficult times, but as I shared with our incredible network of coordinators recently:
We’ve done everything right — and we’re still on the right path. This is just a detour.
With your support, we’ll navigate this turn in the road and keep building the bridges literature makes possible.
Thank you, deeply, for being part of our story. Let’s write the next chapter — together.
For more information on how to help, visit www.peopleandstories.org.
