January 25, 2019
From: Isaac Brown, Legislative Counsel
Vol. 19:01

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is scheduled to resume operations on Monday, January 28. While the broader shutdown of many federal agencies remains in effect at this time, the NEA—and its sister agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)—have received approval to reopen using fiscal year 2018 administrative funds. These administrative funds (available due to prudent fiscal management) will allow agency personnel to return to their posts, assist the field and attend to critical workload issues.

States and regions should await guidance from the NEA regarding Partnership Agreement applications, pending grant payment requests and other matters.

Although it’s great news for the NEA and the NEH, this administrative move does not signal a return to fully normal status. A partial government shutdown remains in effect, leaving dozens of other federal agencies in limbo until the President and Congress can reach an agreement on border security issues and funding for agencies whose FY2019 appropriations have yet to be approved. NASAA will keep you apprised of new developments and their effects on the NEA as a resolution is reached.