INTEMPO Organization Inc., an award-winning Stamford, CT-based music education non-profit, was stunned to learn on Friday that the funding recommendation for its National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Challenge America grant has been “Withdrawn by the Agency and the National Endowment for the Arts will no longer offer award funding for the project.”
The grant was to be used to provide partial support for INTEMPO’s Cultural Crossover Concert, which took place in April.
Cultural Crossover Concert, The Andes: Music of the Mountains. Contributed photo
Cultural Crossover Concert, The Andes: Music of the Mountains. Contributed photo
Cultural Crossover Concert, The Andes: Music of the Mountains. Contributed photo
Cultural Crossover Concert, The Andes: Music of the Mountains. Contributed photo
“The Cultural Crossover Concert is a signature event for INTEMPO, and having the support of the NEA has been crucial to our ability to bring music to a wide range of local communities,” says Lou Chen, INTEMPO’s Chief Executive Officer.
He added that the $10,000 in lost funding represented 33% of the budget for the concert, leaving the organization with the burden of raising alternative funds to cover costs. INTEMPO has been awarded three previous Challenge America grants, each $10,000, which supported its Cultural Crossover Concert.
According to the email notification, “The NEA is updating its grantmaking policy priorities to focus funding on projects that reflect the nation’s rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the President. Consequently, we are terminating awards that fall outside these new priorities.
The NEA will now prioritize projects that elevate the Nation’s HBCUs and Hispanic Serving Institutions, celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence, foster AI competency, empower houses of worship to serve communities, assist with disaster recovery, foster skilled trade jobs, make America
healthy again, support the military and veterans, support Tribal communities, make the District of Columbia safe and beautiful, and support the economic development of Asian American communities. Funding is being allocated in a new direction in furtherance of the Administration’s agenda.”
Earlier this year, the NEA announced that it would be canceling its Challenge America grant line for FY2026, which was an important source of funding for arts organizations like INTEMPO whose projects reached underserved communities.
“We knew the loss of Challenge America grant line would make an already difficult funding atmosphere for the arts and arts education even more uncertain,” said Robbin Juris, INTEMPO’s Director of Development. “Although we expected new guidelines for future projects to be announced, we had hoped that grants that complied with and were awarded under the previous guidelines would be honored.”
Organizations have seven business days in which to file an appeal with the NEA if they believe their project falls within one of the new priority areas. “INTEMPO’s concert featured music of the Andes, and the majority of the students we serve are Hispanic,” Chen said. “We are considering our next steps.”