Contact Your Members of Congress
Boost your impact in just a few extra minutes by making your email more personal with these tips and suggestions. As a reminder, public employees should not use their work emails or phone numbers to take political action. Even from private accounts, you may need to make clear that you are speaking as a private citizen and not on behalf of your employer.
To Copy a Letter:
- Select the “Copy & Paste This” button
- Create a new email message where you can paste the letter OR navigate to the message form from your Member of Congress’ website
- Paste by using the keyboard shortcut CTRL + V or right click and select “Paste”
Save the National Endowment for the Humanities
Eliminating federal funding for the humanities won’t save the government much, but it will cost the American people greatly. For less than a postage stamp per American each year, the NEH funds excellence in research, education, and humanities experiences in all 50 states and six U.S. jurisdictions.
- Take action now to save the NEH using resources from our partners at the National Humanities Alliance and the State Federation of Humanities Councils
- Personalize this message to ask your Member of Congress to save the NEH.
Dear <Insert Representative/ Senator Last Name>:
As a constituent, I am writing with an urgent request that you support the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). In April, the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency canceled more than 1,400 awarded grants and terminated approximately 75 percent of staff. Appropriated by Congress for the states on a bipartisan basis, these funds supported jobs and programming at the local level. And now, a FY2026 presidential budget request zeroes out agency funding as the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary.
The NEH is the only federal agency in the United States dedicated to funding the humanities. Since its founding in 1965, NEH has awarded over 70,000 grants to museums, historic sites, colleges, universities, K–12 teaching, libraries, public television and radio stations, research institutions, independent scholars, and to its humanities council affiliates.
In turn, the NEH’s investment in cultural and educational institutions sustains local jobs in the humanities, promotes cultural tourism, and contributes to the 4.2 percent that the creative economy adds to GDP each year. NEH grants support the building blocks of American civil society, funding projects that examine, preserve, and shape our culture and history. These grants fund excellence in research, education, and humanities experiences for the American people. In times of disasters, the NEH provides relief funding to humanities organizations to safeguard our national heritage.
[If your time permits, please add district or state specific examples here that you think would appeal to the interests of your Member of Congress. Here you may search to find NEH grants to your state. On the left-hand side, you can filter for your congressional district and add date range filter such as 2020 to 2024 to highlight more recent grants: https://apps.neh.gov/publicquery/default.aspx ]
The NEH is tasked by Congress with making the humanities accessible to all Americans, and for six decades Congress has appropriated funds for that purpose. As we look to the future, I ask that you help ensure that the NEH continues to function, fulfilling its congressional mandate.
Sincerely,
[Insert Name
Address
City, Town, Zip]
Protect Scientific Research Funding
Federal scientific research funding at American colleges and universities drives job creation, supports local economies, develops lifesaving treatments, and safeguards the nation. Plus, nearly 80 percent of American voters support these bipartisan investments.
- Speak out using resources from our colleagues at The Science Coalition and Science Impacts
- Personalize this message to ask your Member of Congress to protect scientific research funding.
Dear <Insert Representative/ Senator Last Name>:
I am writing today as a constituent deeply concerned about drastic cuts to federal science agencies and their grants to colleges and universities for research and training.
Since the start of the year, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) have faced deep turmoil—marked by layoffs, resignations, reorganizations, and billions of dollars in canceled grants jeopardizing core agency missions. Now, proposed 56% cuts to NSF and 37% cuts to NIH in the 2026 federal budget threaten to dismantle broad swaths of U.S. scientific research.
[Here, please add specific language about the impact to your congressional district with the following resources from Science Impacts and Grant Watch. You can also find tips for personalizing your outreach from The Science Coalition.]
A recent survey finds that nearly three-quarters (74%) of voters support the federal government using taxpayer funds to invest in scientific research, with strong bipartisan support. I strongly urge you to make federal funding for science a national priority.
Sincerely,
[Insert Name
Address
City, Town, Zip]
Tips and Suggestions to Make Your Call More Personal
- Keep your message as short, simple, and specific as possible. If you can, reference pending legislation in your state or specific budget line items.
- Personalize your message with state-specific data using these tools:
o National College Attainment Network – State Economic Value of College Profiles
o National Endowment for the Arts State Profiles
o National Endowment for the Humanities State & Jurisdiction Impact
o State Higher Education Funding
o National Science Foundation by the Numbers - Tell a brief personal anecdote when possible to tie your message back home for your legislator.
- Ask for a response by indicating you would appreciate a reply on the issue.
- Follow up when appropriate by thanking your legislator when you agree with their votes or informing them when you disagree.
