Stamford-Based Nonprofit Loses NEA Grant Amid Federal Policy Shift

STAMFORD, CT — INTEMPO, the Stamford-based nonprofit focused on music education, said it was unexpectedly notified last Friday that its $10,000 federal arts grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) had been withdrawn, weeks after the funds were expected to help support a major community concert.

The organization had planned to use the NEA Challenge America grant to partially fund its April Cultural Crossover Concert.

"INTEMPO’s annual large-scale multicultural concert is a major initiative with a track record of excellence. We reach audiences of 1,000+ people of all ages and from all walks of life. The concert is a cultural equalizer, featuring symphonic music and highlighting the music of a different culture each year," INTEMPO's website says. "We feature more than 100 young musicians, alongside professional musicians and a multilingual choir, coming together in a demonstration of inclusion and diversity."

Lou Chen, INTEMPO’s chief executive officer, said in a prepared statement that, "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."

The $10,000 award represented roughly 33 percent of the concert's budget, according to INTEMPO, which had previously been awarded three separate $10,000 Challenge America grants that supported the concert event. INTEMPO said it must now raise alternative funds to cover costs.

In an email to INTEMPO, the NEA cited an update to its grant-making policy priorities under the Trump administration as the reason for the decision.

"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 email notification said.

"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."

CBS News reported this week that President Donald Trump's proposed budget calls for the shutdown of the NEA, which was founded in 1965. CBS said budget proposals during the first Trump term also called for the agency to close, but Congress decided to fund the NEA each time.

INTEMPO expressed concern about the abrupt change in funding direction and its impact on small arts groups.

Earlier this year, the NEA announced the termination of the Challenge America grant line for fiscal year 2026, INTEMPO noted.

"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, in a prepared statement. "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."

Affected organizations have seven business days to appeal a withdrawn award if they believe their project fits within the agency’s new funding priorities.

"INTEMPO’s concert featured music of the Andes, and the majority of the students we serve are Hispanic," added Chen. "We are considering our next steps."