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“Vermont Humanities is about 42% federally funded right now,” Christopher Kaufman, executive director of Vermont Humanities, told the committee, noting the organization is the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress. Kaufman said the NEH had informed the organization it expects an award of $1,071,800 this year and that the state match requirement would be the same amount; the governor’s budget includes $1,003,000 toward that match.

Representatives of the Vermont Arts Council described disaster resilience and emergency-preparedness work the council leads with partners. The Arts Council co-leads VACDARN, the Vermont Arts and Culture Disaster and Resiliency Network, which provides training and mutual-assistance coordination for artists and cultural organizations during emergencies.

Elise Brunell, executive director of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, described the orchestra’s statewide educational and performance activities and financial profile. “We are the only statewide orchestra and chorus that, operates year round,” Brunell said, adding that the orchestra runs roughly 40 concerts and about 50 educational events each year, reaching about 20,000 people. She said the orchestra’s endowment is just shy of $6,000,000; the organization’s policy target is a 4% endowment draw but the group has drawn as much as 7% during recent years of revenue shortfalls. Brunell said box-office receipts have improved but corporate sponsorships and donations are declining.

Stephen Perkins, executive director of the Vermont Historical Society, asked the committee to note statutory constraints that affect his organization’s budgets. He told the committee the society’s employees “have to be treated as if they were state employees” and must participate in the state pension system, per statutes in chapter 22; those obligations affect personnel and benefit costs. Perkins also noted the society recently opened a Research and Exhibition Gallery in Barre and said the governor’s budget recommends a 5.9% increase in the society’s appropriation.

Committee members asked about shifting corporate sponsorship patterns, the reach of cultural economic impact, and how organizations would adjust if federal awards were reduced. Kaufman said the council and humanities group are tracking federal guidance and working with partners to determine options if federal awards change; Brunell said the orchestra has increased earned income but faces reductions in corporate support; Perkins said the historical society’s budget pressures are driven mainly by personnel cost obligations under state statute.

Representatives from each organization said they are pursuing diversified revenue — including federal, state, foundation and earned income — but asked the legislature to consider preserving or increasing state support to protect programs that serve schools, artists, and communities across Vermont.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Appropriations - 2025-02-18 - 10:35AM","oneSentenceSummary","Representatives of Vermont Humanities, Vermont Arts Council partners, Vermont Symphony Orchestra and the Vermont Historical Society told the committee that federal funding uncertainty and declining private support put statewide cultural and educational programs at risk and asked for continued state matching and stable funding.","taxTitle","Appropriations, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",30573,"location","Vermont","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6323803,"Vermont administration says it is monitoring federal orders, urges measured response to potential Medicaid and grant changes",1499,38500,1537815,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2340909-fab15aa14829a763c91b4912591c0b98&start=38&end=1537","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2340909-fab15aa14829a763c91b4912591c0b98/thumbnail_38500.jpg","/articles/6323803/Vermont/Vermont-administration-says-it-is-monitoring-federal-orders-urges-measured-response-to-potential-Medicaid-and-grant-changes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6323803-7111150373d329d77394b8471bd02fbe/orig.mp4?Expires=1776605388&Signature=Cw~Ql09W3Wl-3Q-uRNn21az3C9si2D7hi1dd0rrU~rztgPg90R7oQAweQZMxjU-Nml08WfIujO8pwyRk5Y5sZ6XBZQXwhFiUmWNqLyjCDJHGvnCuWQDkG1J3mKOiyaDXNGeGxsWQypPWDVGryKshcnDymzeZNOG6YaZEQqBYMNDUb0~~IAR5GloOU11zW~1heJiEnnTjcwZr12jres8Sxe95vBFU4DNPsp8qu-aLkYun4~pBdzedkMH9QhsuGnCmeloSBcwGfs4arK9oMgbJAKrZOycMq6JYMYhJ1FDbep5jgEZcn7NW40iKAgxPPd5~dkuAC8tzDdT7HkPNgnjrdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sarah Clark, secretary of administration, told the House of Dilipatians Committee on Feb. 15 that the state is carefully monitoring recent shifts at the federal level and is advising agencies to be measured in their response.

“We are tracking about 45 executive orders that have been issued,” Clark said, adding that the administration’s approach is to understand the facts and avoid reacting prematurely. The state also compared the situation to preparations typically made for a federal shutdown and issued guidance to agencies to ensure timely federal draws.

The nut of the discussion centered on fiscal exposure: Clark said the Agency of Human Services draws roughly $110,000,000 a month from federal programs — most notably Medicaid — and that timing or access problems in federal payment systems can create local cash-flow challenges. She cited a recent example in which some Head Start programs experienced a delayed federal payment but ultimately received funds.

Committee members pressed Clark on what concrete scenarios the administration is modeling. Clark warned that federal budget actions now under consideration in the U.S. House and Senate, including possible changes to Medicaid rules or the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP), could have “significant impact on all states.” She said no specific changes have occurred yet and that the state is coordinating with agency secretaries and the Joint Fiscal Office to assess risks.

Clark also described short-term operational concerns the administration is tracking, including temporary loss of access to federal payment systems after an Office of Management and Budget guidance briefly paused federal draws and later was rescinded. She said access issues appeared labelled as technical problems and, as of her testimony, had been restored.

On reserves and liquidity, Clark told the committee that Vermont’s reserves are “in good shape” and that the state is near statutory caps on some funds, which helps mitigate short-term impacts but does not replace federal funding. She said the administration’s work includes a cross-agency decision-support team modeling other federal actions such as tariffs and supply-chain impacts and emphasized the need to preserve state investments in programs tied to values such as diversity, equity and inclusion.

Clark said the administration is also communicating with counterparts in other states and national partners to share information and coordinate responses. She noted some federal staffing changes are already affecting state operations, citing the recent termination of a USDA regional official whose office state agencies use for programs administered through Rural Development.

Committee members expressed interest in contingency budgeting and asked whether the administration is asking agencies to prepare “what if” scenarios. Clark said cabinet-level discussions are taking place and that the administration is seeking to reserve discretionary dollars where prudent and avoid overreacting before details are known.

The testimony closed with Clark committing to continued communication with the committee and with the Joint Fiscal Office as more information becomes available.","Sarah Clark, Vermont secretary of administration, told a legislative committee the state is tracking about 45 new federal executive orders, advising agencies to draw federal funds promptly and modeling possible Medicaid funding changes while coordinating with other states.","actionData","errors"]

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Arts and history groups tell committee federal uncertainty threatens programs, request state support

Vermont administration says it is monitoring federal orders, urges measured response to potential Medicaid and grant changes