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Crunching Numbers: NEA Grants (Part 2)

Number of grants per state

NY 39
CA 32
IL 10
MN 7
PA 6
TX 5
GA 4
MA 4
DC 3
KY 3
MO 3
TN 3
VT 3
AZ 2
CT 2
FL 2
ME 2
MD 2
MI 2
MT 2
NM 2
NC 2
OH 2
OR 2
VA 2
WA 2
AR 1
CO 1
ID 1
IN 1
KS 1
LA 1
OK 1
WI 1
AL 0
AK 0
DE 0
HI 0
IO 0
MS 0
NE 0
NV 0
NH 0
NJ 0
ND 0
RI 0
SC 0
SD 0
UT 0
WV 0
WY 0

SUMMARY
17 (34%) states got no NEA theatre grants at all

  • This represents 34 (34%) votes in the Senate and 56 (15%) votes in the House

8 (16%) states got one NEA theatre grant

  • This represents 16 (16%) votes in the Senate and 46 (10.5%) votes in the House

12 (24%) got two NEA theatre grants

  • This represents 24 (24%) votes in the Senate and 115 (26.4%) votes in the House
3 (6%) states got 10 or more NEA theatre grants

  • This represents 6 (6%) votes in the Senate and 111 (25.5%) votes in the House
Comparison of grant money distribution


Top 10% (CA, NY, IL, MN, PA) = $2,319,000 (53% of distributed grant money)

  • By comparison, in the United States the top 10% of the population owns 71% of the wealth

Bottom 50%: (AL, AK, AR, CO, DE, HI, ID, IN, IO, KS, LA, MS, NE, NV, NH, NJ, ND, OK, RI, SC, SD, UT, WV, WI, WY): $270,000 (6% of distributed grant money)
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Comments

Leigh Hile said…
Took look at this impartially, though, I think you have to look at the number of grant applications coming in from each of these states as well. Is that info available?
10:29 AM
Gwydion Suilebhan said…
Once again, you've broken my heart. Why do we concentrate resources in so few areas? Ugh.
10:30 AM
Scott Walters said…
Leigh -- I disagree. A pattern of funding over many years has the effect of diminishing the number of applications from those areas typically not funded. The data is clear: 5 states garner more than 50% of the grant money. There is no way to argue that -- it is a fact. Also, the average and median grant amounts are substantially higher in those areas -- to the tune of 25% higher. We can try to explain why this is, but the fact is that a NATIONAL Endowment for the Arts should be NATIONAL.
11:13 AM
Scott Walters said…
We can't be outraged at the unequal distribution of wealth in our country overall, but then defend a similarly unequal distribution in our arts funding.
11:14 AM
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