After several days of confusion and uncertainty over whether ACMS would have funding for the current year, I am reaching out with an update. As you are probably aware, the Trump Administration significantly changed federal funding priorities last Friday evening before issuing a total pause on federal grants late Monday. Last night, a judge blocked the freeze, and then, just hours ago, the administration announced that they are rescinding the initial pause. This has been a chaotic several days for millions of people across the country and the world who rely on these U.S. government funds to study or conduct research, feed their families, and access housing, lifesaving medical treatment, and so much more.
While it appears that our funding is once again available for now, we, like countless other organizations across the globe and the communities they serve, remain in a state of precarity. All federal grants are being reviewed and remain at risk of further suspension or complete termination. As a small organization, this means we could lose a significant portion of our operating budget with little or no notice.
At the moment, we are planning to continue with all scheduled programming and remain committed to providing the high-quality services, events, and programs you have come to expect from ACMS. We are still accepting applications to our flagship Mongolia Field Schools and signature Language, Research, and Library Fellowships, as well as our Intensive Summer Language Program. And we have some exciting speakers, events, and other announcements coming up soon.
The work we do has changed the lives of hundreds of students, scholars, faculty members, and lifelong learners from the U.S., Mongolia, and around the world. We recently celebrated the 20th Anniversary of our Ulaanbaatar Office and are looking forward to making the next twenty years even better. We could not have done it all without you, and I want to personally thank each of you for your support and engagement over the years. Your dedication to fact-based scholarship, sound research, intellectual curiosity, and intercultural exchange is why we do the work we do, and we need those things now more than ever.
Despite the small victories this week, the road ahead remains unclear. We are grateful for your support during this deeply uncertain time and invite you to visit our website to learn how you can make a donation or become a member. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Sincerely,
Maggie Lindrooth
U.S. Director
ACMS
