The East-West Center, a cornerstone of Hawaii’s diplomatic and educational landscape, is facing the possibility of a significant funding cut that could jeopardize its future.

Established more than six decades ago to foster understanding between the United States and the Indo-Pacific region, the center has become a key institution for educational exchange, policy dialogue, and cultural connection. But shifting federal priorities and broader cuts to foreign assistance programs have put its financial stability in question.

Derek Ferrar, East-West Center’s interim communications director, said in an email that as of the last fiscal year, the center was getting about 52% of its operating budget — $22 million — from federal funding. The rest comes from public sources like grants and contracts include about 30% from private donors.

But that federal support has been the backbone of the center’s operations — and it’s now under threat.

The East-West Center recently laid off two employees whose positions were funded by a USAID grant that was abruptly canceled. For now, that’s the only direct consequence of the funding disruption. But with the continuing resolution for federal funding set to expire at the end of next week, the center’s long-term outlook remains unclear.

 “Like all organizations that receive federal funding, we are concerned about the current environment and are in close touch with our federal liaisons and Congressional contacts to monitor events,” Ferrar added.

Why Is Funding At Risk?

The center’s funding challenges are tied to broader cuts to government spending, particularly for foreign assistance and cultural exchange programs. The Trump administration’s efforts to scale back the State Department and USAID created a more hostile environment for institutions like the East-West Center. It’s not a new target — conservative watchdog groups like Citizens Against Government Waste have long flagged the center as an example of what they view as excessive government spending.

Congressman Ed Case, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee, has been a vocal supporter of the center and has worked to secure funding in recent years. But the current political climate has made that task more difficult.

“The East-West Center is one of Hawaii’s preeminent institutions and an invaluable part of our country’s interrelationships with the Indo-Pacific,” Case said in an email. “It has been highly dependent on federal funding, which I have strongly supported in my House Appropriations Committee and otherwise. I have urged EWC for years now to diversify its funding sources to protect against attempted reductions in its federal funding.”

Part of the issue stems from a funding pause by the Trump administration on Feb. 12, which halted the flow of money already appropriated for the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs — one of the center’s main funding sources.

“This pause was supposed to last for fifteen days but has extended into March, causing great disruption in EWC’s external contracts and general finances,” Case wrote.

While a portion of the withheld funding has since been released following litigation, Case acknowledged that “this does not solve the midterm challenge for EWC of continued attempts to reduce or defund altogether key federal programs and institutions that provide invaluable interaction with and assistance to our world.”

What Does The East-West Center Do?

The East-West Center was first envisioned by John A. Burns, Hawaii’s territorial delegate to Congress, and then-Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson in 1959. Johnson first proposed the concept of an international center in Hawaii to serve as a meeting place for intellectuals from the East and West. In 1960, Hawaii Sen. Oren Long passed a bill to establish the center with an initial appropriation of $10 million.

Since then, the EWC has become a hub for diplomatic and academic exchange in the Indo-Pacific region. According to the State Department’s FY 2025 budget justification, the center has produced over 71,000 alumni, including more than 30 heads of state or government, 300 diplomats and many business and civil society leaders.

“Here in Hawai‘i, the Center serves as a primary institution to boost the Islands’ reputation as a hub for international affairs in the Pacific, bringing more than $30 million annually into the local economy, employing about 150 staff, hosting well over a hundred public lectures and events, and bringing in more than a thousand program participants each year,” Ferrar said in the email.

The center’s programs focus on issues like climate change, regional security, governance, and economic development. Its hallmark leadership training programs have drawn participants from across the Indo-Pacific, including emerging political leaders, journalists and civil society advocates.

What’s Next For The Center?

The East-West Center is currently searching for a new president — a process that began at the start of the year. The search announcement described the center’s vision as becoming “the premier institution in the Indo-Pacific to convene, develop, and equip a network of leaders to solve challenges of common concern.”

While the funding outlook remains uncertain, the EWC’s leadership is taking steps to brace for potential cuts. Ferrar said the EWC has reduced nonessential expenditures but larger and longer-term cuts could affect the center’s ability to operate.

Hawaii’s congressional delegation has long supported the East-West Center, but even their influence may not be enough to shield it from cuts.

Sen. Brian Schatz has been a lead advocate for EWC funding throughout his time in the Senate. As the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs, Schatz is in an excellent position to secure funding for Hawaii-based programs like the East-West Center. However, with the federal government making significant cuts to foreign assistance and cultural programs, even Schatz may have limited ability to protect the center from budget reductions.

For now, the center’s future hangs in the balance. Its supporters are confident in its mission and impact — but whether that will be enough to withstand shifting federal priorities remains to be seen.