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National Endowment for the Humanities
Most recent quarterly backlog
83
End of FY2026 Q2 (Jan 1 – Mar 31, 2026)
Latest annual report
14
End of FY2024 (Sept 30, 2024)
17-year change
+600%
FY2008 → FY2024 (Oct 1, 2007 – Sept 30, 2024)
Annual backlog, FY2008–FY2024
Pending requests at end of each fiscal year (Oct 1, 2007 – Sept 30, 2024). Federal fiscal year runs Oct 1 – Sept 30, named for the year it ends.
FY08: 2
FY10: 4
FY12: 0
FY14: 3
FY16: 5
FY18: 1
FY20: 7
FY22: 3
FY24: 14
Dashed verticals mark presidential inaugurations.
Recent quarterly activity
Last 21 quarters of received, processed, and backlog. Most recent: FY2026 Q2 (Jan 1 – Mar 31, 2026).
Backlog
83
Received per quarter
11
Processed per quarter
1
10 oldest pending requests, end of FY2024 (Sept 30, 2024)
Days pending counts forward from the day the request was received. The longer this list runs, the more litigation-ripe the agency’s backlog.
| Rank | Date received | Days pending | Years pending |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 2023-09-15 | 259 | 0.7 |
| #2 | 2023-10-23 | 234 | 0.6 |
| #3 | 2023-11-06 | 224 | 0.6 |
| #4 | 2023-12-11 | 201 | 0.6 |
| #5 | 2024-01-26 | 170 | 0.5 |
| #6 | 2024-03-25 | 130 | 0.4 |
| #7 | 2024-05-20 | 91 | 0.2 |
| #8 | 2024-08-16 | 31 | 0.1 |
| #9 | 2024-09-03 | 20 | 0.1 |
| #10 | 2024-09-13 | 12 | 0.0 |
Exemption invocations, FY2024 (Oct 1, 2023 – Sept 30, 2024)
How often each FOIA exemption (b1–b9) was invoked when redacting or denying records. Exemption 5 (deliberative process, attorney-client) is highlighted — it’s the most-fought exemption in FOIA litigation.
FOIA staffing, FY2024 (Oct 1, 2023 – Sept 30, 2024)
Full-time employees
0
Equivalent FTE
0.7
Total FTE
0.7
Annual report history
| FY | Received | Processed | Pending end |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | 65 | 62 | 14 |
| FY2023 | 38 | 30 | 11 |
| FY2022 | 48 | 50 | 3 |
| FY2021 | 59 | 61 | 5 |
| FY2020 | 137 | 131 | 7 |
| FY2019 | 54 | 54 | 1 |
| FY2018 | 49 | 54 | 1 |
| FY2017 | 58 | 57 | 6 |
| FY2016 | 47 | 46 | 5 |
| FY2015 | 62 | 61 | 4 |
| FY2014 | 49 | 47 | 3 |
| FY2013 | 35 | 34 | 1 |
| FY2012 | 34 | 37 | 0 |
| FY2011 | 48 | 49 | 3 |
| FY2010 | 52 | 53 | 4 |
| FY2009 | 45 | 42 | 5 |
| FY2008 | 22 | 24 | 2 |
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