To obtain a
printed version of these |
guidelines, call
202-606-8446, send an |
e-mail to info@neh.gov, or
write to |
NEH, Office of Public
Affairs, |
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW, |
Washington, DC
20506. |
| |
Date posted: November 7, 2007
Draft proposals: Program staff recommend that draft proposals be submitted
six weeks before the deadline. Time constraints may prevent staff from
reviewing draft proposals submitted after that date.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 45.130
Questions?
Contact the staff of NEH's Office of Challenge Grants at 202-606-8309
or at challenge@neh.gov. Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH
via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
Type of award: Successful applicants will be offered a matching grant. Recipients must raise three times the amount of federal funds offered.
![I. Program Description I. Program Description](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20080916015456im_/http://neh.gov/grants/images/program2.gif) |
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NEH invites applications for We the People Challenge Grants
in United States History, Institutions, and Culture. This program,
part of NEH's We
the People program, is designed to help institutions and organizations
secure long-term improvements in and support for humanities activities
that explore significant themes and events in American history, thereby
advancing knowledge of how the founding principles of the United States
have shaped American history and culture for more than two hundred
years. The Endowment particularly welcomes proposals for programming
at America's historic places (historic sites, neighborhoods, communities,
or larger geographical regions) as well as applications that address
this theme through the use of digital technologies.
NEH challenge grants are capacity building grants. NEH challenge grants
help institutions and organizations secure long-term improvements in and
support for their humanities programs and resources. Grants may be used to
establish or enhance endowments that generate expendable earnings for program
activities. Funds may also be used to support long-term costs, such as
construction and renovation, purchase of equipment, acquisitions, and
conservation of collections.
Because of the matching requirements, these NEH grants also strengthen the humanities by encouraging nonfederal sources of support. Applications are welcome from colleges and universities, museums, public libraries, research institutions, historical societies and historic sites, public television and radio stations, scholarly associations, state humanities councils, and other nonprofit entities. Programs that involve the collaboration of multiple institutions are eligible, as well, but one institution must serve as the lead agent and formal applicant of record.
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Activities supported
Both federal and nonfederal funds must provide long-term benefits to the humanities. We the People challenge grant funds should not replace funds already being expended on the humanities, but instead should reflect careful strategic planning to improve and strengthen the institution's activities in and commitment to the teaching, studying, and understanding of the principles that have shaped our nation's history, institutions, and culture.
Challenge grants most commonly augment or establish endowments. Institutions
may use the income from invested funds to meet ongoing humanities-related
costs. Examples include:
- maintenance of facilities or historic properties;
- faculty and staff positions;
- acquisitions;
- faculty, teacher, and staff development;
- fellowships;
- lecture or exhibition series;
- visiting scholars or consultants;
- publishing subventions; and
- preservation or conservation programs.
Where clearly related to improvements in the humanities,
direct expenditures from challenge grant awards are allowable.
Such expenditures, however, must be for items that have inherent
longevity, such as: |
- materials that enhance library or museum collections,
- construction or renovation of facilities,
- equipment, and
- fund-raising costs (totaling no more than ten percent of grant funds).
Direct grant funds may also be used for bridging support, where the
challenge grant provides for endowment income to meet the same expenses
in the future. Bridging funds up to the equivalent amount of projected
endowment income may be used to cover expenses during the grant period,
while the endowment is being established.
Activities not supported
We the People challenge grant funds, federal or nonfederal, may not be used for:
- direct expenditures for operations or programs,
- recovery of indirect costs, or
- support for projects eligible for grants from other NEH programs.
Special Encouragement
In line with Executive Order 13256, which was issued in 2002 to help strengthen and ensure the long-term viability of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), NEH welcomes challenge grant applications from these institutions. Potential applicants from HBCUs are strongly encouraged to discuss with program staff ways in which the challenge grant funding opportunity can be flexibly deployed to meet their institutions’ particular needs and capacities in the humanities.
![II. Endowment-Wide Programs and Initiatives II. Endowment-Wide Programs and Initiatives](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20080916015456im_/http://neh.gov/grants/images//Endowment_Wide2.gif)
The Endowment currently sponsors one agency-wide program, We the People, and two initiatives:
Rediscovering Afghanistan and the Digital Humanities Initiative. Below is
information on each. The NEH encourages applications in these three
special areas of interest. Proposals will be evaluated through NEH's existing
review process and will not receive special consideration.
We the People Grant Program
To help Americans make sense of their history and of the world around them, NEH established the
We the People program. NEH encourages applications that explore significant events and themes
in our nation's history and culture and that advance knowledge of the principles that define America.
To learn more about We the People, visit the program's Web site.
Part of the overall We the People program, We the People Challenge Grants in
United States History, Institutions, and Culture specifically focus on examining
American history through the lens of the founding principles of the United States.
Under this category of challenge grant, NEH seeks to support long-term programming
that advances knowledge of how the founding principles have shaped, and been shaped
by, over 200 years of American history.
Applications for challenge grants that deal with American history but that do not address the role of the
founding principles in that history may be more appropriate for the regular NEH Challenge Grants program.
Applicants who are uncertain whether their programs fit better with the We the People Challenge Grants program or with the regular Challenge Grants program are encouraged to consult NEH staff.
Rediscovering Afghanistan
NEH invites applications for projects that focus on Afghanistan's history and culture. The special initiative is designed to promote research, education, and public programs about Afghanistan and to encourage United States institutions to assist Afghanistan in efforts to preserve and document its cultural resources. Learn
more about the initiative.
Digital Humanities Initiative
NEH is interested in receiving applications for projects that use
or study the impact of digital technology. Digital technologies offer
humanists new methods of conducting research, conceptualizing relationships,
and presenting scholarship. Digital humanities projects deploy these technologies
and methods to enhance our understanding of a topic or issue. NEH is also
interested in projects that study the impact of digital technology on
the humanities—exploring the ways in which it changes how we read, write,
think, and learn. Proposals will be evaluated through NEH's established review process and will not receive special consideration. Learn
more about the initiative.
The Endowment particularly encourages plans to strengthen technological infrastructure, thereby enhancing the applicant institution's ability to make use of new technologies in research, education, preservation, and public programming in the humanities. Challenge grant funds may be used, for example, to purchase equipment and software, renovate computing centers devoted to the humanities, and purchase databases. Through endowments, challenge funds can support maintenance and upgrades of equipment, software, and data; licensing fees; salaries of technical staff; faculty and staff training in uses of digital technology; and other ongoing expenses associated with uses of digital technology in the humanities.
We the People Challenge Grants and the Digital Humanities Initiative
The We the People Challenge Grants program and the Digital Humanities Initiative are not mutually exclusive.
An application for a We the People challenge grant may also be considered for DHI status. Applicants for both
We the People challenge grants and Digital Humanities challenge grants are freed of certain restrictions
that govern the regular challenge grant program: the matching requirement is three -to-one regardless of past
challenge awards, and the normal four-year waiting period between applications for regular challenge grants does not
apply. An institution, however, may hold or have pending only one We the People challenge grant at a time;
an institution may apply for only one We the People challenge grant in any year; and an institution may
receive only one We the People challenge grant in a two-year period. Limits on in-kind donations that may count
as match are also suspended for DHI challenge grants.
We the People applications that involve digital humanities, in whole or in significant part,
may be designated as being submitted under DHI challenge grant rules. Applicants who want to be
considered for DHI designation should so indicate in section 6.b (Project Description) of the
SF-424 Short Form and in the application narrative. Final designation of DHI status will,
however, be determined by NEH.
Only one application may be submitted at the We the People Challenge Grants deadline in February.
Application at that deadline does not preclude submitting a different proposal for a regular
challenge grant at the appropriate deadline.
The requested grant amount should be appropriate to the humanities needs and
the fund-raising capacity of the institution. The maximum federal portions of an
NEH We the People challenge grant is $1,000,000.
Fund-raising
We the People challenge grants assist institutions in developing sources of
support for humanities programs, and fund-raising is an integral part of the
long-term planning required by the program. Persons raising the funds and those who
will be directly responsible for the humanities programs should be fully involved in
the planning from the outset. Grant recipients must raise, from nonfederal donors,
three times the amount of federal funds offered.
Release of federal funds
All federal challenge grant funds are matching funds. The federal portion of a challenge grant is typically
offered over four years of funding, but the grantee may take up to 68 months to raise funds for matching.
NEH releases federal funds according to a pattern that allows donations from as early as five months prior
to the application deadline and can include donations from as late as one year beyond the last-released federal
funds. Funds are released in the first three years when completely matched according to the required amount.
The fourth year’s installment allows the release of the federal funds when matched one -to-one, with the
remaining parts of the match to be raised in the final year, so as to allow time at the end of the grant to
finish the match and collect outstanding pledges.
The following chart illustrates a typical match and release schedule:
Sample match and release schedule
| |
NEH Challenge offer of $300,000,
with a three -to-one matching ratio |
|
|
| |
| | |
|
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
Year 4 |
Year 5 |
Total |
NEH funds (federal) offered |
$25,000 |
$100,000 |
$100,000 |
$75,000 |
n/a |
$300,000 |
Nonfederal funds to be raised |
$75,000 |
$300,000 |
$300,000 |
$75,000 |
$150,000 |
$900,000 |
Total grant funds (federal + nonfederal) |
$100,000 |
$400,000 |
$400,000 |
$150,000 |
$150,000 |
$1,200,000 |
|
|
| |
| | |
|
Variations on a typical match and release schedule are possible, and applicants should
discuss with NEH staff the schedule that most accurately reflects the institution's plans
and fund-raising capacity. NEH, however, makes the final determination of the match and release schedule.
Grant recipients are encouraged to certify gifts in advance of the required matching schedule.
In some instances, depending on available program funds, advance certification may result in
the early release of federal funds.
Applicants who, unsuccessful at one deadline, revise and resubmit their applications
one year later, may use, in the resubmission, the same starting date and thus extend the
fund-raising period by twelve months. This enables applicants to keep faith with donors
whose gifts have been solicited in anticipation of a challenge grant. If the resubmitted
application is not successful, however, this extension is not available for subsequent submissions.
Eligibility of gifts
To be eligible for matching, gifts may not derive from the grantee institution
itself, and it is inappropriate for an institution to shift internal budgets or
reallocate internal funds for matching purposes. All matching pledges and gifts
must be new, that is, given (and pledges fulfilled) during the We the People
challenge grant period. Unrestricted gifts donated without limitations on
their use may be eligible for matching, but the total of such unrestricted gifts
may not exceed the federal portion of the challenge grant. Restricted gifts
must be in response to or in anticipation of the challenge grant. Donors of
restricted gifts must be aware that their gifts will be used to match an NEH
challenge grant and that their gifts will be used to support the purposes
outlined in the approved challenge grant application. Some types of gifts, such
as real estate, earned income, planned giving, and in-kind gifts are subject to
special limitations. (Limitations on in-kind gifts do not apply to
We the People challenge grants that are also Digital Humanities projects.)
Deferred gifts and discounts on contracted goods and services are not eligible
for matching.
NOTE: More detailed information on eligible gifts and the mechanics of challenge grant administration is offered in the booklet
Administration of NEH Challenge Grants, which may be
obtained from NEH's Web site or the Office of Challenge Grants. Applicants should obtain this document
if they plan to solicit and collect eligible matching gifts in anticipation of receiving an NEH
We the People challenge grant.
With the exception of elementary and secondary schools or school districts,
any U. S. nonprofit institution (public agency, private nonprofit organization,
tribal government) working wholly or in part with the humanities may apply for
a We the People challenge grant. Affiliated institutions (e.g., university museums)
should consult with NEH staff on questions of separate eligibility.
Programs in all humanities disciplines are eligible for support through a We the People
challenge grant, but the proposed humanities activities must address, in some way, the founding principles
of the United States as they have shaped and been shaped by the history and culture of the United States.
Applicants who seek long-term support for their humanities activities, but whose subject focus lies outside
that of We the People challenge grants, should consult the regular Challenge
Grants guidelines.
NEH generally does not award grants to other federal entities or to applicants whose projects are so closely intertwined with a federal entity that the project takes on characteristics of the federal entity's own authorized activities. This does not preclude applicants from using grant funds from, or sites and materials controlled by, other federal entities in their projects, as long as these resources are not used as gifts to release NEH matching funds.
Restrictions in the regular NEH Challenge Grants program regarding subsequent challenge grants
do not apply to We the People Challenge Grants in United States History, Institutions, and Culture.
There is no waiting period. The matching ratio required of all recipients of We the People challenge grants is
three to one. Prior recipients, current holders, and current applicants for regular NEH challenge grants
are eligible to apply. However, an institution may apply for only one We the People challenge grant in any
year, and an institution may receive only one We the People challenge grant in any
two-year period.
Ineligible applications will not be reviewed.
Application advice and draft proposals
Prior to submitting a proposal, applicants are encouraged to contact program
officers who can offer advice about preparing the proposal, supply samples
of funded applications, and review draft proposals. These comments are not
part of the formal review process and have no bearing on the final outcome
of the proposal, but previous applicants have found them helpful in strengthening
their applications. Program staff recommend that draft proposals be submitted
six weeks before the application deadline. Time constraints may prevent
staff from reviewing draft proposals submitted closer to the deadline. Draft
proposals should be submitted directly to the Office of Challenge Grants
(not through Grants.gov) by e-mail attachment (challenge@neh.gov),
fax (202-606-8579), or overnight mail (Office of Challenge Grants, NEH Room
420, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., Washington, DC 20506).
You will prepare your application for submission via Grants.gov just as you would a paper application. Your application should consist of the following parts:
- Table of contents
Include all the parts of the application with page numbers.
- Abstract
Summarize the proposal, including the activities to be supported and
the plans for raising funds for matching. Applicants should describe
the significance to the humanities of what they are proposing. This
summary may be single-spaced and should not exceed one page.
- We the People challenge grant budget
Do not use the standard NEH budget form. Instead,
provide an itemized one-page budget describing all challenge grant
funds and indicate:
- the portions of the total NEH funds being requested in years 1,
2, 3, and 4 of the grant period, and
- how all We the People challenge grant funds—federal
and nonfederal combined—will be expended.
For purposes of expenditure, there is no distinction between federal
and nonfederal funds. Even if part of a larger campaign, the challenge
grant budget should be limited to requested NEH funds plus the minimum
required nonfederal funds. Planned annual expenditures from endowment
yield should be broken down by specific cost categories. Challenge grants
do not include indirect cost recovery.
The following example is for a grant of $300,000 plus $900,000 of
nonfederal funds.
Sample We the People challenge grant budget
|
|
|
|
|
Total NEH funds requested: |
|
$300,000 |
Year 1: |
$25,000 |
|
Year 2: |
$100,000 |
|
Year 3: |
$100,000 |
|
Year 4: |
$75,000 |
|
|
|
|
Total nonfederal contributions |
|
$900,000 |
|
|
|
Total Grant Funds (NEH plus Match) |
|
$1,200,000 |
|
|
|
Planned Expenditures: |
|
|
|
|
|
Direct |
|
|
(Specify*, if any. For example, "Renovation
of Library") |
|
$200,000 |
|
|
|
Endowed |
|
|
Invested in Endowment |
|
$1,000,000 |
|
|
|
Annual expendable endowment
income (5 percent) |
|
$50,000 |
|
|
|
Additional humanities staff (specify*) |
|
(40,000) |
Annual programming (specify*) |
|
(5,000) |
Acquisitions (specify*) |
|
(5,000) |
|
* - In the
proposal narrative provide details about these expenditures, and justify
the amounts allotted for the various items in terms of the plans for
the humanities. Also, please include a brief explanation of the institution's
endowment management policy.
NOTE: If the We the People challenge grant includes support
for any part of a construction or renovation project, the entire project
is subject to Davis-Bacon requirements, and applicants must take into
account the effect on costs of the Davis-Bacon
Act. For purposes of
compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act, there is no distinction between
federal funds and nonfederal donations raised for matching.
- Institutional fact summary
For applications involving multiple institutional partners, only the applicant of record must provide an institutional fact summary. Partner institutions, however, may also submit fact summaries to document their institutional character and humanities capacities.
Provide the following in a one-page outline:
- Relevant facts and statistics about the institution or organization,
such as its
- history,
- mission,
- governance and administration,
- physical facilities,
- staff size and composition (including percentage) in the humanities,
- collections (including percentage) in the humanities, and
- accreditation or affiliation (if applicable).
- Data on recent humanities activities, such as the
- types and numbers of enrollments, programs, exhibitions, courses,
and degrees awarded in the past two years;
- percentage of total offerings in the humanities;
- size and nature of audience or population served;
- cost to participants (if any);
- number of publications produced (if applicable); and
- evidence for the success of these activities or offerings.
- Financial summary
Include a one- or two-page summary of the institution's finances. Please
refer to the Challenge
Grants Sample Financial Summary (2-page PDF) for a suggested format. Where the application concerns a sub-unit of a larger whole (e.g., a library on a university campus), include summaries for both the larger and smaller units. The purpose of the summary is to give a clear picture of the financial status of the institution during the most recent three-year period. The information should pertain to annual operating budgets, exclusive of capital campaigns or other special income and exclusive of capital project expenditures. Figures should be compatible with figures cited elsewhere in the proposal. Significant operating surpluses or deficits should be explained.
- Narrative
Narrative descriptions are limited to twenty-five double-spaced pages. The font size should be
no smaller than eleven-point. All pages should have one-inch margins, be collated, and
numbered consecutively throughout. Statistical and other supporting materials may be relegated
to appendices. The narrative should provide a clear, logical, and concise description of the
activities the challenge grant will support. Describe how the We the People Challenge Grants
in United States History, Institutions, and Culture will encourage the exploration of significant
themes and events in our national heritage and thereby enhance knowledge of how the founding principles
of the United States have shaped, and been shaped by, American history for more than two hundred years.
In the narrative, the applicant should do the following:
- Describe the significance and intellectual quality of the humanities
activities, programs, and holdings relevant to the understanding
of U.S. history, institutions, and culture. Explain why these activities
are important, and to whom, and explain how the activities advance
knowledge of how the founding principles of the United States have
affected, and been affected by, American history, institutions,
and culture.
- Describe the institution's long-range plans for intellectual development
in the humanities. Explain how the institution, through its mission,
personnel, governance, facilities, and resources, is capable of sustaining
outstanding humanities endeavors in the study of significant themes
and events relating to the founding principles of our nation. Identify
any collaborators or partners and provide evidence, such as letters
of support, of institutional commitment to the long-range plans
and the challenge grant.
- Explain how challenge grant funds will strengthen and improve
the understanding of U.S. history, institutions, and culture. Delineate
clearly and in detail the planned We the People challenge
grant expenditures (federal and nonfederal combined). Explain how
the NEH challenge grant will sustain and enhance significant humanities
activities over the long term. Provide a plan for assessing, in
both qualitative and quantitative terms as appropriate, the impact
of the grant.
- Describe the plans for raising funds to meet the NEH matching
requirement. Offer evidence of long-term financial stability at
the institution, and detail resources, leadership, staff, and experience
for conducting a successful campaign. Give details of the fund-raising
strategy; explain its feasibility and how it will broaden the base
of institutional support.
Applicants should also briefly describe, when relevant, any recent NEH
or state humanities council grants received by the institution, as well
as any pending NEH applications, related to the activities that the
We the People challenge grant would support.
If the applicant holds or is currently applying for any NEH grants that
include a matching component, these must be described (including the
amount of the match) in the section of the narrative that discusses
the feasibility of fund-raising. Applicants who held a prior NEH challenge
grant should briefly discuss the fund-raising experience and the benefits
to the humanities resulting from the grant(s).
- Lists of trustees and staff
Provide a list of the institution's board of governors or trustees with
their professional affiliations and a list of staff and faculty members
principally involved with the challenge grant, indicating their professional
qualifications.
- Résumés
The project director is the person primarily responsible for implementing
the humanities activities described in the narrative proposal. Attach
a two-page version of this person's résumé as an appendix to the application.
Résumés or job descriptions for any position being endowed should also
be attached.
- Letters of support
Include in an appendix letters of commitment or support from appropriate institutional officials, faculty members, staff, collaborating institutions, and constituents or recipients of the humanities activities for which support is sought.
- Optional appendices
Copies of printed brochures, flyers, or other descriptive materials
may be included and referred to in the text of the narrative.
Single copies of bulky ancillary materials, such as catalogs, journals, or books may also be submitted but are neither required nor encouraged. See How to Submit Supplementary Materials
Special Requirements for Renovation and Construction Projects
Section 106 Review Process and Letter from the State Historic Preservation
Office
Applicants requesting support for the construction of a free-standing structure, for building
renovations, or for additions to buildings of any age are required to consult with their state
historic preservation officer (SHPO) to determine if a property or site is listed, or is eligible
for listing, in the National Register of Historic Places. The SHPO's eligibility determination
should be included in an appendix to the application. If a property is eligible for or listed in
the National Register, the applicant should, if possible, also include in an appendix to the
application the SHPO's written comments as to the effect of the project on the building or site,
in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the Secretary of the Interior's "Standards for
Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings."
Additionally, applicants who receive NEH challenge grant funds for renovation and construction projects
on property or sites listed, or eligible for listing, in the National Register of Historic Places must
provide NEH with assistance in carrying out its responsibilities under Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act, 16 U.S.C. Section 470f, as amended. For all funded renovation and
construction projects, Section 106 requires NEH to conduct a review to determine whether historic
properties will be affected. If historic properties will be adversely affected by a project, Section
106 requires that NEH consult with the State Historic Preservation Officer and the applicant to
avoid, minimize, or mitigate the adverse effect.
The Section 106 review process is initiated once NEH makes a decision to fund an application for
renovation and construction projects on property or sites listed, or eligible for listing, in the
National Register of Historic Places. If such an application is selected for funding, the NEH Office
of Grant Management will contact the applicant with a request for any additional information about the
project that might be needed for Section 106 review. Once this information is received, NEH will
conduct a review and determine whether further action is needed in order to comply with Section 106.
The length of the Section 106 review process varies for each project. However, applicants can minimize
the length of the review process by familiarizing themselves with Section 106 and by submitting required
documentation with the Challenge Grant application. NEH is not permitted to release any grant funds until
the Section 106 process has concluded.
For more information on the Section 106 review process, the required documentation, and the
responsibilities of an applicant prior to and during the Section 106 review, please read the
Section 106 FAQs, or contact the NEH Federal Preservation
Officer by e-mail at FPO@neh.gov, by phone at 202-606-8309, or by mail sent to Federal Preservation
Officer, Office of Challenge Grants, Room 420, National Endowment for the Humanities, 1100 Pennsylvania
Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20506.
Wage Rates for Renovation and Construction
If any NEH challenge grant funds, federal or nonfederal, will be
used for renovation and construction projects, the institution must
comply with the Davis-Bacon Act.
REGISTER OR VERIFY REGISTRATION WITH GRANTS.GOV
Applications for this program must be submitted via Grants.gov. Before using Grants.gov for the first time, each organization must register with the Web site to create an institutional profile. Once registered, your organization can then apply for any government grant on the Grants.gov Web site.
If your organization has already registered and you have verified that your registration is still valid, you may skip this step. If not, please see our handy checklist to guide you through the registration process. We recommend you complete your registration at least two weeks before the application deadline, as it takes time for your registration to be processed. If you have problems registering with Grants.gov, call the Grants.gov help desk at 1-800-518-4726.
DOWNLOAD THE FREE PUREEDGE
VIEWER SOFTWARE
In order to fill out a Grants.gov application package, you will need to
download and install the PureEdge Viewer software. This software is
available at no charge from the Grants.gov Web site. Please select the
link below that corresponds to the type of computer you are using:
Once installed, this software will allow you to view and fill out Grants.gov application packages for any federal agency. If you have a problem installing PureEdge Viewer, it may be because you do not have permission to install a new program on your computer. Many organizations have rules about installing new programs. If you encounter a problem, contact your system administrator.
Attention Microsoft Vista users: Please note that Grants.gov does not currently support the new Microsoft Vista Operating system. The PureEdge software used by Grants.gov
forms is not compatible with Vista. Grants.gov will be reviewing this new product to determine if it can be supported in the future. If you have any questions regarding this matter please email the Grants.gov help desk at
support@grants.gov or call 1-800-518-4726.
|
DOWNLOAD APPLICATION
PACKAGE
You can save your application package at any time by clicking the
"Save" button at the top of your screen. Tip: If you choose to
save your application package before you have completed it, you may
receive an error message indicating that your application is not valid if
all of the forms have not been completed. Click "OK" to save your work and
complete the package another time. You can also use e-mail to share the
application package with members of your organization or project team.
The application package contains three forms that you must complete in
order to submit your application:
- Application for Federal Domestic Assistance - Short
Organizational (SF-424 Short)—this form asks for basic
information about the project, the project director, and the
institution.
- Supplementary Cover Sheet for NEH Grant Programs—this form asks for additional information about the project director,
the institution, and the budget.
- NEH Attachment Form—this form allows you to
attach your narrative, budget, and the other parts of your application.
HOW TO FILL OUT THE
APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE SF-424 SHORT FORM
Select the form from the menu and double click to open it. Please
provide the following information:
- Name of Federal Agency: This will be filled in
automatically with "National Endowment for the Humanities."
- Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: This
will be filled in automatically with the CFDA number and title of the
NEH program to which you are applying.
- Date Received: Please leave blank.
- Funding Opportunity Number: This will be filled in
automatically.
- Applicant Information: In this section, please
supply the name, address, employer/taxpayer identification number
(EIN/TIN), DUNS number, Web site address, and congressional district of
the institution. Also choose the "type" that best describes your
institution (you only need to select one).
If your institution is located, for example, in the 5th Congressional
District of your state, put a "5." If your institution doesn't have a
congressional district (e.g., it is in a state or U.S. territory that
doesn't have districts or is in a foreign country), put a "0" (zero).
All institutions applying to federal grant programs are required to provide
a DUNS number, issued by Dun & Bradstreet, as part of their application.
Project directors should contact their institution’s grant administrator
or chief financial officer to obtain their institution’s DUNS number.
Federal grant applicants can obtain a DUNS number free of charge by
calling 1-866-705-5711. (Learn more about the
requirement.)
- Project Information: Provide the title of your
project. Your title should be brief, descriptive, and substantive. It
should also be informative to a non-specialist audience. Provide a brief
description of your project. The description should be written for a
non-specialist audience and clearly state the importance of the proposed
work and its relation to larger issues in the humanities. List the
starting and ending dates for your project.
- Project Director: Provide the Social Security
Number, name, title, mailing address, e-mail address, and telephone and
fax numbers for the project director.
Disclosure of Social Security
Numbers is optional. NEH uses them for internal application processing
only.
- Primary Contact/Grants Administrator: Provide the
contact information for the official responsible for the administration
of the grant (e.g., negotiating the project budget and ensuring
compliance with the terms and conditions of the award). This person is
often a grants or research officer or a sponsored programs official.
Normally, the Institutional Grants Administrator is not the same person
as the Project Director. If the project director and the grant
administrator are the same person, skip to item 9.
- Authorized Representative: Provide the contact
information for the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) who is
submitting the application on behalf of the institution. This person,
often called an "Authorizing Official," is typically the president, vice
president, executive director, provost, or chancellor. In order to
become an AOR, the person must be designated by the institution's
E-Business Point of Contact. For more information, please consult the
Grants.gov user guide, which is available at: www.Grants.gov/CustomerSupport.
HOW TO FILL OUT THE
SUPPLEMENTARY COVER SHEET FOR NEH GRANT PROGRAMS
Select the form from the menu and double click to open it. Please
provide the following information:
- Project Director: Use the pull-down menu to select
the major field of study for the project director.
- Institution Information: Use the pull-down menu to
select your type of institution.
- Project Funding: Enter your project funding
information. Note that applicants for Challenge Grants should use the
right column only; applicants to all other programs should use the left
column only.
- Application Information: Indicate whether the
proposal will be submitted to other NEH grant programs, government
agencies, or private entities for funding. If so, please indicate where
and when. NEH frequently cosponsors projects with other funding sources.
Providing this information will not prejudice the review of your
application.
For Type of
Application, check "new" if the application requests a new
period of funding, whether for a new project or the next phase of a
project previously funded by NEH. Check "supplement" if the application
requests additional funding for a current NEH grant. If requesting a supplement, provide the current grant number (applicants should discuss their requests with a NEH program officer before submitting such applications).
For Project Field
Code, use the pull-down menu to select the humanities field of
the project. If the project is multidisciplinary, choose the field that
corresponds to the project's predominant discipline.
HOW TO USE THE NEH
ATTACHMENT FORM
You will use this form to attach the various files that make up your application.
Your attachments must be in Portable Document Format (.pdf).
We cannot accept attachments in their original word processing or spreadsheet formats.
If you don't already have software to convert your files into PDFs, there are many low-cost
and free software packages available. To learn more, go to
http://www.neh.gov/grants/grantsgov/pdf.html.
When you open the NEH Attachment Form, you will find 15 attachment buttons, labeled "Attachment 1" through "Attachment 15." By clicking on a button, you will be able to choose the file from your computer that you wish to attach. You must name and attach your files in the proper order so that we can identify them. Please attach the proper file to the proper button as listed below:
ATTACHMENT 1: To this button, please attach your table of contents.
Please name the file "contents.pdf".
ATTACHMENT 2: To this button, please attach your one-page abstract.
Please name the file "abstract.pdf".
ATTACHMENT 3: To this button, please attach your budget.
Please name the file "budget.pdf".
ATTACHMENT 4: To this button, please attach your one-page institutional fact summary.
Please name the file "institutionalsummary.pdf".
ATTACHMENT 5: To this button, please attach your financial summary.
Please name the file "financialsummary.pdf".
ATTACHMENT 6: To this button, please attach your narrative.
Please name the file "narrative.pdf".
ATTACHMENT 7: To this button, please attach your lists of trustees and staff.
Please name the file "trusteesstaff.pdf".
ATTACHMENT 8: To this button please attach your project director's résumé.
Please name the file “resume.pdf.
ATTACHMENT 9: To this button, please attach your letters of support.
Please name the file "letters.pdf".
Use the remaining buttons to attach any additional materials (if appropriate).
Please give these attachments meaningful
file names and ensure that they are PDFs.
UPLOADING YOUR APPLICATION TO GRANTS.GOV
When you have completed all three forms, use the right-facing arrow to move each of them to the "Mandatory Documents for Submission"
column. Once they have been moved over, the "Submit" button will activate. You are now ready to upload your application package
to Grants.gov.
During the registration process, your institution designated one or more AORs (Authorized Organization Representatives).
These AORs typically work in your institution's Sponsored Research Office or Grants Office. When you have completed your
application, you must ask your AOR to submit the application, using the special username and password that was assigned to
him or her during the registration process.
To submit your application, your computer must have an active connection to the Internet. To begin the submission process, click the "submit" button. A page will appear asking you to sign and submit your application. At this point, your AOR will enter his or her username and password. When you click the "sign and submit application" button, your application package will be uploaded to Grants.gov. Please note that it may take some time to upload your application package depending on the size of your
files and the speed of your Internet connection.
After the upload is complete, a confirmation page, which includes a tracking number, will
appear indicating that you have submitted your application to Grants.gov. Please print this
page for your records. The AOR will also receive a confirmation e-mail.
NEH suggests that you submit your application no later than 5:00 p.m.
Eastern Time on the day of the deadline. That way, should you encounter a
technical problem of some kind, you will still have time to contact the
Grants.gov help desk for support. The Grants.gov help desk is open Monday
to Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time at 1-800-518-4726. You
can also send an e-mail to support@grants.gov.
HOW TO SUBMIT SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS
Single copies of bulky ancillary materials, such as catalogs, journals, or books, may be submitted but are neither required nor encouraged. If you are sending supplementary materials, please include in your Grants.gov submission a list of the materials to be mailed separately. Mail the materials to:
Office of Challenge Grants
National Endowment for the Humanities
Room 420
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20506
202-606-8309
Clearly indicate the name of your institution and your Grants.gov tracking number on the envelope.
Supplementary materials should be sent by a commercial delivery service to ensure
that they arrive by the receipt deadline. NEH continues to experience lengthy delays
in the delivery of mail by the U.S. Postal Service.
If you wish to have the materials returned to you, please include a self-addressed, pre-paid mailer.
DEADLINES
Draft proposals (optional): The staff recommends that draft proposals be submitted six weeks before the deadline. Staff may not be able to review drafts submitted after that date. Draft proposals may be submitted by e-mail attachment
(challenge@neh.gov), fax
(202-606-8579), or overnight mail (Office of Challenge Grants, NEH Room
420, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. Washington, DC 20506).
Applications must be received by Grants.gov by February 5, 2008.
Grants.gov will date/time stamp your application after it is fully uploaded. Applications submitted
after that date will not be accepted. Supplementary materials must also arrive at NEH by February 5, 2008,
to be considered as part of the application.
We the People challenge grants timetable:
September 1 |
Date prior to the February deadline from which advance
fund-raising may count toward the matching requirement. |
Six weeks before deadline |
Target date for submission of draft proposals for
comment by NEH staff. |
February 5 |
Receipt deadline for applications. |
September |
Notification of awards. |
March 31 |
Annual date after notification by which the grantee must submit certification
of the gifts required to claim each year's installment of federal funds.
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Applications are evaluated according to the four criteria listed below:
- The significance of the humanities activities
What is the evidence that the current and planned
activities—particularly those that will be affected by the We the
People challenge grant—are significant and that their intellectual
quality is high? Why are these activities important, and to whom? How do
the activities enhance the exploration of significant themes and events
in our national heritage, with special attention to advancing knowledge
of how the founding principles of the United States have shaped American
history and culture for more than two hundred years?
- The appropriateness of the resources and plans
What evidence is there of realistic long-range institutional planning
for intellectual development? Is the institution, through its mission,
personnel, governance, facilities, and resources, capable of sustaining
outstanding endeavors in the humanities, especially with regard to
programs that advance knowledge of the founding principles of the United
States? What evidence (such as letters of support) is there of
sufficient institutional and community commitment to the long-range
plans?
- The impact of the challenge grant funds
What impact will grant funds have on strengthening and improving the
understanding of U.S. history, institutions, and culture? Are the
planned We the People challenge grant expenditures (federal and
nonfederal combined) described clearly and in detail? How will the NEH
challenge grant sustain and enhance significant humanities activities
over the long term? How will the institution assess the impact of the
challenge grant?
- The feasibility of fund-raising
Does the institution provide evidence or promise of long-term
financial stability? What are the applicant's resources, leadership,
staff, and experience for conducting a successful campaign to meet the
NEH matching requirement? What evidence is offered that the fund-raising
plan is feasible? Will the fund-raising strategy broaden the base of
institutional support?
NOTE: Applicants who have held prior NEH challenge grants must
describe and assess the impact of their prior award(s), especially in
cases where the new grant would support humanities activities similar to
those supported by the prior grant(s).
Late applications will not be reviewed.
Review and Selection Process
Knowledgeable persons outside NEH will read each application and advise
the agency about its merits. The Endowment’s staff comments on matters of
fact or on significant issues that otherwise would be missing from these
reviews, then makes recommendations to the National Council on the
Humanities. The National Council meets at various times during the year to
advise the NEH chairman on grants. The chairman takes into account the
advice provided by the review process and, by law, makes all funding
decisions.
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Award notices |
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Applicants will be notified by mail in September,
approximately seven months after the application deadline. Applicants
may obtain reasons for the funding decision on their application
by sending a letter or e-mail to the Office of Challenge Grants,
Room 420, NEH, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20506 or
challenge@neh.gov. |
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Administrative requirements |
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More detailed information on eligible gifts and the mechanics of
challenge grant administration is offered in the booklet
Administration of NEH Challenge
Grants, which may be obtained from the NEH Web site or the
Office of Challenge Grants. Applicants should obtain this document if they plan
to solicit and collect eligible matching gifts in anticipation of receiving an
NEH We the People challenge grant.
Before submitting an application, applicants should review their responsibilities as an award recipient . |
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Award conditions |
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The requirements for awards are contained in the Administration
of NEH Challenge
Grants, any specific terms and conditions contained in the offer letter, OMB Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations,
and the Challenge Grant Audit Guidelines.
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Reporting requirements |
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A schedule of report due dates will be included with the award document. |
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Interim and final financial and performance reports will be required.
Further details can be found in the Administration
of NEH Challenge Grants. |
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If you have questions about the program, contact:
Office of Challenge Grants
National Endowment for the Humanities
Room 420
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20506
202-606-8309
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If you need help using Grants.gov, contact:
Grants.gov: http://www.Grants.gov
Grants.gov help desk: support@Grants.gov
Grants.gov customer support tutorials and manuals: http://www.Grants.gov/applicants/applicant_help.jsp
Grants.gov support line: 1-800-518-GRANTS (4726)
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Privacy Policy |
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Information in these guidelines is solicited under the authority of the National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities Act of 1965, as amended, 20 U.S.C. 956. The principal purpose for which the information will be used is to process the grant application. The information may also be used for statistical research, analysis of trends, and Congressional oversight. Failure to provide the information may result in the delay or rejection of the application.
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Application Completion Time |
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The Office of Management and Budget requires federal agencies to supply information on the time needed to complete forms and also to invite comments on the paperwork burden. NEH estimates the average time to complete this application is fifteen hours per response. This estimate includes time for reviewing instructions, researching, gathering, and maintaining the information needed, and completing and reviewing the application.
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Please send any comments regarding the estimated completion time or any other aspect of this application, including suggestions for reducing the completion time, to the Office of Publications, National Endowment for the Humanities,
Washington, D.C. 20506; and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (3136-0134),
Washington, D.C. 20503. According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond
to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB number.
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