NEH Grant Programs
Fellowship Awards Online Applications accepted between March 1 and May 1, 2008
The deadline for this program has passed. New guidelines will be available in Wineter of 2009. In the interim, the guidelines below can be used for reference, but should not be used to prepare an application.
Date posted: March 20, 2008
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) Number: 45.164
Questions?
Contact the staff of NEH's Division of Public Programs at 202-606-8269 and publicpgms@neh.gov. Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
Grant Program Description
The Small Grants to Libraries program brings humanities public programming to libraries across the country.
“Soul of a People: Voices from the Writers’ Project” is a collaboration between the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Library Association (ALA), and Spark Media, a Washington, D.C.-based production and outreach company. The library programs associated with “Soul of a People” are funded by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to the American Library Association. 
“Soul of a People: Voices from the Writers’ Project” has been designated as part of the NEH’s “We the People” program, exploring significant events and themes in our nation’s history and culture and advancing knowledge of the principles that define America.
“Soul of a People: Voices from the Writers’ Project” will give public audiences the opportunity to participate in library-sponsored humanities programs that explore the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Writers’ Project through the American Guide series of state and regional travel guides, regional cultural studies, oral history interviews, films, and photographs.  "Soul of a People" will also showcase works of important authors of the twentieth century who got their start in the Writers’ Project.
The library programs are designed to enhance and strengthen the national impact of the Spark Media documentary, Soul of a People: Voices from the Writers’Project. This film centers on the evolution of the WPA Writers’ Project—from its obscure bureaucratic origins to its creation of an epic series of travel guides and other works that amounted to a first-ever national biography.  
Building on the content of the film, public programs in libraries will focus on several humanities themes: the relationship of regional cultures to national identity; the importance of individual life stories in American history; the two Writers’ Project visions of America—an idyllic version common to the tourist industry and an iconoclastic and gritty Depression-era version; and the connection between American history and literature exemplified by the Writers’ Project.  Programs in libraries will take place at approximately the same time as national broadcast of the film in spring 2009.
Together, the film and library programs will bring into wide public view books, authors, and firsthand interviews with people born before the turn of the twentieth century who represent largely vanished cultures and values modern audiences might not easily identify with. Are those cultures and values entirely gone?  If not, what remains of them?  How well do we know our country?  What does it mean to be an “American”?  This project will encourage the public to look for the threads that link the past to the present—the threads of culture and values that form American identity.
“Soul of a People” grants of $2,500 will be awarded to 30 selected libraries to present five programs focused on the Federal Writers’ Project (FWP).  Libraries will be asked to enlist a lead project scholar with expertise in American history, American literature, the WPA, or the WPA era to help present and plan programs. Libraries and their local project scholars will be required to collaborate with at least one of the following in planning their programs: a state humanities council, a college or university, a museum, a state library with FWP archives, or a state or regional folklife center. An expenses-paid planning workshop will be held in early 2009 for the library project coordinator and the scholar from each selected library.
Libraries selected for this project will agree to present the following five programs:
1) A community-wide “Soul of a People” celebration of at least one day focusing on the Writer’s Project, its authors, and its varied output. Libraries will be encouraged to create a 1930s atmosphere with music, displays of books and photographs, food, antiques, related programs for children, and other activities, such as interviews with older community members.
2) A program focusing on a Federal Writers’ Project work about the library’s region.  This can be a state, city, or county guide; a highway guide; or another Writers’ Project guide about the area (suggestions will be available from the ALA Public Programs Office).
3) A scholar-led discussion program in which participants examine at least four oral histories from the Writers’ Project  “American Life Histories” and “Slave Narratives” at the Library of Congress Web sites (http://lcweb2.loc.gov/wpaintro/wpahome.html) and (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/snhtml/snhome.html).
4) A program about a prominent author who contributed to the Writers’ Project and later became an important figure in American literary history. ALA discussion guides are available for books by Zora Neale Hurston, Richard Wright, Saul Bellow, D’Arcy McNickle, and Dorothy West, but libraries may also choose other prominent Writer’s Project authors for programs.
5) A screening of excerpts from the documentary Soul of a People, followed by a discussion led by the project scholar about the Writers’ Project, its impact, and its legacy. 
Requirements for Libraries
All libraries receiving a grant are required to:
  1. Sign an agreement with the American Library Association concerning programming and other project requirements.
  2. Recruit a qualified lead scholar for local programming.
  3. Collaborate with at least one of the following in planning their programs: a state humanities council, a college or university, a museum, a state library with FWP archives, or a state or regional folklife center.
  4. Charge no fees for the five required programs.
  5. Provide required reports, including a final report, to the American Library Association by the specified deadline (sites that fail to provide a final report in a timely manner may forfeit opportunities to participate in future ALA-managed projects).
  6. Appoint one staff member as the local coordinator of the project (the coordinator and the lead project scholar should attend the project planning workshop to be held in early 2009).
Academic and special libraries applying for the project are asked to contact the local public library to discuss possible collaborations.
Benefits for Libraries
Libraries selected for the project will receive:
  1. A $2,500 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities for project-related programming expenses (e.g., scholar honorarium, publicity, and other support materials).
  2. Site support notebook containing discussion questions to guide local scholars in presenting humanities programming; suggestions for organizing programs and recruiting local partners; lists of books, films, and recordings; an annotated list of Web sites containing materials from the Federal Writers’ Project and materials related to it; a press kit with photos and sample press releases and Public Service Announcements; reporting forms; and other materials.
  3. Brochure about the Federal Writers’ Project for libraries to distribute to public audiences (1,000 copies to each library).
  4. Project publicity poster (100 copies to each library).
  5. Book discussion guides for Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (Florida Writers’ Project), Native Son by Richard Wright (Chicago and New York Writers’ Projects), The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow (Chicago Writers’ Project), The Living Is Easy by Dorothy West (New York Writers’ Project), and The Surrounded by D’Arcy McNickle (Montana Writers’ Project).
  6. Bibliography of state, city, regional, county, and federal highway guides created by the Federal Writers’ Project.
  7. One copy of the Soul of a People documentary DVD.
  8. Curriculum materials and suggested activities for teachers.
  9. Technical and programming support from the ALA Public Programs Office throughout the project, including participation in an online discussion list for project sites.
  10. Travel and accommodation expenses for one project director and one project scholar from each selected library to attend a planning workshop in Washington, D.C., in early 2009 (these expenses are supported by the NEH grant to the ALA; the NEH $2,500 grants to libraries may be used entirely for programming).
II. Endowment-Wide Programs and Initiatives
The Endowment currently sponsors one agency-wide program, We the People, and two special 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 established 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.
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 digital technology or study its impact. 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. Learn more about the initiative.
Award Information
Successful applicants will be awarded a grant in outright funds. Awards of $2,500 are normally made for a period of 24 months
Cost Sharing
Cost sharing is not required.
(Learn more about different types of grant funding.)
Eligibility
Applications are invited from public, academic, and special libraries with IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempt status.
Individuals are not eligible to apply. 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.
Ineligible applications will not be reviewed.
How to Prepare an Application
How to Prepare your Application
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 strongly recommend you complete or verify 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 ADOBE READER SOFTWARE
To fill out a Grants.gov application package, you will need to download and install the current version of Adobe Reader. The latest version of Adobe Reader, which is designed to function with PCs and Macintosh computers using a variety of popular operating systems, is available at no charge from the Adobe Web site (www.adobe.com).
Once installed, the current version of Adobe Reader will allow you to view and fill out Grants.gov application packages for any federal agency. If you have a problem installing Adobe Reader, 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.
How to Prepare your Application
To submit your application, you will need to download the application package from the Grants.gov Web site. You can download the application package at any time. (You do not have to wait for your Grants.gov registration to be complete.) Click the button at the right to download the package.
Save the application package to your computer's hard drive. To open the application package, select the file and double click. You do not have to be online to work on it.
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:
  1. 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.
  2. Supplementary Cover Sheet for NEH Grant Programs—this form asks for additional information about the project director, the institution, and the budget.
  3. 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:
  1. Name of Federal Agency: This will be filled in automatically with "National Endowment for the Humanities."
  2. 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.
  3. Date Received: Please leave blank.
  4. Funding Opportunity Number: This will be filled in automatically.
  5. 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.)
  6. Project Information: Use the following as the title of your project: Soul of a People: Voices from the Writers’ Project—Library Outreach Programs.
    Use the following description for your project under Project Description: “Soul of a People: Voices from the Writers' Project” will assist libraries in presenting public humanities programs that explore the works of the Works Progress Administration Writers' Project, such as the American Guide series of state and regional travel and culture guides, regional cultural studies, oral history, films and photographs, and the works of important authors such as Zora Neale Hurston and Saul Bellow, who got their start in the Writers' Project.  Libraries will present five programs representing the broad scope of the Writers' Project and encourage scholar-led discussion of major project themes.  Library programs will take place in Spring 2009 to complement the national broadcast of a major Spark Media television documentary, “Soul of a People: Voices from the Writers' Project.”
  7. 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.
  8. Primary Contact/Grants Administrator: Provide the contact information for the official responsible for the administration of the grant (i.e., 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.
  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: www07.grants.gov/applicants/app_help_reso.jsp.
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:
  1. Project Director: Select H3: Library Science as the major field of study for the project director.
  2. Institution Information: Use the pull down menu to select your type of institution.
  3. Project Funding: Enter $2,500.
  4. Application Information: Indicate that the proposal will not be submitted to other NEH grant programs, government agencies, or private entities for funding.
    For Type of Application, check "new".
    For Project Field Code, select A-3:American History.
How to Prepare your Application
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:
Narrative description
The narrative should not exceed 5-7 pages single-spaced with one-inch margins, and should be in at least 11-point font. Repeat the number and first sentence of each item below in your application narrative. It should contain the following information in this order:
  1. Why does your institution want to participate in “Soul of a People: Voices from the Writers’ Project”? Please describe unique collections and local resources and interests related to the WPA Writers’ Project and the era.
  2. How will your community benefit from this project? What particular aspects of your community can be spotlighted by the programs?
  3. Libraries are required to collaborate with at least one of the following in planning their programs: a state humanities council, a college or university, a museum, a state library with FWP archives, or a state or regional folklife center. Please describe your library’s partner or partners and their projected roles in the project (support letter required from major partner).
  4. Libraries are required to enlist a lead project scholar with expertise in American history, American literature, the WPA and the WPA era, or the WPA Writers’ Project to help present and plan programs, ensure that program content conveys intended humanities themes, and work with local media and other partners in planning. Please describe your project scholar’s relevant experience related to this historical period and his or her experience with presenting programs to the public. Please provide a two-page resume and a letter of support from your scholar as an attachment to this application.
  5. Describe the audience you will target and how you will publicize the five required programs to that audience. If your institution is an academic or special library, describe how you will ensure that the public beyond your own user community will attend programs (saying only that the public will be invited to all programs is not sufficient for academic and special libraries). Academic and special libraries should provide in their applications a letter from a local public library offering program and promotional support.
  6. Can your library provide a computer station during program times through which program participants can access online materials related to the Writers’ Project, including the Library of Congress WPA oral history digital archives? (A computer station is desirable, but not required.)
  7. What is the scope of your adult cultural programming within the past year, including type and frequency (e.g., book discussion weekly, annual fall lecture series on local history)?
  8. Has your library participated in (in last five years) or is it scheduled to participate in any other program sponsored by the ALA Public Programs Office? If so, please tell us which programs.
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 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 narrative. Please name the file "narrative.pdf".
ATTACHMENT 2: To this button, please attach any supplementary materials.. Please name the file "supplementary.pdf".
ATTACHMENT 3: To this button, please attach your letters of commitment. Please name the file "lettersofcommitment.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.
Do not embed any additional files within any of the attachments.
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.
Applications: Must be received by Grants.gov by July 11, 2008. Grants.gov will date and time stamp your application after it is fully uploaded.
The application submitted to Grants.gov must contain all the required elements. No material missing from the Grants.gov submission may be submitted in hard copy after the deadline.
Application Review
Relying upon review by the American Library Association and the “Soul of a People” project advisory board, the NEH will select libraries for the project based upon the following criteria:
Other factors that may influence the final selection of libraries include:
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.
Award Administration Information
Award notices
Applicants will be notified of the decision by e-mail in December 2008. Institutional grant administrators and projects directors of successful applications will receive award documents by mail from the National Endowment for the Humanities in January 2009. Applicants may obtain the reasons for funding decisions on their applications by sending a letter or e-mail to NEH, Division of Public Programs, Room 426, 1100 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C., 20506 or PublicPgms@neh.gov.
Administrative requirements
Before submitting an application, applicants should review their responsibilities as an award recipient.
Award Conditions
The requirements for awards are contained in the General Terms and Conditions for Awards to Organizations, any specific terms and conditions contained in the award document, and the applicable OMB circulars governing federal grants management.
Reporting Requirements
A final project narrative report must be submitted to the American Library Association by each selected library by the specified deadline.
Points of Contact
Applicants are encouraged to address questions about the selection guidelines, process, and requirements to the Public Programs Office, American Library Association, phone (312) 280-5045, fax (312) 280-5759 or e-mail publicprograms@ala.org
If you have questions about the program, contact:
Division of Public Programs
National Endowment for the Humanities
Room 426
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20506
202-606-8269
Publicpgms@neh.gov
If you need help using Grants.gov, contact:
Grants.gov: www.grants.gov
Grants.gov help desk: support@grants.gov
Grants.gov customer support tutorials and manuals: www07.grants.gov/applicants/app_help_reso.jsp
Grant.gov support line: 1-800-518-GRANTS (4726)
Other Information
Privacy Policy
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.
Application Completion Time
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.
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.