Online Application
Click here to begin or continue your online application for Picturing America.
The submission deadline for the current application period has been extended to November 14.
Institutions that have previously received Picturing America are not eligible to receive a second award. If you would like to review an application submitted under our previous deadline (April 15th, 2008), click here.
Application Guidelines
These guidelines explain the Picturing America initiative and what information you will need to prepare an online application.
Questions?
Type of Award
Award Information
Eligibility
How to Prepare and Submit an Application
Getting Started
Application Deadlines
Application Review
Review Process
Award Notices
Use of Reproductions
Points of Contact
Other Information
Application FAQs
May schools or public libraries submit more than one application for the Picturing America reproduction set?
May more than one school in a school district or public library within a library system apply?
May a school district or public library system apply on behalf of its member schools or libraries?
Are individuals or organizations other than schools (K-12) and public libraries eligible to apply for Picturing America?
Are home schools eligible to apply for Picturing America?
I applied for Picturing America before the April 15th, 2008 deadline and received the images in the fall of 2008. Can I apply again to receive a second set of images?
My school or public library is unable to submit an application online. How can I apply for Picturing America?
The application asks for the name of a Project Director. What are the Project Director’s responsibilities within the Picturing America project and who would qualify for this role?
The application asks for the name of a Certifying Official. What are the Certifying Official’s responsibilities within the Picturing America project and who would qualify for this role?
Are there any hidden charges such as shipping costs? Do schools or libraries have to pay or commit funds for anything?
I noticed the NEH’s Web site says that starting in 2006 institutions applying for an NEH grant must submit their applications via Grants.gov. Does that also apply to the Picturing America program?
Do schools and public libraries have to return the reproductions at the end of the school year?
Are there any long-term restrictions on how schools or public libraries may use these reproductions?
Will only successful applicants receive notification about the outcome of the application?
Application Guidelines
Questions?
Contact the American Library Association (ALA) staff at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 5045, or publicprograms@ala.org. You can also contact the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) at 202-606-8337 or picturingamerica@neh.gov. Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
Type of Award
Successful applicants will receive a set of 20 laminated reproductions printed on both sides with artwork. A Teachers Resource Book is included with the reproduction set. Additional educational resources will be available on the NEH Web site.
In return for receiving the Picturing America reproductions and Teachers Resource Book, schools are required to encourage teachers to use the reproductions in the classroom. Schools and libraries are required to keep as many of the reproductions as possible on continual exhibit in classrooms or public locations in the school or public library during the April 2009 – April 2010 grant term, and to retain the reproductions for future display and educational use.
Award Information
Picturing America grants will be awarded to eligible schools and public libraries. The schools and public libraries selected will receive on or about March 20, 2009, a set of 20 laminated reproductions (approximately 24” x 36”) with reproductions on each side. They also will receive a Teachers Resource Book. No cost sharing is required.
Eligibility
Applications will be accepted from all K-12 public, private, parochial, and charter schools and home school consortia and public libraries in the United States and its territories. Other libraries with collections that circulate to the general public and offer reading-based programs for the general public are also eligible to apply. Multiple schools within a school system or school district or multiple libraries within a library system may apply for the Picturing America reproductions and teachers resource book. One application is permitted from each home school consortium.
Individuals and organizations other than K-12 schools, home school consortia, and public libraries 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.
Previous recipients of a Picturing America award are not eligible for a second award.
Ineligible applications will not be reviewed.
How to Prepare and Submit an Application
Please review the Frequently Asked Questions before filling out an application. To access the application form, click HERE . Submissions will be accepted online between August 4, 2008, and November 14, 2008.
Getting Started
There are six main steps you need to complete in order to apply for Picturing America:
- LOG IN OR REGISTER
- COMPLETE PROJECT DIRECTOR INFORMATION
- COMPLETE RECIPIENT SCHOOL OR LIBRARY INFORMATION.
- COMPLETE COLLECTION USE QUESTIONS.
- REVIEW AND EDIT YOUR APPLICATION.
- LIST AUTHORIZING OFFICIAL AND CERTIFY AUTHORIZATION.
- SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION.
1. LOG IN OR REGISTER
Before you access the application, you must register to create an application account.
1.A - LOG IN
If you have already registered, you may log in using your existing e-mail and password.1.B - REGISTER
If you have not yet registered, you may do so now.
2. COMPLETE PROJECT DIRECTOR INFORMATION
To register, you must complete the Project Director Information.
Note: The Project Director is the person completing the online form.
- For a single school or library application, the Project Director is usually
a teacher or librarian.
- In an application for multiple schools or libraries, the Project Director is usually someone in the central office of a school district, library system, or other coordinating organization.
Note: If you submit an application on behalf of multiple schools or libraries, you as Project Director will be responsible for communicating with each participating library about the project: i.e., sharing the narrative statement, notifying them of the award, and checking program status during the grant term.
On the Project Director Information screen, all information is required:
- First name of Project Director
- Last name of Project Director
- Name of Applicant Organization (name of school, library, system or district)
- Project Director Address (Street Address or PO Box)
- Project Director Address (Second line, if applicable)
- Project Director Address ( City, State or Territory, and Zip Code)
- Project Director Phone Number
- Project Director E-mail Address (enter an e-mail address that will be valid until at least May 31, 2010)
- Confirm Project Director E-mail Address
- Create Project Director Password (between 6 and 12 characters long, letters and numbers only).
- Confirm Project Director Password
- Select SAVE to register in the application system and save your Project Director Information.
After clicking the “Save” button, you will be able to return to the application at any time and log in using your e-mail address and password. This will allow you to edit, save, and return to your application as needed prior to the November 14, 2008, submission deadline.
3. COMPLETE RECIPIENT SCHOOL OR LIBRARY INFORMATION.
Enter the shipping information for the Recipient School or Library. If this school or library is selected to receive the Picturing America collection, materials will be shipped directly to this address. All information is required.
- Enter the name of the Recipient School or Library
- Enter a valid Shipping Address for the Recipient School or Library. Do not use a P.O. Box number.
- Select Recipient School or Library Type from the menu.
- If the Recipient is a School, please indicate the “School Level” using the pull–down menu.
- If the Recipient is a Public Library, please indicate the “Population Served” using pull–down menu.
- If the Recipient is an “Other” kind of Library, you will be asked to confirm that the library has a collection/programs that circulate to the general public, and to describe the library (for example, community college library, special research library, etc.)
- Enter the name of a Recipient Contact Person, to whose attention the materials should be addressed.
- Enter an E-mail Address for the Recipient Contact Person
- Confirm the E-mail Address for the Recipient Contact Person
- Enter the Phone Number of the Recipient Contact Person.
- EITHER “Save & Proceed” (if you are applying only for one school or library)
- OR “Save & Add Another Library” (if you are applying on behalf of multiple schools or libraries).
Select
4. COMPLETE THE COLLECTION USE QUESTIONS.
The Collection Use area of the application requires you to indicate in which courses the Picturing America collection will be used. For schools, select from American History, Art, Language Arts or Literature, Library or Media Center, Science or Mathematics, Social Studies, or Other. Public library applicants should select “Not Applicable—Applicant is a Public Library.”
You must also indicate that your school or library agrees to use, display, and retain the images.
5. REVIEW AND EDIT YOUR APPLICATION.
The Review and Edit page summarizes all the information you have entered, including your Project Director Information, Recipient School or Library Information, and Collection Use Question responses. From this page you can:
• review and edit each section,
• save the entire application and log out of the system, or
• move ahead to certify and submit your application.
6. CERTIFY AUTHORIZATION TO SUBMIT APPLICATION.
An application for Picturing America is an application for an award from the National Endowment for the Humanities, an agency of the Federal Government. ALA is required by law to ask applicants to identify for each application a Certifying Official, who is authorized to apply on behalf of the organization.
• For individual schools or libraries, this will be the person authorized to submit applications for funding on behalf of the school or library. Depending on the institution, this could be the school principal, director of the library, another administrator, or a member of an appointed or elected board.
• For applicants applying on behalf of multiple schools or libraries, this will be a person authorized to submit applications for funding on behalf of the whole school district or library system.
To complete this section, you must enter all of the following information:
• First and last name of the Certifying Official
• Title of the Certifying Official
• Organization represented by Certifying Official (system or district name, if application is for multiple sites)
• E-mail address for the Certifying Official
• Telephone number for the Certifying Official
• Shipping Preference box (optional)If your application is selected, the Picturing America collection will be shipped to each individual school or library included in your application.
If, instead, you wish to have all Picturing America collections shipped to the Project Director’s address, check the “Shipping Preference” box. Note that if this option is selected, the Project Director’s address may not be listed as a P.O. Box.
• Certification box (required)
Check the “Certification” box to indicate acceptance by the Certifying Official of the following language:
“By checking this box and submitting this application, the authorized representative for the applicant organization certifies that all statements contained herein are true and correct to the best of his or her knowledge and belief; and that the applicant organization is neither presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any federal department or agency.”
7. SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION
Once you have completed all parts of your application, you may submit it at any time by selecting the “Submit Application” button. All applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. C.S.T. on November 14, 2008. Applications submitted after that time will be considered ineligible.
Note that once you have submitted your application:
• you can no longer make changes in your application,
• your application will be submitted for review,
• you will receive confirmation that your application was submitted, and
• you should print and keep a copy of your application from the confirmation page.
Back to Top.
Application Deadlines
Your online application must be submitted (i.e. you must click the “submit” button) by November 14, 2008, 11:59 p.m. C.S.T. Remember, once you have submitted your application, you will no longer be able to make changes in it. Upon submission of the application, an e-mail message acknowledging receipt of your application will be sent to you.
Late applications will not be reviewed.
Application Review
Selection criteria
Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Will the school or library use the Picturing America collection in its curriculum or to conduct public programs?
Will the school or library keep as much of the Picturing America collection on display as possible during the grant term (April 2009 through April 2010)?
Will the school or library retain the Picturing America materials as part of its permanent collection for future educational programming and use?
Is the application clear and complete?
Back to Top.
Review Process
Each application will be assessed by the staff of ALA and NEH. The Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities will make the final decision.
Award Administration Information
Application Deadline: November 14, 2008
Grant Notification: December 15, 2008
Reproductions Shipped to Grantees: On or about March 16, 2009
Grant Period: 2009–2010 School Year
Final Report Due: May 31, 2010
Award Notices
Applicants will be notified via e-mail and/or letter by December 15, 2008, of the outcome of their applications.
Use of Reproductions
Schools are required to encourage the use of the reproductions by teachers in the classroom. Schools and public libraries are required to keep as many of the Picturing America reproductions as possible on continual exhibit in classrooms or public locations in the school or library during the April 2009 – April 2010 grant term and to retain the reproductions for future display and educational use. Schools and libraries must add the reproductions and teachers resource book to their permanent library or audio-visual collections. No sales are permitted.
Reporting requirements
Award recipients will be required to submit a one-page final performance report to the American Library Association by May 31, 2010.
Points of Contact
If you have questions about the initiative, contact:
National Endowment for the Humanities
Picturing America Program
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Room 511
Washington, DC 20506
(202) 606-8337
www.neh.gov
picturingamerica@neh.gov
American Library Association
Public Programs Office
1-800-545-2433, ext. 5045
publicprograms@ala.org
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 one hour 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 Director of the Office of Publications, National Endowment for the Humanities, Washington, DC 20506; and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (3136-0134), Washington, DC 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.
Application FAQs
Q: May schools or public libraries submit more than one application for the Picturing America reproduction set?
No. Only one application may be submitted by a school, home school consortium, or public library, and only one award will be made for each school, home school consortium, or library.
Q: May more than one school in a school district or public library within a library system apply?
Yes. Multiple schools within a school district and multiple public libraries within a library system may apply for Picturing America.
Q: May a school district or public library system apply on behalf of its member schools or libraries?
Yes.
Q: Are individuals or organizations other than schools (K-12) and public libraries eligible to apply for Picturing America?
Other libraries, such as "special" or "research" libraries, with circulating collections and reading-based programs for the general public are also eligible to apply. However, individuals and other organizations are not eligible to apply.
Q: Are home schools eligible to apply for Picturing America?
While individual home schools are not eligible to apply, consortia or alliances of home schools may apply for Picturing America materials to place in a common resource center. However, individual home schools are encouraged to visit the Picturing America page at the NEH Web site for free access to program-related resources.
Q: I applied for Picturing America before the April 15th, 2008 deadline and received the images in the fall of 2008. Can I apply again to receive a second set of images?
No. Institutions that have previously received Picturing America are not eligible to receive a second award.
Q: My school or public library is unable to submit an application online. How can I apply for Picturing America?
Contact the American Library Association staff at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 5045, or publicprograms@ala.org. You can also contact the NEH at 202-606-8337 or picturingamerica@neh.gov. Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
Q: The application asks for the name of a Project Director. What are the Project Director’s responsibilities within the Picturing America project and who would qualify for this role?
For a single school or library application, the Project Director is usually a teacher or librarian. In an application for multiple schools or libraries, the Project Director is usually someone in the central office of a school district, library system, or other coordinating organization.
Q: The application asks for the name of a Certifying Official. What are the Certifying Official’s responsibilities within the Picturing America project and who would qualify for this role?
The Certifying Official submits the application on behalf of the school, school district, public library, or library system. He or she will receive the award notification in December 2008. The Certifying Official can be the school principal, superintendent, head librarian, or other senior administrative official.
Q: Are there any hidden charges such as shipping costs? Do schools or libraries have to pay or commit funds for anything?
No.
Q: I noticed that NEH’s Web site says that starting in 2006 institutions applying for an NEH grant must submit their applications via Grants.gov. Does that also apply to the Picturing America program?
No. Schools and libraries applying for Picturing America use a different online application system. For information about the application process, please refer to the guidelines.
Q: Do schools and public libraries have to return the reproductions at the end of the school year?
No. Schools and public libraries keep the reproductions and educational materials for ongoing educational use. No sales are permitted.
Q: Are there any long-term restrictions on how schools or public libraries may use these reproductions?
Yes. Schools and public libraries are expected, if possible, to arrange for continual display of the reproductions during the grant term and must retain the reproductions and educational materials for ongoing educational use.
Q: Will only successful applicants receive notification about the outcome of the application?
No. All applicants will be notified by NEH, regardless of the outcome of their applications. Applicants will be notified via e-mail and/or letter by December 15, 2008. If you have not received notification by the stated date, please contact the NEH at 202-606-8337 or picturingamerica@neh.gov.
