Date posted: October 5, 2006 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 45.164
Questions? Special Project grants support a variety of public humanities program formats, including public discussion forums, hands-on learning experiences, discussion series based on reading or film-viewing, multi-faceted conferences, or symposia. Small exhibitions or interpretive publications might serve as common texts for such programs. Living history or historical impersonations might also be appropriate if they are deeply grounded in scholarship. Applicants for an implementation grant should have already identified their project's key humanities themes, relevant scholarship, and program formats. Most of the planning and consultation with scholars and programming advisors should already have taken place. Special Projects may take place at diverse venues, including community centers, places of worship, 4-H clubs, neighborhoods, parks, visitor centers, workplaces, state fairs, or in fields under tents. Development of a content-rich Web site might also be a Special Project. The audiences might be the general public or non-academic groups, such as senior citizens, youth, members of civic organizations, members of a profession (i.e. journalism or medicine), history and heritage tourists, hobbyists, or local citizens. NEH strongly encourages Special Projects that take place at multiple venues regionally or nationally. Organizations or associations with regional or national distribution mechanisms are often best equipped to do this. Single-site projects are rarely competitive unless they are of exceptional scope and quality, hold unusual promise as models, or are conceived as pilots for larger-scale projects. Public humanities programs support lifelong learning in history, literature, comparative religion, philosophy, and other fields of the humanities for broad public audiences. They go beyond the presentation of factual information and encourage thought and conversation about humanities ideas and questions. Applications for projects with interdisciplinary perspectives are welcome, as are applications for projects that offer new insights into familiar subjects and use innovative formats and non-traditional ways of engaging audiences. Projects should:
Each project should be guided by a team of advisors who have helped refine the project's concepts and themes, build on relevant scholarship, and develop interpretive approaches. Their expertise normally complements that of the staff of the applicant institution. Humanities scholars must be included in the team. As appropriate, public program experts, museum educators, curators, or others with experience and knowledge of the humanities or the project's technical requirements may be included. Most competitive proposals have a range of consultants whose expertise is suited to the project and who can incorporate diverse humanities perspectives. Digital products, such as Web sites, DVDs, or CD-ROMs, may be components of a larger project or be projects in their own right. Projects relying heavily or solely on a digital format should have strong humanities content, be based on sound scholarship, and offer users an interactive and engaging experience. Although the core content might be collections of digitized documents, images, video or audio recordings, objects and/or other materials, these projects should feature additional content or activities that provide a context and an interpretive framework. Applications should identify prospective audiences and describe plans for publicity and marketing. If appropriate, digital projects may also include complementary public humanities programs. Support is available for all typical activities connected with the implementation of a project, including:
Implementation Grants cannot be used for:
To help Americans make sense of their history and of the world around them, NEH has launched a program: We the People. 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. As part of this program, NEH especially invites proposals for public programs in the following areas:
Proposals will be evaluated through NEH's established review process and will not receive special consideration. 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 As part of the NEH Digital Humanities Initiative, applications that make thoughtful use of digital technology are encouraged. Applications may include plans to create Web sites, PDA tours and resources, podcasts, virtual imaging, GIS mapping, GPS tours, online scholar-led discussions, video on demand, educational gaming, or other digital components. Digital components must demonstrate sound humanities scholarship and enhance the project's humanities content.
Awards of up to $300,000 are usually made for a period of 24 to 36 months. Cost Sharing Cost sharing is not required. NEH, however, is rarely able to support the full costs of projects approved for funding. In most cases, NEH grants cover no more than 50-60% of project costs. (Learn more about different types of grant funding.) Any U.S. nonprofit organization with 501(c)3 tax exempt status is eligible, as are state and local governmental agencies and tribal governments. 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. New applications for projects that would use the same topics and formats from a current implementation project to reach new venues and audiences will not be accepted until the current project has been completed and an evaluation submitted. (The evaluation can be included with the new application.) Only one such application will be accepted for any given project. If an application for a project is already under review, another application for the same project cannot be accepted. Ineligible applications will not be reviewed. Application advice and proposal drafts Prior to submitting a proposal, you are encouraged to contact program officers who can offer advice about preparing the proposal and supply samples of funded applications, and review preliminary proposal drafts if they are submitted well before the deadline (usually at least six weeks). These staff 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. 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, 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 free PureEdge Viewer software. This software is available at no charge from the Grants.Gov Web site at: http://www.grants.gov/resources/download_software.jsp#pureedge. 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.
DOWNLOAD APPLICATION PACKAGE 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:
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:
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:
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:
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 budget. Please name the file "budget.pdf" ATTACHMENT 3: To this button, please attach your narrative. Please name the file "narrative.pdf" ATTACHMENT 4: To this button, please attach your special requirements. Please name the file "requirements.pdf" ATTACHMENT 5: To this button, please attach your organizational profile. Please name the file "profile.pdf." ATTACHMENT 6: To this button, please attach your résumés. Please name the file "resumes.pdf" ATTACHMENT 7: To this button, please attach your letters of commitment. Please name the file "letters.pdf" ATTACHMENT 8: To this button, please attach your bibliography. Please name the file "bibliography.pdf"ATTACHMENT 9: To this button, please attach your description of collections or archives. Please name the file "description.pdf" You may include links via URL in these files, but do not embed any additional PDF files within any of the attachment PDF files. Use the remaining buttons to attach any additional materials (if appropriate). Please give these additional 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. EST 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 helpdesk for support. The Grants.gov Help Desk is open Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST at 1-800-518-4726. You can also send an e-mail to support@grants.gov.
HOW TO SUBMIT SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS Applicants may include supplementary materials, such as slides (up to ten, with brief captions), photographs, catalogs, CD-ROMs, or sample work for presentation at the panel meeting. Please provide 7 copies of each item. If applicants wish for panelists to have these materials as they review the proposal prior to their meeting, seven copies should be included; otherwise one copy is sufficient. If you are sending supplementary materials, please include a list of the materials to be mailed separately in your Grants.gov submission. Mail the materials to:
Implementation Grants for Special Projects NEH continues to experience lengthy delays in the delivery of mail by the U.S. Postal Service, and in some cases materials are damaged by the irradiation process. We recommend that supplementary materials be sent by a commercial delivery service to ensure that they arrive intact by the receipt deadline. If you wish to have the materials returned to you, please include a self-addressed, pre-paid mailer.
DEADLINES Applications: Must be received by Grants.gov by January 23, 2007. 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 January 23, 2007, to be considered as part of the application.
Applications will be evaluated by how well they meet the following criteria:
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.
Award notices Applicants will be notified by mail in September 2007 of the decision. Institutional grants administrators and project directors of successful applications will also receive at that time award documents by mail. 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 Avenue, 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 and the lobbying certification requirement. 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 schedule of report due dates will be included with the award document. Interim and final performance reports will be required. Further details can be found in Enclosure 2, Performance Reporting Requirements. A Federal Cash Transactions Report (2-page PDF) will be due within 30 days of the end of each calendar quarter. A final Financial Status Report (2-page PDF) will be due within 90 days after the completion date of the award period. Further details can be found in Financial Reporting Requirements (formerly Enclosure 1).
If you have questions about the program, contact:
Implementation Grants for Special Projects If you need help using Grants.gov, contact:
Grants.gov: http://www.grants.gov
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 Director of 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. |