General Information on
NEH Summer Stipends Awards
2008

NOTE: Persons offered 2008 NEH Summer Stipends must accept or decline NEH's offer of an award no later than April 30, 2008.

Part one of this document describes the terms and conditions governing NEH Summer Stipends for 2008 and other matters related to these awards. Part Two provides information on tenure, stipends, and payment procedures and instructions for completing the Acceptance Form.

If you have questions about NEH Summer Stipends awards, please call 202-606-8200. Have your application number at hand when you call so that we can connect you with the staff member who can best answer your questions.

Correspondence regarding Summer Stipends should be directed to the program at the following address:

NEH
Summer Stipends
Room 318
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20506

You may also inquire via e-mail at stipends@neh.gov.

PART ONE

GENERAL CONDITIONS AND SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

1. Terms and Conditions of Award
   1. Full Time Study

      Each Summer Stipend recipient is required to devote two consecutive months of full-time work to the project described in the recipient's application for a 2008 Summer Stipend. Summer Stipends normally support work carried out during the summer months, but arrangements can be made for holding tenure at other times of the year. Recipients wishing to hold tenure any part of which falls outside the period from May 1, 2008, to September 30, 2008, should write or call the Summer Stipends staff.

      Summer Stipend recipients may not accept a teaching assignment or undertake any other important activities during the tenure of the award. Neither may the recipient enroll in a degree program during the stipend tenure nor later apply toward a degree work done under a Summer Stipend.

   2. Program Changes

      Summer Stipend recipients may make minor changes in the projects described in their applications without consulting NEH. However, any significant change must be approved in advance. Recipients should describe and justify the changes to NEH in writing so that NEH may determine whether the new plans fall within the intent of the award.

   3. Final Reports

      Summer Stipends recipients must send NEH a final report on activities accomplished with their award. Recipients must complete the form online. When you are finished, click on "Continue" and the form will be sent directly to the Office of Grant Management. You should save a copy of your final report form in case it is not received or lost. The completed report is due within ninety days of the conclusion of tenure.

   4. Prohibition on the Use of Funds

      NEH is required by its appropriations act to provide to grant recipients a copy of the text of 18 U.S.C. 1913, which prohibits the use of NEH funds for activities that are intended to influence members of Congress on matters of legislation or appropriations:

      "No part of the money appropriated by any enactment of Congress shall, in the absence of express authorization by Congress, be used directly or indirectly to pay for any personal service, advertisement, telegram, telephone, letter, printed or written matter, or other device, intended or designed to influence in any manner a Member of Congress, to favor or oppose, by vote or otherwise, any legislation or appropriation by Congress, whether before or after the introduction of any bill or resolution proposing such legislation or appropriation; but this shall not prevent officers or employees of the United States or its departments or agencies from communicating to Members of Congress on the request of any Member or to Congress, through the proper official channels, requests for legislation or appropriations which they deem necessary for the efficient conduct of the public business."

2. Supplemental Information
   1. Publication

      Although there is no formal requirement that NEH Summer Stipends recipients publish results of their investigations, they generally intend to do so. Award recipients may copyright any material produced as a result of Summer Stipend activities, and they may make the results of their studies available to the public without restriction. Recipients should acknowledge NEH support when publishing work that was accomplished under a Summer Stipend, and they should send a copy of each publication to the program, no matter how long after tenure the work may appear.

      All materials publicizing or resulting from activities accomplished under an award must contain an acknowledgment of NEH support. The acknowledgment on award products must also include the following statement: "Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this (publication) (program) (Web site) do not necessarily reflect those of the National Endowment for the Humanities."

   2. Medical Insurance and Other Fringe Benefits

      NEH provides neither medical insurance nor any other fringe benefits for award recipients. It is therefore recommended that recipients continue during their tenure any medical insurance or other benefit programs in which they are participating. Unemployment compensation and Social Security insurance are not covered because award recipients cannot be classified as employees of the U.S. Government.

   3. Income Tax

      The tax laws governing fellowship awards were amended by the Tax Reform Act of 1986, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the courts decide the extent to which a particular award is taxable. NEH does not withhold taxes from stipends, nor does it send to award recipients an IRS form W-2 or IRS form 1099. Award recipients should familiarize themselves with the tax laws to determine the tax liability of their stipends and whether they are entitled to deduct any expenses in connection with their awards. The IRS has not advised NEH concerning tax treatment of Summer Stipends awards, and NEH cannot provide tax advice or answers to tax questions. Therefore, award recipients should address any questions regarding income tax matters to the IRS or their tax advisor.

      Summer Stipends recipients may wish to consult IRS Publication 970, "Tax Benefits for Education."

   4. Stipend

      For grants in the summer of 2008 the stipend will be $6,000.

   5. Payment Procedures

      The Federal government now requires electronic funds transfer for making payment rather than mailing checks to award recipients. (Please see Part Two).

PART TWO

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE ACCEPTANCE FORM

The Acceptance Form is used to accept an NEH Summer Stipend and to report the mailing address for stipend payments. Recipients should retain a copy of the completed Acceptance Form, and they should notify the program whenever modifications are made in the arrangements agreed to by NEH.

1. Name
2. Social Security Number
3. Complete Mailing Address
4. Home and Office Phone Numbers
5. E-Mail Address
6. Period of Summer Stipend Tenure

   Tenure must cover an uninterrupted period of two consecutive months. (For example, 6/1/2008 to 7/31/2008.)

7. Acceptance and Certification

   Persons offered NEH Summer Stipends for 2008 must accept or decline the award no later than April 30, 2008. Persons offered NEH Summer Stipends must complete the Acceptance Form to accept their awards.

8. Payment

   Payment will be made by electronic direct deposit into your bank account. Please complete the Acceptance Form, which includes all of your required banking information, and return it to NEH via both FAX and regular mail. Since our regular mail deliveries are often delayed, we would like you to FAX these forms to us at 202-606-8204. After you have FAXed the forms, please send us the original copies through the mail in the pre-paid envelope provided with your award letter..