Date posted: September 29, 2006

Modification Date: October 10, 2006 *
  November 16, 2006 **

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 45.164

Questions?

Contact NEH's Division of Public Programs at 202-606-8269 or publicpgms@neh.gov. Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.

These grants support interpretive museum exhibitions (both long-term and traveling) and the interpretation of historic sites and houses, and include support for accompanying publications, Web sites, and public humanities programming. Public humanities programs support lifelong learning in history, literature, comparative religion, philosophy, and other fields of the humanities for broad public audiences.

Applicants for implementation grants should have already done most of the planning for their projects, including the identification of the key humanities themes, relevant scholarship, and program formats. Projects with interdisciplinary perspectives are eligible for implementation grants. Also eligible are projects that use innovative formats and non-traditional ways of engaging audiences, either as part of the installation itself, or through ancillary activities such as museum theater, intergenerational programs, or multimedia components.

Projects should:

• be based on sound humanities scholarship;
• involve humanities scholars in all phases of development and implementation;
• be of interest to broad audiences;
• deepen public understanding of significant humanities questions;
• approach the subject thematically, analytically, and interpretively through an appropriate variety of perspectives;
• employ appealing and accessible program formats that will actively engage the general public in learning; and
• expand the numbers of people reached by taking place at multiple venues, featuring creative collaborations, promoting outreach to new or underserved audiences, and/or serving as models that can be emulated.

Each project should be guided by a team of advisors who have helped to develop the project's concepts and themes. The team's expertise normally complements that of the applicant's staff. The team must include humanities scholars. As appropriate, it may also include museum educators, curators, or others with experience and knowledge of the humanities or the project's technical requirements. Most competitive proposals have a range of consultants incorporating a range of humanities perspectives. If possible, proposals should include results from formative or other advance audience evaluations.

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. Applicants should identify prospective audiences and describe plans for publicity and marketing. If appropriate, digital projects may also include complementary public humanities programs.

Web sites should be coded in accordance with generally accepted standards and should be designed so as to maximize their accessibility to the general public.

Chairman's Special Award: This is a new category of implementation grants. These awards are for traveling, large-scale exhibitions of national visibility that would have exceptional potential for attracting large numbers of visitors. These exhibitions should show unusual promise in terms of disseminating important ideas in the humanities in ways that would be broadly appealing to the public. They should also include a strong companion Web site or other creative digital component that significantly enhances the humanities content of the project or improves its dissemination to audiences.

• final consultation with scholars or other advisers,
• final exhibition design,
• exhibition fabrication,
• companion Web site development,
• crating and shipping,
• completion of interactive components,
• publication costs,
• publicity expenses,
• presentation and distribution of public programs and related materials, and
• audience evaluation.

Implementation Grants cannot be used for:

• single-site temporary exhibitions;
• poster exhibits;
• purchase of art or artifacts;
• professional development;
• expenses for program venues in foreign countries;
• programs primarily for students in formal learning environments;
• general operations, renovation, restoration, rehabilitation, or construction;
• projects whose purpose is preservation, cataloguing, or archiving rather than public programming;
• projects that seek to persuade participants of a particular political, philosophical, religious, or ideological point of view; or
• projects that advocate a particular program of social action.

Indemnity: The Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act

The Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act authorizes the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities to enter into indemnity agreements (insurance policies) with U.S. non profit tax-exempt organizations and government units. Under the current Indemnity regulations, items eligible for indemnification include:

1. eligible objects borrowed from abroad while on exhibition in the United States;
2. eligible objects from the United States while on exhibition abroad, preferably when part of an exchange of exhibitions with a foreign country; and
3. eligible objects from the United States while on exhibition in the United States, in connection with other eligible items from outside the United States which are integral to the exhibition as a whole.

Such agreements guarantee that the United States Government will pay loss or damage claims arising out of exhibitions containing objects indemnified by the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.

Institutions that are organizing an exhibition with internationally loaned objects should be strongly encouraged to apply for indemnity. Indemnity can significantly lower the overall cost of insuring an exhibition with internationally loaned objects. The Indemnity Program is administered by the National Endowment for the Arts.

We the People Grant Program To help Americans make sense of their history and of the world around them, NEH has launched a special 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:

• America's Historic Places: projects that use one or more historic sites to address themes and issues central to American history. The historic place may be a single site or series of sites, whole neighborhoods, communities or towns, or larger geographical regions. The place taken as a whole must be significant to American history and the project must convey its importance.
• Family and Youth Programs in American History: public programs that encourage intergenerational learning about American history and culture. Grants will support programming tailored to youth and/or family audiences at museums, libraries, historical societies and sites, parks, and other places in the community.
• Significant Anniversaries: NEH especially seeks projects that use anniversaries of key events as opportunities to encourage public reflection on American history. Examples of upcoming anniversaries include the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown (1607), the 150th anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt's birth (1858), the 150th anniversary of the Lincoln-Douglas debates (1858), the 150th anniversary of the Dred Scott v. Sandford decision of the Supreme Court (1857), the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth (1809), the 150th anniversary of the 1860 election, the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War (1861), and the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812.

Proposals will be evaluated through NEH's established review process and will not receive special consideration. To learn more about We the People, visit 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.

Successful applicants will be awarded a grant in outright funds, matching funds, or a combination of the two, depending on the applicant's preference and the availability of NEH funds.

Awards of up to $400,000 are usually made for a period of 24 to 36 months. Up to $1,000,000 may be requested for Chairman's Special Award exhibitions. Up to two awards for Chairman's Special Award exhibitions are expected to be given in this first year.

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:

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 in the 5th Congressional District of California, 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.

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6. 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.

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 (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.

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: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant_help.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: Use the pull down menu to select 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 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.

4. 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 request with a NEH program officer before submitting such an application).

   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 PREPARE YOUR APPLICATION

You will prepare your application for submission via Grants.gov just as you would a paper application. Your application should consist on the following parts:

1. Table of contents

   List all parts of the application and page numbers.

2. Budget

   Using the instructions, complete the budget form (PDF). If you wish, you may attach separate pages with notes to explain any of the budget items in more detail. Applicants are advised to retain a copy of the PDF containing their budget form.

3. Narrative

   The narrative should not exceed 10 single-spaced pages, with one-inch margins and, be at least 11-point type. It should contain the following information, in this order:

   • The request

     Briefly summarize your project in one or two paragraphs. Describe the subject, the interpretive format(s), the amount of money requested from NEH, and the total project budget. Indicate the size of the exhibition (in terms of square footage and approximate number of objects), its anticipated opening date, and confirmed venues.

   • Project Description and Background

     Discuss the project's key humanities themes and intellectual approach, including its relationship to relevant scholarship. Explain why the project will engage the public and how it will contribute to the audience's understanding of the humanities. Briefly describe the project's significant features (for example, major artifacts or interpretive elements) and accompanying components such as websites, publications, and related public programs.

     Applications for Chairman's Special Award exhibitions should indicate how the proposed exhibition meets the expectations for these awards by demonstrating its special significance in terms of humanities ideas and broad public appeal, as well as its potential for reaching unusually large numbers of people beyond the typical visitation of the participating museums.

     Give a brief history of the project to date (e.g., any previous funding from any other sources, development activities, research already completed, consultation with scholars or other advisers, contacts with partner organizations, and other related activities). If appropriate, describe the relationship of the project to others on the topic, and explain what its unique contribution would be. Explain how the project is an appropriate one for your organization.

     Applicants for Chairman's Special Award exhibitions should also provide information on the organization's prior track record of creating large-scale traveling exhibitions and should specify what special steps will be taken to insure that the proposed exhibition will achieve national visibility.

     For projects that involve a reinterpretation or reinstallation of existing materials, discuss how the new approaches proposed would differ from what is currently being offered.

   • Audience

     Describe, to the extent possible, the expected participants or audiences for each venue, including any targeted groups. Describe any outreach efforts for underserved groups. Discuss what difficulties may be encountered in reaching any audience group and the strategies for overcoming them. Describe the publicity plans and the audience evaluation procedures, including any formative or summative evaluation, whether proposed or completed.

   • Project team

     Describe the key members of the project team, including staff members, scholars, and other program experts (i.e., curators, educators, and designers). Use two or three lines each to describe the qualifications and contributions of each team member. Organize this into two sections: one for staff from your institution and one for outside consultants. Include specific details on the responsibilities of each collaborating organization when appropriate. Résumés (two pages or less) for each person listed and letters of commitment from consultants should be included in an appendix.

   • Plan of work

     Provide a detailed month-by-month schedule of the specific tasks to be accomplished and the individuals responsible for them. Clearly indicate when the project team will meet and the expected results of each meeting.

   • Fund-raising plan

     Explain how your organization will meet its proposed cost share and outline your fund-raising plans.

4. Special requirements
   • Exhibition walk-through

     Because it demonstrates how the humanities content of the project will be communicated to the public, the exhibition walk-through is the most important part of the application.

     Begin by explaining the interpretive strategies and the design philosophy for the exhibition. Then briefly describe the exhibition components and material resources--the objects or artifacts, paintings, images, documents, audio and/or video materials, Web-based information, etc. (Provide a complete list of exhibition objects in section 5 below.)

     In the next and longest part of the walk-through, provide a detailed "descriptive tour," showing how a typical visitor would experience it section by section. Thumbnail images of a few of the exhibition objects may be incorporated into the text if they help to clarify the description. Be sure to provide specific examples of takeaway messages and how they will be conveyed. Include five to ten sample illustrations of objects or images, sample text for five or six labels, and three or four panels.

     Projects that involve heritage trails or walking tours should include four to five samples from the proposed trail signage.

     If the project relies extensively on oral histories, discuss how it will follow the guidelines of the Oral History Association. This discussion must include an outline of proposed topics for the interviews, a list of the people to be interviewed or a description of the criteria for their selection, the plans for their recruitment, a description of the qualifications of the interviewers, a discussion of how the interviews will complement the project's other resources, and a copy of the permission or release form.

     This section should be no more than fifteen single-spaced pages in length, excluding graphics and interpretive text samples.

   • Complete exhibition floor plan
   • Travel schedule with venues, where appropriate

     All venues should be confirmed and letters of commitment from the relevant institutions included in an appendix.

   • Publications

     Describe the content (including brief abstracts of essays), author(s), format, estimated print run, distribution plans, and sale price of any publications for which funding is requested. Explain how these publications will complement the project.

   • Public Programs

     Describe the types of public programs that will be offered and how they will enhance the overall project. Describe the topics of lectures or other presentations, identify participating speakers, and describe the expected audiences.

   • Audiovisual and/or multimedia components

     Provide a description of each video or multimedia component of the exhibition, including Web sites. If possible, include a script or story line and a description of the images that will be used. Explain how the multimedia components will enhance the exhibition.

     If a Web site, CD-ROM, or other digital product will be a critical interpretive component of the exhibition and will represent a large portion of the funds requested from NEH, applicants should provide following information:

     • Describe the user experience. Outline the proposed pathways that would guide a user through the material. Explain how the images, audio, text, and interactivity would enhance the user's understanding of the subject. Include screen shots.
     • Describe the front-end evaluation and field-testing, whether planned or completed.
     • Describe the technical plan and outline the specific material, both audio and visual, which will be used. Explain how this material will be formatted and processed.
     • Describe the hardware and software to be used and the reasons for the choices.
     • Include evidence that appropriate permissions have been or can be secured for the materials that will be included.
     • Describe the distribution or marketing plan, explaining how the product will be publicized and made available to audiences.
     • For Web sites, provide plans for regular site management, including updating of the humanities content, server maintenance and security, monitoring of traffic, and collection of user feedback. Include a working prototype on a disk or via a functioning URL.
     • For a CD-ROM or DVD, provide a working prototype on disk. The prototype should provide working links to all major sections of the proposed product and should present one representative section in detail.
     • Include samples of previous related work.

     If you have questions about the appropriate amount of information that needs to be included in this section of the proposal, contact a program officer for specific guidance.

   • Information on admission

   Institutions hosting NEH-supported exhibitions must provide several hours of free admission each week. Provide a statement of general admission and special exhibition policies for your institution as well as the proposed admissions policy for all anticipated sites. If admission fees will to be used to defray costs of the exhibition, include the anticipated amount of revenue under "Project Income" in Section B of the budget.

   • Conservation treatment

   If the funding requested for conservation treatment exceeds fifteen percent of the total amount requested from NEH, include a separate section discussing the rationale for conserving the objects being used. Provide a list of individual objects, sample condition reports, a timetable for the treatment of objects, description of the conservation methods, and the qualifications of the conservator.

5. Appendices

   The following information should appear in the application's appendices:

   • organizational profile of your institution and other major partner organizations, including: institutional mission, origin, and size; annual operating budget; annual visitation; special characteristics and current activities; and humanities resources (such as collections or staff);

     Limit this profile to one page for your organization and a half page each for collaborating organizations;

   • résumés (no longer than two pages each) of all key project staff and consultants;
   • letters of commitment from consultants, participating organizations, and venues;
   • bibliography of sources; and
   • list of objects to be included in the show; and
   • description of the collections or archives upon which the project is based, if appropriate, and not already covered in the narrative.

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 any other format. 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 object list for the exhibition. Please name the file "objects.pdf"

ATTACHMENT 10: 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 help desk 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 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 Museums and Historical Organizations
Division of Public Programs
National Endowment for the Humanities
Room 426
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20506
202-606-8269

Clearly indicate the name of your institution and your Grants.gov tracking number on the envelope.

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.

Evaluators are asked to apply the following seven criteria:

1. Intellectual Content: Does the project deal with significant humanities themes? Is it broadly conceived, based on sound scholarship, and appropriately analytical? Do the objects effectively convey the themes of the exhibition?
2. Audience Interest and Reach: Does the applicant demonstrate that the topic would have broad public appeal and expand the public's understanding of the humanities? Will the project draw in and engage audiences effectively?
3. Format: Are the program formats appropriate to the ideas, themes, and audiences?
4. Resources: Have the appropriate materials and resources been clearly identified? Are they the right ones for the project and are they available?
5. Project Team: Does the team have the necessary expertise, interpretive experience, and technical skills? Has a team of humanities scholars been effectively involved?
6. Work plan: Is it realistic and efficient?
7. Budget: Are the project's costs realistic, appropriate, and reasonable?

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
Division of Public Programs
National Endowment for the Humanities
Room 426
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20506
202-606-8269

If you need help using Grants.gov, contact:

Grants.gov: http://www.grants.gov
Grants.gov Helpdesk: support@grants.gov
Grants.gov Customer Support Tutorials and Manuals: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant_help.jsp
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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.

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 Publications, 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.