To obtain a
printed version of these |
guidelines, call
202-606-8446, send |
an e-mail to info@neh.gov, or
write |
to NEH, Office of Communications |
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW, |
Washington,
DC 20506. |
| |
Date posted: October 7, 2008
Draft proposals: Program staff recommend that draft proposals be submitted
six weeks before the deadline. Time constraints may prevent staff from
reviewing draft proposals submitted after that date.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 45.130
Questions?
Contact the staff of NEH's Office of Challenge Grants at 202-606-8309
or at
challenge@neh.gov. Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH
via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
Type of award: Successful applicants will be offered a matching grant. Recipients must raise three times the amount of federal funds offered, except for HBCUs, Tribal Colleges, and two-year colleges.
NEH invites applications for
We the People Challenge Grants
in United States History, Institutions, and Culture. This grant opportunity,
part of NEH’s
We
the People program, is designed to help institutions and organizations secure long-term improvements in and support for humanities activities that examine American history through the lens of the nation’s founding principles. Proposals must demonstrate how the challenge grant would strengthen the institution’s ability to explore significant themes and events in American history, so as to advance knowledge of how the founding principles of the United States have shaped, and been shaped by, American history and culture for more than two hundred years. NEH welcomes proposals for programs that not only articulate the theories of governance and assertions of human rights that have embodied the founding principles, but also lead to deeper exploration of how these principles have been tested and interpreted since the Founding Era.
NEH challenge grants are intended to help institutions and organizations secure long-term improvements in and support for their humanities programs and resources. Grants may be used to establish or enhance endowments or spend-down funds (that is, funds that are invested, with both the income and the principal being expended over a defined period of years) that generate expendable earnings to support ongoing program activities. Funds may also be used to support one-time capital expenditures (such as construction and renovation, purchase of equipment, and acquisitions) that bring long-term benefits to the institution and to the humanities more broadly.
Because of the matching requirement, these NEH grants also strengthen the humanities by encouraging nonfederal sources of support. Applications are welcome from colleges and universities, museums, public libraries, research institutions, historical societies and historic sites, scholarly associations, state humanities councils, and other nonprofit entities. Programs that involve collaboration among multiple institutions are eligible as well, but one institution must serve as the lead agent and formal applicant of record. NEH particularly welcomes proposals for programming at America’s historic places (historic sites, neighborhoods, communities, or larger geographical regions).
Activities supported
Challenge grant funds (both federal and nonfederal together) must provide long-term benefits to the humanities. We the People
challenge grant funds should not replace funds already being expended on the humanities, but instead should reflect careful
strategic planning to strengthen the institution’s activities in and commitment to the teaching, studying, and understanding
of the principles that have shaped, and been shaped by, our nation's history, institutions, and culture.
Institutions may use challenge grant funds to meet both ongoing and one-time humanities-related costs, so long as the long-term benefit of the expenditure can be demonstrated. Examples include:
- faculty and staff salaries and benefits;
- acquisitions for collections;
- faculty, teacher, and staff development;
- research fellowships;
- lecture or exhibition series;
- visiting scholars or consultants;
- publishing subventions;
- preservation and conservation programs;
- construction, renovation, and maintenance of facilities;
- purchase of equipment and software; and
- fund-raising costs (totaling no more than 10 percent of challenge grant funds).
Expenditures not eligible for support
We the People challenge grant funds, federal or nonfederal, may not be used for:
- one-time expenditures with no long-term impact;
- recovery of indirect costs;
- support for projects eligible for grants from other NEH programs; or
- scholarships or stipends for students below the graduate level.
Mode of Expenditure
The financial arrangement by which challenge grant funds are expended must be appropriate to the nature of the humanities-related costs and the long-term impact of the expenditure. Funds may be
- invested in permanent endowments, the income from which supports ongoing and recurring costs such as salaries, honoraria for visiting scholars, fellowships, and maintenance;
- spent directly on one-time capital costs for items that have inherent longevity, such as facilities (new construction or renovation), equipment, and acquisitions; or
- combined in "spend-down" funds that are invested, with both the income and the principal expended over a defined period of years. Spend-down funds are particularly appropriate for programs that may be long-term but not permanent.
Grant funds may also be used for bridging support, where the challenge grant provides for endowment or spend-down income to meet the same expenses in the future; bridging funds up to the equivalent amount of projected endowment or spend-down income may be used to cover expenses during the grant period, while the endowment or spend-down fund is being established.
Special Encouragement
In line with Executive Order 13256, which was issued in 2002 to help strengthen and ensure the long-term viability of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), NEH especially welcomes challenge grant applications from these institutions. Potential applicants from HBCUs are strongly encouraged to discuss with program staff ways in which challenge grant funding can be flexibly deployed to meet their institutions’ particular needs and capacities in the humanities. NEH also especially welcomes applications from Tribal Colleges and two-year colleges.
Certain requirements of regular challenge grants are modified for HBCUs, Tribal Colleges, and two-year colleges. The required matching ratio is two-to-one (instead of three-to-one), and the schedule for the release of federal funds—that is, the schedule for meeting the required match—is five years instead of four.
NEH currently sponsors two agency-wide programs, We the People and Digital Humanities, and one initiative: Rediscovering Afghanistan. Below is information on each. The NEH encourages applications in these three special areas of interest. Proposals will be evaluated through NEH’s existing review process and will not receive special consideration.
We the People
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. Part of the overall
We the People program,
We the People Challenge Grants in United States History, Institutions, and Culture specifically focus on examining American history through the lens of the founding principles of the United States. Under this category of challenge grant, NEH seeks to support long-term programming that advances knowledge of how the founding principles have shaped, and been shaped by, over 200 years of American history.
Applications for challenge grants that deal with American history but do not address the role of the founding principles in that history may be more appropriate for the regular
NEH Challenge Grants program. Applicants who are uncertain whether their programs fit better with the
We the People Challenge Grants program or with the regular Challenge Grants program are encouraged to consult NEH staff.
Digital Humanities
NEH is interested in receiving applications for projects that use or study the impact of digital technology. 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 new technologies change how we read, write, think, and learn. Proposals will be evaluated through NEH’s established review process and will not receive special consideration.
Learn more about the NEH Office of Digital Humanities.
NEH particularly encourages plans to strengthen the technological infrastructure of humanities institutions, thereby enhancing the applicant institution's ability to make use of new technologies in research, education, preservation, and public programming in the humanities. Challenge grant funds may be used, for example, to purchase equipment and software, renovate computing centers devoted to the humanities, and purchase databases. Challenge grants can support maintenance and upgrades of equipment, software, and data; licensing fees; salaries of technical staff; faculty and staff training in uses of digital technology; and other ongoing expenses associated with uses of digital technology in the humanities.
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.
The requested grant amount should be appropriate to the humanities needs and
the fund-raising capacity of the institution. The maximum federal portion of an
NEH We the People challenge grant is $1,000,000.
Fund-raising
We the People challenge grants assist institutions in developing sources of support for humanities programs, and fund-raising is an integral part of the long-term planning required by the program. Persons raising the funds and those who will be directly responsible for the humanities programs should be fully involved in the planning from the outset. Except for HBCUs, Tribal Colleges, and two-year colleges, which are required to raise two times the federal amount, grant recipients must raise, from nonfederal donors, three times the amount of federal funds offered.
Release of federal funds
All federal challenge grant funds are matching funds. The federal portion of a challenge grant is typically offered over four years of funding, but the grantee may take up to 68 months to raise funds for matching. NEH releases federal funds according to a pattern that allows donations from as early as five months prior to the application deadline and can include donations from as late as one year beyond the last-released federal funds. Funds are released in the first three years when completely matched according to the required amount. The fourth year’s installment allows the release of the federal funds when matched one-to-one, with the remaining parts of the match to be raised in the final year, so as to allow time at the end of the grant to finish the match and collect outstanding pledges.
The following chart illustrates a typical match and release schedule:
Sample match and release schedule for a regular We the People challenge grant
| |
NEH Challenge offer of $300,000,
with a three-to-one matching ratio |
|
|
| |
| | |
|
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
Year 4 |
Year 5 |
Total |
NEH funds (federal) offered |
$25,000 |
$100,000 |
$100,000 |
$75,000 |
n/a |
$300,000 |
Nonfederal funds to be raised |
$75,000 |
$300,000 |
$300,000 |
$75,000 |
$150,000 |
$900,000 |
Total grant funds (federal + nonfederal) |
$100,000 |
$400,000 |
$400,000 |
$150,000 |
$150,000 |
$1,200,000 |
|
|
| |
| | |
|
Variations on a typical match and release schedule are possible, and applicants should
discuss with NEH staff the schedule that most accurately reflects the institution's plans
and fund-raising capacity. NEH, however, makes the final determination of the match and release schedule.
With a matching ratio of two-to-one, HBCUs, Tribal Colleges, and two-year colleges follow a match and release schedule that is
different from that of regular challenge grants.
The following chart illustrates a typical match and release schedule for an HBCU, a Tribal College, or a two-year college:
Sample match and release schedule for a We the People challege grant to an HBCU, Tribal College, or two-year college
| |
NEH Challenge offer of $300,000, with a two-to-one matching ratio |
|
|
| |
| | |
|
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
Year 4 |
Year 5 |
Year 6 |
Total |
NEH funds (federal) offered |
$60,000 |
$75,000 |
$75,000 |
$50,000 |
$40,000 |
n/a |
$300,000 |
Nonfederal funds
to be raised |
$120,000 |
$150,000 |
$150,000 |
$100,000 |
$40,000 |
$40,000 |
$600,000 |
Total grant funds (federal + nonfederal) |
$180,000 |
$225,000 |
$225,000 |
$150,000 |
$80,000 |
$40,000 |
$900,000 |
|
|
| |
| | |
|
Grant recipients are encouraged to certify gifts in advance of the required matching schedule.
In some instances, depending on available program funds, advance certification may result in
the early release of federal funds.
Applicants who, unsuccessful at one deadline, revise and resubmit their applications
one year later, may use, in the resubmission, the same starting date and thus extend the
fund-raising period by twelve months. In this way applicants are enabled to keep faith with donors
whose gifts have been solicited in anticipation of a challenge grant. If the resubmitted
application is not successful, however, such an extension is not available for subsequent submissions.
Eligibility of gifts
To be eligible for matching, gifts may not derive from the grantee institution itself, and it
is inappropriate for an institution to shift internal budgets or reallocate internal funds for
matching purposes. All matching pledges and gifts must be new, that is, given (and pledges fulfilled)
during the We the People challenge grant period. Unrestricted gifts donated without limitations on their
use may be eligible for matching, but the total of such unrestricted gifts may not exceed the federal portion
of the challenge grant. Restricted gifts must be in response to or in anticipation of the challenge grant.
Donors of restricted gifts must be aware that their gifts will be used to match an NEH challenge grant and
that their gifts will be used to support the purposes outlined in the approved challenge grant application.
Some types of gifts, such as real estate, earned income, planned giving, and in-kind gifts are subject to
special limitations. Discounts on contracted goods and services are not eligible for matching.
NOTE: More detailed information on eligible gifts and the mechanics of challenge grant administration is offered in the booklet
Administration of NEH Challenge Grants, which may be
obtained from NEH’s Web site or the Office of Challenge Grants. Applicants should obtain this document
if they plan to solicit and collect eligible matching gifts in anticipation of receiving an NEH
We the People challenge grant.
With the exception of elementary and secondary schools (public or private) or school districts,
any U. S. nonprofit institution (public agency, private nonprofit organization,
tribal government) working wholly or in part with the humanities may apply for
a We the People challenge grant. Affiliated institutions (e.g., university museums)
should consult with NEH staff on questions of separate eligibility.
Programs in all humanities disciplines are eligible for support through a
We the People
challenge grant, but the proposed humanities activities must address, in some way, the founding principles
of the United States as they have shaped and been shaped by the history and culture of the United States.
Applicants who seek long-term support for their humanities activities, but whose subject focus lies outside
that of
We the People challenge grants, should consult the regular
Challenge Grants guidelines.
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, as long as these resources are not used as gifts to release NEH matching funds.
Restrictions in the regular NEH Challenge Grants program regarding subsequent challenge grants
do not apply to We the People Challenge Grants in United States History, Institutions, and Culture.
There is no waiting period. The matching ratio required of all recipients of We the People
challenge grants is three to one—except for HBCUs, Tribal Colleges, and two-year colleges,
which have a two-to-one matching ratio. Prior recipients, current holders, and current applicants
for regular NEH challenge grants are eligible to apply. However, an institution may apply for only
one We the People challenge grant in any year, and an institution may receive only one We the
People challenge grant in any two-year period.
Ineligible applications will not be reviewed.
Application advice and draft proposals
Prior to submitting a proposal, applicants are encouraged to contact program
officers who can offer advice about preparing the proposal, supply samples
of funded applications, and review draft proposals. These 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. Program staff recommend that draft proposals be submitted
six weeks before the application deadline. Time constraints may prevent
staff from reviewing draft proposals submitted closer to the deadline. Draft
proposals should be submitted directly to the Office of Challenge Grants
(not through Grants.gov) by e-mail attachment (
challenge@neh.gov),
fax (202-606-8579), or overnight mail (Office of Challenge Grants, NEH Room
420, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20506).
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:
- Table of contents
Include all the parts of the application with page numbers.
- Abstract
Summarize the proposal, including the activities to be supported and
the plans for raising funds for matching. Applicants should describe
the significance to the humanities of what they are proposing. This
summary may be single-spaced and should not exceed one page.
- We the People challenge grant budget
Do not use the standard NEH budget form. Instead, provide an itemized one- or two-page budget describing all challenge grant funds and indicate:
- the portions of the total NEH funds being requested in years 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the grant period; and
- how all We the People challenge grant funds—federal
and nonfederal combined—will be expended.
For purposes of expenditure, there is no distinction between federal
and nonfederal funds. Even if part of a larger campaign, the challenge
grant budget should be limited to requested NEH funds plus the minimum
required nonfederal funds. Planned annual expenditures from endowment
or spend-down yield should be broken down by specific cost categories. Challenge grants
do not include indirect cost recovery.
The following sample budget is for a grant of $300,000, plus $900,000 in nonfederal donations.
(Three modes of expenditure are included for purposes of illustration; applicants should propose
only the mode or modes of expenditure appropriate to their planned humanities activities.)
Sample We the People challenge grant budget
|
|
|
|
|
Total NEH funds requested: |
|
$300,000 |
Year 1: |
$25,000 |
|
Year 2: |
$100,000 |
|
Year 3: |
$100,000 |
|
Year 4: |
$75,000 |
|
|
|
|
Total nonfederal contributions |
|
$900,000 |
|
|
|
Total Grant Funds (NEH plus Match) |
|
$1,200,000 |
|
|
|
Planned Expenditures: |
|
|
|
|
|
Direct* |
|
$200,000 |
|
|
|
Endowment |
|
|
Endowment principal |
|
$750,000 |
Rate of expendable return |
|
5% |
Projected annual income* |
|
$37,500 |
|
|
|
Combined (spend-down fund) |
|
|
Fund principal |
|
$250,000 |
Rate of expendable return |
|
5% |
Number of years |
|
10 |
Annual expenditure (income + principal)* |
|
$32,376 |
|
* Indicate what the expenditures are for,
and in the proposal narrative provide detailed information about these expenditures and justify
the amounts allotted for the various items in terms of the plans for the humanities. Also, please include
a brief explanation of the institution’s investment management policy.
Calculating a “spend-down” fund
The amount needed for a spend-down fund is based on the rate of return on investment, the number of years the fund will exist, and the amount to be spent each year.
The amount needed can be calculated using a tool, such as the PV
financial function in Microsoft Excel, that calculates the “present value” of funds needed
to allow the desired expenditure over the specified number of future years.
NOTE: If the
We the People challenge grant includes support
for any part of a construction or renovation project, the entire project
is subject to Davis-Bacon requirements, and applicants must take into
account the effect on costs of the
Davis-Bacon
Act. For purposes of
compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act, there is no distinction between
federal funds and nonfederal donations raised for matching.
- Institutional fact summary
For applications involving multiple institutional partners, only the applicant of record must provide an institutional fact summary. Partner institutions, however, may also submit fact summaries to document their institutional character and humanities capacities.
Provide the following in a one-page outline:
- Relevant facts and statistics about the institution or organization,
such as its
- history;
- mission;
- governance and administration;
- physical facilities;
- humanities staff size and composition (including the percentage of all staff who are in the humanities);
- humanities collections (including the percentage of all collections that are in the humanities); and
- accreditation or affiliation (if applicable).
- Data on recent humanities activities, such as the
- types and numbers of enrollments, programs, exhibitions, courses,
and degrees awarded in the past two years;
- percentage of total offerings that are in the humanities;
- size and nature of audience or population served;
- cost to participants (if any);
- number of publications produced (if applicable); and
- evidence for the success of these activities or offerings.
- Financial summary
Include a one- or two-page summary of the institution's finances. Please refer to the
Challenge
Grants Sample Financial Summary (2-page PDF) for a suggested format. Where the application concerns a sub-unit of a larger whole (e.g., a library on a university campus), include summaries for both the larger and smaller units. The purpose of the summary is to give a clear picture of the financial status of the institution during the most recent three-year period. Information should be provided about annual operating budgets, exclusive of capital campaigns or other special income and exclusive of capital project expenditures. Figures should be compatible with figures cited elsewhere in the proposal. Significant operating surpluses or deficits should be explained.
- Narrative
Narrative descriptions are limited to twenty-five double-spaced pages. The font size should be
no smaller than eleven-point. All pages should have one-inch margins, be collated, and
numbered consecutively throughout. Statistical and other supporting materials may be relegated
to appendices. The narrative should provide a clear, logical, and concise description of the
activities the challenge grant will support. Describe how the We the People Challenge Grant
in United States History, Institutions, and Culture will encourage the exploration of significant
themes and events in our national heritage and thereby enhance knowledge of how the founding principles
of the United States have shaped, and been shaped by, American history for more than two hundred years.
In the narrative, the applicant should do the following:
- Describe the significance and intellectual quality of the humanities
activities, programs, and holdings relevant to the understanding
of U.S. history, institutions, and culture. Explain why these activities
are important, and to whom, and explain how the activities advance
knowledge of the founding principles of the United States, as they have
affected, and been affected by, American history, institutions,
and culture.
- Describe the institution’s long-range plans for advancing and/or disseminating humanistic knowledge. Explain how the institution, through its mission, personnel, governance, facilities, and resources, is capable of sustaining outstanding humanities activities that explore significant themes and events relating to the founding principles of our nation. Identify any collaborators or partners and provide evidence, such as letters of support, of institutional commitment to the long-range plans and the challenge grant.
- Discuss the impact of the challenge grant. Explain how grant funds will strengthen and improve
the understanding of U.S. history, institutions, and culture. Delineate clearly and in detail the
planned We the People challenge grant expenditures (federal and nonfederal combined). Explain how the
NEH challenge grant will sustain and enhance significant humanities activities over the long term.
Describe the mode of expenditure (direct, endowment, or combined) by which the challenge grant will
support humanities activities, and explain why it is appropriate to the activities and how it will
improve them over the long term. Provide a plan for assessing, in both qualitative and quantitative
terms as appropriate, the impact of the grant.
- Describe the plans for raising funds to meet the NEH matching requirement. Offer evidence of long-term financial stability at the institution, and explain how the institution’s resources, leadership, staff, and experience will enable it to conduct a successful campaign. Give details of the fund-raising strategy; explain its feasibility and how it will broaden the base of institutional support.
Applicants should also briefly describe, when relevant, any recent NEH
or state humanities council grants received by the institution, as well
as any pending NEH applications, related to the activities that the
We the People challenge grant would support.
If the applicant holds or is currently applying for any NEH grants that
include a matching component, these must be described (including the
amount of the match) in the section of the narrative that discusses
the feasibility of fund-raising. Applicants who held a prior NEH challenge
grant should briefly discuss the fund-raising experience and the benefits
to the humanities resulting from the grant(s).
- Lists of trustees and staff
Provide a list of the institution's board of governors or trustees with
their professional affiliations and a list of staff and faculty members
principally involved with the challenge grant, indicating their professional
qualifications.
- Résumés
The project director is the person primarily responsible for implementing
the humanities activities described in the narrative proposal. Attach
a two-page version of this person's résumé as an appendix to the application.
Résumés or job descriptions for any position being supported should also
be attached.
- Letters of support
Include in an appendix letters of commitment or support from appropriate institutional officials, confirming the institution’s commitment to the humanities activities and to meeting the NEH challenge. Other letters of support, such as from partners, scholars in the field, staff involved in carrying out the humanities activities, and participants in or beneficiaries of the humanities activities, may be included as appropriate.
- Optional appendices
Copies of printed brochures, flyers, or other descriptive materials
may be included and referred to in the text of the narrative.
Single copies of bulky ancillary materials, such as catalogs, journals, or books, may also be submitted but are neither required nor encouraged. See
How to Submit Supplementary Materials.
Special Requirements for Renovation and Construction Projects
Section 106 Review Process and Letter from the State Historic Preservation
Office
Applicants requesting support for the construction of a free-standing
structure, for building renovations, or for additions to buildings
of any age are required to consult with their state
historic preservation officer (SHPO) to determine if a property or
site is listed, or is eligible for listing, in the National Register
of Historic Places. The SHPO’s
eligibility determination should be included in an appendix to the
application. If a property is eligible for or listed in
the National Register, the applicant should, if possible, also include
in an appendix to the application the SHPO’s written comments as to the effect of the project on the building or site,
in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the Secretary of the
Interior’s “
Standards for
Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings”(109-page PDF).
Additionally, applicants who receive NEH challenge grant funds for renovation and construction projects
on property or sites listed, or eligible for listing, in the National Register of Historic Places must
provide NEH with assistance in carrying out its responsibilities under Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act, 16 U.S.C. Section 470f, as amended. For all funded renovation and
construction projects, Section 106 requires NEH to conduct a review to determine whether historic
properties will be affected. If historic properties will be adversely affected by a project, Section
106 requires that NEH consult with the State Historic Preservation Officer and the applicant to
avoid, minimize, or mitigate the adverse effect.
The Section 106 review process is initiated once NEH makes a decision to fund an application for
renovation and construction projects on property or sites listed, or eligible for listing, in the
National Register of Historic Places. If such an application is selected for funding, the NEH Office
of Grant Management will contact the applicant with a request for any additional information about the
project that might be needed for Section 106 review. Once this information is received, NEH will
conduct a review and determine whether further action is needed in order to comply with Section 106.
The length of the Section 106 review process varies for each project. However, applicants can minimize
the length of the review process by familiarizing themselves with Section 106 and by submitting required
documentation with the Challenge Grant application. NEH is not permitted to release any grant funds until
the Section 106 process has concluded.
For more information on the Section 106 review process, the required documentation, and the
responsibilities of an applicant prior to and during the Section 106 review, please read the
Section 106 FAQs, or contact the NEH Federal Preservation
Officer by e-mail at
FPO@neh.gov, by phone at 202-606-8309, or by mail sent to Federal Preservation
Officer, Office of Challenge Grants, Room 420, National Endowment for the Humanities, 1100 Pennsylvania
Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20506.
Wage Rates for Renovation and Construction
If any NEH challenge grant funds, federal or nonfederal, will be
used for renovation and construction projects, the institution must
comply with the
Davis-Bacon Act.
Applicants should indicate in the narrative their awareness of and plans to meet the special requirements for renovation and construction projects.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION VIA GRANTS.GOV
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 that 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.
Download the 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:
- 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.
- Supplementary Cover Sheet for NEH Grant Programs—this form asks for additional information about the project director,
the institution, and the budget.
- 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:
- Name of Federal Agency: This will
be filled in automatically with “National Endowment for the Humanities.”
- 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.
- Date Received: Please leave blank.
- Funding Opportunity Number: This will be filled in
automatically.
- 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.)
- Project Information: Provide the title of your
project. Your title should be brief, descriptive, and substantive. It
should also be informative to a nonspecialist audience. Provide a brief
description of your project. The description should be written for a
nonspecialist 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- Project Director: Use the pull-down menu to select
the major field of study for the project director.
- Institution Information: Use the pull-down menu to
select your type of institution.
- 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.
- 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 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
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 one-page abstract. Please name the file “abstract.pdf”.
ATTACHMENT 3: To this button, please attach your budget. Please name the file “budget.pdf”.
ATTACHMENT 4: To this button, please attach your one-page institutional fact summary. Please name the file “institutionalsummary.pdf”.
ATTACHMENT 5: To this button, please attach your financial summary (if applicable). Please name the file “financialsummary.pdf”.
ATTACHMENT 6: To this button, please attach your narrative. Please name the file “narrative.pdf”.
ATTACHMENT 7: To this button, please attach your lists of trustees and staff. Please name the file “trusteesstaff.pdf”.
ATTACHMENT 8: To this button please attach your project director’s résumé. Please name the file “resume.pdf”.
ATTACHMENT 9: To this button, please attach your letters of support. Please name the file “letters.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.
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.
HOW TO SUBMIT SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS
If you are sending supplementary materials, please include in your Grants.gov submission a list of
the materials to be sentseparately. Send the materials to:
Office of Challenge Grants
National Endowment for the Humanities
Room 420
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20506
202-606-8309
Clearly indicate the name of your institution and your Grants.gov tracking number on the envelope.
Supplementary materials should be sent by a commercial delivery service to ensure
that they arrive by the receipt deadline. NEH continues to experience lengthy delays
in the delivery of mail by the U.S. Postal Service.
If you wish to have the materials returned to you, please include a self-addressed, pre-paid mailer.
Deadlines
Draft proposals (optional): The staff recommends that draft proposals be submitted six weeks before the deadline. Staff may not be able to review drafts submitted after that date.
Draft proposals (including the narrative and the budget) may be submitted by e-mail attachment
(
challenge@neh.gov), fax
(202-606-8579), or overnight mail (Office of Challenge Grants, NEH Room
420, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20506).
Applications must be received by Grants.gov by February 3, 2009.
Grants.gov will date- and 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 February 3, 2009,
to be considered as part of the application.
We the People challenge grants timetable:
September 1, 2008 |
Date prior to the February deadline from which advance
fund-raising may count toward the matching requirement. |
Six weeks before deadline |
Target date for submission of draft proposals for
comment by NEH staff. |
February 3, 2009 |
Receipt deadline for applications. |
September 2009 |
Notification of awards. |
March 31 |
Annual date after notification by which the grantee must submit certification
of the gifts required to claim each year's installment of federal funds. |
Applications are evaluated according to the four criteria listed below:
- The significance of the humanities activities
What is the evidence that the current and planned
activities—particularly those that will be affected by the We the
People challenge grant—are significant and that their intellectual
quality is high? Why are these activities important, and to whom? How do
the activities enhance the exploration of significant themes and events
in our national heritage, with special attention to advancing knowledge
of how the founding principles of the United States have shaped and been shaped by American
history and culture for more than two hundred years?
- The appropriateness of the resources and plans
What evidence is there of realistic long-range institutional planning to advance and/or disseminate humanistic
knowledge? Is the institution, through its mission, personnel, governance, facilities, and resources,
capable of sustaining outstanding activities in the humanities, especially with regard to programs that
increase knowledge of the founding principles of the United States? What evidence (such as letters of support)
is there of sufficient institutional and community commitment to the long-range plans?
- The impact of the challenge grant funds
What impact will grant funds have on strengthening and improving the understanding of U.S. history,
institutions, and culture? Is the mode of expenditure (endowment, direct, combined) appropriate to the
humanities-related costs and to the nature of the activities to be supported? Are the planned
We the People challenge grant expenditures (federal and nonfederal combined) described clearly and in
detail? How will the NEH challenge grant sustain and enhance significant humanities activities over
the long term? How will the institution assess the impact of the challenge grant?
- The feasibility of fund-raising
Does the institution provide evidence or promise of long-term financial stability? Do
the institution’s resources, leadership, staff, and experience augur well for its ability to
conduct a successful campaign to meet the NEH matching requirement? What evidence is offered that the fund-raising
plan is feasible? Will the fund-raising strategy broaden the base of institutional support?
NOTE: Applicants who have held prior NEH challenge grants must
describe and assess the impact of their prior award(s), especially in
cases where the new grant would support humanities activities similar to
those supported by the prior grant(s).
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,
approximately seven months after the application deadline. Applicants
may obtain reasons for the funding decision on their application
by sending a letter or e-mail to the Office of Challenge Grants,
Room 420, NEH, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20506 or
challenge@neh.gov.
Administrative requirements
More detailed information on eligible gifts and the mechanics of
challenge grant administration is offered in the booklet
Administration of NEH Challenge
Grants, which may be obtained from the NEH Web site or the
Office of Challenge Grants. Applicants should obtain this document if they plan
to solicit and collect eligible matching gifts in anticipation of receiving an
NEH
We the People challenge grant.
Award conditions
Reporting requirements
A schedule of report due dates will be included with the award document.
If you have questions about the program, contact:
Office of Challenge Grants
National Endowment for the Humanities
Room 420
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20506
202-606-8309 or
challenge@neh.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 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.