FedState Partnership 2026 NOFO.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

State and Jurisdictional Humanities Councils General Operating Support Grants

Funding Opportunity Number: 20260406-SO

Funding Opportunity Types: New, Supplement

Federal Assistance Listing Number: 45.129

Application Deadline: April 6, 2026

Ensure your SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations and passwords are current.

It may take several weeks to register with SAM.gov and Grants.gov.

NEH will not grant deadline extensions for lack of registration.

Division of Federal/State Partnership Email: fedstate@neh.gov Telephone: 202-606-8254 Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1

OMB control number 3136-0134, expiration date October 31, 2027 mailto:@neh.gov

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Executive Summary The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Division of Federal/State Partnership is accepting applications for State and Jurisdictional Humanities Councils General Operating Support Grants for NEH’s designated humanities councils. State and jurisdictional humanities councils tailor their grantmaking and programs to the needs, resources, and interests of their state or jurisdiction, while also extending the reach of NEH-funded projects and further strengthening the agency’s connection to local communities. NEH determines annual funding for each state and jurisdictional humanities council according to a statutory formula.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) provides application information unique to General Operating Support Grants, including program-specific requirements, allowable activities, review criteria, and formatting instructions. Refer to NEH’s General Application Guide for Awards to Organizations for standard instructions that apply to all NEH funding programs for organizations.

Together, this NOFO and the general guidelines provide all the information you need to complete and submit your application to NEH.

Funding Opportunity Title State and Jurisdictional Humanities Councils General Operating Support Grants

Funding Opportunity Number 20260406-SO Federal Assistance Listing Number 45.129 Application Deadline April 6, 2026, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time Anticipated Award Announcement November 2026 Anticipated Funding Dependent on Congressional appropriations and in line with NEH's statutory funding formula Estimated Number and Type of Awards 56 grants and supplements Award Amounts Dependent on Congressional appropriations and in line with NEH's statutory funding formula Cost Sharing/Match Required No Period of Performance Five years. Within a five-year period of performance, a

General Operating Support Grant funds activities in years one, two, and three. Closeout activities occur in years four and five. State and jurisdictional humanities councils must apply annually.

Projects must start between November 1, 2026, and May 1, 2027.

Eligible Applicants The only eligible applicants are the independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) state and jurisdictional humanities councils.

See C. Eligibility Information for additional information.

Program Resource Page https://www.neh.gov/grants/fedstate/state-humanities-councils-general-operating-support-grants Published March 3, 2026 https://www.neh.gov/sites/default/files/NEH%20General%20Application%20Guide%2002-24-2026.pdf https://www.neh.gov/sites/default/files/NEH%20General%20Application%20Guide%2002-24-2026.pdf https://www.neh.gov/about/state-humanities-councils https://www.neh.gov/about/state-humanities-councils https://www.neh.gov/about/state-humanities-councils https://www.neh.gov/grants/fedstate/state-humanities-councils-general-operating-support-grants

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Table of Contents A. Program Description

1. Purpose

2. Funding Restrictions

3. Background

B. Federal Award Information

1. Type of Application and Award

2. Summary of Funding

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Other Eligibility Information

3. Subrecipient Eligibility

D. Application Contents

1. Application Component Table

2. Application Elements

3. Budget Instructions Specific to this Program

E. Application Review Information

1. Review Process

2. Intergovernmental Review

F. Submission Information

1. Application Package

2. Submission Instructions

G. Award Notices

1. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

2. Federal Award Documents

3. Administrative and National Policy Requirements Specific to this Program

H. Annual and Final Reporting

I. Agency Information

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A. Program Description

1. Purpose The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is a federal agency in the executive branch.

NEH makes General Operating Support grants to state and jurisdictional humanities councils in line with its authorizing statute.

State and jurisdictional humanities councils tailor their grantmaking and programs to the needs, resources, and interests of their state or jurisdiction, while also extending the reach of NEH-funded projects and further strengthening the agency’s connection to local communities.

Program outputs and outcomes The outputs of a successful General Operating Support grant will be programs and grants designed to support the humanities at the state and local levels. The outcome of a successful award will be to advance knowledge and understanding of the humanities and to increase public awareness of, access to, and support for the humanities at the state and local levels.

You must describe your outputs and how they would support the project outcomes in the application Attachment 1: Annual plan. If you receive an award, NEH will assess your performance by comparing the outputs proposed in the application against those reported in your performance reports. See H. Annual and Final Reporting.

2. Funding Restrictions You may not use funds made under this notice for the following purposes:

Restricted activities:

• subawards funded in whole or in part with federal funds to organizations that have not obtained and provided the council with a Unique Entity Identifier (See Subrecipient eligibility)

• overlapping project costs with any other pending or approved application(s) for federal funding

• promotion of a particular political, religious, or ideological point of view

• promotion of gender ideology

• promotion of discriminatory equity ideology

• support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) or diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives or activities

• environmental justice initiatives or activities

• advocacy of a particular program of social or political action

• support of specific public policies or legislation

• lobbying

Programmatic exclusions:

• purchase of land or facilities, construction, and renovation

• projects that fall outside of the humanities

• the creation or performance of art

• creative writing, autobiographies, memoirs, and creative nonfiction

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• policy studies

• social science research that does not address humanistic questions and/or utilize humanistic methods

Unallowable costs:

• costs for activities performed by federal entities or personnel

• fiscal agent and fiscal sponsor fees

• fiscal agent activities alone without substantive involvement (e.g., proposal submissions, reporting, financial oversight, maintaining IRS status)

See 2 CFR 200 Subpart E - Cost Principles for other unallowable costs.

If your application includes unallowable costs or activities, NEH will deem it to be nonresponsive and reject it.

3. Background NEH offers this funding opportunity under the authority of 20 U.S.C. § 956. Awards are subject to 2 CFR Part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, and the General Terms and Conditions for General Operating Support Grants to State and Jurisdictional Humanities Councils.

Under Section 3(a) of the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965, as amended, “The term ‘humanities’ includes, but is not limited to, the study of the following:

language, both modern and classical; linguistics; literature; history; jurisprudence; philosophy;

archaeology; comparative religion; ethics; the history, criticism and theory of the arts; those aspects of the social sciences which have humanistic content and employ humanistic methods;

and the study and application of the humanities to the human environment with particular attention to reflecting our diverse heritage, traditions, and history and to the relevance of the humanities to the current conditions of national life.”

Use the Funded Projects Query Form to find examples of NEH-supported projects.

Learn more about NEH.

B. Federal Award Information

1. Type of Application and Award NEH seeks new and supplemental applications in response to this notice.

NEH will provide funding in the form of grants.

2. Summary of Funding Award Amounts Award amounts are dependent on Congressional appropriations and in line with NEH's statutory funding formula.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#subpart-E https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title20-section956 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=236bb02f01d2e050f7a5b60c88a67066&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=236bb02f01d2e050f7a5b60c88a67066&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5 https://www.neh.gov/general-terms-and-conditions-SHC-SO-grants-after-oct-2024 https://www.neh.gov/general-terms-and-conditions-SHC-SO-grants-after-oct-2024 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-1998-title20/pdf/USCODE-1998-title20-chap26-subchapI-sec952.pdf https://securegrants.neh.gov/publicquery/main.aspx https://www.neh.gov/about

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NEH will not determine the funding available each fiscal year until Congress enacts the agency’s final budget. Accordingly, this notice is issued subject to the availability of appropriated funds, and it does not obligate NEH to make any awards.

Period of Performance State and Jurisdictional Humanities Councils General Operating Support Grants have a period of performance of five years. The period of performance is the span of time during which you may incur expenses to carry out the work under the award.

The program supports activities in years one, two, and three, and closeout requirements in years four and five. State and jurisdictional humanities councils must apply annually to receive this funding.

Projects must start between November 1, 2026, and May 1, 2027.

NEH expects state and jurisdictional humanities councils to obligate most of the funds awarded each year by the end of the annual funding period. You will apply for a new award with a five-year period of performance in year three of your current award.

Councils are expected to engage in ongoing fundraising efforts throughout the fiscal year to meet their statutory matching GOS Grant cost share requirements and ensure the effective management of their NEH award. (see the Matching Guidelines for General Support Grants to State Humanities Councils). Funds raised to satisfy a match count toward an institution’s required cost share for a project (see Cost Sharing).

Funding beyond the first year is dependent on the availability of appropriated funds for State and Jurisdictional Humanities Councils General Operating Support Grants in subsequent fiscal years, satisfactory recipient performance, and a decision that continued funding is in the best interest of the Federal Government.

Cost Sharing This program requires a one-to-one cost share. Cost sharing or matching is the portion of the project costs not paid by NEH funds. By law, NEH cannot support more than 50% of the costs of a state or jurisdictional humanities council’s activity. You must match NEH funds with cash, earned income, other federal grants, or in-kind contributions. You may use federal funds to meet your cost share.

NEH views cost sharing as a means of ensuring that many individuals and organizations are meaningfully involved in a council’s work. It encourages you to meet cost-sharing requirements from a wide range of contributions and discourages relying solely on contributions at the subrecipient level. See Matching Guidelines for General Support Grants to State Humanities Councils.

The following policy applies only to the American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands humanities councils: In accordance with 48 U.S.C. 1469a(d), as amended, NEH waives the cost-sharing requirement for the first $200,000 in outright funds awarded each fiscal year under this notice. The remainder of the outright funding provided under the statutory formula continues to require dollar-for-dollar cost sharing.

https://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/matching-guidelines-general-support-grants-state-humanities-councils https://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/matching-guidelines-general-support-grants-state-humanities-councils https://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/matching-guidelines-general-support-grants-state-humanities-councils https://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/matching-guidelines-general-support-grants-state-humanities-councils https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:48%20section:1469a%20edition:prelim) https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:48%20section:1469a%20edition:prelim)

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You must maintain auditable records documenting the source and use of cost share, consistent with 2 CFR § 200.306.

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants The only eligible applicants are the independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) state and jurisdictional humanities councils.

2. Other Eligibility Information An organization may submit only one application under this NOFO.

If you submit multiple applications, NEH will accept only your last validated submission prior to the deadline under the applicable Grants.gov funding opportunity.

3. Subrecipient Eligibility State and jurisdictional humanities councils are authorized to issue subawards to:

• private nonprofit organizations

• institutions of higher education

• state, local, and federally recognized Indian tribal governments

• groups of persons that form an association to carry out a project

• individuals

Non-public organizations or groups that apply for funding must be constituted for nonprofit purposes, and donations to them must be deductible under the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 170(c)). Such organizations or groups are not required to be incorporated or have tax exempt status.

State and jurisdictional humanities councils may not issue subawards to:

• foreign entities

• for-profit entities

• entities functioning solely as fiscal agents

Per 2 CFR § 25.300, councils may issue subawards using NEH funds (and funding from other federal agencies contributed as cost share) only to organizations that have obtained and provided to the council a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Subrecipients may obtain a UEI from the System for Award Management (SAM). NEH does not require subrecipients to complete full SAM registration to obtain a UEI but encourages them to do so.

Councils may issue non-federally funded subawards to subrecipients that do not have a UEI or are not registered in SAM. Councils may use non-federally funded subawards for humanities programming to satisfy required cost share/match if the subrecipient is eligible and all costs included in the subaward are allowable and allocable to the project.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.306 https://www.neh.gov/about/state-humanities-councils https://www.neh.gov/about/state-humanities-councils https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:26%20section:170%20edition:prelim) https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:26%20section:170%20edition:prelim) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-25/subpart-C https://sam.gov/content/home

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Councils must verify the eligibility and monitor the performance of subrecipients which receive NEH funds and those which the council uses to meet cost sharing obligations, consistent with 2 CFR § 200.332. Councils are responsible for improper payments to ineligible subrecipients.

D. Application Contents You must apply using Grants.gov Workspace or a Grants.gov system-to-system solution. You can find this funding opportunity in Grants.gov under number 20260406-SO. There is also a link on the program resource page.

See the Application Component Table below to learn what a complete application entails, and the sections following it for information about the content of those components.

See NEH’s General Application Guide for Awards to Organizations for application component designations, page limits, formatting requirements, and submission rules, as well as instructions for the Grants.gov forms in your application package (SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance, Supplementary Cover Sheet for NEH Programs, Project/Performance Site Location(s) Form, Attachments form, lobbying forms, and the Research and Related Budget form and accompanying budget justification).

1. Application Component Table Application Component Designation Naming convention Page limit Attachments 1: Annual plan Required plan.pdf 5 pages (mandatory) 2: Budget justification Required justification.pdf 3: Explanation of delinquent federal debt (conditionally required)

Conditionally required delinquentdebt.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.332 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.332 https://www.neh.gov/sites/default/files/NEH%20General%20Application%20Guide%2002-24-2026.pdf

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Application Component Designation Grants.gov forms SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance - Short Organizational

Required

Supplementary Cover Sheet for NEH Grant Programs

Required

SF-424A: Budget Information

– Non-Construction Programs

Required

Project/Performance Site(s) Location Form

Required

Certification Regarding Lobbying

Required

Standard Form-LLL “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities”

Conditionally required

Attachments Form Required

2. Application Elements Attachment 1: Annual plan (required) Compose a comprehensive description of your proposed plan for the upcoming funding period.

Projects must start between November 1, 2026, and May 1, 2027. Do not include an executive summary, cover page, or table of contents. You may include images, charts, diagrams, footnotes, and endnotes if they fit within the five-page limit.

Organize your plan using the following headings and address each of the prompts below:

Activities and Programming

• Identify the organization’s humanities-based goals and how current and/or new activities, programs, and subawards would support them.

• Discuss potential revisions and challenges to activities, programming, and subawards, such as topics, formats, funding, locations, and/or frequency.

Audience and Partnerships

• Describe how existing and/or potential new partnerships would contribute to the identified humanities-based goals and programs.

• Explain how the organization plans to foster current and/or new partnerships to reach familiar and new audiences.

Funding and Development

• Describe the organization’s strategies for raising outside funds to support programming and operations, and meeting cost-sharing requirements, including those related to subawards.

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• Discuss how the organization would work with existing and new funding sources to diversify revenue. Consider the role board members, staff, and/or community stakeholders could play in fundraising efforts.

Evaluation and Impact

• Explain how the organization plans to collect and analyze data throughout the funding period to evaluate the impact of activities, programming, and subawards.

• Discuss how the organization’s evaluation plans and tools will align with the proposed humanities-based goals.

Governance and Operations

• See 20 U.S. Code § 956(f)(2)(B)(i) for gubernatorial appointment and board composition requirements. Describe the process for determining board composition and for soliciting nominations for board members.

• Identify the anticipated challenges and/or changes in the organization’s structure, operations, and/or governance, including plans to manage change and mitigate risk.

• Please respond to the following prompts in the order they appear:

1. Number of board members as per bylaws (including gubernatorial appointees)/number of gubernatorial appointees as per bylaws

2. Current number of board members/current number of gubernatorial appointees

3. Number of members on which you base the number of gubernatorial appointees

4. For board members, length of regular appointment term (in years)

5. For board members, renewable term (yes/no)

6. For board members, maximum years of continuous service

7. For gubernatorial appointees, length of term (in years)

8. For gubernatorial appointees, renewable term (yes/no)

9. For gubernatorial appointees, maximum years of continuous service

10. For gubernatorial appointees, co-extensive with governor’s term (yes/no)

11. For board chairs, length of term (in years)

12. For board chairs, renewable term (yes/no)

13. For board chairs, maximum years of continuous service

Name the file plan.pdf.

Attachment 2: Budget justification (required) Refer to instructions for preparing your budget justification. Name the file justification.pdf.

Attachment 3: Explanation of delinquent federal debt (conditionally required) If your organization is delinquent in the repayment of any federal debt, explain why. Provide evidence that you have entered into a repayment agreement with the Internal Revenue Service, if applicable, and that you are current on all payments due. Examples of relevant debt include delinquent payroll or other taxes, audit disallowances, and benefit overpayments. See OMB Circular A-129. Name the file delinquentdebt.pdf.

https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.law.cornell.edu%2Fuscode%2Ftext%2F20%2F956&data=04%7C01%7Cequaglieri%40neh.gov%7Ca8e43a3886ae4f08d74908d9e0454a3c%7C93b06459c77d44b6af7fe813cddcdcc3%7C0%7C0%7C637787410478581828%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=WhuvO6pWNCuiWEaIccIfA%2BnR2vCKZU9hGhSeZQiIQLc%3D&reserved=0 https://whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/legacy_drupal_files/omb/circulars/A129/a-129.pdf https://whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/legacy_drupal_files/omb/circulars/A129/a-129.pdf

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3. Budget Instructions Specific to this Program SF-424A: Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs You must submit a budget using Section B of the SF-424A for costs you will incur during the budget period. Projects must start between November 1, 2026, and May 1, 2027. You must also complete a separate budget justification to explain your budget costs.

All costs, whether supported by NEH funds or required cost sharing contributions, must be reasonable, necessary to accomplish project objectives, allowable in terms of 2 CFR 200 Subpart E - Cost Principles, auditable, and incurred during the period of performance. Costs are subject to audit, record retention, and other requirements set forth in 2 CFR 200 Subpart F - Audit Requirements.

Per 2 CFR § 200.403(f), NEH does not permit overlapping costs on two or more awards for federal funding and/or approved federal award budgets.

The inclusion of a cost category on the 424A does not automatically indicate that an expense is allowable. See A.2 Funding Restrictions to ensure that costs are not disallowed.

Indirect costs are not permitted on general operating support awards.

Round all costs to the nearest whole dollar. If cents are less than 50, round down. If cents are 50 and higher, round up. Do not include cents in the 424A or your budget justification.

Budget justification

Cost Summary: At the top of your budget justification, you must provide:

• The total NEH dollar amount budgeted

• The required one-to-one cost share total amount budgeted

• Your summary total must match the total on your SF-424A.

When preparing your budget justification, use the same SF-424A section headings. For each requested cost, you must:

• Describe how each item supports your proposed objectives

• Explain how you calculated each cost (e.g., $50/hour x 20 hours = $1,000)

• Include supporting documentation such as price searches, vendor quotes, or contract estimates, as applicable

Conferences, events, and food Per 2 CFR § 200.432, allowable conference costs include speakers’ fees, costs of meals and refreshments, and other incidental items. Per 2 CFR § 200.423, you must not use federal funds for alcohol. You must exercise discretion and judgment to ensure that expenses are appropriate, necessary, and managed in a manner that minimize costs to the award.

See Allowability of Food Costs on NEH Awards, for the specific circumstances when food costs are allowed. They must be fundamental to the project and indispensable for carrying out the scope of the work. You may not use federal funds for meals or refreshments at receptions or networking events.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=236bb02f01d2e050f7a5b60c88a67066&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#sp2.1.200.e https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#subpart-F https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#subpart-F https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.403#p-200.403(f) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.432 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.423 https://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/allowability-of-food-costs

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If participants receive complimentary meals or refreshments during meetings, conferences, training, or other events while on NEH-supported travel, you must reduce the per diem you charge to the award.

Section B – Budget Categories The form includes four columns for different object class categories. Allocate costs across the following four functional activities:

• Program services, council-conducted projects, and public meetings: costs for council-conducted projects and public meetings, including related publicity and outreach

• Fundraising: costs associated with raising the required one-to-one cost share (e.g., development staff, campaigns, proposal costs, fundraising events)

• Regrants: the amount allocated to regrants (subawards and fellowships), including the corresponding one-to-one cost share contribution

• General management: costs associated with maintaining day-to-day operations, including administrative costs for subaward programs (e.g., subrecipient monitoring, site visits, grant administration, reporting) and financial management

a. Personnel You must claim salaries and wages in compliance with 2 CFR § 200.430 and .466.

If you charge 100% of an employee’s salary to your General Operating Support grant, you cannot include their salary on another award from NEH or other federal agencies during the same budget period.

In the SF-424A, enter the aggregate personnel costs for each category.

In your budget justification, list each person, their position title, annual salary or hourly wage, and percent full time equivalent or total number of hours charged to each functional activity.

Describe their roles in and suitability to the project.

b. Fringe Benefits Per 2 CFR § 200.431, fringe benefits are allowances and services provided to employees as compensation in addition to regular salaries and wages. Fringe benefits include, but are not limited to, the costs of leave (e.g., vacation, family-related, sick, military), employee insurance, pensions, and unemployment benefit plans.

In the SF-424A, enter the aggregate fringe benefits for the corresponding personnel costs from

a. Personnel.

In your budget justification, identify the fringe benefit rate and explain the basis for the calculation for each person.

c. Travel Travel costs must comply with 2 CFR § 200.475 and the General Terms and Conditions for General Operating Support Grants to State and Jurisdictional Humanities Councils. Proposed costs must be reasonable and consistent with your organization’s established travel policy. NEH uses the General Services Administration's published per diem rates to assess if proposed travel costs are reasonable.

https://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/general-management-costs-for-state-humanities-councils https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.430 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.466 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.431 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.475 https://www.neh.gov/general-terms-and-conditions-SHC-SO-grants-after-oct-2024 https://www.neh.gov/general-terms-and-conditions-SHC-SO-grants-after-oct-2024 https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates

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You must use the lowest refundable commercial fares for coach or equivalent accommodations.

Nonrefundable travel arrangements are at your own risk. Costs associated with cancelled travel are not allowable.

In the SF-424A, enter total travel costs by activity.

In your budget justification, describe each trip separately. For each trip, provide:

• name of the traveler(s)

• purpose of the trip

• points of origin and destination

• Itemized costs for transportation, lodging, per diem, and any other associated expenses

Local trips (such as routine travel in a metropolitan area) may be grouped together. For local travel, provide:

• names of travelers

• mileage rate

• number of miles

• purpose of travel

If you do not have detailed plans for the next year, describe how you calculated the travel costs.

Summarize your institutional policies for determining travel costs.

d. Equipment Equipment is nonexpendable personal property costing $10,000 or more per item and having a service life of more than one year. See 2 CFR § 200.313 and .439. You may purchase equipment if analysis demonstrates that it is more economical and practical than leasing.

In the SF-424A, enter the aggregate equipment costs by activity.

In your budget justification, detail the number and unit cost for each item, including shipping and maintenance, and explain how you calculated the cost. Provide vendor quotes or price lists.

e. Supplies Supplies include tangible items that cost less than $10,000 per unit, regardless of useful life.

Allowable costs must comply with 2 CFR §§ 200.314 and .453. Personal computers and accessories are treated as supplies.

In the SF-424A, enter the aggregate supplies costs by activity.

In your budget justification, indicate general categories (e.g., personal computers, program supplies, office supplies), and provide a total for each. Itemize categories totaling $1,000 or more and provide vendor quotes or price lists.

f. Contractual Contractual costs are activities performed by third parties. See 2 CFR § 200.331 for information on distinguishing between subawards and contracts.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.313 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.439 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.314 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.453 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.331

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f. Contractual column 1 column 2 column 3 column 4

SF-424A and budget narrative contracts contracts regrants + related cost share contracts

In the SF-424A, for columns 1, 2, and 4: Enter the aggregate cost of contracts by activity.

In your budget justification, identify each third party by name, describe their role in the project and the activities they will carry out, and list the associated costs. Include supporting documents.

In the SF-424A, for column 3: Enter the anticipated total costs (regrants plus eligible cost-share contributions) of both NEH-funded and non-NEH funded regrants for humanities programming.

In your budget justification, summarize anticipated regrants for humanities programming.

Indicate the portion using NEH funds and specify the anticipated cost share that recipients will provide. All costs, including cost share, must be allowable and allocable to the subaward.

g. Construction Leave this line blank. Per the General Terms and Conditions for General Operating Support Grants to State and Jurisdictional Humanities Councils, NEH funds may not be used for any costs related to the purchase of land or facilities by a council or for the construction, renovation, or alteration of council-owned facilities.

h. Other In the SF-424A, enter the aggregate cost of items not previously listed under other budget categories.

In your budget justification, itemize, describe, and justify these costs by functional activities (e.g., mailing, space or equipment rental, association dues, subscriptions). See 2 CFR §

200.454. “Miscellaneous” and “contingency” are not acceptable budget categories. Include supporting documentation.

i. Total Direct Charges (sum of 6a-6h) The SF-424A form will calculate total direct costs.

j. Indirect Charges Leave this line blank. Indirect costs are not permitted on General Operating Support grants.

You should charge general management costs such as office rent, maintenance, telephone, and utilities to the General Operating Support grants as direct costs. See h. Other.

k. Totals The SF-424A form will calculate total costs.

Total costs (shown in row K, column 5) must equal the amount of NEH funding plus the required one-to-one match, subject to the terms and conditions of your award.

https://www.neh.gov/general-terms-and-conditions-SHC-SO-grants-after-oct-2024 https://www.neh.gov/general-terms-and-conditions-SHC-SO-grants-after-oct-2024 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.454 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.454 https://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/general-management-costs-for-state-humanities-councils

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7. Program Income If applicable, enter any anticipated program income. If your NEH-supported activities generate income during the period of performance, you must use it for additional approved project-related activities or contribute it toward your cost sharing requirements

E. Application Review Information

1. Review Process NEH staff review applications in this program for eligibility, completeness, and responsiveness.

NEH staff share the information that the state and jurisdictional humanities councils provide in their annual plans (submitted with the application) and annual reports (submitted following the close of the most recent funding period) with the National Council on the Humanities. The National Council meets at least twice annually to advise the NEH Chairman. The Chairman considers the advice provided by the review process and, by law, makes all funding decisions.

2. Intergovernmental Review This funding opportunity is not subject to intergovernmental review under Executive Order 12372.

F. Submission Information

1. Application Package You must apply using Grants.gov Workspace or a Grants.gov system-to-system solution. You can find this funding opportunity in Grants.gov under number 20260406-SO. There is also a link on the program resource page.

2. Submission Instructions The deadline for applications under this notice is April 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

Late or incomplete applications may result in funding delays.

When NEH receives your application from Grants.gov, the agency will assign it a tracking number beginning with SO-.

Under this notice NEH will consider only applications that are complete, comply with length and formatting requirements, and have been validated by Grants.gov under the correct funding opportunity prior to the deadline. See the late submission policy for the limited situations when NEH might accept an application submitted after the deadline.

G. Award Notices

1. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates NEH will notify you of funding decisions via eGMS Reach in October 2026. Notification of funding does not authorize you to begin performance or incur costs.

https://www.neh.gov/about/national-council-on-the-humanities https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html https://www.neh.gov/grants/policy-on-late-submissions

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2. Federal Award Documents If NEH selects your application for an award, the NEH Office of Grant Management will send award documents through eGMS Reach beginning in November 2026.

3. Administrative and National Policy Requirements Specific to this Program Refer to the NEH General Application Guide for Awards to Organizations for administrative and national policy requirements that apply to all NEH awards. These are the requirements specific to State and Jurisdictional Humanities Councils General Operating Support Grants.

Program Income If your NEH-supported activities generate income during the period of performance, you must use it for additional approved project-related activities or contribute it toward your cost sharing requirements. See 2 CFR § 200.307 for income that you generate after the period of performance.

Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (NAGPRA) provides protection of Native American graves and items, including human remains, funerary objects, and sacred objects. NAGPRA applies to any organization that controls or possesses Native American human remains and associated funerary objects and that receives federal funding, even for a purpose unrelated to the Act. Learn more about NAGPRA.

Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 NEH must review your project under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA) (54 U.S.C. § 306108) and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. § 4321, et seq.) if it involves:

• new construction and expansion (including demolition);

• alteration/renovation/repair where exterior changes to the building façade or surroundings may be made (including roof, windows);

• interior renovations to a building that is over 50 years old, or is historically, architecturally, or culturally significant;

• ground disturbing activities (including parking lots);

• a change in land use that is significant (such as the proposal being an integral part of a larger redevelopment project);

• an impact within or to a floodplain or wetland;

• a determination of an adverse effect that cannot be mitigated on a property eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places; and/or

• an extraordinary circumstance, such as: public controversy, or extensive site contamination.

https://www.neh.gov/sites/default/files/NEH%20General%20Application%20Guide%2002-24-2026.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.307 https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nagpra/index.htm https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=54+U.S.C.+%A7306108&f=treesort&fq=true&num=18&hl=true&edition=prelim&granuleId=USC-prelim-title54-section306108 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title42/chapter55&edition=prelim

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H. Annual and Final Reporting If you receive an award, you must complete these required reports in NEH’s online grant management system, eGMS Reach.

1. Annual Federal Financial Report

2. Final Federal Financial Report

3. Activities and Outcomes Report

4. Board Minutes

5. Subaward Summary

6. Current Board and Staff

7. Tangible Personal Property Report (if you purchase equipment).

I. Agency Information If you have questions about the program, contact:

Division of Federal/State Partnership National Endowment for the Humanities 400 7th St SW Washington DC 20506 Telephone: 202-606-8254 Email: fedstate@neh.gov

If you have questions about administrative requirements or allowable costs, contact:

Office of Grant Management National Endowment for the Humanities 400 7th St SW Washington DC 20506 202-606-8494 grantmanagement@neh.gov

If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you can contact NEH using telecommunications relay at 7-1-1.

mailto:fedstate@neh.gov mailto:grantmanagement@neh.gov

3. Background

3. Background