FPIRI NOFO 2023 and 2024 20230809-RA.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity Title:

Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions

Funding Opportunity Number: 20230809-RA

Funding Opportunity Type: New

Federal Assistance Listing Number: 45.161

Application Deadline:

August 9, 2023

August 14, 2024

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

It may take up to one month to register with SAM.gov and Grants.gov.

NEH will not grant deadline extensions for lack of registration.

Division of Research Programs Telephone: 202-606-8200 Email: 26TUfpiri@neh.gov Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1

OMB control number 3136-0134, expiration date October 31, 2024 mailto:fpiri@neh.gov

20230809-RA i

Executive Summary The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Division of Research Programs is accepting applications for the Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions program. 42TThis program 42Tsupports institutions that provide fellowships devoted to advanced study and research in the humanities in the United States and abroad, foster communities of intellectual exchange among participating scholars, and provide access to resources that might otherwise not be available to fellows.

Funding Opportunity Title Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions

Funding Opportunity Number 20230809-RA Federal Assistance Listing Number 45.161 Optional Draft Deadlines June 28, 2023, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

June 26, 2024, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time Application Deadlines August 9, 2023, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

August 14, 2024, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time Anticipated Award Announcements April 2024

April 2025 Anticipated FY 2024 and 2025 Funding Approximately $2,000,000 per deadline Estimated Number and Type of Awards Approximately 10 grants per deadline Award Amounts Up to $565,000 ($385,000 in outright funds plus

$180,000 in Federal Matching Funds)

See B. Federal Award Information.

Cost Sharing/Match Required No, unless federal matching funds are requested Period of Performance Up to 42 months

2023 deadline: projects must begin on January 1, 2025, and end no later than June 30, 2028.

2024 deadline: projects must begin on January 1, 2026, and end no later than June 30, 2029.

Eligible Applicants See C. Eligibility Information.

Program Resource Page https://www.neh.gov/grants/research/fellowship-programs-independent-research-institutions Published May 30, 2023 https://www.neh.gov/grants/research/fellowship-programs-independent-research-institutions

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Table of Contents A. Program Description

1. Purpose

2. Background

B. Federal Award Information

1. Type of Application and Award

2. Summary of Funding

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Cost Sharing

3. Other Eligibility Information

D. Application and Submission Information

1. Application Package

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management

4. Submission Dates and Times

5. Intergovernmental Review

6. Funding Restrictions

E. Application Review Information

1. Review Criteria

2. Review and Selection Process

3. Assessment of Risk and Other Pre-Award Activities

4. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

F. Federal Award Administration Information

1. Federal Award Notices

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

3. Reporting

G. Agency Contacts

H. Other Information

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A. Program Description

1. Purpose Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions (FPIRI) support institutions that provide fellowships for advanced humanities research in the U.S. and abroad, foster communities of intellectual exchange among participating scholars, and provide access to resources that might otherwise not be available to fellows.

Applicants include independent libraries, archives, museums, and centers for advanced study;

American overseas research centers; and American organizations that facilitate humanities research in foreign countries. Individual scholars apply directly to recipient institutions for fellowships.

When evaluating applications, NEH considers the library holdings, archives, special collections, and other resources – either on site or nearby – that institutions make available to fellows and the opportunity to foster intellectual exchange for scholars working at these centers. For institutions that are located overseas or promote scholarly research abroad, NEH also considers the center’s ability to assist scholars in obtaining necessary research permits or other required documents for conducting overseas research.

Requirements for FPIRI recipients If your organization receives a FPIRI award, it must:

Publicity and selection:

• consider all eligible applicants equally; you may not restrict eligibility to members of a scholarly organization or to persons affiliated with institutional members of a scholarly organization.

• not accept applications from any of your own officers, employees, members of the board of trustees or advisers, or selection committee members, until at least one year has elapsed since the person’s last service. The same restriction applies to officers, employees, and board members of parent organizations.

• not require an administrative or application fee for NEH-funded fellowships.

• clearly and effectively publicize the availability and application procedures of FPIRI-funded fellowships, so that potential applicants can learn of the full range of opportunities. Publicity materials must explicitly reference the National Endowment for the Humanities funded fellowships offered through the institution. Consult Acknowledgment and Publicity Requirements for NEH Awards and Publicizing Your Project for guidance.

• ensure the fair and informed selection of fellows by relying on the recommendations of an external committee composed of qualified scholars drawn from outside the institution’s staff and governing bodies. The committee must consist of at least three persons, convene either virtually or in person, and you must replace all members each year. Only fellowship applicants the external committee recommends may receive NEH funds.

http://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/acknowledgment-and-publicity-requirements-neh-awards http://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/publicizing-your-project

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• avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest in the composition of the selection committee and its deliberations. Staff (including unpaid advisors), officers, board members, and trustees of your institution may not serve as pre-screening evaluators or voting members on committees that review NEH-funded fellowship applications. The same restrictions apply to staff, officers, and trustees of parent organizations. Persons holding individual memberships at an institution should not constitute a majority on that institution’s selection committee.

Administration of fellowships

• grant the same benefits, services, and accommodations provided to other fellows to NEH-funded fellows.

• ensure that fellowship tenures are full-time, continuous, and are between four and twelve months long. Residential fellows must be in residence during their entire tenure period. If a fellow is obliged through special circumstances to withdraw before the end of the tenure period, he/she shall receive a prorated stipend.

• consult with NEH-funded fellows undertaking research outside the U.S. to ensure that they have the necessary passports, visas, or other required documents for entry, residency, and permission to conduct research in foreign countries, as appropriate. You must require the NEH-funded fellow to notify your institution if a permit is denied or revoked after a fellowship has been awarded, or if an unforeseen circumstance, such as a natural disaster or political turmoil, prevents (or threatens to prevent) a fellow from carrying out their project. You must notify NEH-funded fellows that NEH is not responsible for their compliance with the laws and regulations of the country in which they will work. See F2. for more information on foreign travel.

Adjustments to stipends

FPIRI awards support fellowship stipends at a rate of $5,000 per month. You may:

• supplement stipends for NEH-funded fellows with your own funds, and fellows may receive additional funds from other sources.

• withhold a portion of the NEH-funded fellows’ stipends to defray the costs of lodging and meals at a residential center.

• offer optional fringe benefits such as health care. You may, but are not required to, deduct their costs from stipends if fellows opt to receive the benefit. Stipend deductions for other fees or indirect costs are not allowed.

You must clearly state the full value of the NEH-funded stipend and, if applicable, the amount you will withhold, in your fellowship publicity and award letters.

Eligibility criteria for fellows are described in C3. Other Eligibility Information.

See D6. Funding Restrictions for unallowable activities.

See E1. Review Criteria for the standards NEH will use to evaluate applications under this notice.

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2. 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 Awards to Organizations (for grants and cooperative agreements issued January 1, 2022 or later).

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.

NEH Areas of Interest NEH is especially interested in supporting projects that advance humanities-related work in the following areas. NEH will give all applications equal consideration in accordance with the program’s review criteria.

American Tapestry: Weaving Together Past, Present, and Future American Tapestry: Weaving Together Past, Present, and Future is a wide-ranging special initiative at NEH that leverages the humanities to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time: strengthening our democracy, advancing equity for all, and addressing our changing climate. The initiative encourages humanities projects that elevate the role of civics in schools and public programs, advance knowledge of the country’s history and political institutions, and examine threats to its democratic principles. The initiative also encourages projects that explore the untold stories of historically underrepresented groups and build capacity at cultural and educational institutions to benefit underserved communities. Finally, the initiative welcomes projects that promote research into the historical roots and cultural effects of climate change and support the cultural and educational sectors in building climate resilience. By supporting humanities projects that align with these three themes—strengthening our democracy, advancing equity for all, and addressing our changing climate—the American Tapestry initiative seeks to tell our country’s history in all its complexity and diversity.

United We Stand: Connecting Through Culture Hate must have no safe harbor in America – especially when that hate fuels the kind of violence we’ve seen from Oak Creek to Pittsburgh, from El Paso to Poway, and from Atlanta to Buffalo.

When ordinary Americans cannot participate in the basic activities of everyday life – like shopping at the grocery store or praying at their house of worship – without the fear of being targeted and killed for who they are, our security as well as democracy are at risk. In coordination with the White House “United We Stand” Summit in September 2022, NEH launched a new initiative titled United We Stand: Connecting Through Culture that uses the humanities to combat hate-motivated violence and promote civic engagement, social cohesion, and cross-cultural understanding. As a part of this initiative, NEH encourages humanities 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-awards-organizations-grants-and-cooperative-agreements-issued-january-2022 https://www.neh.gov/general-terms-and-conditions-awards-organizations-grants-and-cooperative-agreements-issued-january-2022 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 https://www.neh.gov/news/american-tapestry-weaving-together-past-present-and-future https://www.neh.gov/unitedwestand

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projects that further our understanding of the nation’s racial, ethnic, gender, and religious diversity; examine the sources of hate and intolerance in the United States; and explore progress towards greater inclusiveness.

NEH especially welcomes projects that study the origins, history, and effects of antisemitism and/or Islamophobia in the United States. NEH also encourages projects that include Native American organizations and communities as applicants and project partners. NEH will give all applications equal consideration in accordance with the program’s review criteria.

B. Federal Award Information

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

NEH will provide funding in the form of grants.

2. Summary of Funding

Award amounts You may request up to $385,000 in outright funds and up to $180,000 in federal matching funds for a total award of up to $565,000. This total includes direct and indirect costs. Learn about different type of funds offered by NEH.

You must submit a budget reflecting total project costs. For example, if you request $100,000 in outright funds and $100,000 in federal matching funds, you must submit a budget totaling $300,000 ($100,000 in outright funds, $100,000 in federal matching funds, and $100,000 in required cost share for the federal matching funds).

NEH anticipates awarding approximately $2,000,000 among an estimated 10 recipients.

NEH will not determine the funding available each fiscal year until Congress enacts the final budget. This notice is subject to the availability of appropriated funds and is a contingency action taken to ensure that, should funds become available for this purpose, NEH can process applications and issue awards in a timely manner.

Period of performance You may request a period of performance up to 42 months.

If you apply for the 2023 deadline, your period of performance must start January 1, 2025, and end on or before June 30, 2028 (the end of the final academic year in which fellowships are awarded).

If you apply for the 2024 deadline, your period of performance must start between January 1, 2026, and end on or before June 30, 2029 (the end of the final academic year in which fellowships are awarded).

The period of performance is the span of time during which you may incur new obligations to carry out the work under the NEH award. It must start on the first day of the month and end on the last day of the month.

https://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/types-funding

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C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants To be eligible to apply, your organization must be established in the United States or its jurisdictions as one of the following:

• a nonprofit organization recognized as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code

• a state or local government or one of their agencies

• a federally recognized Native American Tribal government

In addition, it must:

• have maintained a fellowship program for at least the three years immediately preceding the application deadline.

• be financed, governed, and administered independently of institutions of higher education. To demonstrate independence, it must meet the following conditions:

be financially independent from institutions of higher education, with no single college or university contributing more than 49% to the applicant organization’s annual operating budget (including in-kind donations such as workspace, administrative support, etc.).

be governed by its own board of trustees, with a majority of members from no single institution of higher education.

be administered by a professional, independent chief executive officer or equivalent.

Institutions of higher education, foreign and for-profit entities, and individuals are not eligible to apply.

See C3. Other Eligibility Criteria for participant (fellow) eligibility.

2. Cost Sharing NEH does not require cost sharing in this program unless you request federal matching funds.

Cost sharing or matching is the portion of the project costs you pay for with non-NEH funds.

Peer reviewers will not consider cost sharing in their evaluation of applications.

If you request federal matching funds, you must raise third-party non-federal gifts dollar-for-dollar. NEH will certify the allowability of these gifts before releasing federal matching funds.

Typically, NEH distributes federal matching funds on an annual basis over the period of performance. See the NEH Federal Matching Funds Guidelines.

Include required third-party non-federal gifts on your Research and Related Budget and identify them in your budget justification.

https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/search-for-tax-exempt-organizations https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/search-for-tax-exempt-organizations https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/01/28/2022-01789/indian-entities-recognized-by-and-eligible-to-receive-services-from-the-united-states-bureau-of https://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/federal-matching-funds-guidelines

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You may contribute voluntary cost share to your project if the total costs exceed the amount awarded by NEH. Voluntary cost share includes:

• cash contributions made to the project by you or a third party

• your unrecovered indirect costs

• in-kind contributions (non-cash contributions, such as property or services, that benefit the project and are contributed without charge) by you or a third party

While you may describe voluntary cost share in your budget justification, you should not include it on your Research and Related Budget.

You must maintain auditable records of the source and use of cost share. See 2 CFR § 200.306.

Learn about types of funds NEH offers.

3. Other Eligibility Information You may submit multiple applications for separate and distinct projects under this notice, provided that they are for separate and distinct fellowship programs which meet all eligibility criteria. An individual may serve as project director for multiple proposed projects under this notice. If an individual will serve as project director on multiple applications, the applicant should explain in the narratives how the project director would allocate their time between the awards.

Current FPIRI award recipients may apply under this announcement. While a FPIRI recipient institution may have awards with overlapping periods of performance, fellowships funded by separate grants must not overlap. If you have questions regarding overlapping periods of performance, contact program staff at fpiri@neh.gov.

You may revise and resubmit previously rejected applications. Submissions are subject to the application requirements and review criteria of this competition.

Per 2 CFR § 200.403(f), you must not include the same project costs in more than one application for federal funding and/or approved federal award budget. However, you may submit multiple proposals for complementary aspects of the same overall project. NEH may disallow costs or reject applications that include overlapping project costs. An individual’s level of effort cannot exceed 100% across multiple active federally funded awards.

NEH does not issue awards to other federal entities. If your project is so closely intertwined with a federal entity that the project takes on characteristics of the federal entity’s own authorized activities, it is ineligible. You may use funds from, or sites and materials controlled by, other federal entities in your project, but you may not use them to release federal matching funds.

NEH does not provide financial assistance to foreign institutions or organizations. If you are an eligible domestic entity, you may apply for collaborative projects involving U.S. and foreign organizations provided you do not use NEH funds for the purpose of issuing subawards, as defined in 2 CFR §§ 200.1 and .331(a). You may obtain the services of foreign individuals and consultants to carry out programmatic activities on a fee-for-service basis, as specified in 2 CFR § 200.459. You may obtain goods and services from foreign vendors, such as in-country transportation services, in accordance with 2 CFR § 200.331(b). If you plan to submit an application involving international collaboration, contact program staff at fpiri@neh.gov.

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=3aeab4e3a836f5b6807999701e518c94&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#se2.1.200_1306 https://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/types-funding mailto:fpiri@neh.gov https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRea20080eff2ea53/section-200.403 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=35fcd29238edd42c8b1f8b1628e39d47&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#se2.1.200_11 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=b76712a585433486e57dafcd521c952e&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#se2.1.200_1331 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=35fcd29238edd42c8b1f8b1628e39d47&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#se2.1.200_1459 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=35fcd29238edd42c8b1f8b1628e39d47&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#se2.1.200_1459 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=b76712a585433486e57dafcd521c952e&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#se2.1.200_1331

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The recipient may not function solely as a fiscal agent but should make substantive contributions to the success of the project.

NEH takes reports of harassment seriously and seeks to ensure the prevention and elimination of all forms of discriminatory harassment, including sexual harassment, in NEH-funded grant programs. Applicants must maintain a written institutional policy that fosters a harassment-free environment for all individuals, including NEH-funded fellows, as described in F2.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements.

Institutions administering NEH fellowships are subject to NEH’s policy on research misconduct, as spelled out in General Terms and Conditions for Awards to Organizations (for grants and cooperative agreements issued January 1, 2022 or later). Applicants must maintain a written institutional research misconduct policy that includes NEH-funded fellows and provide a copy to NEH upon request.

Except for the rare cases covered by its late submission policy, NEH will not consider applications submitted after the deadline.

NEH will not consider incomplete, nonresponsive, or ineligible applications for funding.

NEH will not consider applications that exceed page limits or deviate from formatting instructions. See the Application Components Table.

Participant (fellow) eligibility Recipients must comply with the following restrictions when selecting fellows for NEH funded fellowships:

• Only U.S. citizens and foreign nationals who have lived in the United States for the three years immediately preceding the application deadline are eligible.

• Individuals currently enrolled in a degree granting program and individuals seeking support for work in pursuit of a degree are not eligible. Advanced degree candidates who have completed all requirements by the application deadline for the fellowship and are awaiting conferral of their degree may apply. (Advanced degree candidates who have ABD status at the application deadline for the fellowship are not eligible.)

• NEH-funded fellows may not be debarred or suspended by any federal department or agency. The OMB Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) contained in 2 CFR Parts 180 and 3369 apply to this award.

• NEH-funded fellows may not be delinquent on repayment of federal debt. Examples of relevant debt include student loans, delinquent federal taxes, and delinquent payroll taxes for household or other employees. Overdue or unpaid child support payments will prevent an applicant from receiving an award. (See OMB Circular A-129.)

• Although NEH-funded fellows may hold other fellowships or awards during their fellowship tenure, including sabbaticals and grants from their own institutions, they may not hold another NEH award concurrently.

https://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/research-misconduct-policy https://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/general-terms-and-conditions-awards-organizations-grants-and-cooperative-agreements-issued-december https://www.neh.gov/general-terms-and-conditions-awards-organizations-grants-and-cooperative-agreements-issued-january-2022 https://www.neh.gov/general-terms-and-conditions-awards-organizations-grants-and-cooperative-agreements-issued-january-2022 https://www.neh.gov/grants/policy-on-late-submissions https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr180_main_02.tpl https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=8680aeef730451c8612427c92b89cc2d&mc=true&node=pt2.1.3369&rgn=div5 https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/circulars/A129/a-129.pdf

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D. Application and 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 20230809-RA. There is also a link on the program resource page.

Once you have located the funding opportunity in Grants.gov, you will find the application package under the “Package” tab. It includes a series of required and conditionally required forms. You will upload additional application components using the Attachments Form.

You must complete a multistep registration process to submit your application. See D3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management.

Contact fpiri@neh.gov to request a paper copy of this notice.

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

2. Content and Form of Application Submission Your application will include a narrative, budget, and other forms and attachments. You will complete the forms within Grants.gov Workspace and upload other components into the Attachments Form. See the Application Component Table.

NEH has assigned each application component one of the following designations:

• Required: You must submit this component.

• Conditionally Required: You must submit this component if your proposal meets the specified conditions.

You must submit all required components and conditionally required components relevant to your proposal. NEH will not review applications missing any required documents or relevant conditionally required documents.

In addition, NEH has established page limits for some application components:

• Mandatory: You must not exceed the page limit.

• Suggested: NEH encourages, but does not require, you to abide by the page limit.

Take note of the page limits and formatting instructions in this notice. NEH will not review applications that exceed mandatory page limits or deviate from formatting instructions.

Your application components must conform to the following formatting requirements, unless otherwise indicated:

• pages no larger than standard letter (8 ½" x 11”)

• at least one-inch margins on all sides for all pages

• a font no smaller than 11 points

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In addition, NEH encourages you to format your components consistent with the following:

• single-spacing

• a readable font such as Arial, Georgia, Helvetica, or Times New Roman

• any standard citation style (citations are included in page counts)

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Application Component Table Application Component

File Name Designation Page limit

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

Required

Supplementary Cover Sheet for NEH Grant Programs

Required

Project/Performance Site(s) Location Form

Required

Research and Related Budget

Required

Attachments Form Required Certification Regarding Lobbying

Conditionally required

Standard Form-LLL “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities”

Conditionally

Attachments 1: Narrative narrative.pdf Required 12 (mandatory) 2: Prior year financial report financial.pdf Required

3: Work plan workplan.pdf Required 4: Résumés resumes.pdf Required 2 (suggested) 5: Reviewers reviewers.pdf Required 6: Fellows fellows.pdf Required 7: Publications publications.pdf Required 8: Statistical analysis analysis.pdf Required 9: Fellowship application form application.pdf Required

10: Review guidance materials guidance.pdf Required

11: Reports reports.pdf Required 12: Federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement agreement.pdf Conditionally

13: Explanation of delinquent federal debt delinquentdebt.pdf Conditionally https://nehemail.sharepoint.com/teams/nofo/Shared%20Documents/NOFOs/Research%20Programs/Fellowship%20Programs%20-%20Independent%20Research%20Institutions/2023%20and%202024/Disclosure#_Standard_Form-LLL,_ https://nehemail.sharepoint.com/teams/nofo/Shared%20Documents/NOFOs/Research%20Programs/Fellowship%20Programs%20-%20Independent%20Research%20Institutions/2023%20and%202024/Disclosure#_Standard_Form-LLL,_ https://nehemail.sharepoint.com/teams/nofo/Shared%20Documents/NOFOs/Research%20Programs/Fellowship%20Programs%20-%20Independent%20Research%20Institutions/2023%20and%202024/Disclosure#_Standard_Form-LLL,_

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Narrative Compose a comprehensive description of your proposed project. Your narrative should be succinct, well organized, and free of technical terms and jargon so that peer reviewers can understand the proposed project.

You must limit the narrative to 12 single-spaced pages. Do not include an executive summary, cover page, or a table of contents. You may include images, charts, diagrams, footnotes, and endnotes if they fit within the page limit.

Organize your narrative using the following headings. Each section aligns with one or more review criteria NEH will use to evaluate your proposal.

Information requested in this section may be collected from preexisting sources, such as annual reports, auditors’ reports, and brochures. If applicable, provide relevant URLs.

A. Brief summary statement In one paragraph, state the purpose of the NEH-supported fellowships; their place within your existing fellowship program; the total budget amount and total number of stipend months requested per year; and, for previously funded applicants, whether this request represents an increase in funding over the previous NEH award.

B. The institution and its programs (aligns with review criteria 1, 2, 5) (1-2 pages suggested) Provide a brief overview of your institution, describing:

• the intellectual significance of the work that the institution supports, including its value to scholars and general audiences in the humanities

• the institution’s purpose, philosophy, history, governance, and sources of funding

• the administrative structure, size of the staff, and location(s)

• the size and scope of library holdings, archives, or special collections available on site or nearby

• the resources and facilities available for study, research, and discussion (e.g., offices, computer equipment, carrels, common rooms)

• the services available to NEH-funded fellows (e.g., administrative, research, or technical assistance; photocopying; meals)

• the housing options available to fellows, or how you will assist them in securing housing

C. The fellowship program (aligns with review criteria 1, 2, 5) (2-3 pages suggested) Provide an overview of your existing fellowship program, describing:

• its mission

• if applicable, the ways in which NEH-supported fellowships benefit the institution’s overall fellowship program

• the history of the program, recent developments, and future goals

• special fields of interest and the mix of scholars that the institution supports

• activities of fellows

• the ways in which the institution fosters an intellectual community among fellows and interaction with the scholarly community, including programs (e.g., seminars, colloquia, 20230809-RA 12 lunch meetings) and other means of encouraging collegial exchange on topics related to the humanities

D. Publicity and application procedures (aligns with review criteria 2, 3, 4) (1-2 pages suggested) Identify target audiences. Explain how you will publicize fellowships to qualified applicants, especially through your website (provide the URL), social media, professional associations, disciplinary listservs, and other online channels. Describe the publicity and outreach methods that you will use to attract a substantial and diverse group of scholars with related interests.

Assess the effectiveness of past publicity efforts. Describe the applicant pool based on the statistical information provided as Attachment 8: Statistical analysis.

E. Selection procedures (aligns with review criteria 3, 4) (2-4 pages suggested) New (or not currently funded) applicants: describe your current selection process and, if applicable, the changes that you would make to meet the requirements of a FPIRI-supported program as described in C3 Other Eligibility Requirements.

Currently funded applicants: describe your schedule and process for selecting fellows and any changes made to improve its quality and effectiveness.

All applicants: describe how your process ensures the selection of the best possible candidates and projects (see the requirements stated in A1. Purpose)

• List the criteria for selecting fellows.

• If outside reviewers pre-screen applications, explain and justify the process.

• List the criteria for choosing members of the selection committee and state its size.

• Explain how you achieve diversity, impartiality, and expertise in the selection committee.

Describe the process for choosing members of the committee and its composition, with respect to discipline, experience, geographical diversity, institutional characteristics, and other factors.

• List the conflict-of-interest rules by which you govern deliberations.

• If you select fellows using more than one program or committee, describe each one’s procedures and explain how you allocate funds among programs or committees.

Provide documentation supporting the processes described here in Attachment 10: Review guidance materials.

F. Program evaluation (aligns with review criteria 4, 5) (1-2 pages suggested) Describe the reports and other kinds of feedback that you request from fellows. Summarize the findings of the most recent internal evaluation of your fellowship program(s). If applicable, describe any external evaluation of your fellowship program(s). Describe how you use this information to strengthen the program.

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G. Institution staff and fellowship program administration (aligns with review criteria 2, 3, 5) (1 page suggested) Identify the permanent professional staff dedicated to the fellowship program. Explain how you divide responsibility among staff members and the extent to which they are directly involved in its administration. Include résumés for principal staff in Attachment 4: Résumés.

H. Future of the institution’s fellowship program (aligns with review criteria 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) (1 page suggested) Describe any anticipated changes in your mission and intellectual vision, scope, administrative structure, funding, or mix of fellows. Discuss how these changes will affect the work of scholars supported through the institution’s programs. Explain any changes in the number of fellows (both NEH-funded fellows and others) or stipend levels needed to achieve your purposes.

NARRATIVE GUIDANCE

Each section of the narrative aligns with corresponding review criteria. Use the crosswalk to ensure you address all criteria.

Narrative Section Review Criteria

B. The institution and its programs 1. Humanities significance

2. Intellectual community

5. Administration

C. The fellowship program 1. Humanities significance

2. Intellectual community

5. Administration

D. Publicity and application procedures 2. Intellectual community

3. Fairness of selection

4. Applicant pool, publicity, and budget

E. Selection procedures 3. Fairness of selection

4. Applicant pool, publicity, and budget

F. Program evaluation 4. Applicant pool, publicity, and budget

5. Administration

G. Institution staff and fellowship program administration

2. Intellectual community

3. Fairness of selection

5. Administration

H. Future of the institution’s fellowship program

1. Humanities significance

2. Intellectual community

3. Fairness of selection

4. Applicant pool, publicity, and budget

5. Administration

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Research and Related Budget You must submit a project budget using the Research and Related Budget form included in the Grants.gov application package and attach a budget justification.

Complete a single detailed budget for the entire period of performance. The form will generate a cumulative budget. Before submitting your application, ensure that your completed form reflects your cumulative budget on the last page.

The form indicates required fields in yellow. Round all costs to the nearest whole dollar. The inclusion of a cost category on the Research and Related Budget does not necessarily mean that an expense is allowable. See D6. Funding Restrictions to ensure that proposed costs are allowable.

If you only request outright funds, your budget should include only the funding you are requesting from NEH. If you request federal matching funds, your budget must equal the total funding requested from NEH (outright and federal matching funds) and the one-to-one required third party cost share for the federal matching funds. Refer to the NEH Federal Matching Funds Guidelines regarding the eligibility of gifts for matching purposes.

The total federal matching funds and cost share should equal the amounts indicated on the Supplementary Cover Sheet for NEH Grant Programs in the “Federal Matching” and “Cost Sharing” fields. Learn about types of funds NEH offers.

If you will provide voluntary cost share, do not include it on the Research and Related Budget form. You may describe it in your budget justification.

No more than 10% of your budget can be allocated for management and administration (M&A) costs. M&A costs are for activities directly related to the management and administration of the fellowship program. These activities must be directly related to the management and administration of NEH funds, such as financial management and monitoring, and must be based on actual expenses or known contractual costs. Requests that are simple percentages of the award, without supporting justification, will not be allowed or considered for reimbursement.

M&A costs are not operational costs; they are the necessary costs incurred in direct support of the award or as a consequence of the award and should be allocated across the entire lifecycle of the award. Examples of M&A activities include solicitation, review, and processing of applications and fellowships; managing and monitoring fellowships; preparing and submitting required programmatic and financial reports; and responding to official informational requests from federal oversight authorities. Salaries treated as M&A costs may be charged as direct costs in accordance with 2 CFR §200.413(c).

All costs, whether supported by NEH funds or required cost sharing contributions (if applicable), 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. All costs are subject to audit, record retention, and other requirements set forth in 2 CFR 200 Subpart F - Audit Requirements.

You should only include your own employees under A. Senior/Key Person and B. Other Personnel. Include team members in leadership roles in the project under A. Senior/Key Person.

https://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/federal-matching-funds-guidelines https://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/federal-matching-funds-guidelines https://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/types-funding https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=fa52c51c7db4d276ee426e7236843200&mc=true&n=pt2.1.200&r=PART&ty=HTML%22%20%5Cl%20%22se2.1.200_1413 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

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Include other team members under B. Other Personnel. Include costs for non-employees under F3. Consultant Services or F5. Subawards/Consortium/Contractual Costs, as appropriate.

NEH funding for fellows’ stipends must be calculated at a rate of $5,000 per month of tenure (for at least four and up to twelve months) and should be included under E. Participant/Trainee Support Costs. If applicable, include additional payments to fellows—drawn from non-NEH sources—that would supplement the NEH funded stipends and describe this in the budget justification. If applicable, indicate any costs for housing and regular meals that will be deducted from the stipend amount and provide detail in the budget justification.

If you charge indirect costs to the project, you must not charge those same costs to the project as direct costs. See H. Indirect Costs.

Introductory Fields If not pre-populated, indicate your organization’s Unique Entity Identifier, name, and the period of performance. This should be the same as the information you provide on your SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance - Short Organizational. You may need to complete the SF-424 prior to completing your Research and Related Budget. Your period of performance must start on the first day of the month and end on the last day of the month. For budget type, check “project.”

A. Senior/Key Person Include personnel who are employed by the applicant institution in leadership roles on the project. Do not include collaborators at other institutions or consultants, as you will include them in F. Other Direct Costs.

Enter the base salary (annual compensation) for each senior/key person and identify the number of months they will devote to the project. If you do not include base salaries, your award may be delayed. If you are not requesting funding for personnel, you need not include salary and fringe benefit information.

Many non-academic institutions organize their budgets using calendar months. If your organization does not differentiate between academic and summer months, use only the calendar months column.

If your organization follows an academic calendar, you may differentiate levels of effort by using the academic and summer months columns. You may also use both columns if your institutional policy requires accounting for academic and summer months separately. If your institution does not use a nine-month academic year and a three-month summer period, include your institution's definition of these terms in your budget justification.

Enter the requested salary and fringe benefits for each senior/key person. Per 2 CFR § 200.431, fringe benefits are allowances and services you provide in addition to salaries and wages. Fringe benefits include, but are not limited to, the costs of leave (vacation, family-related, sick, or military), employee insurance, pensions, and unemployment benefit plans.

Requested salaries and wages must comply with 2 CFR §§ 200.430 and .466 and fringe benefits must comply with 2 CFR § 200.431.

The form will calculate the requested salary and fringe benefits for each key person.

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=35fcd29238edd42c8b1f8b1628e39d47&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#se2.1.200_1431 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=35fcd29238edd42c8b1f8b1628e39d47&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#se2.1.200_1430 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=35fcd29238edd42c8b1f8b1628e39d47&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#se2.1.200_1466 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=35fcd29238edd42c8b1f8b1628e39d47&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#se2.1.200_1431

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The form has space for up to eight people. If you request funds for additional key personnel, list them in a separate document using the same format as the Research and Related Budget. Save the document as a PDF named additionalpersonnel.pdf and attach it under “Additional/Senior Key Persons.” If applicable, enter the total funds you are requesting for additional senior/key persons in the "Total Funds requested for all Senior/Key Persons in the attached file" field.

Salaries included should be reasonable and allocable to the proposed project.

B. Other Personnel Do not include any expenses in this section.

C. Equipment Description Do not include any expenses in this section.

D. Travel Include costs associated with selection committee travel and per diem.

Enter the total funds you are requesting for both domestic travel (local and long-distance) and foreign travel (including travel to Canada and Mexico). Provide a detailed breakdown of costs for each trip in your budget justification. If you make nonrefundable travel arrangements, it is at your own risk. You cannot charge cancelled travel to your award.

Travel costs must comply with 2 CFR § 200.475 and the General Terms and Conditions for Awards to Organizations. NEH uses the General Services Administration's published per diem rates to assess if proposed travel costs are reasonable.

You may not use NEH funds to attend regularly occurring professional meetings.

The form will calculate total travel costs.

E. Participant/Trainee Support Costs Include costs associated with fellows in this section.

Participants are the beneficiaries, not the providers, of a service or training opportunity (such as a workshop, conference, seminar, or symposium) funded by a federal award.

2 CFR § 200.1 defines participant support costs as direct costs for expenses such as stipends, travel allowances, subsistence allowances, and registration fees paid to or on behalf of participants (but not employees) in connection with conferences or training projects. If you claim indirect costs, exclude participant support costs from the MTDC base.

2 CFR § 200.432 defines a conference as a meeting, retreat, seminar, symposium, workshop, or event, the primary purpose of which is the dissemination of technical information beyond the non-federal entity, and which is necessary and reasonable for successful performance under the federal award.

Include supporting information in your budget justification. If you or your participants make nonrefundable travel arrangements, it is at your own risk. You cannot charge cancelled travel to your award.

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=35fcd29238edd42c8b1f8b1628e39d47&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#se2.1.200_1475 https://www.neh.gov/general-terms-and-conditions-awards-organizations-grants-and-cooperative-agreements-issued-january-2022 https://www.neh.gov/general-terms-and-conditions-awards-organizations-grants-and-cooperative-agreements-issued-january-2022 https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=35fcd29238edd42c8b1f8b1628e39d47&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#se2.1.200_11 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=b76712a585433486e57dafcd521c952e&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#se2.1.200_1432

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The form will calculate total participant support costs.

1. Tuition/Fees/Health Insurance If you plan to deduct health care costs from fellows’ stipends, do not include these costs here:

instead, describe them in your budget justification.

2. Stipends Include stipends for fellows here, calculated at a rate of $5,000 per month of tenure (for four to twelve months per fellow). Include any additional payments to fellows—drawn from non-NEH sources—that would supplement the NEH funded stipends, and describe them in your budget justification.

If applicable, indicate any costs for housing and regular meals that will be deducted from the stipend amount in your budget justification.

3. Travel Do not include any expenses on this line.

4. Subsistence If you plan to deduct subsistence costs (meals, lodging) from fellows’ stipends, do not include those costs here but describe them in your budget justification.

5. Other Do not include any expenses on this line.

Number of Participants/Trainees Enter the total anticipated number of participants. This field cannot exceed 999.

F. Other Direct Costs The form will calculate total other direct costs.

1. Materials and Supplies Enter the total funds you are requesting for materials and supplies that cost less than $5,000 per item, regardless of its useful life, unless your organization has established a different capitalization level. See 2 CFR §§ 200.314 and .453.

2. Publication Costs Do not include any expenses on this line.

3. Consultant Services Do not include any expenses on this line.

4. Automated Data Processing (ADP)/Computer Services Do not include any expenses on this line.

5. Subawards/Consortium/Contractual Costs Do not include any expenses on this line.

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