PKG00263560-instructions.pdf

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Funding Opportunity Title:

Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions

Funding Opportunity Number: 20210114-PG

Funding Opportunity Type: New

Federal Assistance Listing Number: 45.149

Application Due Dates:

January 14, 2021 January 13, 2022

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

NEH will not grant deadline extensions for lack of registration.

Registration in all systems, including SAM.gov and Grants.gov, may take up to 1 month to complete.

Division of Preservation and Access Telephone: 202-606-8570 Email: preservation@neh.gov

TTY: 800-877-8399

OMB control number 3136-0134, expiration date June 30, 2021 mailto:preservation@neh.gov

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Executive Summary The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Division of Preservation and Access is accepting applications for the Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions program.

The purpose of this program is to help small and mid-sized institutions improve their ability to preserve and care for their significant humanities collections. The program encourages applications from small and mid-sized institutions that have never received an NEH grant.

Funding Opportunity Title: Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions Funding Opportunity Number:

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Federal Assistance Listing Number (CFDA):

45.149

Application Due Date: January 14, 2021, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time January 13, 2022, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

Anticipated Announcement: August 2021 (for proposals submitted for the January 14, 2021 deadline) August 2022 (for proposals submitted for the January 13, 2022 deadline)

Anticipated Total Annual Available Funding:

Approximately $600,000 per deadline

Estimated Number and Type of Awards:

Approximately 55 grants per deadline

Funding Range: Up to $10,000 Up to $15,000 for applicants whose proposals respond to “A More Perfect Union”: NEH Special Initiative Advancing Civic Education and Commemorating the Nation’s 250th Anniversary

Cost Sharing/Match Required:

No.

Period of Performance: Up to eighteen months with a start date as early as September 1, 2021 (for proposals submitted for the January 14, 2021 deadline) or as early as September 1, 2022 (for proposals submitted for the January 13, 2022 deadline).

Eligible Applicants: U.S. nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, public and 501(c)(3) accredited institutions of higher education, state and local governmental agencies, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments.

See Section C for additional information.

Program Resource Page: https://www.neh.gov/grants/preservation/preservation-assistance-grants-smaller-institutions

Pre-Application Webinar December 2, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/487761359429358606 https://www.neh.gov/250 https://www.neh.gov/250 https://www.neh.gov/250 https://www.neh.gov/grants/preservation/preservation-assistance-grants-smaller-institutions https://www.neh.gov/grants/preservation/preservation-assistance-grants-smaller-institutions https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/487761359429358606

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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 This notice solicits applications for the Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions program from the NEH Division of Preservation and Access.

Preservation Assistance Grants help small and mid-sized institutions — such as libraries, museums, historical societies, archival repositories, cultural organizations, town and county records offices, and colleges and universities — improve their ability to preserve and care for their significant humanities collections. These may include special collections of books and journals, archives and manuscripts, prints and photographs, moving images, sound recordings, architectural and cartographic records, decorative and fine art objects, textiles, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, furniture, historical objects, and digital materials.

Applicants must draw on the knowledge of consultants whose preservation skills and experience are related to the types of collections and the nature of the activities on which their projects focus. Within the conservation field, conservators usually specialize in the care of specific types of collections, such as objects, paper, or paintings. Applicants should choose a conservator whose specialty is appropriate for the nature of their collections. Similarly, when assessing the preservation needs of library, museum, or archival holdings, applicants should seek a consultant specifically knowledgeable about the preservation of collections in these types of institutions.

The program encourages applications from small and mid-sized institutions that have never received an NEH grant; community colleges, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Tribal Colleges and Universities; and Native American tribes and Native Alaskan and Native Hawaiian organizations with significant humanities collections.

Furthermore, organizations or collections that represent the contributions of under-represented communities are highly encouraged.

An institution that has received a Preservation Assistance Grant may apply for another grant to support the next phase of its preservation efforts. For example, after completing a preservation assessment, an institution might apply to purchase storage supplies and cabinets to rehouse a collection identified as a high priority for improved storage. These proposals receive no special consideration and will be judged by the same criteria as others in the competition.

Allowable activities The Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions program funds a range of activities described below. Applicants may combine two or more activities in a single application. For example, an applicant may request funds for a consultant (and an assistant, if applicable) to conduct a preservation assessment and an on-site preservation workshop for the institution’s staff. Applicants in a federally declared disaster area may request funds for conservation treatment and the purchase of re-housing supplies. In such cases, the consultant’s letter of commitment should fully describe both proposed activities and the associated fees. Unallowable activities are described in section D6. Funding Restrictions.

General preservation assessments Applicants may request funding to engage a conservator or other preservation specialist to conduct a general preservation assessment and to help draft a long-range plan for the care and sustainability of humanities collections. The consultant visits the institution to assess policies, practices, and conditions affecting the care and preservation of humanities collections and prepares a report that summarizes the findings and contains prioritized recommendations for

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future preservation action. An advanced student or recent graduate from a preservation program may assist the project consultant.

Consultations with preservation professionals to address a specific preservation issue, need, or problem Applicants may request funding to hire a consultant to help address challenges in the stewardship of humanities collections. An advanced student or recent graduate from a preservation program may assist the project consultant.

For example, consultants can provide advice about:

• developing and revising disaster preparedness and response plans, including continuity of operations plans

• establishing environmental monitoring programs, instituting integrated pest management programs, and developing plans for improving environmental conditions, security, or fire protection for collections

• studying light levels in exhibition and storage spaces and recommending appropriate methods for controlling light and reducing damage to collections

• developing detailed plans for improving storage or rehousing a collection

• developing detailed plans for preservation of digital collections

• assessing the conservation treatment needs of selected items in a collection

• implementing preventive conservation strategies that pragmatically balance effectiveness, cost, and environmental impact

• planning for capital improvements that would enhance care of collections

Based on preliminary discussions about the proposed assessment, a consultant may be able to anticipate an institution’s need for basic preservation supplies. In such cases, the applicant may request funds to purchase the recommended supplies. It is critical to include the consultant’s letter of commitment describing the supplies and justifying their use. After the on-site visit, the consultant can refine the list of supplies to be purchased.

Purchase of storage furniture and preservation supplies Applicants that have completed a preservation assessment or consulted with an appropriate professional may request funding to purchase permanent and durable furniture and supplies (for example, cabinets and shelving units, storage containers, boxes, folders, and sleeves).

Additionally, discrete units to improve the environment such as portable dehumidifiers, air conditioning units, or vacuums may be purchased, if recommended in an assessment. NEH funds may also be used to support shipping and installation of storage furniture. If an institution’s staff and volunteers have limited experience in rehousing collections, the institution should enlist a consultant to provide guidance and training at the beginning of the project.

Applicants requesting preservation or storage supplies should discuss how plans for the organization or arrangement of the collections have informed the selection of supplies and equipment.

Purchase of environmental monitoring equipment Applicants may request funding to purchase environmental monitoring equipment (for example, dataloggers or light meters) and related software. If the institution’s staff does not have experience using the equipment, the application should include a request for training in the use and installation of the equipment and/or software and the interpretation of the monitoring data.

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Education and training The Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions program focuses on the preservation of collections, but it also recognizes that cultural institutions need to gain better intellectual control of and enhance access to their collections. Therefore, applicants may request funding to support attendance at workshops and training courses that address both preservation and access topics.

Workshops and training sessions may be face-to-face or online. Applicants may hire a consultant to conduct on-site training for staff and volunteers. An advanced student or recent graduate from a preservation program may assist the project consultant. On-site workshops may be tailored to meet an institution’s specific needs and holdings. Applicants hosting a workshop are encouraged to enhance the impact of the training by inviting the participation of staff, students, and volunteers from neighboring organizations or institutions.

Education and training requests may address both preservation and access topics. For example, workshops could focus on topics such as the following:

• preservation and care of humanities collections (often offered by collection type, for example, textiles, paintings, photographs, archival records, manuscripts, and books)

• disaster preparedness and response, including continuity of operations

• methods and materials for the storage of collections

• environmental monitoring programs

• best practices for cataloging rare books, art, and material culture collections

• proper methods for the arrangement and description of archival collections

• preservation and access challenges for community-based archives

• standards and best practices for digital preservation

• care and handling of collections during digitization

Federally declared disaster areas In federally declared disaster areas, applicants may request funding for the following disaster-related activities:

• disaster response, recovery, and mitigation

• conservation treatment

• temporary storage and relocation

• the purchase of cleaning supplies and equipment, which may include vacuums, dehumidifiers, and other disaster remediation supplies

• when appropriate, the reformatting of collections as a preservation methodology

Per 2 CFR §200.447 (c), award funds may not be used for actual losses which could have been covered by permissible insurance (through a self-insurance program or otherwise). However, costs incurred because of losses not covered under nominal deductible insurance coverage provided in keeping with sound management practice, and minor losses not covered by insurance are allowable.

See the list of disaster-related resources in Section H. Other Information.

2. Background This program is authorized by 20 U.S.C. §956, et seq. 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 December 26, 2014 or later).

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According to the 1965 National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act, “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.”

Examples of previously funded projects may be found by using the NEH's Funded Projects Query Form available online at https://securegrants.neh.gov/publicquery/main.aspx.

To learn more about NEH, visit https://www.neh.gov/about.

NEH Areas of Interest NEH is especially interested in supporting projects that advance humanities-related work in the following areas:

“A More Perfect Union”: NEH Special Initiative Advancing Civic Education and Commemorating the Nation’s 250th Anniversary As our nation approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, NEH encourages projects that promote a deeper understanding of American history and culture and that advance civic education and knowledge of our core principles of government. The agency-wide “A More Perfect Union” initiative will help Americans better understand the world’s oldest constitutional democracy and how our founding ideals are met in a modern, pluralistic society.

NEH welcomes consideration of diverse topics in American history, from Native American culture to rural life to the rise of the industrial city, from the Civil War to the Cold War to the Civil Rights movement, etc. We also seek projects that examine foundational documents in U.S.

history, as well as projects that examine historical objects, places, traditions, events, and individuals who collectively shaped our states and nation. Applications about the contributions of under-represented communities are highly encouraged.

In support of this initiative, applicants may request up to $15,000 for consultations, planning, and pilot work with one or more humanities professionals (for example, American historians, archivists, librarians, preservation specialists, and/or curators) that would position smaller institutions to preserve and create enhanced access to their humanities collections for use in activities that would address the themes of “A More Perfect Union.”

Applicants responding to this special initiative may also request support for consultants who would offer education and training in staff professional development geared to capacity-building and leadership that would help the institution improve its care of American history collections. Consultants may also help develop plans for activities such as arranging, describing, and digitizing collections.

For example:

• A local historical society has documents and artifacts pertaining to relationships between Native Americans and early settlers of the area that it wishes to digitize for use in its school programs leading up to the semiquincentennial. The society has a consultant conduct training in digitization and provide feedback on a pilot project in which staff and https://securegrants.neh.gov/publicquery/main.aspx https://www.neh.gov/about https://www.neh.gov/250

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Native American partners digitize and develop metadata for ten documents and ten artifacts, which are representative of the larger collection.

• A public library has a special collection of Civil Rights-era materials that were recently donated. The library proposes to consult with an archivist to develop a processing plan and with a Civil Rights historian to identify collection items that have high research potential and that could be featured in exhibits and programming for the semiquincentennial.

• A small museum has several paintings that date from the Revolutionary era and is planning to exhibit them with renewed interpretation in 2026. The museum proposes to consult with a paintings conservator for an item-level assessment that would identify priorities for conservation treatment and with a public historian to assist with planning for collaborations with community groups and how best to evaluate the overall project.

Applications responding to this initiative must incorporate consultation and planning activities for the 250th anniversary of American independence, but may also include other allowable activities.

In addition, NEH especially encourages projects that include Native American organizations and communities as lead applicants and project partners.

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 Approximately $600,000 is expected to be available to fund 55 recipients per deadline.

Applicants may request up to $10,000. Applicants whose projects respond to “A More Perfect Union”: NEH Special Initiative Advancing Civic Education and Commemorating the Nation’s 250th Anniversary may request up to $15,000 for planning activities; up to $10,000 of that request may be for other allowable activities.

NEH will not determine the amount available until Congress has enacted the final FY 2021 and FY 2022 budgets. This program notice is subject to the appropriation of funds, and is a contingency action taken to ensure that, should funds become available for this purpose, applications can be processed and funds awarded in a timely manner.

The period of performance is up to 18 months, with a start date no earlier than September 1, 2021 (for proposals submitted for the January 14, 2021 deadline) and September 1, 2022 (for proposal submitted for the January 13, 2022 deadline.)

Successful applicants will be awarded outright funds.

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C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants Eligible applicants include U.S. nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, public and 501(c)(3) accredited institutions of higher education, state and local governmental agencies, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments.

Individuals, foreign and for-profit entities are not eligible to apply.

2. Cost Sharing Cost sharing is not required in this program. Applicants may use voluntary cost sharing for projects in which the total costs exceed the amount awarded by NEH.

Cost sharing or matching is the portion of the project costs not paid by NEH funds. Cost sharing will not be considered in the evaluation of applications.

Voluntary cost sharing consists of the cash contributions made to a project by the applicant, including unrecovered indirect costs, and by third parties as well as third-party in-kind contributions. Third-party in-kind contributions means the value of non-cash contributions (such as property or services) that benefit the funded project, and are contributed by non-federal third parties, without charge, to the recipient of the federal award.

Recipients are responsible for maintaining auditable records of the source and use of cost sharing contributions. See 2 CFR §200.306 for additional information.

3. Other Eligibility Information An applicant may not submit multiple applications under this announcement.

Distinct collecting entities of a larger organization may apply under this announcement, such as the library and museum of a university or two historic sites within a historical society.

Applicants must demonstrate that they:

• care for and have custody of and/or responsibility for the humanities collections that are the focus of the application;

• have at least one staff member or the full-time equivalent, whether paid or unpaid; and

• make their collections open and available for the purpose of education, research, and/or public programming.

Two or more applications for federal funding and/or approved federal award budgets are not permitted to include overlapping project costs.

NEH does not make awards to other federal entities or to applicants whose projects are so closely intertwined with a federal entity that the project takes on characteristics of the federal entity’s own authorized activities. This does not preclude applicants from using funds from, or sites and materials controlled by, other federal entities in their projects. Such resources may not, however, be used as gifts to release NEH matching funds.

NEH does not provide financial assistance to foreign institutions or organizations.

Nevertheless, otherwise eligible American institutions may apply for collaborative projects involving U.S. and foreign organizations provided they do not use NEH funds for the purpose of https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=3aeab4e3a836f5b6807999701e518c94&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#se2.1.200_1306

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issuing subawards to any foreign organization, as defined by 2 CFR §200.92 and 2 CFR §200.330(a). This limitation does not preclude American institutions from obtaining the services of foreign individuals and consultants to carry out various programmatic activities on a fee-for-service basis, as specified in 2 CFR §200.459; it also does not preclude vendor contracts such as in-country transportation services. If you are interested in submitting an application for a project involving international collaboration, please consult beforehand with the division staff.

All application materials must be received by the application deadline. Late, incomplete, nonresponsive, or ineligible applications will not be considered for funding under this notice.

Applications that exceed specified page limits will not be reviewed. See the Application Components Table.

D. Application and Submission Information

1. Application Package You must apply electronically through Grants.gov, using either Workspace or your organization's system-to-system software. Use the Standard Form 424 - Short Organizational (SF-424 Short) application package associated with the funding opportunity, and follow the instructions provided by Grants.gov unless otherwise noted below. The Grants.gov registration process is described in Section D3.

This funding opportunity has two application packages available in Grants.gov. Select the appropriate package based upon the deadline for which you are applying.

PG12021: January 14, 2021 deadline PG12022: January 13, 2022 deadline

The application package is available in Grants.gov. A link to the application package can be found on the program resource page.

To request a paper copy of this announcement, contact preservation@neh.gov. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing (TTY users) can contact NEH via Federal Relay at 800-877-8399.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission Your application will consist of a narrative, budget, and other required forms and components described below.

i. Project Narrative The narrative provides a comprehensive framework and description of all aspects of the proposed project. It should be succinct, self-explanatory, well organized, and free of technical terms and jargon so that peer reviewers can understand the proposed project.

Your narrative must be limited to five single-spaced pages (six single-spaced pages if the request is for disaster-related activities), with one-inch margins and a font size no smaller than eleven points.

NEH has aligned each section of the narrative with a corresponding review criterion. Refer to Section E1. Review Criteria for full descriptions.

Successful applications will contain the information below. Use the following section headings for the narrative.

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A. What activity (or activities) would the grant support? (corresponds to Review Criterion 2) State the specific activity or activities that the grant would support and the goals of the proposed project. If you are applying for support in response to “A More Perfect Union”: NEH Special Initiative Advancing Civic Education and Commemorating the Nation’s 250th Anniversary, declare this both here and in the Project Description (item 6.b. of the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance – Short Organizational).

B. What are the content and size of the humanities collections that are the focus of the project? (corresponds to Review Criterion 2) Describe the collections that are the focus of the project, emphasizing their significance to the humanities (keeping in mind that projects funded by NEH should promote public confidence that taxpayer funds in support of the humanities are well spent). The description should be at least one page. It should identify the categories of materials and indicate, where pertinent, the date ranges, quantities, and intellectual content. Highlight specific examples of important items in the collections.

For example, a description of an archival collection might begin by stating that the collection comprises two hundred letters written by prominent political figures between 1870 and 1885;

twenty-four linear feet of records documenting the environmental impact of a regional coal mining company active from 1940 through 1970; fifty-two maps documenting the history and development of the local transportation system; twelve volumes of birth and death records for local residents from 1860 to 1950; and nine hundred photographs depicting community life during the 1930s and 1940s.

A description of a museum collection might begin by stating that there are ten thousand objects from the early 1800s to the present, including approximately one thousand costumes and items of personal adornment, five hundred Native American baskets, four hundred agricultural implements, and hundreds of household products and furnishings.

The description should then discuss in detail the content of these materials and their significance to the humanities. For example, an applicant might highlight specific examples to explore topics such as the social, political, or economic development of a community, showing how the collections could illuminate these broader humanities themes in American history and culture.

If the project focuses only on a portion of an institution’s collections, briefly describe the overall collections and then provide a detailed account of the portion on which the project focuses.

If you are applying for support in response to the “A More Perfect Union” special initiative, explain how your collections help to illuminate the themes noted in the description of this initiative.

C. How are these humanities collections used? (corresponds to Review Criterion 1) Explain in detail the use of the collections on which the project focuses and provide evidence of how the collections are or might be used in scholarly publications, educational activities, exhibitions, or public programming. For example, explain how the collections have been or could be used to illuminate specific humanities themes in an exhibition, or how they have been or could be used in educational programs and classroom instructional materials.

If the collections are used for research, describe the range of subjects that have been (or could

be) explored and show how these materials could contribute to new interpretations of national https://www.neh.gov/250

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or regional history. Provide examples of research projects conducted by students, scholars, or genealogists.

By discussing the use of collections and the ways in which they can increase the understanding of broad humanities themes, you will help evaluators understand their importance to the humanities and to the institution’s mission. This section of the application should be at least one page.

D. What is the nature and mission of your institution or institutional unit?

(corresponds to Review Criteria 1 and 2) Describe the mission of the institution and discuss specific budget or staffing considerations that characterize it as a small or mid-sized institution. Demonstrate your institutional commitment to making your collection accessible for education, research, and public programming in the humanities, as evidenced by the following information:

• the number of full-time, part-time, and volunteer staff

• the number of days per year on which the institution is open to the public

• the size of the institutional or unit budget

Libraries, archives, or museums that are part of a larger organization, such as a college or university, should provide this information for their institutional unit.

E. Has your institution ever had a preservation or conservation assessment or consultation? (corresponds to Review Criterion 2) If yes, provide the date of the assessment, the name(s) of the assessor(s), and, if applicable, explain how any previous assessments or consultations relate to the proposed project activity.

If your institution has previously engaged a preservation consultant for purposes other than a general preservation or conservation assessment, briefly elaborate.

F. What is the importance of this project to your institution or institutional unit? (corresponds to Review Criterion 2) Discuss how this project fits into the institution’s overall preservation needs or plans. Describe the current condition of collections and the environment in which they are stored. Explain how the proposed activities build on previous preservation efforts and how the project fits into future preservation plans. In addition, explain how the project would increase your institution’s ability to improve collection care beyond the period of performance. For projects involving preservation assessments or consultations, explain how the findings will be disseminated within your institution.

Applicants proposing to attend workshops or training courses should describe their content and explain how the knowledge gained would be used to improve preservation and/or access practices at the institution. Workshops must be attended during the period of performance. If a regularly offered workshop has not been scheduled at the time of application, contact the workshop’s provider to confirm that it will be offered. In an attachment, provide information about the workshop (for example, a description, announcement, or program) obtained from the provider.

Applicants applying for support in response to “A More Perfect Union”: NEH Special Initiative Advancing Civic Education and Commemorating the Nation’s 250th Anniversary should briefly describe how the project activities contribute to planning for further preservation of and access to collections for use in activities that would address themes of “A More Perfect Union.” In addition, discuss the likely “next steps” that would follow from planning or pilot work.

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G. What are the names and qualifications of the consultant(s) and staff involved in the project? (corresponds to Review Criterion 3) Using short paragraphs, provide the name(s) and qualifications of the consultant(s) selected for the project, as well as the names and relevant experiences of the participating staff. Applicants requesting training in the care and preservation of humanities collections must seek a consultant specifically knowledgeable about the collection type or types on which the project focuses. For preservation training projects, identify the staff member(s) who will attend the training and state their positions and responsibilities.

Consultants are required to submit letters of commitment—stating the costs of their services— that guarantee their participation in the project and describe their plan of work. These letters should be included in Attachment 5, along with the consultants’ résumés. Consultants should indicate in their letter of commitment if they will work on any of the proposed activities with an advanced student or recent graduate—and if they are requesting funds to cover the costs associated with his or her participation in the project.

H. Additional information for applicants in federally declared disaster areas (corresponds to Review Criterion 2) Applicants in federally declared disaster areas should also provide the following information in their narratives (up to one additional page is permitted for this information):

• Discuss how the disaster (hurricane, wildfire, mudslide, etc.) affected your institution and the steps that you have taken toward recovery.

• If your collections were placed at risk or damaged, describe the risks or the extent of the damage and any steps that you have taken to salvage and protect collections. A few photographs may be included in Attachment 8.

• If you are requesting support for disaster planning, response, recovery, or mitigation (or education and training related to these activities), describe the current status of your planning or response, the steps that would be taken to create a plan or to train staff, and the name(s) and qualifications of any consultant(s) selected to assist you in developing a plan or training staff. Provide in Attachment 5 a letter (or letters) of commitment and résumé(s) of the consultant(s).

• If you are requesting support for conservation treatment, provide in Attachment 8 a treatment proposal with cost estimates that have been prepared by a qualified conservator. Include images of the items or a representative selection. If you are proposing treatment of a group of items of similar material and condition, you may submit a conservator’s proposal for the group of items. Include the résumé(s) of the conservator(s) who will perform the treatments.

• If you are requesting support for the temporary relocation and storage of collections, describe the temporary facility, its environment, and the manner in which collections are or will be housed. Discuss your longer-term plans for housing the collection and providing access to it. Include in Attachment 8 any further information, such as quotes.

• If you are requesting support for reformatting, demonstrate that reformatting is an accepted preservation methodology for the materials and that, your project would adhere to existing best practices and standards.

Institutions affected by natural disasters may wish to consult the resources included in Section H. Other Information.

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NARRATIVE GUIDANCE

To ensure that you fully address the review criteria, this table provides a crosswalk between the narrative language and where each section falls within the review criteria.

Narrative Section Review Criteria

A. What activity (or activities) would the grant support?

(2) Proposed activities, adequacy of plan of work, and the justification of their importance to the institution

B. What are the content and size of the humanities collections that are the focus of the project?

(1) Collections and their use in education, research, or public programming in the humanities

C. How are these humanities collections used?

(1) Collections and their use in education, research, or public programming in the humanities

D. What is the nature and mission of your institution?

(1) Collections and their use in education, research, or public programming in the humanities

(2) Proposed activities, adequacy of plan of work, and the justification of their importance to the institution

E. Has your institution ever had a preservation or conservation assessment or consultation?

(2) Proposed activities, adequacy of plan of work, and the justification of their importance to the institution

F. What is the importance of this project to your institution?

(2) Proposed activities, adequacy of plan of work, and the justification of their importance to the institution

G. What are the names and qualifications of the consultant(s) and staff involved in the project?

(3) Appropriateness of the experience and the qualifications of consultants and staff

H. Additional information for applicants in federally declared disaster areas

(2) Proposed activities, adequacy of plan of work, and the justification of their importance to the institution

ii. Research and Related Budget Applicants must submit a project budget using the Research and Related Budget Form found in the Grants.gov application package, and attach a budget justification in section L of this form.

Complete a detailed budget for the period of performance requested. The form will generate a cumulative budget for the period of performance.

Required fields are indicated in yellow. You must round to the nearest whole dollar amount in all dollar fields.

All of the items listed, 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.

The inclusion of a cost category on the Research and Related Budget Form does not automatically indicate that an expense is allowable in this program. See D6. Funding Restrictions for a list of unallowable costs. Carefully review these instructions to ensure that costs are not disallowed.

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When indirect costs are charged to the project, ensure that expenses included in the organization's indirect cost pool are not charged to the project as direct costs. For further information, see Section H. Indirect Costs.

Introductory Fields If not pre-populated, indicate your organization’s D-U-N-S® number, the name of your organization, and the period of performance start and end dates. The period of performance start and end dates should be the same as your SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance - Short Organizational. Check “Project” for budget type.

Section A. Senior/Key Person Include the names of the project director and other senior/key persons who are employed by the applicant organization and who are involved in the project.

For each senior/key person list their name and project role. Enter the annual compensation and identify the number of months the senior/key person will devote to the project in the applicable box (i.e., calendar, academic, summer). Use either calendar months or a combination of academic and summer months.

If level of effort does not change throughout the year, you may use only the calendar months column. You may use both the academic and summer months columns if your institutional business process requires noting each separately even if effort remains constant. If effort varies between academic and summer months, leave the calendar months column blank and use only the academic and summer months columns. If your institution does not use a 9-month academic year or a 3-month summer period, indicate your institution's definition of these terms in Section L. Budget Justification.

Regardless of the number of months being devoted to the project, indicate the salary and amount of fringe benefits being requested for the senior/key person. Per 2 CFR §200.431, fringe benefits are allowances and services provided by employers to their employees as compensation in addition to regular 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. The sum of requested salary and fringe benefits will be automatically calculated for each senior/key person.

The form can accommodate up to eight senior/key persons. If you are requesting funds for more senior/key persons than the form allows, you must include an attachment listing the additional senior/key person(s) in the "Additional Senior/Key Persons" field. Attach only one PDF file named additionalpersonnel.pdf. Use the same format as the budget form and include all the information identified in this section. If you have attached a file with additional senior/key persons, enter the total funds requested for everyone listed in the attachment in the "Total Funds requested for all Senior/Key Persons in the attached file" field.

All salaries and wages claimed must be in compliance with 2 CFR §§200.430 and 466. All fringe benefits claimed must be in compliance with 2 CFR §200.431.

Do not list details of collaborators at other institutions or consultants here, as they will be included in Section F. Other Direct Costs.

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Section B. Other Personnel For each project role category described below, identify the number of personnel proposed, the total number of months, the total salary, and total fringe requested as described in Section A.

Senior/Key Person. Totals will be automatically calculated.

Post-doctoral associates, graduate students, and undergraduate students For all post-doctoral associates, graduate students, and undergraduate students, individually list names, roles, associated months, and requested salary and fringe benefits in Section L. Budget Justification.

If applicable, include charges for tuition remission and other forms of compensation paid to students as, or in lieu of, salaries and wages. Such costs are subject to the reporting requirements in 2 CFR §200.430, and must be treated as direct or indirect cost in accordance with the actual work being performed. Tuition remission may be charged on an average rate basis.

Secretarial/Clerical In most circumstances, the salaries of administrative, secretarial, or clerical staff at educational institutions and nonprofit organizations are included as part of indirect costs (see Section H.

Indirect Costs). However, examples of situations where direct charging of administrative or clerical staff salaries may be appropriate may be found at 2 CFR §200.413 (c).

Inclusion of such costs may be appropriate only if all of the following conditions are met:

1. Administrative or clerical services are directly involved in a project or activity (for example, a project coordinator).

2. Individuals involved can be specifically identified with the project or activity.

3. Such costs are explicitly included in the budget or have prior written approval of the federal awarding agency.

4. The costs are not also recovered as indirect costs.

Requests for direct charging for secretarial/clerical personnel (i.e., administrative and clerical staff) must be appropriately justified in Section L. Budget Justification. For all individuals classified as secretarial/clerical, provide a justification (in the budget justification) documenting how they meet all four conditions. NEH may request additional information for these positions in order to assess allowability.

Other Project Roles List any additional project role(s) in the blank(s) provided. Identify the number of each personnel proposed.

You may include up to six named roles. If you have more than six, you must combine project roles here and add an explanation about the named roles in Section L. Budget Justification.

All salaries and wages claimed must be in compliance with 2 CFR §§200.430 and 466. All fringe benefits claimed must be in compliance with 2 CFR §200.431.

Do not list details of collaborators at other institutions or consultants here, as they will be included in Section F. Other Direct Costs.

Section C. Equipment Description List each item of equipment to be purchased with federal funds and its estimated cost (including shipping and maintenance), and justify each in Section L. Budget Justification.

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Equipment may be purchased for a project if an analysis demonstrates that purchasing is more economical and practical than leasing (equipment rental/user fees should be included in the budget in Section F. Other Direct Costs). Equipment is defined as nonexpendable personal property costing $5,000 or more and having a service life of more than one year (unless the organization has established a lower level). See 2 CFR §§200.313 and 439.

Consistent with Executive Order 13788 (“Buy American and Hire American”), recipients and subrecipients who purchase equipment and products costing $10,000 or more per unit with grant funds should purchase only American-made equipment and products. This encouragement does not apply to commercial information technology.

You may add up to ten equipment items to this list. If you request funds for more equipment than the form allows, you must include an attachment listing the additional equipment items in this "Additional Equipment" field. Attach only one PDF file named additionalequipment.pdf. In this attachment, specify each additional item and the funds requested for each individual item.

If you have attached a file with additional equipment, enter the total funds requested for all the equipment listed in the attachment.

Total equipment costs will be automatically calculated based on the sum of the "Funds Requested" column and the "Total funds requested for all equipment listed in the attached file" field.

Section D. Travel Enter the total funds requested for both domestic (both local and long-distance) and foreign travel. In Section L. Budget Justification, include the purpose, destination, dates of travel (if known), and the names and number of travelers for each trip. If the dates of travel are not known, specify the estimated length of trip (e.g., 3 days).