Public Humanities Projects 2024 NOFO.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Public Humanities Projects

Funding Opportunity Number: 20240814-BP-BR-GE-GG-GI

Funding Opportunity Type: New

Federal Assistance Listing Number: 45.164

Application Deadlines:

August 14, 2024 January 8, 2025

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

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

NEH will not grant deadline extensions for lack of registration.

Division of Public Programs Email: publicpgms@neh.gov Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1

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

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Executive Summary The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Division of Public Programs is accepting applications for the Public Humanities Projects program. This program supports projects that bring the ideas and insights of the humanities to life for general audiences through in-person, hybrid, or virtual programming. Projects must engage humanities scholarship to analyze significant themes in disciplines such as history, literature, ethics, and art history.

Funding Opportunity Title Public Humanities Projects Funding Opportunity Number

20240814-BP-BR-GE-GG-GI

Federal Assistance Listing Number

45.164

Deadlines for Optional Draft

August 2024: July 10, 2024, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time January 2025: December 4, 2024, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

Application Deadlines August 14, 2024, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time January 8, 2025, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

Anticipated Award Announcements

April 2025 and August 2025

Anticipated FY 2025 Funding

Approximately $2,735,000 per deadline

Estimated Number and Type of Awards

Approximately 20 grants per deadline

Award Amounts Planning: up to $60,000 Implementation: $50,000 to $400,000 Implementation: Chair’s Special Awards: up to $1,000,000

Implementation applicants may request up to $100,000 above the ceiling amount for Positions in Public Humanities to create a two-year, full-time staff position. (Applicants requesting a one-year period of performance may request up to $50,000 for a one-year, full-time staff position.)

Applicants for implementation of a permanent or traveling exhibition or historic places project may request an additional $50,000 in matching funds (for a total award of up to $450,000, or $550,000, if also requesting a Position in Public Humanities).

See B. Federal Award Information.

Cost Sharing/Match Required

No, unless you request federal matching funds, 20240814-BP-BR-GE-GG-GI ii

Period of Performance Planning: up to 24 months Implementation: 12 to 48 months

If you apply to the August 2024 deadline, your project must start between May 1, 2025, and November 1, 2025.

If you apply to the January 2025 deadline, your project must start between September 1, 2025, and March 1, 2026.

Eligible Applicants • nonprofit organizations recognized as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code

• accredited institutions of higher education (public or nonprofit)

• state and local governments and their agencies

• federally recognized Native American Tribal governments

See C. Eligibility Information for additional information.

Program Resource Page https://www.neh.gov/grants/public/public-humanities-projects Pre-Application Webinar A prerecorded webinar will be posted on the program resource page by June 5, 2024.

Published May 9, 2024 https://www.neh.gov/grants/public/public-humanities-projects

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary ................................................................................................ i Table of Contents ................................................................................................. iii 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 Public Humanities Projects program.

This program supports projects that bring the ideas and insights of the humanities to general audiences through in-person exhibitions and historic site interpretations, as well as in-person, hybrid, or virtual discussions and other scholar- or staff-led programs. Projects must engage humanities scholarship to analyze significant themes in disciplines such as history, literature, ethics, and art history. The program supports projects in three categories (Exhibitions 6T;

interpretive programs at Historic Places; and Humanities Discussions) and at two funding levels (Planning and Implementation).

Public Humanities Projects target broad and diverse public audiences in non-classroom settings in the United States. NEH encourages projects with multiple formats and complementary components. For example, a museum exhibition might be accompanied by a website or mobile app.

Project topics may be international, national, regional, or local in focus. Locally focused projects should draw connections to broad themes or historical questions relevant to regional or national audiences. If your project does not connect to broader issues of interest to regional or national audiences, you might consider other sources of funding, such as state humanities councils. You should base your funding request on the project’s scope and the expected audience size.

NEH encourages applications from small and mid-sized organizations. NEH likewise welcomes humanities projects tailored to specific groups, such as families, youth (including K-12 students in informal educational settings), underserved communities, and veterans.

Public Humanities Projects must:

• be grounded in sound humanities scholarship

• analyze the underlying themes and ideas to deepen public understanding

• involve humanities scholars from outside the applicant organization in all phases of the project

• attract a broad public audience or target a particular underserved group

• approach engaging content through an appropriate variety of perspectives

• encourage dialogue and the exchange of ideas

Awards may support activities such as:

• meetings with humanities scholars and other content advisers, program partners, audience representatives, and consultants (e.g., education and public program specialists; historic site, interpretive, or cultural tourism experts; writers; media producers; or digital designers)

• research, including travel to archives, collections, sites, or other resources

• development and production of program or discussion guides, exhibition labels, brochures, digital assets, publications, or other interpretive material

• design of the interpretive formats

• planning and presentation of public programs and related publicity https://www.neh.gov/about/state-humanities-councils

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• evaluation of the project’s impact

• planning and conducting project-specific training for docents, discussion coordinators, or other interpretive leaders

• development, production, and publication of curriculum guides, catalogs, and other materials for teachers and students

• exhibition design and fabrication, crating, and shipping

• conservation treatments of objects, not to exceed 15% of the award

• development and construction of interactive components

• publicity expenses

See D6. Funding Restrictions for unallowable activities. Applications unrelated to the purpose of this program or that include unallowable costs or activities may be judged nonresponsive and returned without review.

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

Program categories This program supports projects in three categories: Exhibitions 6T (permanent, temporary, or traveling); interpretive programs at Historic Places; and Humanities Discussions.

Exhibitions Projects in this category may create permanent exhibitions (on view for at least three years), single-site temporary exhibitions (open to the public for a minimum of two months) or traveling exhibitions that will be available to public audiences in at least two venues in the United States (including the originating location).

You must provide at least twenty hours of free admission to the general public each month to NEH-supported exhibitions during the period of performance.

Historic Places Projects in this category develop long-term interpretive programs for historic sites, houses, neighborhoods, and regions that are intended to be presented to the public for at least three years. Such projects might include living history presentations, guided tours, exhibitions, and public programs.

Humanities Discussions Projects in this category develop a series of public programs related to your organization’s humanities focus and resources. Programs may include lecture series, reading and discussion programs, analytical discussions of museum collections or theater/musical performances, lifelong learning programs, or other methods of face-to-face audience engagement or informal education.

Humanities Discussions programs should engage diverse public audiences with humanities resources (e.g., historic artifacts, artwork, works of literature, or archival documents) and focus on topics or themes meaningful to your community. Discussion programs aimed at a local audience should make connections to regional or national themes. Programs may be moderated by a range of humanities experts, including historians, curators, librarians, scholars, authors, 20240814-BP-BR-GE-GG-GI 3 artists, and community or tribal leaders. The moderator(s) will interpret thematic content and spark conversation and critical analysis.

Humanities Discussions must be:

• centered on specific humanities resources

• firmly grounded in rigorous scholarship and thoughtful analysis

• guided by a range of project-related humanities scholars and interpretive experts, such as educators, curators, community historians, tribal leaders, or librarians

• conducted without partisan advocacy

• respectful of divergent views

• free of ad hominem remarks

• devoid of bias based on ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, or race

If you are applying for a project centered on a new documentary film or documentary series, the film(s) must be complete at the time of submission. To be eligible, your application must include a link to the completed film(s).

Funding levels This program supports projects at two funding levels: Planning and Implementation.

Humanities Discussions applicants must apply at the Implementation level.

A Planning award is not required before applying for an Implementation award.

Contact the Division of Public Programs for advice on choosing the appropriate funding level for your project. See G. Agency Contacts. You may also consult the NEH website, “Public Humanities Projects grants: Which level of funding is right for your project?”

Planning Planning awards are available only to Exhibitions and Historic Places applicants. NEH does not fund Humanities Discussions at the Planning level.

Planning projects should further explore the analytical themes or interpretive methods that you identify in your proposal.

Awards are up to $60,000, with a period of performance of up to 24 months.

Project activities may include:

• refining the project’s content, format, and interpretive approach

• meetings and consultation with scholars, interpretive experts, designers, stakeholders, and key partners

• developing the project’s preliminary design

• testing project components

• conducting an evaluation of the project’s likely impact

• travel related to curatorial research and exhibition loans https://www.neh.gov/blog/neh-public-humanities-projects-grants-which-level-funding-right-your-project https://www.neh.gov/blog/neh-public-humanities-projects-grants-which-level-funding-right-your-project

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Implementation Implementation awards support projects that are in the final stages of preparation to “go live” before the public. Activities may include final scholarly research and consultation, design, production, and installation of a project for presentation to the public. The period of performance must include the required minimum exhibition time.

Implementation awards range from $50,000 to $400,000 with a period of performance from 12 to 48 months.

The maximum size of Implementation awards depends upon the program category you apply for, defined as follows:

Program category Definition Maximum award Exhibitions (single-site temporary)

Exhibition available to audiences at one venue in the United States for at least two months

• $100,000

Exhibitions (permanent) Exhibition available to audiences at one venue in the United States for at least three years

• $400,000

• $450,000 with additional matching

• $500,000 with a Position in the Humanities

• $550,000 with a Position in the Humanities and additional matching

• $1 million for Chair’s Special Award

Exhibitions (traveling) Exhibition available to audiences at a minimum of two venues in the United States (including the originating location)

• $400,000

• $450,000 with additional matching

• $500,000 with a Position in the Humanities

• $550,000 with a Position in the Humanities and additional matching

Historic Places Interpretive tours, living history presentations, or other public interpretation available at a historic place for at least three years

• $400,000

• $450,000 with additional matching

• $500,000 with a Position in the Humanities

• $550,000 with a Position in the Humanities and additional matching

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Humanities Discussions (small)

A minimum of fifteen in-person, virtual, or hybrid public programs presented during the period of performance and spanning a period of three months to two years

• $100,000

Humanities Discussions (large)

A minimum of fifty in-person, virtual, or hybrid public programs presented in a minimum of 20 states during the period of performance and spanning a period of three months to two years

• $400,000

Identifying the appropriate funding level for your project You are ready to apply for a Planning level award if you:

• are planning an exhibition or historic site interpretation (Humanities Discussions are not funded at this level);

• have conducted preliminary research, including introductory discussions with scholars, and are able to articulate major analytical ideas about your subject that you seek to explore more deeply;

• have a group of scholars from outside your organization who are committed to collaborating with you on development of the project; and

• can articulate a vision of possible interpretive techniques and potential project elements that you would like to investigate or test with audiences (for example, ideas about the use or display of certain objects, specific concepts for an interactive activity, or ideas about the utilization of a particular space).

You are ready to apply for an Implementation level award if you:

• have conducted significant research and collaboration with scholars outside your organization that resulted in highly developed, thoughtful and articulated analysis of your subject;

• have designed and planned the interpretive elements of your project, such as interactive activities, panel discussions, or living history presentations, and can fully describe how audiences would engage with them;

• have design drafts for various project elements, such as exhibition elevation designs, floor plans, docent or facilitator training, label text, site signage, tour scripts, or discussion agendas; and

• are ready to begin putting these plans into action to “go live” before a public audience.

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Additional opportunities for Implementation applicants

Positions in Public Humanities Positions in Public Humanities provide full-time employment opportunities for recent graduates with an MA or PhD in the humanities. With this funding, NEH intends to invigorate the interpretation of the humanities in a wide variety of cultural organizations. If you apply for a traveling or permanent exhibition or historic places Implementation-level award, you may request additional funding to support such a position. Planning applicants are not eligible to apply for Positions in Public Humanities.

You may request up to an additional $50,000 to create a full-time position for one year or up to an additional $100,000 to create a full-time position for two years. If you wish to increase annual compensation (salary and fringe) above $50,000 for a Position in Public Humanities, you must use non-federal funds. See Attachment 8 for more specific requirements.

Matching funds For permanent and traveling exhibition and historic place Implementation applicants, you may increase your request by up to $50,000 in federal matching funds (for a total of up to $450,000, or $550,000 if you are also requesting a Position in Public Humanities). For more information about federal matching funds, see NEH Federal Matching Funds Guidelines and section C3, Matching.

Chair’s Special Awards Within the Implementation level, NEH will occasionally make Chair’s Special Awards (up to $1,000,000) for Implementation projects of exceptional significance, audience reach, and complexity. A Chair’s Special Award should examine important humanities ideas in new ways and demonstrate the potential to reach especially large audiences. These goals can often be accomplished by combining a variety of program formats, forming creative collaborations among diverse institutions, and significantly expanding the scope and reach of the project.

Chair’s Special Awards are rare; NEH typically awards no more than one per year.

If you are seeking a Chair’s Special Award, you should note the elements of the project that meet the criteria throughout your application and submit a budget of up to $1,000,000. If you are not selected at this level, your application will still be considered at the $400,000- $550,000 maximum amount.

Program Outputs The outputs of a successful Exhibitions 6T award may include, but are not limited to:

• In-person exhibitions (permanent or temporary single site and/or traveling), which may be accompanied by ancillary formats such as a website, mobile application, catalog, or student curriculum

The outputs of a successful Historic Places award may include, but are not limited to:

• Long-term (three years or longer) interpretive programs for historic sites, houses, neighborhoods, and regions such as living history presentations, guided tours, exhibitions, and public programs

The outputs of a successful Humanities Discussions award may include, but are not limited to:

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• In-person, hybrid, or virtual scholar or staff led programs such as lecture series, reading and discussion programs, analytical discussions of museum collections or theater/musical performances, lifelong learning programs, or other methods of face-to-face audience engagement or informal education

You will describe your project outcomes and outputs, and how they would support the overall purpose of the Public Humanities Projects program, in Attachment 1: Narrative. If you receive an award, NEH will assess your performance based on the outputs you identify in the proposal.

See F.3 Reporting.

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.

NEH encourages projects that include Native American organizations and communities as applicants and project partners.

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, 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

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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 – such as 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 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 explore the Muslim American and/or the Jewish American experience, including the history of Islamophobia and/or antisemitism.

NEH’s Support for the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative As a part of NEH’s partnership with the Department of the Interior on the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative, NEH encourages projects that further public understanding and knowledge of the Federal Indian boarding school system. From 1819 through the 1970s the government of the United States operated a system of schools for Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children premised on a policy of coerced cultural assimilation. Native children were forcibly separated from their families and sent to attend federal Indian boarding schools, where they were frequently subject to harsh treatment and abuse. A number of these students died, and others never returned to their families and communities. Many were also deprived of their cultural inheritance. NEH encourages projects that document and explore the history of the federal Indian boarding schools as well as projects that contribute to Native and Indigenous cultural and language revitalization.

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 $60,000 for Planning or $50,000 to $400,000 for Implementation. This includes the sum of direct and indirect costs. See A1. Funding levels for specific information and project-specific limitations.

In addition, if you are applying at the Implementation level, you may request an additional $50,000 or $100,000 for a Position in Public Humanities.

https://www.neh.gov/unitedwestand https://www.neh.gov/bsi https://www.neh.gov/bsi

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For permanent and traveling exhibition and historic place Implementation applicants, you may increase your request by up to $50,000 in federal matching funds (for a total of up to $450,000, or $550,000 if you are also requesting a Position in Public Humanities). For more information about federal matching funds, see NEH Federal Matching Funds Guidelines and section C3, Matching.

In rare circumstances, NEH may make Chair’s Special Awards of up to $1,000,000 for Implementation projects that will reach an exceptionally large audience.

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

You may request a period of performance up to 24 months for Planning projects and 12 to 48 months for Implementation projects.

If you apply to the August 2024 deadline, your period of performance must start between May 1, 2025, and November 1, 2025.

If you apply to the January 2025 deadline, your period of performance must start between September 1, 2025, and March 1, 2026.

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

• an accredited institution of higher education (public or nonprofit)

• a state or local government or one of their agencies

• a federally recognized Native American Tribal government

Individuals and other organizations, including foreign and for-profit entities, are ineligible.

If your organization is eligible, you may apply on behalf of a consortium of collaborating organizations. If NEH selects your proposal for funding, you will be programmatically, legally, and fiscally responsible for the award.

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

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://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home 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

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

Cost sharing refers to project costs that are covered with non-NEH funds. NEH distinguishes between two types of cost sharing: voluntary cost sharing and federal matching funds.

Voluntary cost sharing You may contribute voluntary cost share if the total project 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. The Research and Related Budget should only include funds you are requesting from NEH.

Peer reviewers will not consider any voluntary cost share in their evaluation of applications.

Federal matching funds If you are applying for support of a permanent or traveling exhibition or historic place project at the Implementation level you may increase your maximum award by requesting up to $50,000 in federal matching funds to leverage third party funding (for a total of up to $450,000, or $550,000 if you are also requesting a Position in Public Humanities). Funds to satisfy a matching requirement must be from sources outside of the applicant institution (a third party) consistent with the NEH Federal Matching Funds Guidelines. If you request federal matching funds, you must raise third-party non-federal gifts dollar-for-dollar.

Include third-party non-federal gifts on your Research and Related Budget and identify what project activities they will support in the budget justification.

Successful applicants will receive an offer of federal matching funds, subject to specific regulatory and other conditions. NEH will certify the allowability of these gifts and will issue the award only when you have met the conditions of the offer. The full amount of federal matching funds may not be available for release in the first year of a multi-year period of performance.

Typically, NEH distributes federal matching funds on an annual basis over the period of performance.

If NEH selects your project for funding, you must raise and certify all eligible gifts and pledges by at least one year before the end of your performance period. NEH advises applicants who are requesting matching funds to consider a period of performance that allows adequate time to raise and certify funds. If you fail to certify required gifts by the end of the offer period, NEH will withdraw matching funds offer unless you request an extension. See NEH Federal Matching Funds Guidelines.

NEH will not release federal matching funds until you raise and certify eligible gifts. In-kind gifts and funds derived from the recipient organization are not eligible sources of certified gifts in this program.

https://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/federal-matching-funds-guidelines https://www.neh.gov/grants/manage/federal-matching-funds-guidelines

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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, but you may not submit multiple applications for the same project at the same deadline. If you have already applied for a project under a prior deadline, NEH will not accept a second application for the same project while the first is still under review. This program’s January 2025 deadline falls during the review period for applications submitted to the August 2024 deadline, so you may not submit applications for the same project to both deadlines.

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

NEH does not require you to obtain a Planning grant before applying for an Implementation grant. If NEH has previously made an award in support of your project, you may apply for a new or subsequent stage of the project, which NEH will assess using the review criteria of the current competition.

Per 2 CFR § 200.403(f), you must not include the same project costs in more than one application for federal funding or approved federal award budget. If one application to NEH is pending, a second application for the same project costs, even if to a different program, may be ruled ineligible. However, you may submit multiple proposals for complementary aspects of the same overall project. If you are submitting complementary proposals to other NEH programs or government agencies, specify when and to whom in the Supplementary Cover Sheet for NEH Grant Programs. 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.

Your budget may not include any costs to support federal agencies or employees in any capacity (for example, fees paid to or travel expenses for Library of Congress or Smithsonian Institution staff), or expenses in support of federal sites as exhibition host venues. You may not use funds received from other federal entities as gifts to release NEH matching funds.

You may use funds from, or sites and materials controlled by, other federal entities in your project. For example, you may record audio or video for your media project at historic sites operated or controlled by other federal entities. You may also conduct research and use archival materials housed in federal libraries and archives.

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 foreign organizations provided you do not use NEH funds for the purpose of issuing subawards to any foreign organization, 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 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 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

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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 publicpgms@neh.gov.

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 mandatory page limits or deviate from formatting instructions. See the Application Components Table.

Substantive involvement Applicant institutions must not function solely as fiscal agents or fiscal sponsors. Organizations engaging solely in fiscal sponsorship activities (e.g., proposal submissions, reporting, fulfillment of contractual obligations, maintaining IRS status) may not apply as a lead applicant.

By contrast, an eligible applicant makes substantive contributions to the project. Examples of substantive contribution include:

• monitoring the progress of the project

• contributing to the work plan, research plan, budget, outreach plan, fundraising plan, and/or marketing plan

• contributing to choices of personnel who work on a project, including project scholars and staff

• contributing to the research, analysis, and interpretation of content

• consulting with other project personnel regarding humanities themes, treatments, scripts, and/or intellectual approaches to the content

• providing direction, advice, and/or mentorship to the team

• providing input on grant product(s) prior to completion

• participating in engagement, direction, and/or supervision of project partners

• contributing to the development of ancillary resources to support the project

• contributing to outreach and public engagement

Most applicants will not engage in all these activities. An applicant that makes at least some substantive contributions to the success of the project, however, is not subject to the prohibition on lead applicant serving solely as fiscal agents or fiscal sponsors.

Learn more about managing subawards.

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 20240814-BP-BR-GE-GG-GI.

There is also a link on the program resource page.

This funding opportunity includes five application packages per deadline, which you can find under the “Package” tab. Select the appropriate one based upon your project type. Each package https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=b76712a585433486e57dafcd521c952e&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#se2.1.200_1331 mailto:publicpgms@neh.gov https://www.neh.gov/grants/policy-on-late-submissions https://www.neh.gov/general-guidance-pass-through-entities-managing-subawards https://www.neh.gov/grants/public/public-humanities-projects

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includes a series of required and conditionally required forms. You will upload additional application components into the Attachments Form.

Funding Level Application package August 2024 January 2025

Exhibitions: Planning GE082024 GE012025 Exhibitions:

Implementation

GI082024 GI012025

Historic Places: Planning BP082024 BP012025 Historic Places:

Implementation

BR082024 BR012025

Humanities Discussions GG082024 GG012025

The application packages for the January 2025 deadline will not be available in Grants.gov until the August 2024 deadline has passed.

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

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

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

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.

Application formatting 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

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 (include citations in page counts)

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.

mailto:publicpgms@neh.gov

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• Conditionally required for recipients: You are encouraged but not required to submit this component when you apply. You may submit it if you receive an award.

NEH will not review applications missing any required documents or relevant conditionally required documents.

Do not include attachments other than those listed in the table in this notice. If you do, NEH will reject your application.

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.

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

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Application Component File Name Designation Page limit Attachments 1: Narrative narrative.pdf Required 20 pages for

Planning; 15 pages for Implementation (mandatory)

2: Work Plan workplan.pdf Required 3: Résumés and letters of commitment resumes.pdf Required 2 pages per résumé (suggested)

4: Bibliography bibliography.pdf Required 2 (suggested) 5: Walkthrough walkthrough.pdf Required for

Implementation projects

10 (suggested)

6: Additional supporting documentation supportingdocs.pdf Conditionally required

7: Object list and illustrations objects.pdf Required for Implementation:

Exhibitions;

optional for Implementation:

Historic Places

8: Positions in Public Humanities publichumanities.pdf Conditionally required

3 (suggested)

9: Subrecipient budget(s) subrecipient.pdf Conditionally

10: Federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement agreement.pdf Conditionally

11: Explanation of delinquent federal debt delinquentdebt.pdf Conditionally required for recipients

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 and Budget Justification

Required

Attachments Form Required

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Certification Regarding Lobbying

Conditionally

Standard Form-LLL “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities”

Conditionally

Application Components: Attachments Each attachment must be a single PDF file. See the Attachments Form instructions for further guidance about file requirements. Read those instructions carefully, as Grants.gov will not accept files that do not meet the requirements.

Attachment 1: Narrative (required) 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.

Planning applicants must limit the narrative to 20 single-spaced pages.

Implementation applicants must limit the narrative to 15 single-spaced pages. Implementation applicants will have additional space to describe their projects in Attachment 5: Walkthrough.

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.

Name the file narrative.pdf.

Nature of the request (aligns with all review criteria) In one page or less, summarize the project and its interpretive goals.

• State whether your request is for an Exhibitions, Historic Places, or Humanities Discussions project. If Exhibitions, specify whether the exhibition(s) will be permanent, traveling, or temporary.

• Identify the funding level (Planning or Implementation) and the amount you are requesting.

• Identify your project’s formats, the subject, and the main themes.

• Indicate if you are requesting a Chair’s Special Award (Implementation level only).

• Indicate if your request includes a Position in Public Humanities (Implementation level only).

Humanities content (aligns with review criteria 1 and 4)

• Describe the significance of the subject and its relevance to the public. Provide examples of project resources and identify the humanities scholarship (from your consultation with project scholars, their published works, and the scholarship of other humanists) that has shaped your analysis.

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• Provide humanities themes articulating the analytical ideas the project will convey.

Thematic statements reach beyond a list of topics to demonstrate the larger critical ideas you want audiences to understand. Follow your thematic statement with a supporting argument that uses project content, examples drawn from project resources, and the humanities scholarship (from your consultation with project scholars, their published works, and the scholarship of other humanists) that has shaped your analysis.

• If you are reinterpreting or updating an existing project, describe the current content and format and explain the new humanities ideas you will incorporate.

• For Historic Places projects, discuss the significance of the place to American history; the extent to which the interpretation will make use of the place’s attributes (the site, its location, the buildings, the landscape, or other natural or built features) in telling its story; and the extent to which the interpretation addresses central themes and issues in American history.

Project formats (aligns with review criteria 2 and 5)

• Briefly describe the interpretive philosophy that guides the project.

• For Planning applications: explain how you plan to organize the final exhibition or site interpretation. Describe how you will effectively communicate your core analytical ideas. Give examples of interpretive techniques and activities that you plan to investigate during your planning process. Do not use this space to explain the process you will follow to plan the project. You will have the opportunity to do that in the work plan.

• For Implementation applications: explain how you will organize the final exhibition, discussion, or site interpretation and discuss the interpretive methods it will employ to engage the public. Provide specific examples of interpretive techniques you have designed for use in the project.

• If applicable, describe secondary formats and discuss how each will enhance public understanding of the humanities content.

• If applicable, describe your plans to offer hybrid or virtual programing as a means of connecting with your audiences. Explain why you have chosen a mix of in-person and virtual formats.

Project resources (aligns with review criteria 2 and 5)

• Describe the resources available at your institution or elsewhere that will support your project (e.g., archives, special libraries, collections of art or artifacts, images, documents, film, audio, or digital materials).

• Discuss the significance and quality of the relevant resources and how they contribute to the project.

• If applicable, explain how you will secure permissions or rights for key materials.

Project history (aligns with review criteria 2 and 5)

• Summarize the history of the project to date.

• Describe the relationship of the project to others on the topic and explain its particular contribution.

Justification for a Chair’s Special Award (if applicable) (aligns with review criterion 6)

• If you are requesting a Chair’s Special Award, discuss why the project is especially significant and appealing. Explain how institutional collaborations, number of program

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formats, and broad reach to audiences make the project a compelling candidate for funding at this level.

Audience, marketing, and promotion (aligns with review criterion 3)

• Describe and estimate the size of the expected audience and explain the basis for this number.

• Explain how you will reach the intended audience. If applicable, discuss partnerships that would help promote the project.

• If you are targeting a specific audience or proposing special outreach to underserved or at-risk communities, describe the relationships you have built with those audiences or communities and the need your project addresses. Explain how you will engage new audiences in thinking about and discussing humanities ideas.

Evaluation of the project’s impact (aligns with review criteria 1, 2, and 3)

• Describe how you will evaluate the project’s impact, the results of any evaluation already conducted, and how the evaluation results might inform the project moving forward.

Organizational profile (aligns with review criteria 2, 3, 4, and 5)

• Provide a short profile of the applicant organization and other major partner organizations (not to exceed one page for your organization and a half page for each collaborating organization).