Promotion of the Humanities-Challenge Grants (45.130)

Program

45.130 Promotion of the Humanities-Challenge Grants

Federal Agency

Agency: National Endowment For The Humanities

Authorization

National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965, as amended, Public Law 89-209, 20 U.S.C 951.

Program Number

45.130

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To support educational and cultural institutions and organizations in order to increase their financial stability and to sustain or improve the quality of humanities programs, services, or resources. Normally, institutions requesting an NEH challenge grant must raise three dollars in new donations from nonfederal sources to receive each Federal dollar A special category of challenge grants, called We the People, is designed to help institutions and organizations secure long-term improvements in humanities activities that explore significant themes and events in American history and culture. Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and two-year colleges are required to raise two times the Federal award in new donations from nonfederal sources.

Types of Assistance

PROJECT GRANTS

Uses and Use Restrictions

Funds may be applied to a variety of institutional needs which an applicant has demonstrated serve both the humanities and the institution's long-term objectives. The major purpose of an NEH Challenge Grant is to help institutions and organizations attain or sustain a high level of quality in humanities programs or activities by building long-term capital resources. The most common expenditure of grant and matching funds is the creation or augmentation of endowments. Also possible are direct expenditures such as library acquisitions, technological enhancement, construction and renovation, and other costs clearly attributable to improvements in humanities programs and activities. Funds may not be used directly for general operating support or undergraduate scholarships and prizes or for projects eligible for support from other NEH programs.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Any public or private U.S. nonprofit institution or organization working wholly or in part within the humanities may apply, including the following: two-year and four-year colleges; universities; museums; historical societies; research libraries; public libraries; advanced study centers; media organizations; university presses; professional societies; or State humanities councils. State and local governments and U.S. Territories are eligible to apply on their own behalf or on behalf of nonprofit institutions, associations or organizations within their jurisdictions. Individuals and public and private elementary and secondary schools or school districts are not eligible to apply.

Beneficiary Eligibility

All applicant organizations and institutions and all users of their humanities resources, programs, or activities.

Credentials/Documentation

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Applications to NEH must be submitted via Grants.gov. Guidelines and application instructions are available online at http://www.neh.gov/grants/grants.html.

Award Procedure

Applications are reviewed by administrators of humanities institutions, panels of scholars, and other appropriate individuals. Awards are made by the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities after recommendation by the National Council on the Humanities.

Deadlines

May 01, 2010 May 1 for all challenge grants except We the People Challenge Grants in United States History, Institutions and Culture, which have a February 1 deadline. Deadlines are receipt deadlines. Write or call the NEH Office of Challenge Grants.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

> 180 Days. Seven months (approximately 210 days) after the deadline.

Appeals

None, but applicants may request written reasons for rejection and reapply at the next appropriate deadline with a revised proposal.

Renewals

> 180 Days. Eligibility to apply for a subsequent award begins in the third year after the close of the previous challenge grant. Eligibility to apply for a subsequent We the People challenge grant begins in the second year.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.

Matching Requirements: All challenge grant funds are matching funds. Grantees must raise three nonfederal dollars for every federal dollar offered, except that Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and two-year colleges are required to raise two times the Federal award.

This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

From one to five years. Funds must be expended during the grant period. Funds expended include funds deposited into an income earning account. Federal funds up to the amount offered in any year are released as matching amounts are certified to the Endowment and minimum annual matching requirements are met. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: From one to five years. Funds must be expended during the grant period. Funds expended include funds deposited into an income earning account. Federal funds up to the amount offered in any year are released as matching amounts are certified to the Endowment and minimum annual matching requirements are met.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Program reports are not applicable. Cash reports are not applicable. Narrative progress reports are required biennially; reports on nonfederal contributions raised and sources of giving are required annually. Final narrative and financial reports are due within 90 days after the grant ending date. Expenditure reports are not applicable. Performance monitoring is not applicable.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. For nongovernmental recipients, audits are to be carried out in accordance with the provisions set forth in OMB Circular No. A-110, "Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Nonprofit Organizations Uniform Administrative Requirements" and with OMB Circular No. A-133. In addition, grants are subject to inspection and audits by NEH and other Federal officials.

Records

To be retained by the grantee for three years from the date of submission of the final narrative and financial reports. Records include financial documentation on all matching gifts and on all expenditures of Federal and matching funds.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: In fiscal year 2008, 113 applications were received and 20 awards were made. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

59-0200-0-1-503.

Obligations

(Project Grants) FY 08 $10,869,300; FY 09 est $9,300,000; FY 10 est $9,500,000 - FY'08 obligations Include additional funding provided by We the People. See 45.168 PROMOTION OF THE HUMANITIES-WE THE PEOPLE.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Applicants may request up to $1,000,000 in Federal funds over four years. In fiscal year 2007, the largest award offered was $1,000,000, the smallest was $200,000; and the average award was approximately $400,000.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

45 CFR 1100 and 1105. Guidelines are available online at http://www.neh.gov/grants/grants.html and upon request from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Washington, DC 20506. Available from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, is the Endowment's official publication, "Humanities" by subscription (6 issues annually, $24.00 domestic, $30.00 foreign).

Related Programs

45.168 Promotion of the Humanities_We the People

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Office of Challenge Grants Office of Challenge Grants, Room 420, National Endowment for the Humanities, Washington, DC 20506. , Washington, District of Columbia 20506 Email: challenge@neh.gov Phone: 202-606-8309

Web Site Address

http://www.neh.gov.

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: (1) A community college will use its $800,000 challenge grant to endow humanities programs for its students and for the general public. (2) A liberal arts college will use its $625,000 We the People challenge grant to restore an historic house as a residence for research fellows and an endowment for fellowships to study the Founding Era and its legacy. (3) A public library will use its $500,000 challenge grant to restore and enhance technology in its historic building. (4) A museum will use its $575,000 challenge grant as the cornerstone of a larger fund-raising campaign for an endowment to support a new regional art center. (5) A professional humanities association is using its $246,000 challenge grant to endow staff positions in humanities educational programming. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

To reach decisions about funding, all reviewers of Challenge Grants applications are asked to evaluate the existing and potential quality of an applicant's programs in the humanities, its needs, management, and fund-raising capability. In light of the goals of the Challenge Grants Program, reviewers assess each application in accordance with the following criteria: (1) The significance of existing and planned humanities activities. (2) The appropriateness of institutional resources and plans. (3) The impact of challenge grant funds. (4) The feasibility of fund raising. Applicants for second or subsequent awards must describe and assess the effects of their prior awards.