Promotion of the Humanities Federal/State Partnership

 

Federal/State Partnerships promote local, statewide, and regional humanities programming through annual grants to humanities councils in each of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and American Samoa. The humanities councils use those grants to conduct humanities projects and grant programs for local nonprofit organizations, institutions, and groups, and occasionally for individuals. Under the provisions of 20 U.S.C. 956(f)(8), only one entity in each state may receive assistance from NEH as the state humanities council.

General information about this opportunity
Last Known Status
Active
Program Number
45.129
Federal Agency/Office
National Endowment For The Humanities, National Foundation On The Arts and The Humanities
Type(s) of Assistance Offered
A - Formula Grants; B - Project Grants
Program Accomplishments
Fiscal Year 2016 Fiscal Year 2016: Support for the programs and operations of 56 state humanities councils made possible more than 42,000 high quality state and local humanities projects throughout the nation that reached an audience of more than 322,775,000, including 12,000 reading and discussion programs, 1,875 exhibitions, 3,300 literacy programs, 3,300 speakers bureau presentations, 2,325 teacher institutes and workshops, 4,125 conferences, 1,200 Chautauqua events, 9,750 media program events, 1,200 technology projects, 560 preservation projects and 4,050 local history projects.
Fiscal Year 2017 Fiscal Year 2017: Support for the programs and operations of 56 state humanities councils made possible 43,500 high quality state and local humanities projects throughout the nation that reached an audience of more than 325,000,000, including 12,240 reading and discussion programs, 1,910 exhibitions, 3,375 literacy programs, 3,375 speakers bureau presentations, 2,400 teacher institutes and workshops, 4,200 conferences and symposia, 1,235 Chautauqua events, 9,750 media program events, 1,250 technology projects, 570 preservation projects and 4,125 local history projects.
Fiscal Year 2018 Recipients of Humanities Federal/State Partnership awards may be found by using the NEH's Funded Projects Query Form available online at https://securegrants.neh.gov/publicquery/main.aspx. Also see https://www.neh.gov/about/state-humanities-councils.
Fiscal Year 2020 See the following website for a description of the work of the Office of Federal/State Partnership: https://www.neh.gov/divisions/fedstate
Fiscal Year 2022 2022 state and jurisdictional humanities councils began new five year periods of performance in FY2022. https://securegrants.neh.gov/publicquery/main.aspx?q=1&a=0&n=0&o=0&ot=0&k=0&f=0&s=0&cd=0&p=0&d=1&dv=5&at=0&y=1&yf=2022&yt=2022&prd=0&cov=0&prz=0&wp=0&sp=0&ca=0&arp=0&ob=year&or=DESC
Authorization
National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965, as amended, Public Law 89-209, Part 20 U.S.C, Section §956, et seq.
Who is eligible to apply/benefit from this assistance?
Applicant Eligibility
Nonprofit 501(c)(3) state and jurisdictional humanities councils which conform to the requirements of 20 U.S.C. 956(f). See https://www.neh.gov/about/state-humanities-councils.
Beneficiary Eligibility
State and local governments; sponsored organizations; public and private nonprofit institutions/organizations; other public institutions/organizations; Federally recognized Native American Tribal governments; Native American organizations; U.S. jurisdictions minority organizations; and quasi-public nonprofit institutions which apply directly to the state and jurisdictional humanities councils.
Credentials/Documentation
State and jurisdictional humanities councils submit an activities and outcomes report annually, and every five years they submit a self-assessment report. Compliance requirements are outlined in 20 U.S.C. 956(f). 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program.
What is the process for applying and being award this assistance?
Pre-Application Procedure
Preapplication coordination is not applicable.
Application Procedure
2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. State and jurisdictional humanities councils must submit an annual plan and activities and outcomes report annually and a self-assessment every five years.
Award Procedure
NEH staff review councils' annual plans and activities and outcomes reports. NEH staff and teams of independent reviewers, including scholars and nonprofit professionals, review self-assessments. Based on the information provided in the annual plan and the annual reports submitted following the close of the most recently completed funding period, NEH staff prepare a report on the state and jurisdictional humanities councils and present it to the National Council on the Humanities. The National Council meets at least twice annually to advise the NEH Chair. The Chair considers the advice provided by the review process and, by law, makes all funding decisions.
Deadlines
May 3, 2023 See https://www.neh.gov/grants/fedstate/state-humanities-councils-general-operating-support-grants. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines
Approval/Disapproval Decision Time
More than 180 days. Variable: Six months.
Appeals
Not applicable.
Renewals
Not applicable.
How are proposals selected?
Each council sets its own guidelines and criteria for assessing proposals, which are widely disseminated within the state. The criteria for state and jurisdictional humanities council funding from NEH are established in the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965, as amended, 20 U.S.C. Section 950, 956, and by the NEH Office of Federal/State Partnership.
How may assistance be used?
Grants may be used to fund local, statewide, and regional humanities projects, subject to guidelines determined by each state and jurisdictional humanities council.
What are the requirements after being awarded this opportunity?
Reporting
Not applicable.
Auditing
Councils that are not subject to the single audit requirements but expend between $500,000 and $750,000 in funds awarded through the NEH general support grants during their fiscal year are required to undergo a program-specific audit (CFDA 45.129) for that year.
Records
State and jurisdictional humanities councils must retain documentation of expenditures and other fiscal records for three years following the submission of the final expenditure report.
Other Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Statutory Formula: Title National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 Public Law Public Law 89-209, 20 U.S.C. §956 (f) (4) As established by the Congressional funding formula, each State and jurisdictional council receives $200,000 of the definite funds appropriated to Federal/State Partnership. Of the remaining funds, 44 percent is divided equally among the States which have a population of 200,000 or more, 22 percent is allocated to each council on the basis of population, and 34 percent is awarded at the discretion of the NEH Chair. State and jurisdictional humanities councils must match the federal award on a one-to-one basis.

Matching is mandatory. State and jurisdictional humanities councils must match the federal award on a one-to-one basis.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
The period of performance is five years. State and jurisdictional humanities councils must expend funds during the first three years. NEH will pay recipients on an advance basis, unless otherwise specified in the award, and will issue payments through electronic funds transfer. Advance payments must be limited to the recipient's immediate cash requirements to carry out the purpose of the approved program or project.
Who do I contact about this opportunity?
Regional or Local Office
Contact information for the state and jurisdictional humanities councils is available here: https://www.neh.gov/about/state-humanities-councils
Headquarters Office
Office of Federal/State Partnership
National Endowment for the Humanities
Washington, DC 20506 US
fedstate@neh.gov
Phone: (202) 606-8254
Website Address
http://www.neh.gov/divisions/fedstate
Financial Information
Account Identification
59-0200-0-1-503
Obligations
(Project Grants) FY 22$55,096,350.00; FY 23 est $64,450,000.00; FY 24 est $61,800,000.00; FY 21$105,119,152.00; FY 20$50,414,050.00; FY 19$48,623,982.00; FY 18$47,503,308.00; FY 17$46,875,190.00; FY 16$43,014,272.00; - FY '22 obligations include additional funding provided by NEH Treasury matching grants.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
In FY 2022 the range of assistance was $212,874 to $2,793,592. Average was $997,582.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
445 CFR 1100 and 1105. Information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Notice of Funding Opportunity are available online at http://www.neh.gov/ or upon request from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Washington, DC 20506. Contact information for the 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils is available on the NEH web site, http://www.neh.gov/about/state-humanities-councils.
Examples of Funded Projects
Fiscal Year 2022 State and jurisdictional humanities councils offer a wide array of programming that makes the humanities accessible to general audiences. Council-conducted programs and grant making reflect the interests, resources, and diverse experiences of the local communities they serve. Council programs include competitive grants, civic education programs, book festivals, reading and discussion programs, speakers bureaus, educator institutes, Clemente courses, films, traveling exhibitions, and programs for veterans. They also help extend the reach of NEH-funded projects, and ensure NEH remains connected to local and regional communities. Through council initiatives and grant-making, state and jurisdictional humanities councils enrich lives through the humanities—with an emphasis on the specific needs of the communities they represent.

 


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