NEH Grant Programs
Challenge Grants in United States History and Culture, Receipt Deadline: February 3, 20010
The deadline for this program has passed. New guidelines will be available in advance of the next deadline. In the interim, the guidelines below can be used for reference, but should NOT be used to prepare an application.
Date posted: November 4, 2009
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) Number: 45.130
Questions?
Contact the staff of NEH’s Office of Challenge Grants at 202-606-8309 or at challenge@neh.gov. Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
Type of award: Successful applicants will be offered a matching grant. Recipients must raise three times the amount of federal funds offered—except for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities, and two-year colleges (which must raise two times the amount of federal funds offered).
Grant Program Description
NEH invites applications for Challenge Grants in United States History and Culture. This grant opportunity is designed to help institutions and organizations strengthen their ability to explore significant themes and events in American history, so as to advance our understanding of how—since the nation’s founding—these events have shaped and been shaped by American identity and culture. NEH seeks to support a range of approaches to the American experience: for example, approaches might explore significant events in America’s history, its democratic institutions, the political principles on which the nation is founded, or the complicated mix of peoples and cultures that have formed America. Also welcome are proposals that seek support for the study of the history and culture of the United States in international contexts rather than in isolation—proposals that explore relationships with other nations and cultures that have profoundly affected the course of United States history. NEH also welcomes proposals for programming at America’s historic places (e.g., historic sites, neighborhoods, communities, or larger geographical regions).
NEH challenge grants are capacity-building grants,
intended to help institutions and organizations secure long-term improvements in and support for their humanities programs and resources. Grants may be used to establish or enhance endowments or spend-down funds (that is, funds that are invested, with both the income and the principal being expended over a defined period of years) that generate expendable earnings to support ongoing program activities. Funds may also be used for one-time capital expenditures (such as construction and renovation, purchase of equipment, and acquisitions) that bring long-term benefits to the institution and to the humanities more broadly.
Because of the matching requirement, these NEH grants also strengthen the humanities by encouraging nonfederal sources of support. Applications are welcome from colleges and universities, museums, public libraries, research institutions, historical societies and historic sites, scholarly associations, state humanities councils, and other nonprofit entities. Programs that involve collaboration among multiple institutions are eligible as well, but one institution must serve as the lead agent and formal applicant of record.
Activities supported
Challenge grant funds (both federal and nonfederal together) must provide long-term benefits to the humanities. Challenge grant funds should not replace funds already being expended on the humanities, but instead should reflect careful strategic planning to strengthen the institution’s activities in and commitment to the advancement of knowledge and understanding of the humanities.
Institutions may use challenge grant funds to meet both ongoing and one-time humanities-related costs, provided that the long-term benefit of the expenditure can be demonstrated. Federal challenge grant funds, as well as funds raised for matching, might be used for purposes such as the following:
Expenditures not eligible for support
Challenge grant funds, federal or nonfederal, may not be used for
Mode of Expenditure
The financial arrangement by which challenge grant funds are expended must be appropriate to the nature of the humanities-related costs and the long-term impact of the expenditure. Funds may be
Grant funds may also be used for bridging support, where the challenge grant provides for endowment or spend-down income to meet the same expenses in the future; bridging funds up to the equivalent amount of projected endowment or spend-down income may be used to cover expenses during the grant period, while the endowment or spend-down fund is being established.
Special Encouragement
In line with Executive Order 13256 on HBCUs and Executive Order 13270 on Tribal Colleges and Universities, NEH especially welcomes challenge grant applications from these institutions. NEH also especially welcomes applications from two-year colleges. Potential applicants from these institutions are strongly encouraged to discuss with program staff ways in which challenge grant funding can help them meet their institutions’ particular needs and capacities in the humanities. Certain requirements of regular challenge grants are modified for HBCUs, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and two-year colleges. The required matching ratio is two-to-one (instead of three-to-one), and the schedule for the release of federal funds—that is, the schedule for meeting the required match—is six years instead of five.
Applicants who are uncertain whether their programs fit better with the Challenge Grants in United States History and Culture program or with the regular Challenge Grants program are encouraged to consult NEH staff.
III. Award Information
Successful applicants will be offered a matching grant. The requested grant amount should be appropriate to the humanities needs and the fundraising capacity of the institution. The federal portions of NEH challenge grants have ranged in recent years from $30,000 to $1 million, the maximum amount that may be requested. Potential applicants are encouraged to consult with NEH staff about the amount of their request.
Fundraising
NEH challenge grants assist institutions in developing sources of support for humanities programs, and fundraising is an integral part of the long-term planning required by the program. Persons raising the funds and those who will be directly responsible for the humanities programs should be fully involved in the planning from the outset. Grant recipients must raise, from nonfederal donors, three times the amount of federal funds offered. (HBCUs, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and two-year colleges, however, are required to raise only two times the federal amount.)
Release of federal funds
All federal challenge grant funds are matching funds. The federal portion of a challenge grant is typically offered over four years of funding, but the grantee may take up to 68 months to raise funds for matching. NEH releases federal funds according to a pattern that allows donations from as early as five months prior to the application deadline and can include donations from as late as one year beyond the last-released federal funds. Funds are released in the first three years when completely matched according to the required amount. The fourth year’s installment allows the release of the federal funds when matched one-to-one, with the remaining parts of the match to be raised in the final year, so as to allow time at the end of the grant to finish the match and collect outstanding pledges.
The following chart illustrates a typical match and release schedule:
Sample match and release schedule for
a regular Challenge Grant in United States History and Culture
NEH Challenge offer of $300,000, with a three-to-one matching ratio
   Year 1   Year 2   Year 3   Year 4   Year 5     Total
NEH funds (federal) offered   $25,000 $100,000 $100,000  $75,000     n/a   $300,000
Nonfederal funds to be raised   $75,000 $300,000 $300,000   $75,000 $150,000   $900,000
Total grant funds
(federal + nonfederal)		 $100,000 $400,000 $400,000 $150,000 $150,000 $1,200,000
Variations on a typical match and release schedule are possible, and applicants should discuss with NEH staff the schedule that most accurately reflects the institution’s plans and fundraising capacity. NEH, however, makes the final determination of the match and release schedule for each grant.
With a matching ratio of two-to-one, HBCUs, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and two-year colleges follow a match and release schedule that is different from that of regular challenge grants. The following chart illustrates a typical match and release schedule for an HBCU, a Tribal College or University, or a two-year college:
Sample match and release schedule for
a Challenge Grant in United States History and Culture
to an HBCU, Tribal College or University, or two-year college
NEH Challenge offer of $300,000, with a two-to-one matching ratio
   Year 1   Year 2   Year 3   Year 4   Year 5   Year 6     Total
NEH funds
(federal) offered		   $60,000  $75,000  $75,000  $50,000  $40,000     n/a   $300,000
Nonfederal funds
to be raised		 $120,000 $150,000 $150,000 $100,000  $40,000   $40,000   $600,000
Total grant funds
(federal + nonfederal)		 $180,000 $225,000 $225,000 $150,000  $80,000   $40,000   $900,000
Grant recipients are encouraged to certify gifts in advance of the required matching schedule. In some instances, depending on available program funds, advance certification may result in the early release of federal funds.
Applicants who, unsuccessful at one deadline, revise and resubmit their applications one year later, may use, in the resubmission, the same starting date and thus extend the fundraising period by twelve months. In this way applicants are enabled to keep faith with donors whose gifts have been solicited in anticipation of a challenge grant. If the resubmitted application is not successful, however, such an extension is not available for subsequent submissions of that proposal.
Eligibility of gifts
To be eligible for matching, gifts may not derive from the grantee institution itself, and it is inappropriate for an institution to shift internal budgets or reallocate internal funds for matching purposes. All matching pledges and gifts must be new, that is, given (and pledges fulfilled) during the challenge grant period. The majority of gifts eligible for matching must be restricted, that is, donations made explicitly in response to or in anticipation of the challenge grant. Unrestricted gifts, that is, gifts donated without limitations on their use, may be eligible for matching, but the total of such unrestricted gifts may not exceed the federal portion of the challenge grant. Restricted gifts must be in response to or in anticipation of the challenge grant. Donors of restricted gifts must be aware that their gifts will be used to match an NEH challenge grant and that their gifts will be used to support the purposes outlined in the approved challenge grant application. Some types of gifts, such as real estate, earned income, planned giving, and in-kind gifts are subject to special limitations. Discounts on contracted goods and services are not eligible for matching.
NOTE: More detailed information on eligible gifts and the mechanics of challenge grant administration is offered in the booklet Administration of NEH Challenge Grants, which may be obtained from NEH’s Web site or the Office of Challenge Grants. Applicants should obtain this document if they plan to solicit and collect eligible matching gifts in anticipation of receiving an NEH Challenge Grant in United States History and Culture.
Eligibility
With the exception of elementary and secondary schools (public or private) or school districts, any U. S. nonprofit institution (public agency, private nonprofit organization, tribal government) working wholly or in part with the humanities may apply for a challenge grant in United States History and Culture. Affiliated institutions (e.g., university museums) should consult with NEH staff on questions of separate eligibility. Institutions that support research, education, preservation, and public programming in any humanities discipline are eligible for support.
NEH generally does not award grants 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 grant funds from, or sites and materials controlled by, other federal entities in their projects, as long as these resources are not used as gifts to release NEH matching funds.
Institutions may apply for only one challenge grant at a time and may have only one application pending in any NEH challenge grant competition at a time.
Late, incomplete, and ineligible applications will not be reviewed.
Application and Submission Information

Application advice and draft proposals
Prior to submitting a proposal, applicants are encouraged to contact program officers who can offer advice about preparing the proposal, supply samples of funded applications, and review draft proposals. These comments are not part of the formal review process and have no bearing on the final outcome of the proposal, but previous applicants have found them helpful in strengthening their applications. Program staff recommends that draft proposals be submitted at least six weeks before the application deadline. Time constraints may prevent staff from reviewing draft proposals submitted closer to the deadline. Draft proposals, consisting of the narrative, the budget, and a list of the persons (and their affiliations) who will be writing letters of support for the project, should be submitted directly to the Office of Challenge Grants (not through Grants.gov) by e-mail attachment (challenge@neh.gov), fax (202-606-8579), or overnight mail (Office of Challenge Grants, NEH Room 420, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20506, 202-606-8309).
HOW TO PREPARE YOUR APPLICATION
You will prepare your application for submission via Grants.gov just as you would a paper application. Your application should consist of the following parts.
  1. Table of contents
    Include all the parts of the application with page numbers.
  2. Abstract
    Summarize the proposal, including the activities to be supported and the plans for raising funds for matching. Applicants should describe the significance to the humanities of what they are proposing. This summary may be single-spaced and should not exceed one page.
  3. Challenge grant budget
    Do not use the standard NEH budget form. Instead, provide an itemized one- or two-page budget describing all challenge grant funds and indicate
    • the portions of the total NEH funds being requested in years 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the grant period (or, in the case of an application submitted by an HBCU, Tribal College or University, or two-year college, years 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the grant period); and
    • how all challenge grant funds—federal and nonfederal combined—will be expended.
    For purposes of expenditure, there is no distinction between federal and nonfederal funds. Even if part of a larger campaign, the challenge grant budget should be limited to requested NEH funds plus the minimum required nonfederal funds. Planned annual expenditures from endowment or spend-down yield should be broken down by specific cost categories. Challenge grants do not include indirect cost recovery.
    In he following sample budgets, three modes of expenditure are included for purposes of illustration; applicants should propose only the mode or modes of expenditure appropriate to their planned humanities activities.
    Sample challenge grant budget
    Total NEH funds requested: $300,000
    Year 1: $25,000
    Year 2: $100,000
    Year 3: $100,000
    Year 4: $75,000
     
    Total nonfederal contributions $900,000
     
    Total Grant Funds (NEH plus Match) $1,200,000
     
    Planned Expenditures:
     
    Direct* $200,000
     
    Endowment
    Endowment principal $750,000
    Rate of expendable return 5%
    Projected annual income* $37,500
     
    Combined (spend-down fund)
    Fund principal $250,000
    Rate of expendable return 5%
    Number of years 10
    Annual expenditure (income + principal)* $32,376
     
    Sample challenge grant budget for application submitted by an HBCU, Tribal College or University, or two-year college
    Total NEH funds requested: $300,000
    Year 1: $60,000
    Year 2: $75,000
    Year 3: $75,000
    Year 4: $50,000
    Year 5: $40,000
     
    Total nonfederal contributions $600,000
     
    Total Grant Funds (NEH plus Match) $900,000
     
    Planned Expenditures:
     
    Direct* $200,000
     
    Endowment
    Endowment principal $450,000
    Rate of expendable return 5%
    Projected annual income* $22,500
     
    Combined (spend-down fund)
    Fund principal $250,000
    Rate of expendable return 5%
    Number of years 10
    Annual expenditure (income + principal)* $32,376
    * - Indicate what the expenditures are for, and in the proposal narrative provide detailed information about these expenditures and justify the amounts allotted for the various items in terms of the plans for the humanities. Also, please include a brief explanation of the institution’s investment management policy.
    Calculating a “spend-down” fund
    The amount needed for a spend-down fund is based on the rate of return on investment, the number of years the fund will exist, and the amount to be spent each year.
    The amount needed can be calculated using a tool, such as the PV financial function in Microsoft Excel, that calculates the “present value” of funds needed to allow the desired expenditure over the specified number of future years.
    NOTE: If the challenge grant includes support for any part of a construction or renovation project, the entire project is subject to Davis-Bacon requirements, and applicants must take into account the effect on costs of the Davis-Bacon Act. For purposes of compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act, there is no distinction between federal funds and nonfederal donations raised for matching.
  4. Institutional fact summary
    For applications involving multiple institutional partners, only the applicant of record must provide an institutional fact summary. Partner institutions, however, may also submit fact summaries to document their institutional character and humanities capacities.
    Provide the following in a one-page outline:
    • Relevant facts and statistics about the institution or organization, such as its
      • history;
      • mission;
      • governance and administration;
      • physical facilities;
      • humanities staff size and composition (including the percentage of all staff who are in the humanities);
      • humanities collections (including the percentage of all collections that are in the humanities); and
      • accreditation or affiliation (if applicable).
    • Data on recent humanities activities, such as the
      • types and numbers of enrollments, programs, exhibitions, courses, and degrees awarded in the past two years;
      • percentage of total offerings that are in the humanities;
      • size and nature of audience or population served;
      • cost to participants (if any);
      • number of publications produced (if applicable); and
      • evidence for the success of these activities or offerings.
  5. Financial summary
    Include a one- or two-page summary of the institution’s finances. Please refer to the Challenge Grants Sample Financial Summary (2-page PDF) for a suggested format. Where the application concerns a sub-unit of a larger whole (e.g., a library on a university campus), include summaries for both the larger and smaller units. The purpose of the summary is to give a clear picture of the financial status of the institution during the most recent three-year period. Information should be provided about annual operating budgets, exclusive of capital campaigns or other special income and exclusive of capital project expenditures. Figures should be compatible with figures cited elsewhere in the proposal. Significant operating surpluses or deficits should be explained.
  6. Narrative
    Narrative descriptions are limited to twenty-five double-spaced pages. The font size should be no smaller than eleven-point. All pages should have one-inch margins and should be numbered consecutively throughout. Statistical and other supporting materials may be relegated to appendices. The narrative should provide a clear, logical, and concise description of the activities that the challenge grant will support.
    In the narrative, the applicant should do the following:
    • Describe the significance and intellectual quality of the humanities activities, programs, and holdings—relevant to United States history and culture—that the challenge grant would support. Explain why these activities are important, and to whom.
    • Describe the institution’s long-range plans for advancing and/or disseminating knowledge of United States history and culture. Explain how the institution, through its mission, personnel, governance, facilities, and resources, is capable of sustaining outstanding humanities activities. Identify any collaborators or partners and provide evidence, such as letters of support, of institutional commitment to the long-range plans and the challenge grant.
    • Discuss the impact of the challenge grant. Explain how grant funds will strengthen and improve knowledge and understanding of United States history . Explain how the NEH challenge grant will sustain and enhance significant humanities activities over the long term. Describe the mode of expenditure (direct, endowment, or combined) by which the challenge grant will support humanities activities, and explain why it is appropriate to the activities and how it will improve them over the long term. Delineate clearly and in detail the planned challenge grant expenditures (federal and nonfederal combined). Provide a plan for assessing, in both qualitative and quantitative terms as appropriate, the impact of the grant.
    • Describe the plans for raising funds to meet the NEH matching requirement. Offer evidence of long-term financial stability at the institution, and explain how the institution’s resources, leadership, staff, and experience will enable it to conduct a successful campaign. Give details of the fundraising strategy; explain its feasibility and how it will broaden the base of institutional support.
    Applicants should also briefly describe, when relevant, any recent NEH or state humanities council grants received by the institution, as well as any pending NEH applications, related to the activities that the challenge grant would support.
    If the applicant holds or is currently applying for any NEH grants that include a matching component, these must be described (including the amount of the match) in the section of the narrative that discusses the feasibility of fundraising. Applicants who held a prior NEH challenge grant should briefly discuss the fundraising experience and the benefits to the humanities resulting from the grant(s).
    NOTE: Applicants who have held a prior NEH challenge grant dealing with U.S. history must describe and assess the impact of their prior award(s), especially in cases where the new grant would support humanities activities similar to those supported by the prior grant(s).
  7. Lists of trustees and staff
    Provide a list of the institution’s board of governors or trustees with their professional affiliations and a list of staff and faculty members principally involved with the challenge grant, indicating their professional qualifications.
  8. Résumés
    The project director is the person primarily responsible for implementing the humanities activities described in the narrative proposal. Attach a two-page version of this person’s résumé as an appendix to the application. Résumés or job descriptions for any position being supported should also be attached.
  9. Letters of support
    Include in an appendix letters of commitment or support from appropriate institutional officials, confirming the institution’s commitment to the humanities activities and to meeting the NEH challenge. Other letters of support, such as from partners, scholars in the field, staff involved in carrying out the humanities activities, and participants in or beneficiaries of the humanities activities, may be included as appropriate.
  10. Optional appendices
    Copies of printed brochures, flyers, or other descriptive materials may be included and referred to in the text of the narrative.
    Single copies of bulky ancillary materials, such as catalogs, journals, or books, may also be submitted but are neither required nor encouraged. See How to Submit Supplementary Materials.
Special Requirements for Renovation and Construction Projects
Section 106 Review Process and Letter from the State Historic Preservation Office
Applicants requesting support for the construction of a free-standing structure, for building renovations, or for additions to buildings of any age are required to consult with their state historic preservation officer (SHPO) to determine if a property or site is listed, or is eligible for listing, in the National Register of Historic Places. The SHPO’s eligibility determination should be included in an appendix to the application. If a property is eligible for or listed in the National Register, the applicant should, if possible, also include in an appendix to the application the SHPO’s written comments as to the effect of the project on the building or site, in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the Secretary of the Interior’s “ Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings”(109-page PDF).
Additionally, applicants who receive NEH challenge grant funds for renovation and construction projects on property or sites listed, or eligible for listing, in the National Register of Historic Places must provide NEH with assistance in carrying out its responsibilities under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, 16 U.S.C. Section 470f, as amended. For all funded renovation and construction projects, Section 106 requires NEH to conduct a review to determine whether historic properties will be affected. If historic properties will be adversely affected by a project, Section 106 requires that NEH consult with the State Historic Preservation Officer and the applicant to avoid, minimize, or mitigate the adverse effect.
The Section 106 review process is initiated once NEH makes a decision to fund an application for renovation and construction projects on property or sites listed, or eligible for listing, in the National Register of Historic Places. If such an application is selected for funding, the NEH Office of Grant Management will contact the applicant with a request for any additional information about the project that might be needed for Section 106 review. Once this information is received, NEH will conduct a review and determine whether further action is needed in order to comply with Section 106. The length of the Section 106 review process varies for each project. However, applicants can minimize the length of the review process by familiarizing themselves with Section 106 and by submitting required documentation with the Challenge Grant application. NEH is not permitted to release any grant funds until the Section 106 process has concluded.
For more information on the Section 106 review process, the required documentation, and the responsibilities of an applicant prior to and during the Section 106 review, please read the Section 106 FAQs, or contact the NEH Federal Preservation Officer by e-mail at FPO@neh.gov, by phone at 202-606-8309, or by mail sent to Federal Preservation Officer, Office of Challenge Grants, Room 420, National Endowment for the Humanities, 1100 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20506.
Wage Rates for Renovation and Construction
If any NEH challenge grant funds, federal or nonfederal, will be used for renovation and construction projects, the institution must comply with the Davis-Bacon Act.
Applicants should indicate in the narrative their awareness of and plans to meet the special requirements for renovation and construction projects.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION VIA GRANTS.GOV
Register or Verify Registration with Grants.gov
Applications for this program must be submitted via Grants.gov. Before using Grants.gov for the first time, each organization must register with the Web site to create an institutional profile. Once registered, your organization can then apply for any government grant on the Grants.gov Web site.
If your organization has already registered and you have verified that your registration is still valid, you may skip this step. If not, please see the Grants.gov checklist to guide you through the registration process. We strongly recommend that you complete or verify your registration at least two weeks before the application deadline, as it takes time for your registration to be processed. If you have problems registering with Grants.gov, call the Grants.gov help desk at 1-800-518-4726.
Download the Free Adobe Reader software
To fill out a Grants.gov application package, you will need to download and install the current version of Adobe Reader. The latest version of Adobe Reader, which is designed to function with PCs and Macintosh computers using a variety of popular operating systems, is available at no charge from the Adobe Web site (www.adobe.com). Click on “Get Adobe Reader” and then “Download Now.”
Once installed, the current version of Adobe Reader will allow you to view and fill out Grants.gov application packages for any federal agency. If you have a problem installing Adobe Reader, it may be because you do not have permission to install a new program on your computer. Many organizations have rules about installing new programs. If you encounter a problem, contact your system administrator.
Download the Application Package
To submit your application, you will need to download the application package from the Grants.gov Web site. You can download the application package at any time. (You do not have to wait for your Grants.gov registration to be complete.) Click the button at the right to download the package.
Save the application package to your computer’s hard drive. To open the application package, select the file and double click. You do not have to be online to work on it.
You can save your application package at any time by clicking the “Save” button at the top of your screen. Tip: If you choose to save your application package before you have completed all the required forms, you may receive an error message indicating that your application is not valid. Click “OK” to save your work and complete the package another time. You can also use e-mail to share the application package with members of your organization or project team.
The application package contains four forms that you must complete in order to submit your application:
  1. Application for Federal Domestic Assistance - Short Organizational (SF-424 Short)—this form asks for basic information about the project, the project director, and the institution.
  2. Supplementary Cover Sheet for NEH Grant Programs—this form asks for additional information about the project director, the institution, and the budget.
  3. Project/Performance Site Location(s)—this form asks for information about the primary site(s) at which grant activities will take place.
  4. NEH Attachment Form—this form allows you to attach your narrative, budget, and the other parts of your application.
To assist applicants, Grants.gov provides a helpful troubleshooting page.
How to Fill Out the SF-424 Short Form
Select the form from the menu and double click to open it. In items 6, 7, 8, and 9 below, NEH recommends that the project title, brief project description, project director’s name, primary contact/grants administrator’s name, and authorized representative’s name be typed directly onto the form, instead of being pasted in; pasted-in quotation marks, diacriticals, and other symbols are often converted into question marks during transmittal.
Please provide the following information:
  1. Name of Federal Agency: This will be filled in automatically with “National Endowment for the Humanities.”
  2. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: This will be filled in automatically with the CFDA number and title of the NEH program to which you are applying.
  3. Date Received: Please leave blank.
  4. Funding Opportunity Number: This will be filled in automatically.
  5. Applicant Information: In this section, please supply the name, address, employer/taxpayer identification number (EIN/TIN), DUNS number, Web site address, and congressional district of the institution. Also choose the “type” that best describes your institution (you only need to select one).
    If your institution is located, for example, in the 5th Congressional District of your state, put a “5.” If your institution doesn’t have a congressional district (e.g., it is in a state or U.S. territory that doesn’t have districts or is in a foreign country), put a “0” (zero).
    All institutions applying to federal grant programs are required to provide a DUNS number, issued by Dun & Bradstreet, as part of their application. Project directors should contact their institution’s grants administrator or chief financial officer to obtain their institution’s DUNS number. Federal grant applicants can obtain a DUNS number free of charge by calling 1-866-705-5711. (Learn more about the requirement.)
  6. Project Information: Provide the title of your project. Your title should be brief (no more than 125 characters), descriptive, and substantive. It should also be informative to a nonspecialist audience. Provide a brief (no more than one thousand characters) description of your project. The description should be written for a nonspecialist audience and clearly state the importance of the proposed work and its relation to larger issues in the humanities. List the starting and ending dates for your project.
  7. Project Director: Provide the last four digits of the Social Security Number, name, title, mailing address, e-mail address, and telephone and fax numbers for the project director.
    Disclosure of Social Security Numbers is optional. NEH uses them for internal application processing only.
  8. Primary Contact/Grants Administrator: Provide the contact information for the official responsible for the administration of the grant (i.e., negotiating the project budget and ensuring compliance with the terms and conditions of the award). This person is often a grants or research officer, or a sponsored programs official. Normally, the Primary Contact/Grants Administrator is not the same person as the Project Director. If the project director and the grants administrator are the same person, skip to Item 9.
  9. Authorized Representative: Provide the contact information for the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) who is submitting the application on behalf of the institution. This person, often called an “Authorizing Official,” is typically the president, vice president, executive director, provost, or chancellor. In order to become an AOR, the person must be designated by the institution’s E-Business Point of Contact. For more information, please consult the Grants.gov user guide, which is available at www.grants.gov/applicants/resources.jsp.
How to Fill Out the Supplementary Cover Sheet for NEH Grant Programs
Select the form from the menu and double click to open it. Please provide the following information:
  1. Project Director: Use the pull-down menu to select the major field of study for the project director.
  2. Institution Information: Use the pull-down menu to select your type of institution.
  3. Project Funding: Enter your project funding information. Note that applicants for Challenge Grants should use the right column only; applicants to all other programs should use the left column only.
  4. Application Information: Indicate whether the proposal will be submitted to other NEH grant programs, government agencies, or private entities for funding. If so, please indicate where and when. NEH frequently cosponsors projects with other funding sources. Providing this information will not prejudice the review of your application.
    For Type of Application, check “new” if the application requests a new period of funding, whether for a new project or the next phase of a project previously funded by NEH. Check “supplement” if the application requests additional funding for a current NEH grant. If requesting a supplement, provide the current grant number. Before submitting an application for a supplement, applicants should discuss their request with an NEH program officer.
    For Project Field Code, use the pull-down menu to select the humanities field of the project. If the project is multidisciplinary, choose the field that corresponds to the project’s predominant discipline.
How to Fill Out the Project/Performance Site Location(s) Form
Select the form from the menu and double click to open it. Please provide the requested information. Instructions for each requested data element may be viewed by positioning your cursor over the blank field.
How to Use the NEH Attachment Form
You will use this form to attach the files that make up your application.
Your attachments must be in Portable Document Format (.pdf). We cannot accept attachments in their original word processing or spreadsheet formats. If you don’t already have software to convert your files into PDFs, many low-cost and free software packages will do so. To learn more, go to www.neh.gov/grants/grantsgov/pdf.html.
When you open the NEH Attachment Form, you will find fifteen attachment buttons, labeled “Attachment 1” through “Attachment 15.” By clicking on a button, you will be able to choose the file from your computer that you wish to attach. You must name and attach your files in the proper order so that we can identify them. Please attach the proper file to the proper button as listed below:
ATTACHMENT 1: To this button, please attach your table of contents. Name the file “contents.pdf”.
ATTACHMENT 2: To this button, please attach your one-page abstract. Name the file “abstract.pdf”.
ATTACHMENT 3: To this button, please attach your budget. Name the file “budget.pdf”.
ATTACHMENT 4: To this button, please attach your one-page institutional fact summary. Name the file “institutionalsummary.pdf”.
ATTACHMENT 5: To this button, please attach your financial summary. Name the file “financialsummary.pdf”.
ATTACHMENT 6: To this button, please attach your narrative. Name the file “narrative.pdf”.
ATTACHMENT 7: To this button, please attach your lists of trustees and staff. Name the file “trusteesstaff.pdf”.
ATTACHMENT 8: To this button please attach your project director’s résumé (and the job descriptions or résumés for any positions being supported by the grant). Name the file “resume.pdf”.
ATTACHMENT 9: To this button, please attach your letters of support. Name the file “letters.pdf”.
Use the remaining buttons to attach any additional materials (if appropriate). Please give these attachments meaningful file names and ensure that they are PDFs.
UPLOADING YOUR APPLICATION TO GRANTS.GOV
When you have completed all four forms, use the right-facing arrow to move each of them to the “Mandatory Documents for Submission” column. Once they have been moved over, the “Submit” button will activate. You are now ready to upload your application package to Grants.gov.
During the registration process, your institution designated one or more AORs (Authorized Organization Representatives). These AORs typically work in your institution’s Sponsored Research Office or Grants Office. When you have completed your application, you must ask your AOR to submit the application, using the special username and password that were assigned to him or her during the registration process.
To submit your application, your computer must have an active connection to the Internet. To begin the submission process, click the “Submit” button. A page will appear, asking you to sign and submit your application. At this point, your AOR will enter his or her username and password. When you click the “Sign and Submit Application” button, your application package will be uploaded to Grants.gov. Please note that it may take some time to upload your application package, depending on the size of your files and the speed of your Internet connection.
After the upload is complete, a confirmation page will appear. This page, which includes a tracking number, indicates that you have submitted your application to Grants.gov. Please print this page for your records. The AOR will also receive a confirmation e-mail message.
NEH suggests that you submit your application no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the day of the deadline. Doing so will leave you time to contact the Grants.gov help desk for support, should you encounter a technical problem of some kind.  The Grants.gov help desk is now available seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day except on federal holidays), at 1-800-518-4726. You can also send an e-mail message to support@grants.gov.
To assist applicants, Grants.gov provides a helpful troubleshooting page.
How to Submit Supplementary Materials
If you are sending supplementary materials, please include in your Grants.gov submission a list of the materials to be sent separately. Send the materials to:
Office of Challenge Grants
National Endowment for the Humanities
Room 420
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20506
202-606-8309
Clearly indicate the name of your institution on the envelope.
Supplementary materials should be sent by a commercial delivery service to ensure that they arrive by the receipt deadline. NEH continues to experience lengthy delays in the delivery of mail by the U.S. Postal Service.
If you wish to have the materials returned to you, please include a self-addressed, pre-paid mailer.
DEADLINES
Draft proposals (optional): Staff recommends that draft proposals be submitted at least six weeks before the deadline. Staff may not be able to review drafts submitted after that date. Draft proposals (including the narrative, the budget, and the list of the names and affiliations of those people who will write letters of support) may be submitted by e-mail attachment (challenge@neh.gov), fax (202-606-8579), or overnight mail (Office of Challenge Grants, NEH Room 420, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20506, 202-606-8309). Staff comments on draft proposals are not part of the formal review process and have no bearing on the final outcome of the proposal, but previous applicants have found them helpful in strengthening their applications.
Applications must be received by Grants.gov by February 3, 2010. Grants.gov will date- and time-stamp your application after it is fully uploaded. Applications submitted after that date will not be accepted. Supplementary materials must also arrive at NEH by February 3, 2010, to be considered as part of the application.
Challenge Grants in United States History and Culture timetable:
September 1, 2009 Date prior to the February deadline from which advance fund-raising may count toward the matching requirement.
Six weeks before deadline Target date for submission of draft proposals for comment by NEH staff.
February 3, 2010 Receipt deadline for applications.
September 2010 Notification of awards.
July 31 Annual date by which the grantee must submit certification of the gifts required to claim each year’s installment of federal funds.
Application Review
Applications are evaluated according to the following criteria listed below:
  1. The significance of the humanities activities
    What is the evidence that the current and planned activities—particularly those that will be affected by the challenge grant—are significant and that their intellectual quality is high? Why are these activities important, and to whom? How do the activities enhance the exploration of United States history and culture?
  2. The appropriateness of the resources and plans
    What evidence is there of realistic long-range institutional planning to advance and/or disseminate humanistic knowledge? Is the institution, through its mission, personnel, governance, facilities, and resources, capable of sustaining outstanding activities in the humanities, especially with regard to programs that increase knowledge of the history and culture of the United States? What evidence (such as letters of support) is there of sufficient institutional and community commitment to the long-range plans?
  3. The impact of the challenge grant funds
    What impact will grant funds have on strengthening and improving the understanding of United States history and culture? Is the mode of expenditure (endowment, direct, combined) appropriate to the humanities-related costs and to the nature of the activities to be supported? Are the planned challenge grant expenditures (federal and nonfederal combined) described clearly and in detail? How will the NEH challenge grant sustain and enhance significant humanities activities over the long term? How will the institution assess the impact of the challenge grant?
  4. The feasibility of fundraising
    Does the institution provide evidence or promise of long-term financial stability? Do the institution’s resources, leadership, staff, and experience augur well for its ability to conduct a successful campaign to meet the NEH matching requirement? What evidence is offered that the fundraising plan is feasible? Will the fundraising strategy broaden the base of institutional support?
Review and selection process
Knowledgeable persons outside NEH will read each application and advise the agency about its merits. NEH staff comments on matters of fact or on significant issues that otherwise would be missing from these reviews, then makes recommendations to the National Council on the Humanities. The National Council meets at various times during the year to advise the NEH chairman on grants. The chairman takes into account the advice provided by the review process and, by law, makes all funding decisions.
Award Administration Information
Award notices
Applicants will be notified by mail in September, approximately seven months after the application deadline. Applicants may obtain the evaluations of their applications by sending a letter or e-mail message to the Office of Challenge Grants, Room 420, NEH, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20506 or challenge@neh.gov.
Administrative requirements
More detailed information on eligible gifts and the mechanics of challenge grant administration is offered in the booklet Administration of NEH Challenge Grants, which may be obtained from the NEH Web site or the Office of Challenge Grants. Applicants should obtain this document if they plan to solicit and collect eligible matching gifts in anticipation of receiving an NEH Challenge Grant in United States History and Culture.
Before submitting an application, applicants should review their responsibilities as an award recipient .
Award conditions
The requirements for awards are contained in the Administration of NEH Challenge Grants, any specific terms and conditions contained in the offer letter, OMB Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations, and the Challenge Grant Audit Guidelines.
Reporting requirements
A schedule of report due dates will be included with the award document.
Interim and final financial and performance reports will be required. Further details can be found in the Administration of NEH Challenge Grants.
Points of Contact
If you have questions about the program, contact:
Office of Challenge Grants
National Endowment for the Humanities
Room 420
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20506
202-606-8309 or challenge@neh.gov
If you need help using Grants.gov, contact:
Grants.gov: www.grants.gov
Grants.gov help desk: support@grants.gov
Grants.gov customer support tutorials and manuals: www.grants.gov/applicants/resources.jsp
Grant.gov support line: 1-800-518-GRANTS (4726)
Grants.gov troubleshooting tips
Other Information
Privacy policy
Information in these guidelines is solicited under the authority of the National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities Act of 1965, as amended, 20 U.S.C. 956. The principal purpose for which the information will be used is to process the grant application. The information may also be used for statistical research, analysis of trends, and Congressional oversight. Failure to provide the information may result in the delay or rejection of the application.
Application completion time
The Office of Management and Budget requires federal agencies to supply information on the time needed to complete forms and also to invite comments on the paperwork burden. NEH estimates that the average time to complete this application is fifteen hours per response. This estimate includes time for reviewing instructions, researching, gathering, and maintaining the information needed, and completing and reviewing the application.
Please send any comments regarding the estimated completion time or any other aspect of this application, including suggestions for reducing the completion time, to the Office of Publications, National Endowment for the Humanities, Washington, D.C. 20506; and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (3136-0134), Washington, D.C. 20503. According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB number.