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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

45.130:  Promotion of the Humanities: Challenge Grants

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 their first NEH challenge grant must raise at least three dollars in new donations from nonfederal sources to receive each Federal dollar. Institutions requesting subsequent challenge grants must raise at least four dollars for each Federal dollar.

PROGRAM AND AWARD	FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS	FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.
APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS	INFORMATION CONTACTS
RELATED PROGRAMS	ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS
PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS	POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

45.130 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  Any public or private 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; educational, cultural, State humanities councils, or community groups. 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 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.

45.130 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:  None required, but preliminary discussion with Endowment staff and the submission of a draft application at least eight weeks before the deadline are strongly encouraged. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102 and E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:  Direct application to the Office of Challenge Grants, NEH. Application instructions provided by this office upon receipt of general inquiry. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110.

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 1 of each year and special deadlines as announced. Deadlines are receipt deadlines. Write or call the NEH Office of Challenge Grants.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  Seven months (about 210 days) after deadline.

Appeals:  None, but applicant may request written reasons for rejection and reapply with revised proposal to a subsequent application deadline.

Renewals:  Eligibility to apply for a subsequent award begins in the fourth fiscal year after the close of the previous challenge grant.

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 impact of challenge grant funds. (3) The appropriateness of institutional resources and plans. (4) The feasibility of fund raising. Applicants for second or subsequent awards must describe and assess the effects of their prior awards.

Examples of Funded Projects:  (1) A community college will use its $500,000 challenge grant to endow a humanities institute in partnership with a major museum. (2) A public broadcasting station will use its $400,000 challenge grant to establish an endowment for the production, acquisition, and promotion of humanities programming. (3) A public library will use its $400,000 challenge grant to establish an endowment for its public programs and the maintenance of its special collections devoted to its State's literature and history. (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) An independent research library is using its $625,000 for building renovation and to endow conservation activities and information technologies.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  Applicants may request up to $1,000,000 in Federal funds over three years. In fiscal year 1999, the largest award offered was $625,000, the smallest was $25,000; and the average award was about $353,000.

45.130 RELATED PROGRAMS:

None.

45.130 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

In fiscal year 1999, 112 applications were received and 30 awards were made. For fiscal year 2000, 100 applications are anticipated and about 25 awards will be made.

45.130 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency:  NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES, NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES

Type of Assistance:  Project Grants.

Obligations:  (Grants) FY 99 $11,330,850; FY 00 est $10,259,000; and FY 01 est $10,530,000.

Budget Account Number:  59-0200-0-1-503.

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

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature:  45 CFR 1100 and 1105. Applications and guidelines, as well as a publication entitled "Overview of Endowment Programs," are available upon request from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Room 409, Washington, DC 20506. Available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, is the Endowment's official publication, "Humanities" by subscription (six issues annually, $16.00 domestic, $20.00 foreign).

45.130 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  Not applicable.

Headquarters Office:  Office of Challenge Grants, Room 420, National Endowment for the Humanities, Washington, DC 20506. (202) 606-8309. Use the same number for FTS.

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

45.130 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:  Matching by a minimum of three times the grant amount for institutions receiving their first challenge grant, and by a minimum of four times the grant amount for institutions receiving subsequent challenge grants, in new nonfederal contributions. Other matching ratios may be required for special initiatives, as announced. Source: Public Law 89-209, as amended; 20 U.S.C. 951; Arts and Humanities Cultural Act of 1976; Public Law 94-462. Contact: See Headquarters Office below.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:  From one to four years, as requested by the applicant. Funds must be expended during the grant period. 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.

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 a 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 and preferred expenditure of grant and matching funds is the creation of endowments. Also possible where the need is compelling are direct expenditures such as library acquisitions, technological enhancement, construction and renovation, debt retirement, and other costs clearly attributable to improvements in humanities programs and activities. Funds may not be used for general operating support or undergraduate scholarships and prizes or for projects eligible for support from other NEH programs.

45.130 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:  Narrative progress reports are required biennially; reports on nonfederal contributions, matching funds raised, and sources of giving are required annually. Final narrative and financial reports are due within 90 days after the grant ending date.

Audits:  In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that receive financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 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.