Promotion of the Humanities_Research

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Program Accomplishments

In FY 08, 206 applications were received; 45 awards were made.

Uses and Use Restrictions

Collaborative Research and Scholarly Editions grants support up to three years of research.

Awards support direct costs, including salaries, travel, supplies, and appropriate research assistance and consultation.

Grants also support fellowships offered through independent research centers and institutions and through digital humanities centers.

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Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

For Collaborative Research and Scholarly Editions, institutions of higher education, nonprofit professional associations, scholarly societies, and other nonprofit organizations in the United States may apply, as may eligible individuals (U.S.

citizens and foreign nationals who have been living in the United States or its jurisdictions for at least the three years immediately prior to the time of application).

For support of fellowship programs, U.S.

independent research centers, scholarly societies, and international research organizations with existing fellowship programs may apply.

For digital humanities fellowships, digital humanities centers affiliated with either American institutions of higher education or U.S.

nonprofit organizations or institutions with IRS 501 (C) (3) tax exempt status may apply.

Individual scholar eligibility is the same as described above.

Beneficiary Eligibility

U.S. citizens and residents, State and local governments, sponsored organizations, public and private nonprofit institutions/organizations, other public institutions/organizations, Federally recognized Indian tribal governments, Native American organizations, U.S. territories; non-governmental-general; minority organizations, other specialized groups; and quasi-public nonprofit institutions benefit.

Credentials/Documentation

Cost will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments. Costs will also be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-122 for nonprofit organizations and OMB Circular No. A-21 for educational institutions.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Prior to submitting a proposal, applicants are encouraged to contact program officers who can offer advice about preparing the proposal, 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 applicants in other programs have found them helpful in strengthening their applications.

Program staff recommend that draft proposals be submitted six weeks before the deadline.

Time restraints may prevent staff from reviewing draft proposals submitted after that date.

Draft proposals may be submitted by e-mail attachment to: odh@neh.gov This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.

12372.

Application Procedures

Applications to NEH must be submitted via Grants.gov. NEH application instructions are available online (http://www.neh.gov/grants/grants.html) or upon request to the Division of Research Programs. This program is subject to the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-110.

Award Procedures

Applications are reviewed by subject area specialists, panels of scholars, and other appropriate individuals outside the agency. Awards are made by the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities after recommendation by the National Council on the Humanities.

Deadlines

October 16 and April 2 for Digital Humanities Start-Up Grant applications; April 9 for Institutes for Advanced Topics in the Digital Humanities applications; and July 15 for NEH/DOE Humanities High Performance Computing Program applications. E-Mail the Office of Digital Humanities for specific information.

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.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

For Collaborative Research, Scholarly Editions and fellowship programs offered through independent research centers and international research organizations, approximately seven months. For Fellowships at Digital Humanities Centers, approximately six months.

Appeals

None, but applicant may reapply with a revised proposal.

Renewals

Renewal applications are eligible; they are evaluated in competition with new applications.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Cost sharing consists of the cash contributions made to the project by the applicant, third parties and other federal agencies, as well as third party in-kind contributions, such as donated services and goods. Cost sharing includes gift money that will be raised to release federal matching funds. Cost sharing is not required. NEH, however, is rarely able to support the full costs of projects approved for funding. Consult the individual program guidelines for more information.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Up to 36 months for Collaborative Research, Scholarly Editions, and Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions. Funds are released as required and must be expended during the grant period. For Fellowships at Digital Humanities Centers, six to twelve months.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

For Collaborative Research, Scholarly Editions, and Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions: Progress reports are required at least annually, no more frequently than quarterly.

Cash reports are required quarterly.

Final progress and expenditure reports are due within 90 days after completion or termination of project support by NEH.

For Fellowships at Digital Humanities Centers: Cash reports are required quarterly.

A final performance report from the center that incorporates a report by the visiting fellow is required.

Final performance and financial status reports are due within 90 days after the completion date of the award period.

Audits

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

Documentation of expenditures and other fiscal records must be retained for three years following the submission of the final expenditure report.

Financial Information

Account Identification

59-0200-0-1-503.

Obigations

FY 07 $8,969,769*; FY 08 est $7,371,000; and FY 09 est $7,371,000. *Includes additional funding provided by NEH Treasury matching grants and by We the People. See 45.168 PROMOTION OF THE HUMANITIES-WE THE PEOPLE.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

FY 07 from $17,000 to $450,000; $190,000 average.

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).

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

Not applicable.

Headquarters Office

Division of Research Programs, Room 318, National Endowment for the Humanities, Washington, DC 20506. Telephone: (202) 606-8200.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

For Collaborative Research, the principal criteria considered by evaluators are: (1) Intellectual significance of the project, including its potential contribution to scholarship in the humanities; the likelihood that it will stimulate new research; its relationship to larger themes in the humanities; and the significance of the material on which the project is based. (2) Pertinence of the research questions being posed, the appropriateness of research methods, translation approaches, or conference design; the appropriateness of the technology employed in the project; the feasibility of the work plan; in the case of translation projects, the quality of samples, e.g., their content, accuracy, readability, and the clarity and helpfulness of annotations; and the appropriateness of the field work to be undertaken, the archival or source materials to be studied, and the research site. (3) Qualifications, expertise, and levels of commitment of the project director and key project staff or contributors. (4) Soundness of the dissemination and access plans, including benefit to the audience identified in the proposal and the strength of the case for employing print, microform, digital format, or a combination of media; and in the case of archaeology projects, the likelihood that the project will produce an interpretive study. All other considerations being equal, preference will be given to projects that provide free, online access to digital materials produced with grant funds. (5) Potential for success, including the likelihood that the work proposed will be completed within the projected time frame; where appropriate, the project's previous record of success; and the reasonableness of the proposed budget in relation to anticipated results. For Scholarly Editions, the principal criteria considered by evaluators are: (1) The intellectual significance of the proposed work, including its potential contribution to scholarship in the humanities; the likelihood that it will stimulate new research; its relationship to larger themes or issues in the humanities; and the significance of the material on which the project is based. (2) The appropriateness of the research methods, critical apparatus, and editorial policies; the appropriateness of selection criteria; the thoroughness and feasibility of the work plan; the quality of the samples, e.g., their content and accuracy; and the clarity and helpfulness of annotation. (3) The qualifications, expertise, and levels of commitment of the project director and key project staff or contributors. (4) The soundness of the dissemination and access plans, including benefit to the audience identified in the proposal; the strength of the case for producing print volumes, microform, electronic format, or a combination of media; and the appropriateness of the technology to be used. All other considerations being equal, preference will be given to projects that provide free, online access to digital materials produced with grant funds. (5) The potential for success, including the likelihood that the proposed project will be successfully completed within the projected time frame; when appropriate, the edition's previous record of success; and the reasonableness of the budget in relation to its likely results. For Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions, the principal criteria considered by evaluators are: (1) How important to the advancement of the humanities is the fellowship program for which funding is requested? (2) Are fellows likely to pursue their research more successfully because of the research collections, facilities, services, and other resources provided by the applicant institution? In the case of centers with residential programs, does the application provide evidence that the fellows' projects benefit significantly from the location of the center and the intellectual exchange among the fellows? (3) How strong is the institution's previous record in offering fellowships? Have former fellows been productive? Have the scholarly contributions resulting from their FPIRI fellowships been of value to scholars and general audiences in the humanities? (4) Is the fellowship selection process, including the choosing of selection committee members, expert and objective? (5) Does the application make a persuasive case for the amount of NEH support requested for fellowships? (6) How effective is the publicity for the competition for fellowships? (7) How effective is the administration of the fellowship program? Is the institution's research misconduct policy adequate? (8) Are there ways in which the fellowship program could be improved? For Fellowships at Digital Humanities Centers, the principal criteria considered by evaluators are: (1) The intellectual significance of the project, including its value to scholars and general audiences in the humanities. (2) The quality or promise of quality of the visiting fellow's work in the digital humanities. (3) The appropriateness of the proposed collaboration between fellow and center, including the quality of resources provided by the center, the anticipated intellectual contribution of the fellow to the center, and the potential benefit to the fellow. (4) The feasibility of the proposed work plan, including the sustainability of the project beyond the grant period. (5) The accessibility and interoperability of the final product. All other considerations being equal, preference will be given to projects that provide free online access to digital materials produced with grant funds.