Guidelines for Grant Applications

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. The Humanities, Humanities Scholars, and Humanities Projects
3. Major Grant Categories
4. Minigrant Categories
5. General Grant Requirements
6. Completing the Major Grant Application Form
7. Completing the Minigrant Application Form
11. Budgets
14. Table of Categories, Maximum Awards, and Application Deadlines
15. Humanities Scholar Participation Agreement Form
16. Application for Qualification

1. Introduction

The mission of the Arkansas Humanities Council is to promote understanding and use of the humanities in Arkansas. This mission is rooted in our conviction that the humanities are among an array of resources available to Arkansans for personal and community enrichment. To help us to fulfill our mission, the council awards grants to nonprofit groups and organizations. Grant funds may be used to plan, conduct, and evaluate humanities projects for Arkansas audiences.Decisions on grant awards are made by the council’s board of directors. Twenty-four directors oversee the council’s programs, policies, and finances. The Governor appoints six directors, and the board elects eighteen directors. To nominate a candidate for our board, send a letter of nomination and the candidate’s resume to the council’s membership committee in care of the council’s office. The letter should explain the candidate’s qualifications and indicate that the candidate is willing to serve.

This booklet describes our competitive grant application process. It reflects council grant application guidelines in effect as of December 1, 2010. Any changes to these guidelines will be announced in the council’s newsletter, Reflections, and on its website. If you do not receive Reflections, we will be happy to add you to our mailing list. These guidelines and our application forms may be found on our website.

The council, periodically, awards grants in special categories. These special grant categories are announced in Reflections and on our website. We also explain the special grant categories in separate printed material. Contact us for more information.

Prospective applicants should contact council program staff before submitting grant applications. The program staff will answer questions about the application process, review and comment on application drafts, and provide information about changes in the guidelines.

For more information, please contact the Arkansas Humanities Council at 407 President Clinton Avenue, Suite 201, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201; telephone (501) 320-5761, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; website: arkhums.org.

The Arkansas Humanities Council is an Arkansas nonprofit corporation. The Internal Revenue Service has determined that the council is a public charity under the provisions of section 501 (c) 3 of the Internal Revenue code. Financial support for the council is provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities, an independent agency of the United States Government.

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2. The Humanities

Humanities fields of study include archeology, comparative religion, cultural anthropology, ethics and philosophy, history, history or criticism of the arts, history and philosophy of law, languages, literature, political science, and some branches of economics, geography, psychology, and sociology.

The term humanities does not refer to specific philosophies, such as secular humanism, or specific social practices, such as humanitarian efforts to improve society.

Humanities Scholars

Humanities scholars have become experts through formal education, research, writing and teaching. Humanities scholars usually have masters or doctoral degrees and may be employed by colleges, universities, museums, historical societies, government agencies, elementary and secondary schools, and similar organizations and institutions.

Some humanities scholars have become experts through non-traditional means and may work independently. Scholars who may become experts through non-traditional means include tradition bearers and local community historians. The important characteristics of humanities scholars are that they have appropriate training and experience in a humanities field of study and that they are recognized by other experts in their fields as authorities in a particular humanities field of study.

Humanities scholars must be involved in planning, implementing, and evaluating projects funded by the council.

Humanities Projects

The Arkansas Humanities Council believes that all Arkansans can benefit when local groups and humanities scholars work together to plan, conduct, and evaluate humanities projects, and we provide grants for these projects. We award grants for projects that reach as many people as possible who do not normally encounter the humanities in their daily lives, professions, and college or university studies.

There are examples of humanities projects described in our newsletter and on our website. The council encourages the development of innovative projects that meet the needs of specific Arkansas audiences.

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3. Major Grant Categories

Public Programs

Public programs involve interaction between humanities scholars and Arkansas audiences. Formats for public programs include, but are not limited to, lectures, discussion programs, workshops, conferences, guided tours, film series and discussions, or any other imaginative means of bringing together humanities scholars and specific Arkansas audiences to examine and discuss ideas, texts, or objects from the perspective of the humanities.

There is no specified maximum for public program major grants.

Research

The council awards grants to non-profit organizations for individual or collaborative research on topics in Arkansas prehistory, history, and culture to nonprofit organizations and groups. The council does not award grants to individuals. The results of research must be of interest or value to audiences outside the academic community as well as within it.

The maximum major grant for research by an individual scholar is $2,000. There is no specified maximum for collaborative research projects, such as a countywide oral history project involving the members of a local organization and directed by a humanities scholar or team of humanities scholars.

Publications

Grants are awarded by the council to non-profit organizations for costs associated with the publication of scholarly books on topics in Arkansas prehistory, history, and culture. The council expects that books supported through this category will be of interest to audiences outside the academic community as well as within it. Preference will be given to manuscripts selected by presses that make publication decisions based on refereed peer reviews.

The maximum publication grant is $3,500.

Media Projects

Projects that focus on Arkansas, prehistory, history, and culture and involve collaboration between humanities scholars and experienced media specialists are eligible for grants from the council.

The maximum production grant is $25,000. The maximum preproduction grant is $5,000. There is no specified maximum grant for other media projects.

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4. Minigrant Categories

Planning Minigrants

The council believes in the value of good project planning and realizes that some planning processes incur expenses. Applicants who intend to collaborate with humanities scholars to plan a humanities project for which they will seek major grant funding from the council may apply for a planning grant. Applicants who receive a planning grant must subsequently develop a written plan that will be the basis for a major grant application. Applicants who receive planning grants may also receive technical assistance from council staff.

Applications for planning minigrants of up to $1,000 are due the first of every month except December. The proposed planning project may begin no earlier than the 15th day of the month following the month in which the application is submitted.

Public Program Minigrants
The council awards grants for lectures, workshops, and other public programs that require a small amount of money and that involve time constraints that make it impossible to apply for public program major grants.

Applications for public program minigrants of up to $1,500 are due the first of every month except December. The proposed project may begin no earlier than the 15th day of the month following the month in which the application is submitted.

Research Minigrants

The council awards grants for research projects that require a small amount of money and that involve time constraints that make it impossible to apply for a research major grant.

Applications for research minigrants of up to $1,500 are due the first of every month except December. The proposed project may begin no earlier than the 15th day of the month following the month in which the application is submitted.

Special Initiative Minigrants

The council also awards grants for other projects that require a small amount of money and that involve time constraints that make it impossible to apply for public program major grants. For more information on special initiative minigrants, please contact the Arkansas Humanities Council at 407 President Clinton Avenue, Suite 201, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201; telephone (501) 320-5761, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; website: arkhums.org.

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5. General Grant Requirements

The Arkansas Humanities Council board of directors awards grants to non-profit organizations for humanities projects intended to serve specific Arkansas audiences. Grant awards are based on written applications submitted by specific deadlines. Our program staff will work with applicants to develop competitive proposals.

An application for a grant includes a completed application form plus attachments. In order to apply for a grant, your group should take the following steps:

1. Confirm that you are eligible for a grant, as we award grants to groups or organizations formed for nonprofit purposes, not to individuals. To confirm your eligibility, your group or organization must complete an Application for Qualification. The council’s board of directors will not consider a grant application unless the applicant has an approved Application for Qualification on file with us. Once an approved Application is on file with the council, you do not need to submit one for future grant applications unless the status of your organization changes. The Application for Qualification is found on the last page of this booklet.
2. Choose and meet with a humanities scholar, who must be involved in planning, implementing, and evaluating your project.
3. Choose a project category.
4. Choose and complete the appropriate grant application form. You must submit the budget summary included in the application form.
5. Complete a budget explanation and the other attachments required for the project category under which you are applying. Your budget explanation should use the same outline that is used on the budget page. Council funds may account for no more than half the total price of a project.
6. Submit the original grant application form and attachments. The application must have an original signature of the authorizing official for the applicant organization.
7. Meet the appropriate deadline. Applications must be postmarked by the deadline or delivered to the council office by 4:00 p.m. on the day of the deadline. If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, applications must be postmarked or delivered by 4:00 p.m. on the following workday.

The following activities are not eligible for funding from the Arkansas Humanities Council:

• Social, religious, or political action programs that advocate a specific point of view
• Projects primarily intended to promote an organization or its programs
• Construction, preservation, or renovation of buildings, bridges, or roads
• International travel and travel to professional meetings
• Creative or performing arts, unless interpretation by humanities scholars is central to these projects
• Entertainment, including receptions at public events
• Scholarly conferences that do not have a strong public outreach component
• Regular college courses offered for credit or research for dissertations

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6. Completing the Major Grant Application Form

Sections 1 – 10

These sections of the major grant application forms are self-explanatory.

Section 11

Use this section to tell us what will occur during the proposed grant period. Tell us who will be involved in the project. Tell us what will be done by the project participants and when and where they will do it.

Section 12

Use this section of the major grant application to:

A. Describe how the project was planned. Tell us how your humanities scholar(s) and representatives of your audience were involved in planning your project.

B. Explain the humanities content of your project. The explanation should describe the public program presentations, discussions, and other activities; the substance of research; and any products that will result from publication and media projects. If the projects develop materials that might be useful to researchers, tell us how those materials, such as oral histories and research notes, will be preserved and made available to potential users. This explanation does not apply to copies of materials, such as video and audio productions, that the applicant is required to deposit with the council.

C. List the names of your principal humanities scholars. List the scholars’ humanities fields of study. Tell us what each scholar will do during your proposed project period. Attach a Humanities Scholar Participation Agreement form signed by those scholars giving their approval to participate and including their understanding of the responsibilities they will assume. (You must have at least one principal humanities scholar). The Humanities Scholar Participation Agreement form is found on page 15 of these guidelines.

D. Describe the specific Arkansas audience your project is designed to serve. Tell us how those audience members or participants will be selected, if project activities will be open to a limited number of audience members. Estimate the number of people who will be served by your project.

E. Discuss your plans for publicizing your project. Publicity for approved projects, as well as project products such as books and films, must acknowledge the Arkansas Humanities Council. (Grantees will receive instructions regarding the language of the required acknowledgements).

F. Discuss your plan for evaluating how well your project accomplishes its purposes. List the names of your evaluation committee members. Your evaluation committee should include at least one humanities scholar, one representative of your audience, and one person involved in planning your project. It should not be made up exclusively of those involved in planning or conducting the project or of those employed by the applicant organization.

Budget Page

Use part A to provide information about all income that that you plan to use for the project during the proposed grant period. There are four categories of income:

• Cash from the applicant’s own funds
• In-kind contributions from applicant (In-kind contributions may include the dollar value of services, goods, and space contributed by third parties).
• Cash and in-kind contributions from third parties
• Grants funds requested from the Arkansas Humanities Council

Use part B to summarize all expenses that will be incurred during the proposed grant period.

Primary Attachments

(These attachments should accompany applications in every category.)

Budget explanation

Use this attachment to provide enough detail to show that project costs are reasonable and directly related to the project’s plan of activities.

Humanities Scholar Participation Agreement Form

This form must be completed and signed by each scholar participating in your project. The scholar may also attach a letter or vitae with information relevant to the project.

Secondary Attachments for Specific Categories

Public programs

Attach a detailed outline of the format and schedule of events for each program in the project. Include names, dates, locations, topics, and presentation and discussion techniques.

Research

Attach a detailed explanation of the rationale, plan, and timetable for conducting and presenting your research. You should be clear about why the proposed research is important. Include a description of source materials to be investigated and the research methods to be employed.

Publications

Attach a detailed explanation of how the manuscript was developed, including the nature and extent of the research that was involved. The applicant should identify existing scholarly treatments of the subject matter and explain the need for the proposed publication. Attach the author or editor’s resume, including bibliography. The resume should not exceed three pages. Attach a summary of plans for publication, including a timetable and a physical description of the proposed volumes. Attach a letter from the publisher indicating a commitment to publish and outlining plans for promotion and distribution of the manuscript. The letter should also describe publisher’s criteria for accepting a manuscript for publication.

Film and Video Preproduction

Attach a detailed description of the proposed collaboration between media specialists and humanities scholars during preproduction. Attach biographical summaries for production personnel that emphasize the person’s qualifications for the proposed project. Include letters from production personnel agreeing to participate in the manner described in the application. Attach a description of tentative plans for production and include information about production facilities and equipment.

Film and Video Production

Attach a detailed schedule of the preproduction, production, post-production, and distribution phases of the project. Attach one copy of the complete script or production treatment, along with a detailed explanation of how scholars and directors or scriptwriters collaborated or will collaborate in the development of the script or treatment. Describe the equipment and facilities to be used during the proposed grant period. Explain plans for presenting the film or video production and making it available through rental, sale, or donation. Attach resumes of key production personnel. Include letters from production personnel agreeing to participate in the manner described in the application.

Provide a copy of a recent work sample that indicates the capabilities of the production team. Summarize the content of the work sample and indicate who produced it, when and where the full production was completed, and the cost and length of the entire production.

Other Media Projects

Attach a detailed plan for the development of the proposed media project, including an explanation of exactly what humanities scholars will do during the proposed grant period. Attach brief biographical summaries for key production personnel. The summaries should be limited to two paragraphs and should emphasize the appropriateness of the person’s qualifications to the proposed project. Include letters from production personnel agreeing to participate in the manner described in the application.

Submit Application by the appropriate deadline. An original grant application with an original signature of the authorizing official and twenty-five copies of the application and attachments are required. The budget explanation should be the first attachment, and the pages of all attachments should be numbered consecutively.

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7. Completing the Minigrant Application Form

Sections 1 – 10

These sections of the minigrant application forms are self explanatory.

Section 11

If you are applying for a public program or research minigrant, use this section of the minigrant application to do the following:

• Tell us what will occur during the proposed grant period, who will be involved in the project, what will be done by the project participants, and when and where they will do it.
• Describe how the project was planned<
• Explain the humanities content of the project and how humanities scholar will be involved with the project during the proposed grant period
• Identify the audience to be served by the project and explain how the audience will benefit from the project.
• Describe plans for publicizing the project

If you are applying for a planning minigrant, use this section of the minigrant application to do the following:

• Describe the general concept of the project to be planned.
• Explain the objectives of the planning process, with emphasis on how planning will ensure that the humanities are central to the project.
• List the members of the planning committee

Section 12

If you are applying for a public program or research minigrant, use this section of the minigrant application to do the following:

A. Discuss your plan for evaluating how well your project accomplishes it purposes.

B. List the names of your evaluation committee members. Your evaluation committee should include at least one humanities scholar, one representative of your audience, and one person involved in planning your project. It should not be made up exclusively of those involved in planning or conducting the project or of those employed by the applicant organization.

Section 12 of the application form does not apply to planning minigrants.

Budget Page

Use part A to provide information about all income that that you plan to use for the project during the proposed grant period. There are four categories of income:

• Cash from the applicant’s own funds
• In-kind contributions from applicant (In-kind contributions may include the dollar value of services, goods, and space contributed by third parties).
• Cash and in-kind contributions from third parties
• Grants funds requested from the Arkansas Humanities Council

Use part B to summarize all expenses that will be incurred during the proposed grant period.

Primary Attachments

These attachments should accompany applications in every category.

Budget explanation

Use this attachment to provide enough detail to show that project costs are reasonable and directly related to the project’s plan of activities.

Humanities Scholar Participation Agreement Form

The form must be completed and signed by each scholar participating in your project. The scholar may also attach vitae relevant to the project.

Secondary Attachments for Specific Categories

Public Program

Attach a detailed outline of the format and schedule of events for each program in the project. Include names, dates, locations, topics, and presentation and discussion techniques.

Research

Attach an explanation of the rationale, plan, and timetable for conducting and presenting your research. Include a description of source materials to be investigated and the research methods to be employed.

Planning

Attach a proposed planning timetable that includes plans for applying for a major grant.

Submit Application by the appropriate deadline. An original grant application with an original signature of the authorizing official and seven copies of the application and attachments are required. The budget explanation should be the first attachment, and the pages of all attachments should be numbered consecutively.

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11. Budgets

• Council grant funds may account for no more than half the total cost of applicant’s project.
• Any net income generated during the project period as a result of project-related activities should be indicated in applicant’s final report. Net income will be applied by the council to project expenses or used to reduce cost of the council and the applicant.
• A proposed grant period longer than twelve months must be justified in the budget explanation.
• An applicant whose proposal is approved must designate a fiscal agent who will be responsible for authorizing expenses and receiving and spending grant funds according to the council’s requirements. The fiscal agent must sign all financial reports submitted to the council by the applicant. The project director may not serve as the fiscal agent.
• Grant funds may not be expended for alcoholic beverages.

Cost Share

• All cost-share and expenses for a project should occur during the proposed grant period. Applicants may use any combination of cash cost-share and in-kind cost-share to meet council requirements.
• Cash cost-share is the total of all cash expenditures for the project less the amount of council grant funds expended. All cost-share provided by the applicant is considered cash cost-sharing.
• In-kind cost-share is the cash value of services, goods, and space donated to the project by a third parties.

Personnel Costs

• Salary and wage expenditures on the budget page should include the services of the project director, staff of the applicant, and other salaried or hourly wage participants. The basis for salaries, wages and fringe benefits must be explained in the budget attachment.
• An honorarium is for project participants who will receive a fee for their services. The applicant must justify any honoraria or fees that exceed $750 for a single event. The fact that a speaker is widely recognized and considered to be important is not in and of itself justification for an increase in the honoraria for a single event.
• Council grant funds may not be used for stipends for teachers participating in seminars or institutes. Council grant funds may be used to cover a teacher’s direct costs, including reimbursement for personal automobile mileage, lodging, meals, and instructional materials. Council grant funds may be used for a participant’s seminar tuition if the sponsoring institution absorbs the cost of instruction, including faculty salaries and fringe benefits. Council grant funds may be used to cover the cost of seminar instruction if participant tuition is waived or paid with funds from a source other than the participants themselves.

Travel

• Travel costs, including transportation, meals, and lodging, for all participants should be fully itemized in the budget attachment by number of trips, their origin and destination, and the length of stay.
• Allowable transportation costs are the current IRS-approved rate for private automobile mileage reimbursement and the actual cost of coach air, train, or bus fare.

Equipment Rental or Purchase

• Up to $1,000 in council grant funds may be applied to the purchase of items, with useful lives longer than the proposed grant period, such as cameras, tape recorders, computers, printer, and scanners.
• The applicant must show that the purchase price is less than rental price of the items for the length of proposed grant period.
• The applicant should explain the plan for use of purchased equipment after the project is completed.

Supplies and Material

• Acquisitions, such as books or other literary materials, may be approved when the materials will be used for public outreach in the humanities.
• The applicant should explain plans for use of the materials after the project is completed.

Indirect Costs

• Applicants who have negotiated indirect-cost rates with an agency or department of the federal government may apply indirect costs to cash cost-sharing at the negotiated rate. The rate and the manner of computation should be included in the budget attachment.
• Applicants who have not negotiated indirect-cost rates with an agency or department of the federal government may apply indirect costs of up to ten percent of the total direct costs of the project to cash cost-sharing. The applicant must be able to document the indirect expenses.

Admission and Registration Fees for Audiences

• The council discourages, but does not prohibit charging admission or registration fees. Anticipated income from admission or registration fees must be reflected on the budget page as cash cost-sharing from the applicant. Anticipated income from admission or registration fees must be detailed in the budget attachments.
• Audiences may be charged for the cost of meals, refreshments, and program materials provided by the applicant.

Repeat Funding

• The council is willing to provide annual funding for specific projects for up to five years. A proposal for first –year funding must include a description of the applicant’s plans for achieving long-term goals with an emphasis on fundraising.
• The council will commit to no more than one year of funding at a time, and all subsequent applications for funding will be considered by the board of directors in competition with other applications received at the same application deadline.
• Proposals for funding in succeeding years should describe the applicant’s progress in meeting the long-term program goals.

Requesting Grant Funds After Notification of Award

• uccessful applicants will receive an award letter, a Grant Agreement and a Designation of Fiscal Agent form.
• The Grant Agreement and a Designation of Fiscal Agent forms should be returned to the council office as soon as possible.
• Upon the council’s receipt of the Grant Agreement and a Designation of Fiscal Agent forms, the council will mail grantees a Financial Report Form they will use to request grant funds.

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14. Table of Categories, Maximum Awards, and Application Deadlines

Major Grant Categories, Maximum Awards,

Application Deadlines and Project Start Dates

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15. Humanities Scholar Participation Agreement Form

(Use extra pages as needed.)

Applicant: _________________________________________________

Project: __________________________________________________

Proposed Grant Period: ______________________________________

Humanities Scholar’s Name: ___________________________________

Humanities Field of Study: ____________________________________

Academic Background: ______________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Experience and training in applicable humanities field of study: _________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

How were you involved in planning the proposed project? ____________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Your project responsibilities during proposed grant period: ___________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

How will you be involved in evaluating the proposed project? _________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

I have agreed to serve as principal humanities scholar for the above named project during the proposed grant period contained in this document.

_______________________________________

SCHOLAR SIGNATURE

________________________________

DATE

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16. Application for Qualification

Any organization applying for a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council must have an approved Application for Qualification on file with the council. We ask for the information below so that we can be sure that an applicant organization is eligible to receive a grant, and so that we can have some understanding of how it manages its money. Your organization does not have to be incorporated or tax-exempt to be eligible for a grant, but it must have been formed for not-for-profit purposes.

Once a group or organization has an approved Application for Qualification on file with the council, it is not necessary to submit another one with future grant applications unless the organization and its purposes change significantly.

Please answer all the questions and provide the required documents.

1. Name of organization ____________________________________

2. Date established_______________________________________

3. Street address________________________________________

________________________________________

4. Mailing address________________________________________

(if different from street address)

5. Telephone number of organization_________________________

6. Chief board officer_____________________________________

(Name)(Title)

7. Executive official_______________________________________

(Name)(Title)

8. Financial official_______________________________________

(Name)(Title)

9. Briefly describe your organization and its purposes.

10. Was your organization formed for not-for-profit purposes? Mark one: ____Yes ____No

11. Is your organization incorporated as a nonprofit organization? Mark one: ____Yes ____No

12. Has your organization been determined by the Internal Revenue Service to be tax-exempt? Mark one: ____Yes ____No.

If yes, please attach a copy of your IRS determination letter.

13. Attach a copy of a recent financial report for your organization (for example, your latest audit, your latest monthly or quarterly financial statement, the treasurer’s report from your latest approved board meeting minutes). Attach a copy of your DUNS number. You may obtain a DUNS number by visiting this website: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. There is no charge for obtaining the number.

14. Attach any newsletters, brochures, annual reports, news clippings, or other materials that will help us understand your organization and its programs.

15. Signature of chief board officer _____________________________

16. Signature of executive official ______________________________

17. Date__________________________

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Revised 11/20/10