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State Historical Society of Iowa

Grantee Handbook

The Grantee Handbook provides an overview of program requirements related to your State Historical Society of Iowa-administered grant award. Find information on how to manage your grant including project revisions, reporting requirements, taxes, acknowledgment, logo usage, legislative correspondence, sample press releases and how to keep in touch with the State Historical Society of Iowa throughout the funding period.

Revisions to Funded Activity

Any significant revisions to implementation, use of grant funds, or changes in contact information must be reported immediately to the State Historical Society of Iowa. Budget adjustments that include the reallocation of funds to other eligible project expenses do not have to be reported.

Return of Grant Funds

Grantees must contact the State Historical Society of Iowa prior to returning grant funds. Do not mail funding back to the department without first contacting a staff member to discuss the situation.

Compliance

Funding Policies

Grant recipients are subject to the funding policies of both the State Historical Society of Iowa and any federal funding agencies identified in the award email as follows.

Financial Documentation

Grant recipients must maintain records and documentation of financial transactions related to the use of the grant funds for three years after the funding period end date for auditing purposes.

Reporting

Reporting for State Historical Society of Iowa-Administered Grant Programs

Completion of a report at the end of the state fiscal year in which funded activities occurred is a requirement of the funding agreement. Reports are, generally, due August 1, one month after completion of the state fiscal year, June 30, unless otherwise stated in the grant agreement. Grantees who submit a late final report will be put on a funding moratorium of no less than one year at the discretion of the department. Grantees with an outstanding report are not eligible for any State Historical Society of Iowa grant programs until the report is completed and submitted. See your grant contract for your final report due date.

Final Report Forms

Final reports must be submitted online via the State Historical Society of Iowa's SlideRoom, an online application portal. Final reports will not be accepted in any other format. Grantees can access current report forms at iowahistory.slideroom.com.

Taxes

Reporting Grant Payments on Taxes

Grant payments are processed as non-taxable payments by the State of Iowa. Grantees of State Historical Society of Iowa-administered funds will not receive a 1099MISC form for grant funding. State Historical Society of Iowa staff is unable to provide tax advice regarding how to report the grant payment on taxes. Grantees should consult a tax advisor regarding the implications of the grant payment on taxes.

Keep in Touch

Grantee Promotional Information

Let us know when State Historical Society of Iowa-funded activity is happening by sending updates, images and event details. The State Historical Society of Iowa is dedicated to communicating the impact and value of grantee activity through department platforms and networks. Activities may be highlighted in our event calendar, blog, newsletter and social media. To have your event or activity considered for inclusion on History social media platforms, please send the following information to Kristen Vander Molen at kristen.vandermolen@iowa.gov.

  • Title
  • Date
  • Description (150 words or less)
  • Link to more information

Newsletter

Sign up for the State Historical Society of Iowa newsletter.

Social Media

Tag @IowaHistory and use the hashtag #IowaHistory to promote your funded activity.

  • Facebook | Like the State Historical Society of Iowa on Facebook
  • Instagram | Follow the State Historical Society of Iowa on Instagram

Project Visits

Invite State Historical Society of Iowa staff, board members, and legislators to your State Historical Society of Iowa-funded activity. You can find your legislators’ contact information on the Find Your Legislator webpage. Grantees are required by contract to provide complimentary access to the State Historical Society of Iowa for appropriate representation and/or observation at the funded activity upon timely request by the department.

Acknowledgment

Acknowledging the state and/or federal support provided through the State Historical Society of Iowa and federal partners in all materials and announcements, audio and visual, for all grant funded activities is a requirement of your funding agreement. The proper credit line and logo usage vary depending on the source of funding for each grant program. Your grant award notification email will identify the funding source of your grant award and will be one of the following:

  • State Historical Society of Iowa
  • State Historical Society of Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities

If you have specific questions about how to acknowledge funding for your grant activity, please contact State Historical Society of Iowa staff. Follow the instructions listed below to acknowledge the appropriate funding sources.

State Historical Society of Iowa Acknowledgment

If your grant award notification email identifies the Iowa Legislature as the source of funding for your grant award, you must use only the State Historical Society of Iowa logo and one of the following credit lines on all materials and announcements for funded activities.

Logo

State Historical Society of Iowa logo

Download the State Historical Society of Iowa logo

Credit Line

Support provided by the State Historical Society of Iowa.

Oral Credit

When written or logo credit is not applicable, oral credit must be given thanking the State Historical Society of Iowa.

State Historical Society of Iowa and National Endowment for the Humanities Acknowledgment

If your grant award notification email identifies the Iowa Legislature and the National Endowment for the Humanities as the sources of funding for your grant award, you must use both of the State Historical Society of Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities logos, one of the following credit lines and the policy statement on all materials and announcements for funded activities.

Logos

State Historical Society of Iowa logo

 

National Endowment for the Humanities logo

Download the State Historical Society of Iowa logo
Download the National Endowment for the Humanities logo

Credit Line

Support provided by the State Historical Society of Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.

Oral Credit

When written or logo credit is not applicable, oral credit must be given thanking the State Historical Society of Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities for the grant.

Policy Statement

Acknowledgement of National Endowment for the Humanities support must also include the following statement:

  • Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this {article, book, exhibition, film, program, database, report, Web resource}, do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The statement does not need to be in the same size font as that of the logo and credit line, nor must it be located immediately adjacent to the logo. The policy statement requirement will be waived in instances when it is not feasible or appropriate to include it, such as on acknowledgment plaques for buildings or objects.

Legislative Correspondence

Help communicate the value of history and culture and tell the story of its impact in Iowa. Your elected officials are responsible for state and federal funding in Iowa and it's important they hear from Iowans like you who are working in and passionate about history. Learn how to contact your elected officials and communicate the value and impact of the funding you have received using the resources below.

Sample Letter to Your Legislators

(Letterhead)
(Date)
(Organization Name)
(Organization Address)

The Honorable (Name of your State Senator or Representative)
(Iowa House of Representatives OR Iowa Senate)
(Home Address of State Senator or Representative)

Dear (Senator________ or Representative __________),

I am pleased to inform you that (Name of Organization) has received a (Grant Program Name) of $ (Amount of Grant) from the State Historical Society of Iowa. As a recipient of a Fiscal Year (Current Fiscal Year) (Grant Program Name) from the State Historical Society of Iowa, we wish to thank you for your support of public history funding through the annual appropriation to (funding source*).

This (Grant Program Name) will support (Brief summary of project). (Describe the positive impact on preserving history in Iowa, public value and number of people who will be served by your project. Describe the value of public funding for history to your project and community.)

On behalf of (Name of Organization), I would like to invite you to attend (Name of Project), which will be held on (Time, Day, Date at Location). For more information, please contact (Organization Contact Name) at (Phone, Fax, Email Address, and/or Website).

Sincerely,

(Signature)
(Typed Name, Title at Organization)

* Funding sources can be found in your award notification email.

Sample Press Releases

The State Historical Society of Iowa typically sends out press releases to announce recipients of State Historical Society of Iowa-administered grants. Do your part to bring awareness to your funded activity by sending press releases to the media. Use the following sample press releases for guidance in publicizing the grant award and publicizing the funded activity.

Sample Press Release to Publicize Grant Award

(Letterhead)
(Organization Name)
(Organization Contact Address)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Date)
Contact: (Contact Name, Phone, Fax, and E-mail Address)

(Press Release Headline)

(CITY NAME) - The (Name of Organization) is pleased to announce that it has received a (Grant Program Name) from the State Historical Society of Iowa. Grant funds will support (Brief summary of project).

The (Grant Program Name) supports (Grant Program Description*). (Describe the positive impact on history in Iowa, public value and number of people who will be served by your project.)

(Quote from project or organization leader, board member or legislator to express thanks for the funding support, value of public funding, encourage people to attend, or elaborate on the significance of program, etc.)

Funding for (Grant Program Name) is made possible by (Funding Source*).

# # #

(Insert your organization’s boilerplate information. See example below.)

The State Historical Society of Iowa has been a trustee of Iowa’s historical legacy since 1857. With a dual mission of preservation and education, the society maintains a museum, two research centers and seven historic sites. The society preserves and provides access to Iowa’s historical resources through a variety of statewide programs, exhibitions and projects while serving as an advocate for Iowa’s past and connector to the future.

* Funding sources can be found in your award notification email.