Humanities Project Grant Guidelines

Fiscal Year 2025 Program Guidelines

Humanities Project Grants offer support for public humanities projects that encourage contemplation, spark conversation and engage the community. Eligible projects will use the humanities as the central resource to involve and benefit diverse groups of Iowans through educational programming that explore the human experience.

Funding for the Humanities Project Grant is made possible by an appropriation from the National Endowment for the Humanities, a federal agency, to the Iowa Department of Administrative Services. The program is administered by the State Historical Society of Iowa on behalf of the department. Applicants must adhere to the published guidelines of the Humanities Project Grant and federal government through 2 CFR Part 200.

Timeline

Fiscal Year 2025 Application Deadline
August 15, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. for the funding period of November 1, 2024–October 31, 2025

Funding Notification
Applicants will be notified of funding decisions via email by October 31, 2024

Final Report Deadline
Grant recipients are required to complete a final report by November 30, 2025

Funding

Grant Request Amount

Applicants may request funding for eligible one-time project expenses that are incurred and expended within the eligible funding period.

Minimum Grant Request: $2,500
Maximum Grant Request: $30,000

Funding Period

All project activities and incurred expenses must occur within the eligible funding period of November 1, 2024–October 31, 2025.

Applicant Requirements

Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants must be one of the following types of entities. Entities who do not meet these requirements are not eligible to apply.

Organizations

Federally tax exempt 501(c)3 nonprofit organization incorporated and physically located in Iowa
- Physical location of the organization is defined as maintaining a current home office and registered agent address in Iowa defined by Iowa Code 490.501 as well as maintaining a primary staff presence physically located and working in Iowa
Federally tax exempt 501(c)3 nonprofit organization physically located in a border state community immediately adjacent to Iowa. The organization must be registered to do business in Iowa with the Secretary of State’s office. An eligible border state organization must demonstrate that the funding request significantly impacts the cultural vitality of Iowa and predominantly serves Iowans.
Unit of local, county or federally-recognized tribal government physically located in Iowa
Units within institutions of higher education that are physically located in Iowa that have the humanities as their core mission and offer public programs are eligible. However, institutions of higher education are limited to one application, from one unit, and may neither apply for nor receive grant funds for multiple units.

Individuals

Individual filmmaker or humanities expert
- A humanities expert is defined as someone with an advanced degree in a humanities discipline or someone who is otherwise well-qualified to bring a humanities perspective, such as a historian, library or museum professional, culture bearer, or individual who is an acknowledged cultural expert within their community.
Current, legal Iowa resident who is 21 years of age or older and physically located in Iowa
- Residence is defined by Iowa Code 422.4 and Iowa Administrative Code 701.38.17 (422)
- An application from an individual must support a project that is initiated and managed by the individual, not an organization. The project must be designed to benefit the individual and may not benefit an organization with which the individual applicant has a formal affiliation such as employment or volunteer service.
- Applicants who represent a group must apply as an individual and clearly state their individual role in the project proposal

Ineligible Applicants

The following types of entities are not eligible to apply:

Public and private schools that serve grades pre-K through 12
State of Iowa government agencies (institutions of higher education are eligible to apply)
For-profit corporations or businesses
Entities or individuals using a fiscal agent or the nonprofit status of another organization
Applicants who have already submitted two unfunded applications for the same project
State Historical Society of Iowa grantees who have already received a grant from the society for any part of the project
State Historical Society of Iowa grantees with an outstanding final report or who have been placed on a department funding moratorium
Individuals enrolled in any type of undergraduate or graduate degree granting program at the time of application

Humanities Project Requirements

Eligible Projects

Eligible projects should focus on the humanities and must demonstrate public value to Iowans through deliberate public engagement and access to project activities. Types of eligible projects could include community discussions, lecture series, workshops, films, interpretive exhibits, podcasts, etc. Projects that involve the creative or performing arts could be eligible as long as they are a catalyst in a project in which humanities are central, and include interpretation and/or discussion of performances, concerts, literary and art works.

Humanities must be central to the project. The humanities include the study and interpretation of what makes us human. Subject areas include archaeology, comparative religion, cultural anthropology, ethics, folklore, gender studies, history, jurisprudence, languages, law, linguistics, literature (including novels, poetry, drama, and other forms of written expression, both modern and classical), philosophy, and the interpretation (not the creation) of the arts. Aspects of the social sciences, such as political science and sociology, that can help us to explore our humanity and discover meaning in our lives and community are also included.

Some project examples:

Public forums or conferences
Lecture/discussion series; honoraria and travel for speakers and presenters
Book/film discussion programs about humanities-related topics
Interpretive exhibits and catalogs
Digital projects like short or full length documentary films, radio shows, and podcasts
Pre-performance talks or post-performance facilitated discussions that present the historical and social context of the artform being presented and its impact on today’s culture
Lecture/recital programs that look at the history of the artform and show examples of that artform
Workshops that incorporate the history and cultural influence of an artform with training in that artform
Talks given by culture bearers recognized for their knowledge of the history and cultural impact of a folk or traditional artform followed by a presentation
Living history portrayal of a historical figure ending in discussion with a scholar

All project activities must have a clear beginning and end date within the eligible funding period.

Applicants may only apply for support of a yearly event or series if the applicant can demonstrate how the project is unique and worthy of support within the particular year of the funding period. Project content must change from year to year.

Humanities Expert

At least one humanities scholar/expert is required to participate in the project.

Eligible projects need to involve a humanities expert. They could be someone with an advanced degree in a humanities discipline or someone who is otherwise well-qualified to bring a humanities perspective to a project, such as a historian, library or museum professional, culture bearer, or individual who is an acknowledged cultural expert within their community.

If an individual is the applicant, they could serve as the humanities expert on the project if they have the required expertise.

The humanities expert should be engaged with the project during the application process. Prior to submitting an application, the humanities expert and applicant should:

Discuss the project and formulate ways to strengthen the humanities aspects
Explore the involvement of additional experts who may offer diverse perspectives
Review the application to help clarify goals and methodology

During the grant project, humanities experts could:

Serve as a speaker, panelist, or lead a discussion
Offer ongoing advice and guidance
Review materials for authenticity and diversity of perspective
Assist with project evaluation

Ineligible Projects

The following types or activities and projects are not eligible for the grant program:

Capital projects
Collection maintenance, restoration or digitization
Construction or renovation of a property
Fundraiser or benefit event
Scholarships and fellowships
Research solely for scholarly purposes
Lobbying and advocacy activities
Museum, school or library acquisitions
Non-humanities projects
Operating costs including ongoing projects or programming for which the identified beginning and end dates are arbitrary
Projects intended primarily for students, faculty members, or other on-campus or in-school audiences
Projects that result in an applicant’s course credit, degree or certification
Projects that occur prior to or after the funding period
Projects that have already received a State Historical Society of Iowa grant for any part or phase of the project
Religious activities
Performance-only programming
Art classes focusing only on creative technique
Workshops addressing the mechanics and business of writing

Budget Requirements

Humanities Project Grants support one-time, direct project expenses that are essential to the completion of the proposed project. Applicants are required to demonstrate investment in a project by providing matching funds in an amount that is equal to or greater than the total grant amount requested from the State Historical Society of Iowa. The matching funds can be from cash or in-kind sources. For example, an applicant that requests $10,000 in grant funds must have at least $10,000 in cash or in-kind match for a total project budget of $20,000.

The grant request, cash match and in-kind match expenses must be dedicated to eligible one-time project expenses, legitimate parts of the proposed project, and must be incurred and expended within the eligible funding period. Expenses identified in the grant request and required match should be based on competitive, current market pricing. Applicants may identify supplemental project expenses that occur before or after the eligible funding period, or that are otherwise not eligible to be part of the grant request, cash or in-kind match in the application; however, supplemental expenses may not be included in the grant request or required dollar-for-dollar match. Applicants that include ineligible expenses in the grant request or required match will be considered ineligible.

Cash match is actual cash contributed to direct project expenses by the applicant or other funding sources. For the applicant, a cash match may include the salaries of project staff, cost of space to conduct project activities, and supplies and service costs related to the project.
In-kind match is donated goods, services, equipment or facilities contributed to the project by the applicant or other sources. In-kind contributions must be fully documented and could encompass items such as the value of a project participant waiving their normal fee for services.
Funding from the state government cannot be used to meet the match requirement
Funding from the federal government cannot be used to meet the match requirement

Eligible Grant Request & Match Expenses

The grant request, cash match and in-kind match expenses must be legitimate parts of the proposed project and must be incurred and expended within the eligible funding period. Expenses identified in the grant request and required match should be based on competitive, current market pricing. Eligible grant request and match expenses include direct project costs such as:

Honoraria for humanities experts
Speaker fees
Contracted project personnel
Domestic Travel (e.g. mileage, accommodation, per diem)
Marketing (e.g. print material, ad buys, design fees)
Materials Necessary for Project
Personnel Time Dedicated to the Project* (e.g. planning, execution, evaluation time)
Rentals (e.g. stages, lecture spaces, projectors/screens)
Food (only cover food costs tied to encouraging the participation of a particular audience or otherwise contribute to the program in some substantial way)

*Applicants must demonstrate how personnel time is specifically dedicated to the proposed project. Personnel benefits are not eligible.

Ineligible Grant Request & Match Expenses

Expenses that fall outside of the identified eligible expenses for the project may not be included as part of the grant request or the required cash and in-kind match. Applicants that include ineligible expenses in the grant request, cash or in-kind match will be considered ineligible. Ineligible grant request and match expenses include:

Budget shortfalls
Capital expenditures including equipment over a total of $5,000 per unit
Collection maintenance or restoration
Deficit or debt reduction
Expenses incurred prior to or after the funding period
Foreign travel
Fundraising or benefit
Lobbying and advocacy activities.
Ongoing or operating expenses including utilities, rent/lease, office supplies, and personnel time that is not dedicated to the project
Personnel benefits
Prizes and awards
Property maintenance, restoration or renovation

Online Application Submission

Applicants must submit applications via the State Historical Society of Iowa’s SlideRoom, an online application portal. Applications will not be accepted in any other format. Late, incomplete or ineligible applications will not be accepted. Applicants can access the current online application requirements at iowahistory.slideroom.com. Applicants must create a login to view the full application requirements for the program. Applicants can visit help.liaisonedu.com for technical assistance related to the online submission.

Review Process

Department Eligibility Review

Submitted applications are reviewed by staff for completion, eligibility and adherence to published guidelines. Applications are reviewed as submitted. New application information or subsequent application clarification submitted after a program deadline is not considered unless it is requested by the grant program manager. Staff will also review an applicant’s record of compliance and good standing with the State Historical Society of Iowa, State and Federal government. Applications or applicants determined by staff to be ineligible or incomplete will not move forward to panel review and are specifically denied any appeals process.

Competitive Panel Review

Eligible applications will be referred to a competitive review by a volunteer citizen panel of Iowa humanities professionals with appropriate expertise commensurate to the purpose of the grant program. Applications will be scored and ranked based on the published scoring rubric. Panel ranking and recommendations are submitted to the Administrator of the State Historical Society of Iowa and Director of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services for consideration and funding approval. Applications will be awarded funding based on the ranked list, published funding priorities, if applicable, and available funding. All funding decisions are final and may not be appealed due to dissatisfaction. Applicants may review the department appeals policy for information on grounds for appeal and the appeal process.

Decision Notification

Applicants will be notified of funding decisions via email by October 31, 2024. Applicants are notified of the status of their application whether they are or are not awarded funding. Applicants will be contacted if any additional information is required and are encouraged to refrain from contacting staff for application status updates until funding decisions are made.

Application Questions & Scoring Rubric

The Humanities Project Grant Scoring Rubric will be used by the panel to evaluate grant applications. Application questions are provided for reference only. Applicants must review and complete application requirements in the SlideRoom portal. Each section has criteria and corresponding point values to ensure a fair review process. The rubric is on a scale of 33 points.

Organization Applicant Profile

Mission Statement
- Enter the mission statement of the organization.
Applicant Profile
- Describe how the applicant fulfills its mission and serve its target population including description of:
  - Public programming and services
  - demographics of audience served

ORGANIZATION APPLICANT PROFILE: 3 points possible
3 Applicant demonstrates exceptional programming or services that clearly advance its mission and serve its target population.	2 Applicant offers programming or services that support its mission and target population.	1 Applicant’s programming or services are limited, unclear or do not support its mission or serve its target population.

Individual Applicant Profile

Describe the applicant’s relevant experience and notable achievements in working on projects similar to the one being proposed.
Upload the applicant’s Curriculum Vitae or Resume

INDIVIDUAL APPLICANT PROFILE: 3 points possible
3 Evolution of applicant’s work demonstrates exceptional capabilities in the type of project being proposed. CV or resume is highly relevant, professional and clearly demonstrates a record of career progress through relevant notable achievements. Fully confident the applicant has the experience to accomplish the proposed project.	2 Evolution of applicant’s work is described. CV or resume identifies relevant notable achievements. The applicant has the experience to accomplish the proposed project.	1 Evolution of applicant’s work is unclear or does not demonstrate satisfactory capabilities in the type of project being proposed. CV or resume does not reflect relevant experience. It is unclear if the applicant will be able to accomplish the proposed project.

Humanities Focus and Content

Describe the humanities focus and content of the proposed project, including:

Area(s) of the humanities the project will focus on
Humanities subject matter and ideas being explored and the importance to Iowa

HUMANITIES FOCUS AND CONTENT: 3 points possible
3 Subject matter and ideas being explored are strongly based in the humanities and are of high importance to Iowans.	2 Subject matter and ideas being explored are based in the humanities and are of importance to Iowans.	1 Subject matter and ideas being explored are somewhat based in the humanities. It is unclear if the exploration would be of importance to Iowans.

Project Goals

Describe the project goals, including:

why you or your organization is developing this project
community needs or interest that will be addressed through this project
anticipated impact the project will have on the community

PROJECT GOALS: 3 points possible
3 Project goals are exemplary and clearly address a community need or interest.	2 Project goals are stated and adequately address a community need or interest.	1 Project goals are unclear and/or do not address a community need or interest.

Public Programming

Describe the public programming, including:

public programming connected to the project and where the programs will take place
definition of who the target audience is for the programming and its relevance to the project
how the project and programming will encourage contemplation, spark conversation and engage the community
if the project is an annual event or series, describe why this particular year is unique and worthy of funding
plans to provide equitable access to project activities

PUBLIC PROGRAMMING: 3 points possible
3 Public programming will clearly encourage contemplation, spark conversation and strongly encourage community engagement. Plans to provide equitable access to project activities are exemplary.	2 Public programming may encourage contemplation, spark conversation and adequately encourage community engagement. Plans to provide equitable access to project activities are satisfactory.	1 It is unclear if public programming will encourage contemplation, spark conversation and encourage community engagement. Plans to provide equitable access to project activities are inadequate.

Project Implementation

Describe how the proposed project will be successfully realized within the eligible funding period, including:

detailed timeline of tasks and research necessary to complete the project
explanation of project partners outside of the humanities experts and their responsibilities
plans to disseminate and promote the project to the target audience

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION: 3 points possible
3 Confident project will be successfully realized through a clear, detailed timeline of tasks. Key partner responsibilities are well-defined and enhance the project. Plans to promote the project activities are exemplary.	2 Project is achievable through an identified timeline of tasks. Key partners and responsibilities are identified. Plans to promote the project activities are satisfactory.	1 Multiple concerns about project achievability. Timeline of tasks is insufficient. Project partners and their responsibilities are unclear or not identified. Plans to promote the project activities are inadequate.

Humanities Expert

Describe the humanities expert(s) that will be involved with the project, including:

name(s) and affiliation(s)
describe each experts’ particular background and research interests that qualify them as a resource for the project
briefly summarize their roles and responsibilities within the project and how they will be using their expertise

Upload the Resume/CV for humanities expert(s). If there is more than one, compile them into one file for the upload.

HUMANITIES EXPERT: 3 points possible
3 Humanities expert’s background clearly qualifies them as a resource for this project. Resume/CV is highly relevant, professional and clearly demonstrates a record of career progress through relevant notable achievements. Humanities expert roles and responsibilities are well-defined and enhance the project.	2 Humanities expert’s background qualifies them as a resource for this project. Resume/CV identifies relevant notable achievements. Humanities expert roles and responsibilities are defined.	1 Humanities expert’s background does not demonstrate satisfactory expertise to include them as a resource for this project. Resume/CV does not identify relevant notable achievements. Humanities expert roles and responsibilities are unclear or not identified.

Project Evaluation

Describe how project goals noted in the application will be evaluated, including:

qualitative and quantitative measures related to achievement of project goals
methods for data collection

EVALUATION: 3 points possible
3 Project uses strong qualitative and quantitative measures to analyze achievement of project goals and objectives. Project has appropriate methods in place to collect data on evaluation measures.	2 Project identifies methods or measures to analyze achievement of project goals or objectives.	1 Evaluation methods and measures are weak, inadequate or unclear.

Budget Form

BUDGET: 3 points possible
3 Project budget and intended use of requested funds are clear and appropriate. Project demonstrates financial support by leveraging diverse sources of cash and in-kind match that are well-defined.	2 Project budget, intended use of requested funds and sources of applicant match are identified.	1 Project budget, intended use of requested funds or sources of match are unclear or inadequate.

Humanities Expert Letter of Support

Upload at least one-page letter from the humanities expert(s) as one PDF file that demonstrates their vested interest in the successful implementation of the proposed project. If the applicant is the humanities expert, upload a letter of support from another partner working on the project.

HUMANITIES EXPERT LETTER OF SUPPORT: 3 points possible
3 Humanities expert letter is highly relevant to the project and speaks to a vested interest in the successful realization of the project.	2 Humanities expert letter relates to the project and is of good quality.	1 Humanities expert letter is not relevant to the project or does not indicate an interest in the outcome of the project.

Support Material

Submit up to 5 relevant materials that are necessary to understanding the project. These might include additional letters of support, schematic of an exhibit, a photograph, or video that more clearly conveys your project.

SUPPORT MATERIAL: 3 points possible
3 Support material is highly relevant to the project, of high quality and clearly supports the project’s excellence.	2 Support material relates to the project and is of good quality.	1 Support material is not relevant to the project, is of poor quality or does not support the project’s excellence.

CASE FOR SUPPORT: 3 points possible
3 Case for support is exemplary and merits investment from the State.	2 Case for support is good.	1 Case for support is inadequate or does not merit state investment.

Contact

Applicants are encouraged to review all published material and contact State Historical Society of Iowa staff, Kristen Vander Molen at 515-822-3583 or kristen.vandermolen@iowa.gov, with questions well in advance of application deadlines.

Accessibility

The State Historical Society of Iowa is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to eligible applicants. For technical support submitting the online application, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator, Lindsay Keast at 515-281-8352 or lindsay.keast@iowa.gov, at least two weeks in advance of application deadlines.