Funder: National Endowment for the Humanities
Due Dates: May 1, 2025 (Application Deadline)
Funding Amounts: $200,000–$3,000,000 per award; up to $50M total; 5-year period of performance; 1:1 cost share required.
Summary: Provides general operating support to state and jurisdictional humanities councils to strengthen local humanities programs and extend NEH’s reach.
Key Information: Only designated 501(c)(3) state/jurisdictional humanities councils are eligible; annual application required; strict cost share and registration requirements.
Description
This program from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) provides general operating support grants to designated state and jurisdictional humanities councils across the United States and its territories. The goal is to empower these councils to tailor their grantmaking and programming to the unique needs, resources, and interests of their local communities, while also extending the reach of NEH-funded projects and strengthening the agency’s connection to the public. Funding is determined annually by a legislatively mandated formula.
Due Dates
- Application Deadline: May 1, 2025, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time
- Anticipated Award Announcement: October/November 2025
- Funding Period: November 1, 2025 – October 31, 2026
- Annual application required for continued funding
Funding Amount
- Estimated Total Program Funding: ~$50,000,000
- Award Range: ~$200,000 to $3,000,000 per council, per year
- Number of Awards: Approximately 56
- Period of Performance: 5 years (funds support activities in years 1–3; closeout in years 4–5; annual application required)
- Cost Sharing/Match: 1:1 cost share required (NEH cannot support more than 50% of total project costs)
- For American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands: cost share waived for first $200,000 in outright funds per year; remainder requires 1:1 match
Eligibility
- Eligible Applicants: Only independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) state and jurisdictional humanities councils designated by NEH
- Individuals, other organizations, for-profits, and foreign entities are not eligible
- Councils must make substantive contributions to the project (not act solely as fiscal agents)
- Subawards: Councils may issue subawards to:
- Private nonprofit organizations
- Institutions of higher education
- State, local, and federally recognized tribal governments
- Groups formed for nonprofit purposes
- Individuals
- Subrecipients must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
- Councils may not issue subawards to for-profits, foreign entities, or fiscal agents
Application Process
- Review the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO):
- Register:
- Ensure your organization is registered and active in both SAM.gov and Grants.gov
- Registration can take several weeks; no deadline extensions for registration issues
- Prepare Application Materials:
- Required forms: SF-424 (Short Organizational), SF-424A (Budget), Supplementary Cover Sheet, Project/Performance Site Location Form, Certification Regarding Lobbying
- Attachments: Annual plan (max 1,000 words), budget justification, explanation of delinquent federal debt (if applicable)
- All attachments must be PDFs and follow formatting requirements
- Submit via Grants.gov:
- Grants.gov application package
- Submit at least 48 hours before the deadline to allow for error correction
- Confirm receipt of all submission confirmations
- Contact NEH Office of Federal/State Partnership to confirm receipt
Additional Information
- Cost Share: Councils must match NEH funds dollar-for-dollar with cash, earned income, other federal grants, or in-kind contributions (with some exceptions for certain territories)
- Funding Restrictions: Funds may not be used for land/facility purchase, construction, lobbying, political/ideological advocacy, or activities outside the humanities
- Reporting Requirements: Annual financial and performance reports, board minutes, subaward summaries, and other documentation are required
- Indirect Costs: Not allowed; all costs must be direct and auditable
- Annual Application: Required for each year of funding within the 5-year period
External Links
Contact Information
Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1