Slots: Your organization may submit only one application for Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grants per deadline. This includes applications from subordinate units under a parent organization.
Deadlines
Internal Deadline: Contact RII.
LOI: N/A
External Deadline: May 17, 2023
Award Information
Award Type: Grant
Estimated Number of Awards: 15-20
Anticipated Award Amount: Level 1: Up to $150,000 Level 2: $150,001 to $500,000 Chair’s Special Awards: $500,001 to $1,000,000
Who May Serve as PI: Applicants must work wholly or in part in the humanities, and must support research, education, preservation, or public programming in the humanities.
Link to Award: https://www.neh.gov/grants/preservation/infrastructure-and-capacity-building-challenge-grants
Process for Limited Submissions
PIs must submit their application as a Limited Submission through the Research Initiatives and Infrastructure (RII) Application Portal: https://rii.usc.edu/oor-portal/. Use the template provided here:
RII-Limited-Submission-Application-Template.
Materials to submit include:
- (1) Two-Page Proposal Summary (0.5” margins; single-spaced; font type: Arial, Helvetica, or Georgia typeface; font size: 11 pt). Page limit includes references and illustrations. Pages that exceed the 2-page limit will be excluded from review. You must use the template linked above.
- (2) CV – (5 pages maximum)
Note: The portal requires information about the PIs in addition to department and contact information, including the 10-digit USC ID#, Gender, and Ethnicity. Please have this material prepared before beginning this application.
Purpose
This notice solicits applications for Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grants: Capital Projects. The program strengthens the institutional base of the humanities by helping organizations secure and sustain their core buildings, sites, collections, and/or humanities activities for the long term. The program supports capital projects through a combination of federal matching funds and related fundraising from nonfederal third parties. Proposed projects must enhance the institution’s long-term impact on the humanities and build on careful strategic planning.
Awards support the purchase of real property or equipment and the design, construction, restoration, or renovation of buildings or sites of historical, architectural, or cultural significance and other facilities that house humanities collections or are used for humanities activities. Activities may include: • hiring consultants who specialize in fundraising, historic preservation, and project planning • planning and conceptual design • developing schematics and construction drawings • construction • purchasing and installing related permanently affixed or moveable equipment for monitoring and protecting collections (whether on exhibit or in storage) • purchasing and installing critical building systems, such as electrical, climate control, security, life safety, lighting, utilities, telecommunications, and energy management • developing historic preservation plans • site and infrastructure assessments
Deliverables may include: • documents determining the feasibility of the planned capital project • completed design and construction drawings • completed construction • completed installation of critical building systems
In accordance with Executive Order 13647 on Native American affairs, Executive Order 13779 on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Executive Order 13592 on Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Executive Order 13555 on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, NEH especially welcomes Challenge Grant applications from federally recognized Native American Tribal governments, Native Hawaiian organizations, HBCUs, TCUs, and HispanicServing Institutions of higher education (HSIs), as well as from two-year community colleges. These institutions and entities are eligible for a 1:1 match ratio. See B. Federal Award Information and C. Eligibility Information.
NEH will issue an offer of support to successful applicants. An offer formally communicates the level of funding approved for the project and the conditions that must be met before NEH issues an award. Conditions include, but are not limited to Section 106/National Historic Preservation Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Davis-Bacon Act, Build America, Buy America Act, and federal interest. Familiarize yourself with the applicable rules and regulations and contact NEH 20230517-CHA 2 staff to discuss your project in order to include adequate time and funding into your proposal. See G. Agency Contacts.
NEH will issue an award only when all regulatory requirements have been met and the applicant has certified eligible third-party, nonfederal gifts. See E4. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates and F1. Federal Award Notices.
See D6. Funding Restrictions for unallowable costs and activities.
See E1. Review Criteria for the standards used to evaluate your proposal.
Visit our Institutionally Limited Submission webpage for more updates and other announcements.