What are the
humanities?
In its definition of the humanities,
Congress includes:
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Archaeology
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Comparative Religion
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Ethics
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History
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Languages & Linguistics
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Literature
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Jurisprudence
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Philosophy
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History, Theory, and Criticism of the Arts
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Aspects of the Social |
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Sciences Which Use Historical or Philosophical Approaches
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Humanities, General and
Interdisciplinary |
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The humanities are the stories, the ideas, and the words that help us make sense of our lives and our world. The humanities introduce us to people we have never met, places we have never visited, and ideas that may have never crossed our minds. By showing how others have lived and thought about life, the humanities help us decide what is important in our own lives and what we can do to make them better. By connecting us with other people, they point the way to answers about what is right or wrong, or what is true to our heritage and our history. The humanities help us address the challenges we face together in our families, our communities, and as a nation.
The humanities should not be confused with "humanism," a specific philosophical belief, nor with "humanitarianism," the concern for charitable works and social reform.
As fields of study, the humanities emphasize analysis and exchange of ideas rather than the creative expression of the arts or the quantitative explanation of the sciences.
History, Anthropology, and Archaeology study human social, political, and cultural development.
Literature, Languages, and Linguistics explore how we communicate with each other, and how our ideas and thoughts on the human experience are expressed and interpreted.
Philosophy, Ethics, and Comparative Religion consider ideas about the meaning of life and the reasons for our thoughts and actions.
Jurisprudence examines the values and principles which inform our laws.
Historical, Critical, and Theoretical Approaches to the Arts reflect upon and analyze the creative process
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What is the Ohio
Humanities Council? |
The Ohio Humanities Council (OHC), established in 1972, is a 501(c)(3) organization funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and private contributions. OHC's mission is "to increase Ohioans' appreciation and understanding of the humanities" through the Council's grantmaking capacity and through programs developed by the Council itself. Based in Columbus but operating statewide, the Council has a small staff which provides assistance to grant applicants, oversees Council-developed programs, and promotes the humanities in Ohio through collaborations with cultural and educational institutions. The Council is governed by a 25-member volunteer board which makes decisions on grant awards and sets policy.
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Who may apply for an OHC grant?
 Please Note!
Customarily organizations must satisfactorily complete any other projects funded by the OHC before applying for another grant. OHC considers whether previous grants to the sponsoring organization or project director have met the goals as described in the project proposal.
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Any nonprofit organization operating in Ohio may apply. However, all grant applicants are required to certify that they are not presently debarred, suspended, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participating in federally funded programs; are not currently delinquent in the payment of a federal debt; and are in compliance with the Department of Labor’s Fair Labor Standards and all of the following federal nondiscrimination statutes: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975. See pp. 15-16 for a fuller description of the federal nondiscrimination statutes and debarment and suspension regulations.
Organizations that have applied and received grants include historical societies, museums, libraries, colleges and universities, civic and religious organizations, and other community groups. Ad hoc nonprofit groups assembled solely for the purpose of sponsoring a particular humanities project may also apply, but should enlist a suitably qualified entity— a 501(c)(3) organization, an individual accountant, or a CPA firm—to serve as the project bookkeeper or fiscal agent.
OHC encourages new organizations to develop humanities programs and apply for funding. In making its award decisions Council looks for fresh, innovative program ideas rather than yearly or biennial requests to fund the same project. However, repeat requests to fund an organization’s annual or regular schedule of programming will be considered.
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What projects
are eligible
for funding?
The following is a nonexhaustive list of formats used successfully in OHC programs:
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Community History projects, including oral history and conservation of document collections
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Exhibits
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Book or film discussions
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Public lectures and panel discussions
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Broadcast or other widely disseminated programming through radio, television, web sites, or other media
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Dramatic performances or readings that serve as a springboard for discussing cultural, historical, or ethical issues
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In-character presentations of historic figures
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Videos and study guides to stimulate discussion
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K-12 education projects, such as teachers institutes or scholar residencies, which are designed to improve the quality of humanities education at the elementary, middle, and high-school levels
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Humanities seminars for adult workers
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Community forums or town meetings to encourage public debate and discussion
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Community forums or town meetings to encourage public debate and discussion
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Preservation and documentation of aspects of a community’s history in order to further public knowledge of that history
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Research and writing to produce interpretive material such as exhibit catalogues, program notes, brochures, and commemorative signage
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Minor publications such as poetry anthologies, curriculum guides, and exhibit catalogues |
Please Note!
Most OHC-supported events are offered free to the public. Sponsors planning to charge admission or registration fees should find ways to encourage the attendance and participation of people who cannot pay. The project budget should indicate the anticipated total amount of program income from participants. This income must be used to offset actual project costs, unless otherwise approved by OHC.
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The Council awards grants to support humanities projects selected in open competition according to the criteria stated in these guidelines. Projects funded by the OHC must demonstrate all of the following:
1. Humanities Focus: The humanities must be central to the project. Topics and themes should draw on one or more of the humanities fields described previously. In addition, projects should offer critical perspectives and go beyond simply celebrating a particular event or group. The Council looks for programs that explore how and why rather than just telling what.
2. Humanities Scholar Involvement: Humanities scholars or established humanists must play a central role in all OHC projects—as planners, speakers, resource consultants, and/or evaluators. The presentation of scholarship must be an integral part of the program.
Generally, OHC defines a humanities scholar as someone with a graduate, frequently a doctoral, degree in a humanities discipline who is actively researching, writing, or teaching in the humanities. Established humanists are those who do not have a graduate degree but have advanced training, acquired expertise, or an established reputation in one of the humanities disciplines. Established humanists include writers and poets with a significant body of published work; local historians and independent scholars who have pursued sustained and disciplined study of their
communities; professional museum curators, librarians, teachers, and others whose work is strongly grounded in the humanities; and persons representing various cultural traditions—an American Indian tribal chief, for example—if they are recognized as spokespersons for their traditions.
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Please Note!
Council is unlikely to accept someonewith a terminal degree in another discipline(e.g., education, fine arts, psychology) as theprincipal scholar in a program.
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Project sponsors should strive to engage the best possible scholar or humanist for their project's goals and activities. OHC staff can help to identify appropriate scholars and humanists.
3. Public Benefit: All OHC-supported projects must demonstrate how the public's understanding of and appreciation for the humanities will be advanced. If applicable, organizations should also explain how the project will provide long-lasting or permanent benefit to a community.
Participation in all OHC-funded projects must be open to all citizens without regard to race, creed, sex, color, national origin, age, or disability. In addition, projects should strive to reach diverse audiences and people outside the organization's established membership. For example, university- or college-based projects must reach beyond faculty, staff, and students. Programming should be scheduled at times convenient for the general public (e.g., weekends and evenings).
The Council especially encourages programs that will reach underserved geographic areas and ethnic groups, or that will be presented to more than one audience.
4. Balanced Viewpoints: Projects cannot advocate partisan courses of action, i.e., support of a particular political or social agenda. Projects dealing with potentially controversial social or public policy issues must give fair consideration and expression to alternative viewpoints.
Rather than provide conclusions, public programs should raise questions by encouraging open discussion among speakers and audience members.
5. Effective Program Formats: Council looks for project activities which encourage active participation and learning.
6. Sponsor Cost-share: OHC expects the grant applicant, or sponsoring organization, to contribute toward project costs. The sponsoring organization's share of the project budget must equal or exceed its grant request to OHC. For example, an applicant which requests $5000 from the OHC must show $5000 or more in cost-share.
Cost-share may come from one or more of the following sources:
cash committed to the project by the sponsoring organization (e.g., the money used to pay salaried staff who are assigned to the project as part of their duties);
cash raised from outside sources (e.g., foundations and corporations) to realize the proposed project;
the current market value of donated services, goods, or facilities (e.g., the time of volunteers or the use of equipment, supplies, and office space);
anticipated program income from participants (e.g., admission or registration fees or payment of program-related costs such as continuing education credits or books).
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The Council Does Not Fund:
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Projects that discriminate against persons or groups
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Programs that realize a profit
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Courses for academic credit, except those designed to provide recertification or graduate credit for K-12 teachers [Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are also allowable]
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Individual research or scholarship, unless as part of a larger project designed to reach the general public.
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Building construction, preservation, or restoration
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Purchases of collections for museums or historical societies
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Purchase of equipment over $5000
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Fellowships and scholarships for academic credit
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Academic or professional conferences designed primarily for university faculty and students
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What types of grants does OHC offer?
| MAJOR GRANTS are best suited for: |
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Projects with regional or statewide impact, preferably multi-site |
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Projects with a variety of formats and components |
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Projects which attract large and diverse audiences |
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Humanities institutes for teachers or professionals |
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Film/video documentaries, radio and TV programming, and other projects with broad regional or statewide appeal |
MINI and REGULAR GRANTS are best suited for: |
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Short-term projects of limited scope |
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One component of a larger project which receives funding from several sources |
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Lectures for special occasions, panel discussions, and other single-site programs |
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If your project meets OHC’s general guidelines, you may apply for any of the following grant levels:
MAJOR GRANTS — $5,001 to $20,000
OHC considers major grant proposals two times a year. The deadlines for submitting complete applications are February 1 and September 1, with a rough draft due at earlier dates. Media grant deadlines are January 15 and August 15. A reading panel makes recommendations to the full Council, which makes final funding decisions. Applicants are notified of Council’s decision within six weeks of the submission date.
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Please Note!
There is a separate Major Grant category and deadline for proposals on K-12 education. These include teachers institutes and programs which are designed to improve the quality of humanities education at the elementary, middle, and high-school levels.
There is a separate Major Grant category and deadline schedule for media proposals. Refer to OHC’s Special Notes for Electronic Media Proposals available on the OHC website or by mail) for more information about this grant category.
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REGULAR GRANTS — $2,001 to $5,000
Applicants must submit proposals by the first business day of each month, at least eight weeks before the project starts. Decisions are made by a panel of Council members. Applicants are notified of Council’s decision shortly after the end of the month in which the proposal was submitted.
MINI GRANTS — up to $2,000
Applicants may submit proposals at any time but should allow at least five weeks before the project starts. Decisions are made by OHC reviewers and staff, usually within two weeks of the proposal’s submission.
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| How are grant proposals reviewed? |
If your proposal meets the guidelines, it will be submitted for a decision. If your proposal is incomplete, OHC staff will tell you what needs to be done, and your application will be held until it is complete. If your proposal seems weak, staff will advise you to withdraw it and make revisions. The decision is yours.
Applicants should understand that meeting basic criteria does not guarantee funding. The application process is competitive, and grant awards are made to the strongest applicants.
With all proposals, OHC exercises several options: fund at the full requested level, fund at a reduced amount, not fund, or fund with conditions at full or partial request. If the proposal is approved, the sponsoring organization receives a letter explaining the terms and conditions for the award and the process for requesting funds. If the proposal is not approved, the sponsoring organization receives a letter stating the reasons for the decision. If the proposal is conditionally approved, it is the sponsoring organization's responsibility to meet the conditions set by Council. Failure to meet the conditions before the date specified in the notification letter will result in withdrawal of the conditional offer.
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| Reasons most cited for not funding a proposal |
Beyond the competition factor, the principal reason proposals are not funded is that reviewers make a judgment that the humanities are not central to the program. Many proposals are very worthwhile and broadly humanistic in their orientation, but they lack a strong central humanities focus. In such cases, OHC is unable to fund the proposal. At other times, the humanities focus may be strong but the applicant fails to develop it adequately in the proposal. For instance, the proposal does not explain the objectives of the program, topics to be addressed, or the roles of the humanities scholars or established humanists.
Other common reasons for not funding a proposal include:
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The project emphasizes skills training, motivation and empowerment, or the process of learning rather than reflection on and discussion of specific humanities issues.
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The project emphasizes the creative process or the art form (theater, dance, music, opera, etc.), rather than the cultural, ethical, or historical contexts of the art.
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Humanities scholars or established humanists are not centrally involved in planning and/or implementing the program.
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The project formats do not appear likely to reach the intended audience effectively.
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The budget requests seem unrealistic or excessive.
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Balanced viewpoints on the subject are not presented.
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Members of the intended audience are not sufficiently involved or engaged.
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How does an organization apply for an OHC grant?
Please Note!
The nonprofit organization which receives an OHC grant is the official grantee, or entity accountable for meeting all grant responsibilities (outlined on p. 15). However, with regard to grant management, there are three crucial positions which need to be filled: the authorizing official, the project director, and the project bookkeeper. Grant management personnel should develop a system for keeping each other informed of the project’s status and OHC’s requirements.
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Step 1: Take the time to plan well.
Successful public humanities projects are the result of careful planning. In some cases, you might apply for a mini-grant to support consultations with humanities scholars and other professionals who can help you design and implement your humanities project.
Involve not only humanities scholars and/or established humanists but representatives of your intended audience in the planning stages of your project. Together, you should develop clear goals, appealing activities and products, a realistic timeline, a reasonable budget, effective publicity strategies, and solid evaluation procedures for your project. As much as possible, set dates, times, and locations for project activities and confirm the participation of key project personnel.
Step 2: Consult with OHC staff.
All applicants, and especially first-time grantwriters, are encouraged to contact OHC staff for help during the application process. OHC’s program officers are happy to answer questions, discuss project ideas, suggest appropriate humanities scholars and other professionals, and review drafts of grant proposals. The staff's role is to encourage the best proposal possible; staff does not vote on the final proposal.
OHC program officers will conduct grant proposal workshops for groups of ten or more. If your organization would like to host a grant proposal workshop, simply contact the OHC office to schedule one. Host organizations provide the workshop site, publicize the workshop as free and open to interested nonprofit groups, and coordinate registration.
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Key Grant Management Personnel:
The Authorizing Official is the representative of the applicant organization who has authority to submit the grant application on behalf of that organization. The authorizing official also makes sure that grant responsibilities are met in time. All grant paperwork including the application, compliance certification, grant agreement, fiscal forms, and final report must be reviewed and signed by the authorizing official.
The Project Director is the person responsible for coordinating the project, serving as the liaison with OHC staff, and preparing interim and final reports.
The Project Bookkeeper, who should be experienced in standard accounting procedures, is responsible for receiving, disbursing, and accounting for all grant and cost-share funds.
The project director may also serve as the authorizing official but not as the project bookkeeper. The partner, spouse, or family members of the project director also cannot be the project bookkeeper. If the applicant is an ad hoc group, OHC will in most cases require that a suitably qualified entity such as a 501(c)(3) organization, an individual accountant, or a CPA firm maintain the financial records for the project.
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Instructions for applying
Before you begin, you may wish to refer to the "Glossary of Terms Used" (p. 17) and the list of "Frequently Asked Questions" (p. 22).
A complete OHC grant proposal consists of:
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Cover Sheet (front and back), with all required
signatures |
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Project Narrative |
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Budget |
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the following attachments: |
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a list of the organization’s board members and
their addresses, |
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complete contact information for all key project personnel, including scholars involved in the project, |
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a list of each venue for public activities and their addresses |
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Please Note!
All other appendices must be approved in advance by OHC staff.
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Step 3: Use the instructions on the following pages to
complete your grant application.
A: Cover Sheet
You may photocopy the Grant Application Cover Sheet printed at the back of this booklet or download it from the OHC website. Grant applicants also may replicate the cover sheet, by scanning or other means, for easier preparation. However, forms which have reduced or compressed type or which exceed space limits will not be accepted.
Project Title: Describes the topic of your project.
Project Dates: For mini grants, plan to begin your project at least 5 weeks after submitting your application; for regular grants, 8 weeks; for major grants, 12 weeks.
Project Budget: Complete the budget sheet before filling in
this information.
Sponsoring Organization, Authorizing Official, Project Director, Project Bookkeeper: These terms are defined in the glossary provided on p. 17.
Project Summary: Self-explanatory. Compliance Questions: By signing and submitting this grant proposal, the authorizing official of the sponsoring organization is providing the applicable certifications regarding debarment and suspension and compliance with the nondiscrimination statutes.
B: Project Narrative
This section is the heart of your grant proposal. Answer the following questions in the order they are listed. Reviewers pay particular attention to Questions 2-5, so you may wish to devote more space to those answers. Be sure read through the list of "Special Project Formats" on p. 12 to determine if you need to answer additional questions specific to the type of project you plan to implement.
Format requirements
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Limit your narrative to no more than 6 typed pages in length, using 8 1/2 x 11 white paper. Single-spaced lines are fine. Number all pages. |
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Be sure to use 12-point type and standard 1- inch margins. OHC will not accept any proposals which use smaller type and margins! |
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Present your project narrative in a clear and visually appealing way. Here are some suggestions: Place important names and dates in bold. Use bullet points to highlight goals or project activities. If you choose to singlespace your narrative, break the text up into cohesive paragraphs. Remember that in an open competition, presentation counts. Proofread everything. Double-check your math calculations.
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Reduce or compress type or exceed space limitations. Staff will not submit such proposals for funding consideration. |
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Attach appendices, unless approved in advance by OHC staff or unless specified by our guidelines for certain types of projects (e.g., exhibits, teachers institutes, media projects). In general, OHC discourages attachments to grant applications. By answering the project narrative questions, you are giving our reviewers the information they need to assess your project’s likelihood of promoting and advancing the humanities in Ohio. |
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Project Narrative Questions
1. Who is the sponsoring organization?
Briefly tell us about your organization. How long have you been in existence? What are your goals and usual activities? How are you qualified to carry out the proposed project? Refer to your board-approved mission statement, if applicable.
If you are working with other organizations on this project, describe your collaboration.
2. Why is your project important?
Who is your intended audience?
Tell us how you discovered a need for your project. How will the project benefit your community and others outside your community? Describe the need for your project in such a way that it can be used later to judge the success of the project.
Who is your intended audience? How many people will you reach? Why will this project be of interest to them?
Will you charge admission fees? Explain how you will encourage the attendance and participation of people who cannot pay these.
3. Why is this a humanities project?
Which humanities disciplines are relevant to your project? What questions or issues will be addressed? Put in another way, what will your audience learn, experience, or gain as a result of your project? Be as specific as possible; give examples.
Who are your humanities scholars and/or established humanists, and what are their qualifications? What are their specific roles in the project?
4. What do you plan to do?
Tell us about your project in detail, focusing primarily on those activities to be supported with OHC funds. Provide a clear picture of what will take place, where, and when. As much as possible, describe who will perform which activities. (Note: The participation of all speakers, advisors, consultants, and other key project personnel should be confirmed at least conditionally at the time the application is submitted.)
What resources will you use? How do you plan to share the results of your project with the community?
5. How will you publicize your project?
Tell us how you will let people know about your project. If you hold a public event, how many people are likely to attend? Who will they be? If your organization has an established constituency, how will you attract new audience members? Outline your schedule for publicity. If you will use newspapers, radio, television, list these.
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6. How will you evaluate the effectiveness of your project?
How will you determine whether your project activities have met your project’s stated goals? Who are your evaluators? Projects funded at the Regular or Major level must have one or more outside evaluators.
An outside evaluator is anyone qualified to judge the success of a project in reaching its stated goals. The outside evaluator should not be connected to the project in any other way. How will you ensure an objective evaluation of your project?
7. How will this project strengthen your organization?
How will this project help your organization fulfill its mission? Will it increase your organization’s capacity for serving the public?
Will you charge an admission or registration fee? If so, how much and what will it be used for?
Additional Questions for Special Project Formats:
For exhibit projects only: What are your exhibition’s main themes? What will be exhibited (objects, photographs, art work, media, etc.) and how do these illustrate the stated themes? List the dates and locations of the exhibit and any related programs. If applicable, describe the credentials of your exhibit designer.
For media projects only (film, radio or TV
programming, web sites, CD-ROMs, etc.):
Refer to OHC’s Special Notes for Electronic Media Proposals, which is available on OHC’s website. Please contact the OHC office (1-800-293-9774) to request a copy by mail.
For teachers institutes only: Describe how teachers and/or school administrators have helped plan your institute. Provide a preliminary schedule showing how each day of the institute will be organized and describing the major activities planned. Attach as an appendix the proposed syllabus of lectures, readings, written assignments, and meeting times. Explain your plan for recruiting applicants who teach diverse or underserved student populations. Your budget should include costs for participants’ travel, campus room and board, and supplies.
Refer to the Grants Guidelines section in OHC’s web site, www.ohiohumanities.org, for further information. |
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Please Note!
Money matters to keep in mind:
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Grant funds should be spent or obligated during the grant period. The date that OHC approves the grant is the beginning date of a project, so expenses incurred while the proposal is being developed cannot be charged to the grant. The grant period ends 30 days after the last public program or project activity takes place.
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Your budget must include cost-share (cash, outside gifts & grants, donated goods & services, or a combination of these) that equals or exceeds the amount of the OHC grant request.
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OHC funds cannot cover: indirect costs, permanent acquisitions, equipment over $5000, alcoholic beverages, reception expenses, or costs listed as "miscellaneous."
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C: Budget Sheet
The budget must show how the project’s expenses were determined. The project budget is broken down into six categories— personnel, travel & per diem, project expenses, promotion, office, and other expenses—to help you anticipate and account for common project costs. OHC considers the cost-effectiveness of projects in making its funding decisions.
Under "Computation," explain what rates were used to arrive at the total figure, e.g., "Project Bookkeeper: Jim Smith, 20 hrs @ $12 per hour." Be sure to give full names for project personnel.
Under "OHC Grant Request," indicate the project costs which you would like to charge to the OHC grant. Under "Sponsor Cost-Share," include those project costs which will be covered by A) cash contributed to the project by the sponsoring organization (e.g., staff salaries, overhead costs); B) cash given to your project by outside organizations; C) fees and other expenses to be paid for by project participants; and D) donated services, equipment, and facilities.
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Budget Sheet Categories
A. Personnel
Project Director, Authorizing Official, Project Bookkeeper & Other Sponsor Staff: For many projects, a large portion of the required cost-share is met through time spent on the project by the project director, staff, and volunteers, although OHC can pay for salaried staff or hired staff working on the project. OHC has no set formula for determining administrative salaries, except that they should be reasonable with regard to the time and expertise needed to accomplish the assigned tasks. We suggest a range of $10-$20 per hour. Higher compensation levels should be justified and shown as at least part of the sponsor’s cost-share.
Humanities Scholars, Established Humanists, and Other Resource Personnel: Typically, OHC will not provide more than $1,500 toward the honorarium of an individual presenter. Sponsoring organizations which engage scholars with higher speaker fees can charge up to $1,500 to the OHC grant and show the remainder as cost-share. If a scholar does extended work for a project such as researching and writing a script or conducting multiple workshops, OHC may choose to approve higher compensation amounts, figured according to the number hours or presentations. Reasonable stipends for the following activities might be: for a major presentation requiring research, $250-$1,000; for a smaller presentation requiring research, $250-$500; for moderators, discussion leaders, or panelists, $75- $150; for researchers, $10-$45 per hour, depending upon qualifications; for outside evaluators, $50- $150, depending upon time spent.
B. Travel & Per Diem
OHC encourages proposals that are economical in travel-related costs. Airfare will be reimbursed by the OHC at coach rates; travel by car at the current rate of $.30/mile. (Call the OHC office for an updated rate.) Calculate actual expenses for food and lodging for out-of-town project personnel. Reasonable rates for lodging might be $60-85 per night, and for meals, $35-50 per day.
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C. Promotion
Be sure your promotion budget is proper for the size of your project. While larger projects often warrant extensive and systematic publicizing, OHC seldom funds proposals for which the majority of OHC funds will be spent on publicity expenses.
Printing: Costs for flyers, posters, postcards, or invitations, should be itemized, showing the cost per item and total cost. Some print shops may offer a special rate to nonprofits; the difference between that and the going rate may be claimed as cost-share.
Postage: Calculate the number and size of mailings and show this expense in the budget. Remember to use the nonprofit bulk mailing rate when possible.
Advertising: Have radio and television stations place a value on free promotion and use it for costshare.
You may also budget for any paid advertising.
D. Project Expenses
These include but are not limited to: exhibit rental or development; media production & post-production; study guides, program booklets, exhibit catalogues, books and other educational or instructional materials intended for the project audience or participants; equipment rental or purchase; and room rental.
E. Office Expenses
Often calculated as cost-share, office expenses include photocopying; expendable supplies such as name tags and folders; long-distance phone calls; and office space used for program planning.
F. Other Expenses
Include as cost-share reception expenses and indirect costs. |
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| What are the responsibilities of an OHC grant recipient? |
An OHC grant recipient—also referred to as the sponsoring organization or grantee—must fulfill the following obligations:
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Carry out project activities as laid out in the approved grant proposal. Project changes must be approved in advance by the OHC. |
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Acknowledge OHC support verbally at all project events and in writing on all materials publicizing or resulting from grant activities. |
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Inform the recipient’s legislators of the OHC grant. |
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Maintain (or contract with an outside, suitably qualified entity such as a 501(c)(3) organization, an individual accountant, or a CPA firm to maintain) project fiscal records and accounts that are consistent with generally accepted accounting principles. Grantees are responsible for disbursing grant funds and demonstrating adequate cost-share as set forth in the project budget and approved by the OHC. |
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Submit a final report to the OHC within 90 days of the end of the grant period. All records should be kept for 3 years after submitting the final report. |
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Remain in compliance with the federal nondiscrimination statutes and regulations regarding federal debt, debarment, and suspension, outlined below. |
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Compliance
requirements
Please Note!
Sponsoring organizations whose projects relate to American Indian, Aleut, Eskimo or Native Hawaiian peoples will also need to sign a Code of Ethics statement.
Sponsoring organizations whose projects involve professional performers will also need to comply with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Labor Standards, Section 5(i) and Section 7(g) of the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965, as amended. These documents can be obtained from the OHC office.
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The Ohio Humanities Council is required to seek from institutional applicants certification regarding the nondiscrimination statutes and from all applicants certification regarding debarment and suspension. By signing and submitting the grant proposal, the authorizing official of the sponsoring institution provides the applicable certifications. The certifications are material representations of fact on which reliance will be placed when the OHC determines to fund the application. If it is later determined that the applicant knowingly provided an erroneous certification, in addition to other remedies available to the federal government, the National Endowment for the Humanities may pursue available remedies including suspension and/or debarment.
| Certification Regarding the Nondiscrimination Statutes: |
| a) |
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.), which provides that no person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity for which the applicant received federal financial assistance; |
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Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended 20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance; |
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Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 794) which prohibits discrimination on the basis of handicap in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance; |
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the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended (42 U.S.C. 6101 et seq.), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance, except that actions which reasonably take age into account as a factor necessary for the normal operation or achievement of any statutory objective of the project or activity shall not violate this statute; |
Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion—Lower Tier Covered Transactions (45CFR 1169): The applicant certifies that it and its principals
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are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any federal department or agency; |
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have not within a three-year period preceding this proposal been convicted of or had a civil judgment rendered against them for commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public (federal, state, or local) transaction or contract under a public transaction; violation of federal or state antitrust statutes or commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, or receiving stolen property; |
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are not presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity (federal, state, or local) with commission of any of the offenses enumerated in paragraph b of this certification; and |
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are not within a three-year period preceding this application/ proposal had one or more public transactions (federal, state, or local) terminated for cause or default.
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| Certification Regarding Federal Debt Status (OMB Circular A-129): The applicant certifies to the best of its knowledge and belief that it is not delinquent in the repayment of any federal debt. |
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Glossary of Terms Used
Authorizing Official: The representative of the applicant organization who has authority to submit the grant application on behalf of that organization. The authorizing official also makes sure that grant responsibilities are met in time.
Cost-Share: Project costs not charged to the OHC grant. The sponsoring organization’s cost-share must equal or exceed the amount requested from the OHC. Cost-share may include: actual monies committed to the project by the sponsoring organization (e.g., the money used to pay salaried staff who are assigned to the project as part of their duties); actual monies raised from outside sources (e.g., foundations and corporations) to realize the proposed project; the current market value of donated services, goods, or facilities (e.g., the time of volunteers or the use of equipment, supplies, and office space); and anticipated program income from participants (e.g., admission or registration fees, payment of program-related costs such as continuing education credits or books).
Debarment: The ineligibility of an entity to receive any assistance or benefits from the federal government, either indefinitely or for a speci- fied period of time, based on legal proceedings taken pursuant to agency regulations implementing Executive Order 12549.
Equipment: Tangible, non-expendable personal property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5000 or more per unit.
Established Humanist: Someone without a graduate degree but with advanced training, acquired expertise, or an established reputation in one of the humanities disciplines. Established humanists include writers and poets with a significant body of published work;local historians and independent scholars who have pursued sustained and disciplined study of their communities; professional museum curators, librarians, teachers, and others whose work isstrongly grounded in the humanities; and persons representing various cultural traditions—an American Indian tribal chief, for example —if they are recognized as spokespersons for their traditions.
Grant Period: The period established in the grant agreement during which OHC support begins and ends. Grant monies may not be spent before the beginning date. All obligations must be liquidated within 90 days of the end date of the grant period.
Grantee: The nonprofit organization which submits the grant application, receives the grant award, sponsors the proposed humanities project, and is accountable for appropriate use of grant funds. Also known as the "sponsoring organization."
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Honoraria: The stipends paid to project personnel for their professional services.
Humanities Scholar: Someone with a graduate, frequently a doctoral, degree in a humanities discipline who is actively researching, writing, or teaching in the humanities.
Media Projects: Broadcast or other widely disseminated programming through radio, television, web sites, or other media.
Project Bookkeeper: An individual or an organization experienced in standard accounting procedures who is responsible for receiving, disbursing, and accounting for all grant and cost-share funds.
Project Director: The person responsible for coordinating the project, serving as the liaison with OHC staff, and preparing interim and final reports.
Sponsoring Organization: The nonprofit organization which submits the grant application, receives the grant award, sponsors the proposed humanities project, and is accountable for appropriate use of grant funds. Also known as the "grantee."
Suspension: 1) The suspension of a grant is the temporary cancellation of federal sponsorship, including withdrawal of authority to incur expenditures against grant funds, pending corrective action by the grantee, or pending a decision for termination of the grant. 2) The suspension of an individual or organization causes that party to be temporarily ineligible to receive any assistance and benefits from the federal government pending completion of investigation and legal proceedings as prescribed under agency regulations implementing Executive Order 12549. Such actions may lead to debarment of the grantee.
Teachers Institutes: Intensive professional development opportunities for K-12 teachers. Usually led by university professors and established humanists in conjunction with K-12 master teachers, institutes focus primarily on content rather than methodology and may be conducted over the course of a weekend or 1-3 weeks during the summer. Institutes provide teachers with intellectual stimulation and advanced knowledge of the humanities fields they teach.
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Frequently Asked Questions:
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Does the project director have to be a humanities scholar? No.
Does the planning committee need to have humanities scholars? Yes, humanities scholars or established humanists must be active in the project.
How do we document the credentials of scholars? In your project narrative, explain why your chosen scholars, established humanists, and resource personnel have appropriate credentials for their respective responsibilities. |
This can generally be done with concise oneparagraph summaries stating scholarly affiliation, area of expertise, or recent work relevant to the project.
Resumes or vitas up to two pages per person may be accepted as attachments. Please consult with a program officer before sending resumes or vitas for scholars and project personnel.
Do members of the community need to be involved in the planning and implementation of the project? Yes, |
if the sponsoring organization is an academic department or otheruniversity-based group, it has a responsibility to involve representatives from non-campus groups or other audiences that the program attempts to reach.
Who should be on the evaluation committee? You should choose one to three qualified people who are not affiliated with the sponsoring organization and who have not served on the planning committee nor been directly involved in the programming. |
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| Application Checklist |
We prefer double-sided, stapled copies. Do not use binders or
covers or include tables of content. Do not attach appendices,
unless required by your project type or unless approved in
advance by OHC staff. Remember to have a second, fresh pair of
eyes proofread your application! Keep a copy of the complete
grant proposal for your files.
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