Opportunity Information: Apply for 20180315 CHA
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grants program is designed to help humanities organizations build long-term strength rather than cover short-term operating gaps. The core purpose is to improve an institution's ability to sustain and grow its humanities work by funding infrastructure and capacity-building efforts that expand preservation, access, and institutional support for humanities resources and activities. In practice, the program encourages applicants to think strategically about what investments will leave their organization stronger years from now, whether that means better stewardship of collections, improved public access to materials, or a more durable financial foundation for humanities programming.
A key feature of this opportunity is its "challenge grant" structure, which requires the applicant to raise matching funds and demonstrate broad institutional and community commitment. The grant is meant to help organizations generate lasting support, including through spend-down funds that produce expendable earnings that can be used to support ongoing humanities activities over time. NEH emphasizes that the combined federal and nonfederal funds should enhance the humanities in a durable way and should not simply replace money the institution is already spending. Instead, proposals are expected to reflect careful planning that strengthens and enriches humanities work, with a clear explanation of how the investment will produce long-term benefits.
Eligible projects include a range of concrete capacity-building activities tied to humanities materials and infrastructure. This includes documenting cultural heritage materials that are lost or imperiled, preserving and conserving humanities collections, and sustaining digital scholarly infrastructure that supports research and access. The program also allows capital expenditures that directly support humanities work, such as purchasing equipment and software, or designing, purchasing, constructing, restoring, or renovating facilities needed for humanities activities and collections sharing. These kinds of investments are framed as beneficial not only to the applicant institution but also to the broader humanities ecosystem because they improve preservation, access, and the ability to share resources over the long term.
The opportunity is open to a broad set of applicants, including public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions), county and city or township governments, special district governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. NEH also welcomes applications from museums, public libraries, research institutions, historical societies and historic sites, scholarly associations, and state humanities councils. Collaborative projects involving multiple organizations are allowed, but one organization must serve as the lead agent and be the official applicant of record, taking responsibility for managing the award and meeting program requirements.
In terms of funding details, this is a discretionary grant program in the humanities (CFDA 45.130) administered by NEH. The listed award ceiling is $750,000. Grantees are permitted to use up to 10 percent of the total project funds (counting both federal dollars and matching funds together) to cover fundraising costs directly connected to meeting the challenge requirement. Overall, the program is oriented toward projects that can credibly show durable outcomes, whether the costs are ongoing or one-time, as long as the applicant can demonstrate that the impact will strengthen humanities capacity well beyond the life of the grant.Apply for 20180315 CHA
- The National Endowment for the Humanities in the humanities sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 45.130.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2018-01-16.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-03-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $750,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grants (NEH) - FAQs
What is the NEH Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grants program?
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grants program supports humanities organizations in building long-term institutional strength. It focuses on investments that improve an institution's ability to sustain and grow humanities work over time, rather than filling short-term operating gaps.
What is the main goal of this grant opportunity?
The core purpose is to fund infrastructure and capacity-building efforts that expand preservation, access, and institutional support for humanities resources and activities. NEH expects projects to be strategic investments that will leave the organization stronger years into the future.
How is this different from a grant that covers operating gaps?
This program is designed to strengthen long-term capacity, not to replace money an institution is already spending or to address short-term budget shortfalls. Proposals should show careful planning and explain how the investment creates durable benefits for humanities work.
What does "challenge grant" mean in this program?
Does the program require matching funds?
Yes. A key feature of the program is the requirement to raise matching (nonfederal) funds as part of the challenge grant structure.
What is NEH looking for in terms of long-term impact?
NEH emphasizes durable outcomes. Projects should credibly demonstrate that the combined federal and nonfederal funds will strengthen humanities capacity beyond the life of the grant, such as by improving stewardship of collections, expanding public access, strengthening humanities infrastructure, or building a more durable financial foundation for humanities programming.
What kinds of projects are eligible?
Eligible projects include concrete capacity-building activities tied to humanities materials and infrastructure, such as:
- Documenting cultural heritage materials that are lost or imperiled
- Preserving and conserving humanities collections
- Sustaining digital scholarly infrastructure that supports research and access
- Capital expenditures that directly support humanities work (including equipment and software)
- Designing, purchasing, constructing, restoring, or renovating facilities needed for humanities activities and collections sharing
Are facility construction, restoration, or renovation costs allowed?
Yes. The program allows capital expenditures that directly support humanities work, including designing, purchasing, constructing, restoring, or renovating facilities needed for humanities activities and collections sharing.
Can the grant be used for equipment and software?
Yes. Purchasing equipment and software is explicitly included as an allowable type of capital expenditure when it directly supports humanities work.
Does the program support digital infrastructure projects?
Yes. Sustaining digital scholarly infrastructure that supports research and access is listed as an eligible project type.
Can the grant support efforts related to preservation and conservation?
Yes. Preserving and conserving humanities collections is a core eligible activity, and the program frames these investments as beneficial both to the applicant and the broader humanities ecosystem.
What does NEH mean by "documenting cultural heritage materials that are lost or imperiled"?
The program includes support for documentation activities focused on cultural heritage materials that are lost or imperiled, as part of building capacity to preserve humanities resources and expand long-term access.
Are collaborative or multi-organization projects allowed?
Yes. Collaborative projects involving multiple organizations are allowed, but one organization must serve as the lead agent and be the official applicant of record.
What is the role of the lead organization in a collaborative project?
The lead organization is the official applicant of record and is responsible for managing the award and meeting program requirements.
Who is eligible to apply?
The opportunity is open to a broad range of applicants, including:
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions)
- County and city or township governments
- Special district governments
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
Does NEH encourage certain types of humanities organizations to apply?
Yes. NEH welcomes applications from museums, public libraries, research institutions, historical societies and historic sites, scholarly associations, and state humanities councils.
What agency administers this program?
This is a discretionary grant program administered by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 45.130.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling is $750,000.
Can grant funds be used to pay for fundraising expenses?
Yes, within limits. Grantees may use up to 10 percent of the total project funds (counting both federal dollars and matching funds together) for fundraising costs that are directly connected to meeting the challenge (matching) requirement.
How is the 10 percent fundraising cap calculated?
The cap is based on total project funds, meaning the combined total of federal grant dollars plus matching funds.
Does NEH allow projects with one-time costs, ongoing costs, or both?
The program is oriented toward projects that can show durable outcomes whether the costs are ongoing or one-time, as long as the applicant can demonstrate that the impact strengthens humanities capacity well beyond the life of the grant.
What are "spend-down funds" and why are they mentioned?
The program notes that challenge grants are meant to help organizations generate lasting support, including through spend-down funds that produce expendable earnings. These earnings can be used to support ongoing humanities activities over time.
Does NEH expect the grant to supplement rather than replace existing spending?
Yes. NEH emphasizes that combined federal and nonfederal funds should enhance the humanities in a durable way and should not simply replace money the institution is already spending.
What should a competitive proposal explain, based on the program description?
Based on the description provided, proposals are expected to reflect careful planning and include a clear explanation of how the investment will produce long-term benefits, such as improved stewardship, expanded access, strengthened infrastructure, and/or a more durable foundation for humanities work.
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