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Questions?
Contact NEH's Division of Public Programs at 202-606-8269 or via e-mail at publicpgms@neh.gov. Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.
Type of Award
Successful applicants will be awarded a grant in outright funds, matching funds, or a combination of the two, depending on the applicant's preference and the availability of NEH funds.
How to obtain a print-version of this application
Call 202-606-8446, send an e-mail to info@neh.gov, or write to NEH, Office of Public Affairs, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20506
NEH supports television documentary programs or historical dramatizations that address significant figures, events, or developments in the humanities and draw their content from humanities scholarship. Projects must be intended for national distribution during prime time on either broadcast or cable networks. Support is also available for DVDs and websites that expand the content of the television program.
To ensure that the humanities themes and questions are well conceived, projects should use a team of scholars who are from major fields relevant to the subject matter and have diverse perspectives and approaches.
Support is available for:
Planning grants, to produce a treatment. Before applying, applicants should have clarified the themes the project will explore and made preliminary decisions about the format and storyline. They should also have located essential production materials and obtained commitments from the principal scholars who will guide the project. Finally, they should have recruited the appropriate media professionals for this stage of the project, especially the producer.
Scripting grants, to produce a detailed treatment or script. Before applying, applicants should have clearly developed the program's intellectual goals, the scope of the issues it will explore, and its structure. They should have begun to think about how the analysis and intellectual content will be integrated into the storyline and have identified the principal materials available for production. In addition, they should have consulted extensively with a team of scholarly advisers and obtained the commitment of a scriptwriter or potential scriptwriters to join the media team.
Production grants, to create a program ready for broadcast. Before applying, applicants must have written a detailed treatment or a script showing the program's narrative elements, intellectual issues, and creative approach. If a grant is requested for one program in a series, basic treatments (but not detailed treatments or scripts) should be included for all the programs. If a detailed treatment, but not a script, is submitted with an application for a production grant, the treatment should reflect extensive consultation with the advising scholars, and applicants should have obtained the commitment of the scholars to continue to advise the project. Finally, applicants should have already recruited the media team, including at a minimum the producer and the director.
Note: Consultation grants for media projects are also available, but they are not accepted at the November deadline.
Applications may be submitted for any phase of a project. For example, applicants are not required to obtain a scripting grant before submitting a production proposal.
Applicants should see the Media Log and lists of recent awards for examples of projects that have received NEH support.
Television project grants cannot be used for:
- dramatic adaptations of literary works;
- projects that will satisfy requirements for educational degrees or formal professional training;
- general operations, renovation, restoration, rehabilitation, or construction of station or production facilities;
- preservation or cataloging of materials and collections;
- programs designed to persuade audiences of a particular political, philosophical, religious, or ideological point of view; or
- projects that advocate a particular program of social or political action.
Broadcast expectations and rights
Once production is completed, NEH expects that the program or series will be offered for television broadcast to the widest possible audience, either on broadcast or cable networks. NEH must approve all broadcast and distribution arrangements before they are finalized.
While the grantee owns the rights to the products of the grant, such as program treatments, scripts, and television programs, NEH reserves a non-exclusive and irrevocable right to use materials produced under a grant and to authorize others to use these materials for federal purposes. For more information on NEH's rights to grant products, please see Article 26 of the General Grant Provisions for Organizations.
Grantees are required to report income earned from grant products for seven years following the end of the grant. In addition, a percentage of income earned during this period must be returned to NEH. The percentage is based upon the proportion of NEH support of the total project costs.
We the People Grant Initiative
To help Americans make sense of their history and of the world around them, NEH has launched an initiative: We the People. To learn more about We the People, visit the initiative's website. NEH encourages applications that explore significant events and themes in our nation's history and culture and that advance knowledge of the principles that define America. Grants may be used to develop television projects related to the initiative, such as the following:
- historical documentary programs chronicling the individual lives, events, or movements that have shaped America.
- documentary series that explore significant elements of American life and culture, such as the history of major cities or regions, the development of major forms of art or literature, and the evolution of the political, cultural, or social institutions and processes that are the foundations of our nation; and
- documentary programs and series telling other stories that illustrate America's enduring ideals, traditions, and achievements and will interest public audiences in America's history and culture.
Proposals considered under the We the People initiative will be evaluated through NEH's established review process and will not receive special consideration.
NEH support for a project in an early stage does not imply commitment for ongoing support. Proposals for successive phases of a project must be submitted separately and are evaluated independently.
If an application for a project is already under review, another application for the same project cannot be submitted.
- Planning grants
Awards may be up to $30,000 and are usually made for a period of six months.
- Scripting grants
Awards are usually made for a period of six to twelve months and average $60,000 for a single television program or small series and $70,000 for a large series.
- Production grants
Awards average $400,000 to $800,000, excluding companion digital projects, and are made for a period of two to three years.
Cost sharing
Since NEH support is limited, applicants are strongly encouraged to raise funds from other sources or assume cost sharing, such as cash contributions by the applicant and third parties as well as third-party in-kind contributions, such as donated goods and services. While the amount of cost sharing will vary depending on the budget, nature, and scope of the project, on average NEH is able to contribute 60% of the funding.
Please note that NEH normally will not release its grant funds for production until funding from all sources to cover the full costs of the project has been committed.
Any U.S. nonprofit organization with IRS 501(c)3 tax exempt status is eligible, as are state and local governmental agencies. Grants are not awarded to individuals. Independent producers who wish to apply for NEH funding are advised to seek sponsorship by an eligible organization.
NEH generally does not award grants to other federal entities or to applicants whose projects are so closely intertwined with a federal entity that the project takes on characteristics of the federal entity's own authorized activities. This does not preclude applicants from using grant funds from, or sites and materials controlled by, other federal entities in their projects.
Preparing an application
Prior to submitting a proposal, applicants are encouraged to contact program officers who can:
- answer questions about the review process;
- supply samples of funded applications; and
- comment on a draft, if it is submitted well before the deadline (usually at least six weeks). These staff comments are not part of the formal review process and have no bearing on the final outcome of the proposal. However, previous applicants have found them helpful in strengthening their proposals.
A complete application includes the following:
- Application cover sheet
Using the instructions, complete the cover sheet. The cover sheet must be signed by the official authorized to submit an application on behalf of the organization.
All institutions applying to federal grant programs are required to provide a DUNS number, which is issued by Dun & Bradstreet, as part of their application. Project directors should contact their institution’s grant administrator or chief financial officer to obtain their institution’s DUNS number. Federal grant applicants can obtain a DUNS number free of charge by calling 1-866-705-5711. More information about the new requirement is available.
- Table of contents
List all parts of the application with page numbers.
- Budget form
Applicants for planning and scripting grants should use NEH's budget form (10-page PDF). Applicants for production funding may use their own budget form in place of Section A of the budget form. All applicants must complete Section B (Summary Budget and Project Funding) of the NEH budget form.
- Compensation
Identify all key project personnel by name on the budget form. Indicate in the budget if any of these individuals will perform different and separately budgeted functions.
Please note that the compensation for key project positions, such as the project director, producer, director, and scriptwriter, will be considered as fixed fees for service, even though the amount of compensation requested is calculated on the basis of the projected length of the project.
Department of Labor regulations
U.S. Department of Labor regulations require that all professional performers, scriptwriters, and related or supporting professional personnel employed on projects and/or productions supported in whole or in part by NEH be paid not less than the minimum union or guild rates.
A copy of the applicable regulations, "Labor Standards on Projects or Productions Assisted by Grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities; Final Rule," may be obtained from NEH's Office of Grant Management, Room 311, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20506 (202-606-8494).
- Equipment
NEH allows applicants to use their own equipment and to include charges for this use, subject to the following:
- for equipment and facilities that are not fully depreciated, determine actual costs on the basis of the acquisition costs, divided by the useful life, times the period of use on the project; and
- for equipment and facilities that have been fully depreciated, charges to operate the asset, including the cost of maintenance, insurance, and other related expenses, are allowable.
- Administrative fee in lieu of indirect costs for umbrella organizations
Under certain circumstances, the applicant may be a non-profit organization that is willing to sponsor an independent producer, filmmaker or group who, without tax-exempt status, is not eligible to apply directly for a grant from NEH. The sponsoring organization, also called an "umbrella" organization, may provide the project with accounting services, office and editing facilities, fundraising assistance, and other administrative support, but does not carry out the project activities itself. Under this arrangement the umbrella organization is considered the grantee of record and assumes all attendant responsibilities of a grantee.
NEH will allow an umbrella organization to recover its costs for administering the NEH award by charging an administrative fee of 5% of total project costs. This administrative fee can be charged instead of negotiating an indirect cost rate with NEH.
Applicants who are umbrella organizations that wish to budget for the 5% administrative fee should do so in the "indirect costs" section of the NEH budget form.
- Compensation
- Narrative
Limit the narrative to twenty-five single-spaced pages. All pages should have one-inch margins and be collated and numbered consecutively throughout. The font size should be no smaller than eleven point.
The narrative should cover the following points:
- The request
Summarize in one or two paragraphs the subject, format, amount of money requested from NEH, and the total budget for the phase of the project (planning, scripting, or production) for which you are requesting support. Include the number, length, and variety of programs planned. Finally, indicate what will be accomplished or produced with NEH funds. Examples of NEH grant products include treatments, scripts, television programs, DVDs, and websites.
- Project introduction
Describe what the program is about, including the principal figures, events, or issues to be explored. Discuss the program's intellectual content and themes, how it will use humanities scholarship, and what the audience will learn about the subject. Discuss how this project relates to other productions on similar or related subjects.
- Description
Describe how the program will be structured and how the storyline will be linked to the intellectual themes. Describe the resources available for the program, such as audio and visual materials, historical documents, and interviews. If reenactments are planned, explain how they will be produced and to what extent they will be used. Discuss the work accomplished to date.
- Related project components
Discuss any materials and activities, especially interactive digital components, that will accompany the broadcast program. Briefly describe their formats, the scope or emphasis of their content, and how they will complement the program. If you are requesting NEH support for planning, scripting, or production of digital enhancements, also see the instructions for digital components below.
- Project funding
Specify the source and amount of all funds raised to date for the television program and, if applicable, related projects. Include any previous NEH grants, as well as support received from state humanities councils, foundations, individuals, and other sources.
Estimate the project's total cost through production to broadcast. For planning and scripting proposals, discuss possible approaches to raising money and list potential sources of additional funding. For production applications, discuss specific plans for raising funds from outside sources to cover the costs that will exceed NEH support.
- Audience and broadcast prospects
Discuss the intended audience of the program and the television distribution arrangements that will be made for broadcast. For television programs, indicate whether the project will be part of an ongoing series or strand. If it will not be part of a series or strand, discuss the broadcast and distribution goals for the program.
- Organization history
Describe briefly the applicant institution and, if different, the production organization. Provide information about each organization's aims, origin, special characteristics, current activities, and experience with humanities-based programs. Each profile should be only one paragraph.
- Project staff
Provide information about both the principal members of the media team and the scholarly consultants. In a paragraph, summarize each person's qualifications and contributions to the project. Discuss the media team's experience and suitability for the proposed project.
- Work plan
Provide a detailed, month-by-month schedule of the major work to be done, the amount of time it will require, and the specific people involved. Be especially clear about when the meetings of the media, scholarly teams, or other consultations will occur and how these activities will contribute to the progress of the project.
- The request
- Appendices
The following information should be included in the appendices.
Appendix A: Documentation
Include the following information:
- résumés of all project staff and consultants, no longer than two pages each;
- letters of commitment from consultants, key members of the media team, and participating organizations;
- bibliography of humanities sources and work informing the project;
- list of related films on the subject; and
- description or list of the collections of materials to be used in the program.
Appendix B: Treatment
The treatment should set forth the storyline or elements of the program, show how the intellectual content and analysis will be presented, illustrate the creative approach to the production, and indicate the visual or audio materials to be featured.
Provide the following, depending upon the type of grant being applied for:
For planning grants, applicants may include a draft of a treatment. If one does not exist, describe the ideas for the program in detail in the narrative essay.
For scripting grants, applicants should include at least a preliminary treatment with the proposal.
For production grants, applicants should include a detailed treatment or a script.
Appendix C: Digital projects (when relevant)
Applicants requesting support for DVDs, websites, etc., must provide the following information:
- Content
Describe the humanities content, including the principal figures, events, or issues to be explored and the humanities scholarship to be used. Explain how this content differs from that of the broadcast program and what it will add to the user's understanding of the subject.
- Format
Explain how the format is appropriate to the content and the intellectual goals of the digital component. Discuss how this format will enhance the presentation of the humanities material and shape the intellectual experience of the user.
- Interactivity
Describe how the user will explore the content. Outline the potential pathways that will guide the user through the project and describe how audio, graphics, text, video, and interactivity will affect the user's understanding of the content. If the video from the broadcast program will be available on the digital component, in whole or in part, explain its function in the overall concept of the digital component and how the broadcast portions will be linked to the interactive elements.
- Rights and permissions
Indicate who controls the rights to the materials to be used. Discuss the potential for obtaining permissions to use materials and the likely costs of clearing the rights.
- Target audience and distribution
Explain how people will learn about the digital component. Identify the audience or audiences for the project and the strategy for reaching this audience.
- Project staff
Identify the key personnel for the digital component. Provide a paragraph for each staff member and consultant, describing the individual's qualifications and role.
- Prototype
Applicants for production grants only must submit a prototype of the digital component demonstrating content, typical images, sounds, text, and modes of interactivity. The prototype may be in the form of storyboards, flow charts, URLs for websites, CD-ROMs, or DVDs. If the prototype is on a CD-ROM or DVD, submit 9 copies.
- Samples of previous digital work
All applicants must submit examples of previously completed work. If members of the digital team have not worked together before, then separate samples should be submitted for each principal member.
Append a page to the end of the proposal describing the sample or samples of the companion digital component, and indicating the roles played by each person on the digital team. In addition, please specify the platform on which the sample component is designed to operate.
If the digital work is on a website, provide the URL. If the work is on a DVD or CD-ROM, submit 9 copies.
- Documentation
Documentation for digital projects includes:
- résumés of all digital project staff and consultants, no longer than two pages each;
- letters of commitment from consultants, key members of the digital team, and participating organizations; and
- bibliography of humanities sources and works informing the digital project.
Appendix D: Work samples
All applicants are required to submit either a sample of previous work or a pilot program with the application. Samples will not be retained. Please enclose a self-addressed mailer with sufficient postage if you wish to have your sample(s) returned.
Append a page to the end of the proposal describing the sample or samples and indicate the roles played by members of the current media team. Film samples should be on one-half-inch VHS.
The following numbers of copies are needed:
- Samples of previous work
If the media team has worked together on a previous project, submit only one copy of that project. If not, submit one sample of previous work by each principal member of the media team.
- Pilot programs and works in progress
If the application is for a production grant to support a series for which a pilot program is being made or has already been made, submit 9 copies of the pilot or the work in progress.
- Companion digital projects
Applicants for production grants proposing digital components must submit an electronic sample of the previous work of the digital media team. If the sample includes a CD-ROM or DVD, submit 9 copies. If the sample includes a website, provide the URL.
Application checklist
Include:
One original, unbound proposal, including (in this order):
- application cover sheet signed by the organization's authorizing official (please attach a self-adhesive note identifying the original)
- table of contents
- budget
- narrative
- appendices
- documentation
- treatment
- companion digital project (if applicable)
- work sample description
- film and/or digital samples
Plus:
- 3 extra copies of the signed application cover sheet;
- 9 additional copies of the complete application, including the cover sheet (please do not use heavy binders; and
- 9 copies of the pilot or work in progress, if applicable.
Send applications to:
Television Projects: Planning, Scripting, and Production Grants
Division of Public Programs
National Endowment for the Humanities
Room 426
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20506
202-606-8269
NEH sometimes experiences lengthy delays in the delivery of mail by the U. S. Postal Service. To ensure that your application arrives by the receipt deadline, please consider using a commercial delivery service. NEH will acknowledge the receipt of your application by e-mail. Although formal applications cannot be accepted by e-mail or fax, we do recommend the use of such alternatives for other kinds of correspondence, including inquiries, preliminary drafts, recommendations, or reports.
Deadline for submissions
Applications must be received by November 3, 2004 for projects beginning no earlier than July 1, 2005.
Criteria
Proposals are evaluated according to the following criteria:
- Intellectual content
Significance of the themes, issues, and materials; scope and complexity of the subject; interest of content to a public audience; and likely contribution to public understanding of the humanities.
- Humanities scholarship
Scope and relevance of the humanities scholarship informing the project, choice and qualifications of the advising scholars, and likely contribution of the scholars to the conception and progress of the project.
- Media team
Qualifications of the media team for the project, quality of the team's previous work and promise of quality for this project, and likelihood of timely and successful completion.
- Format
Potential to convey the ideas and materials effectively to a television audience and likely quality of the program.
- Audience and broadcast
Potential for broadcast to a national audience and the likely characteristics of that audience.
- Work plan
Design of workplan and potential to achieve the goals for this stage of the project.
- Budget
Allocation, economy, and justification of the projected costs; and likely success of the fundraising plan.
Review and selection process
Knowledgeable persons outside NEH will read each application and advise the agency about its merits. The Endowment's staff comments on matters of fact or on significant issues that otherwise would be missing from these reviews, then makes recommendations to the National Council on the Humanities. The National Council meets at various times during the year to advise the NEH chairman on grants. The chairman takes into account the advice provided by the review process and, by law, makes all funding decisions.
Award notices
Applicants will be notified by letter in June 2005.
Administrative requirements
Before submitting an application, applicants should review their responsibilities as a grantee, the Davis-Bacon Act, and the certification requirements.