[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 63 (Monday, April 1, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22458-22462]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-06811]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES

National Endowment for the Humanities


Call for Proposals To Establish a Partnership in the State of 
Iowa

AGENCY: National Endowment for the Humanities; National Foundation on 
the Arts and the Humanities.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) requests 
proposals from interested nonprofit organizations and institutions of 
higher education to partner with NEH as the designated state humanities 
council in Iowa. Specifically, NEH is interested in partnering with a 
nonprofit organization or institution of higher education that has the 
skills and capacity to plan and administer humanities subawards and 
programs and provide humanities resources that are accessible to the 
people of the State of Iowa.

DATES: All proposals must be received by July 31, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Submit proposals electronically, with the subject line, 
``Opportunity to Enter into a Partnership with the National Endowment 
for the Humanities as the Designated Humanities Council in the State of 
Iowa,'' by email at the following address: neh.gov">fedstatecfp@neh.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Kenton, Director, Office of 
Federal/State Partnership, 400 Seventh Street SW, Washington, DC 20024. 
Phone: 202.606.8254. Email: neh.gov">kkenton@neh.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    In accordance with the President's Executive Order on Advancing 
Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the 
Federal Government, E.O. 13985 of Jan 20, 2021, NEH encourages all 
eligible organizations to apply who meet the listed qualifications and 
requirements in this notice, including those that serve, represent, or 
are led by underserved communities, such as Black, Latino,

[[Page 22459]]

Indigenous and Native American, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders 
and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, 
gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with 
disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise 
adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality and the 
organizations that support these individuals and groups.
    NEH is an independent Federal agency in the executive branch. NEH's 
enabling legislation authorizes the agency to ``establish and carry out 
a program of grants-in-aid in each of the several states''--the term 
``states'' defined as including all states and jurisdictions of the 
U.S.--in order to advance the humanities. (20 U.S.C. 956(f)).
    By statute, each year, NEH's designated humanities councils apply 
for a General Operating Support Grant using the following Notice of 
Funding Opportunity: State and Jurisdictional Humanities Councils 
General Operating Support Grants (neh.gov). Awards are subject to 2 CFR 
part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and 
Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, and the General Terms and 
Conditions for General Support Grants to State Humanities Councils. 
These General Operating Support Grants are subject to a 1:1 cost-share 
requirement. (20 U.S.C. 956(f)).
    The selected entity will be invited to apply for a fiscal year 2025 
General Operating Support Grant for the State of Iowa.
    NEH-funded humanities councils ensure access to humanities 
subawards, programs, and resources in every U.S. state and 
jurisdiction. Activities conducted by a designated state humanities 
council may include: (1) grantmaking, (2) developing and implementing 
council-led public humanities programs, (3) working with humanities 
scholars, experts, and/or practitioners, (4) partnering with other 
local, state, jurisdictional, and national organizations, (5) ensuring 
humanities resources remain accessible to the people of the council's 
state or jurisdiction, (6) fundraising to meet the required 1:1 match 
and support the sustainability of programs and operations, (7) actively 
participating with the network of other state and jurisdictional 
humanities councils--all in support of advancing the council's and 
NEH's mission.
    Under section 3(a) of the National Foundation on the Arts and the 
Humanities Act of 1965, as amended, ``The term `humanities' includes, 
but is not limited to, the study of the following: language, both 
modern and classical; linguistics; literature; history; jurisprudence; 
philosophy; archaeology; comparative religion; ethics; the history, 
criticism and theory of the arts; those aspects of the social sciences 
which have humanistic content and employ humanistic methods; and the 
study and application of the humanities to the human environment with 
particular attention to reflecting our diverse heritage, traditions, 
and history and to the relevance of the humanities to the current 
conditions of national life.''

II. General Scope

    Only nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education 
are eligible to submit a proposal. Eligible entities must be 
incorporated to serve the State of Iowa. To be eligible, your 
organization must make substantive contributions to the success of the 
project and must not function solely as a fiscal agent for another 
entity. Individuals and other organizations, including foreign and for-
profit entities, are ineligible.
    The entity that is selected pursuant to this notice will be 
eligible to submit proposals for general operating support funding on 
an annual basis using the following Notice of Funding Opportunity: 
State and Jurisdictional Humanities Councils General Operating Support 
Grants (neh.gov).

III. Requested Response

    NEH seeks to partner with one nonprofit organization or institution 
of higher education to establish a humanities council in the State of 
Iowa.

a. Proposal Submission

    All submissions must be made in electronic format and submitted in 
accordance with the ADDRESSES section above.
    Unless otherwise stipulated in specific instructions, attachments 
should conform to the following formatting requirements: (1) maximum 30 
pages, exclusive of Appendices/Supplementary Materials, (2) paper size 
no larger than standard letter paper size (8\1/2\'' x 11''), (3) at 
least one-inch margins on all sides for all pages, (4) a font size no 
smaller than 11-point, (5) single-spacing, (6) recommended fonts: 
Arial, Georgia, Helvetica, or Times New Roman, (7) any standard 
citation style is acceptable; citations are included in page counts.
    All proposals are subject to the False Claims Amendments Act of 
1986, 31 U.S.C. 3729 and 18 U.S.C. 287, as well as the False Statements 
Accountability Act of 1996, 18 U.S.C 1001. In accordance with Federal 
appropriations law, an authorized representative of the selected 
proposer(s) may be required to provide certain certifications regarding 
Federal felony and Federal criminal tax convictions, unpaid Federal tax 
assessments, and delinquent Federal tax returns.

b. Proposal Narrative Guidance

    The proposal must address each prompt below and should include 
information presented in a manner sufficient to allow each response to 
be reviewed against the evaluation criteria set forth in part ``IV, d--
Evaluation Criteria.'' Please use each heading as a title to organize 
each section of the proposal.
Executive Summary/Capability Statement (1 Page)
     Describe the nature and scope of the organization's 
humanities expertise; its capacity to steward Federal funds, serve as 
NEH's designated humanities council, and reach cultural entities and 
audiences throughout the State of Iowa; and its experience successfully 
conducting public humanities programming and grantmaking.
Proposal Narrative
1. The Significance of the Humanities in the Work of the Organization 
(1-2 Pages)
     Positioning: Discuss the organization's position within 
Iowa with respect to cultural institutions, colleges and universities, 
academic and public humanities, philanthropic organizations, K-12 
educators, and the state government and its elected officials.
     Significance: Discuss the significance and impact of the 
organization's public humanities programing and grantmaking in the 
State of Iowa.
2. The Context and Work of the Organization (2-5 Pages)
     Public awareness: Discuss the cultural sector's and 
public's awareness of the work of the organization--what is the 
organization best known for, which programs and offerings are the most 
popular, and how does the public interact with the organization?
     Leadership: How will the organization serve as a 
facilitator, convener, and trusted partner in the Iowa cultural 
community?
     Defining the humanities: How will the organization define 
the humanities to the public, particularly those audiences that may not 
be familiar with the humanities?
     Scholarship and scholars: How will the organization ground 
its public

[[Page 22460]]

programming and/or grantmaking in humanities scholarship? What role 
will scholars play in the design, implementation, and evaluation of 
programming and/or grantmaking?
     Audiences: What primary audiences will the organization 
serve?
     Partners: Discuss how the organization will leverage 
partnerships to enhance the accessibility, reach, and quality of 
humanities programming and grantmaking. Include the names and roles of 
potential partners.
     Communication and Visibility: How will the organization 
communicate with the public about its humanities programming and/or 
grantmaking? How will the organization promote itself as a humanities 
funder and programmer?
     Evaluation: Discuss how the organization will leverage 
data to inform humanities programming, grantmaking, and internal 
operations.
     Advocacy: NEH strictly prohibits grantees from using the 
Federal funds it provides for advocacy; humanities councils may not use 
NEH funds to promote a particular political, religious, or ideological 
point of view, and must avoid advocacy of a particular program of 
social or political action. Discuss how, if selected, the organization 
will actively ensure that NEH funding is not used for advocacy? How 
will the organization review programs funded by NEH to ensure that its 
programs and its subrecipients' programs do not engage in advocacy? How 
often will these reviews occur? If an allegation of improper political 
advocacy in an NEH-funded program were to be brought to your attention, 
please explain how you would investigate and resolve the matter.
3. Proposed Humanities Programs (2-4 Pages)
    Describe the humanities programs, grants, and other activities the 
organization proposes to undertake if selected as the designated 
humanities council in the State of Iowa. Will any of the organizations' 
existing programs and grants continue?
     Please provide a list with short (no more than 1 
paragraph) descriptions of the programs and grants currently available.
4. The Quality of Operations (2-5 Pages)
     Strategic Planning:
    [cir] Discuss the organization's mission statement and its role in 
shaping activities and operations.
    [cir] Discuss the organization's approach to strategic planning, 
including who is involved in planning discussions, and the frequency of 
new plans and/or updates.
     Organizational management:
    [cir] How does the organization set budgetary priorities? How will 
the organization plan for and manage risks and liabilities? How does 
the organization guarantee transparency and accountability of its 
activities?
    [cir] NEH strongly encourages all humanities councils to pursue 
diversified funding streams to create stability and reduce risk. 
Discuss annual goals for fundraising and the organization's current 
fundraising strategy. Does the organization manage its own fundraising 
activities, or does it outsource its fundraising activities? Explain 
how the organization will raise the 1:1 match \1\ required by NEH 
(please base the response on receiving an annual grant of $999,777,\2\ 
the FY2023 amount allocated to the State of Iowa).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ By law, the NEH cannot support more than 50 percent of the 
costs of a state humanities council's activities (20 U.S.C. 956 
(f)). The balance of support may come from cash contributions to the 
council that are made from any source (including funds from other 
Federal agencies), program income the council has earned, the 
allowable costs that a subrecipient incurs in carrying out a 
council-funded project, and the value of in-kind contributions that 
are made by a third party. Please see General Terms and Conditions 
for General Support Grants to State Humanities Councils The National 
Endowment for the Humanities (neh.gov) for more information.
    \2\ This amount is not guaranteed. Allocations to the state and 
jurisdictional humanities councils are made on an annual basis and 
based on the amount budgeted to NEH from Congress.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    [cir] Does the organization conduct regular financial audits? If 
so, provide the length of service by the current audit firm and 
frequency in rotating auditors and/or firms. Were there any findings in 
the most recent audit? If so, please describe.
    [cir] How does the organization prioritize staff resources? What 
professional development opportunities exist for staff? How are staff 
evaluated and how is compensation determined?
    [cir] Are succession plans in place for the executive director, 
senior staff, and board leadership?
     Board Governance: Discuss the role of the board in the 
following:

[cir] Setting organizational priorities
[cir] Determining grants and/or programming
[cir] Overseeing the executive director
[cir] Working with the staff
[cir] Fundraising
[cir] Outreach
[cir] Communications
[cir] Evaluation
5. Public Meetings (1-3 Pages)
    During the application period, the prospective partner is required 
to hold, after reasonable notice, at least one public meeting in the 
State of Iowa to allow scholars, interested organizations, and the 
public to present views and make recommendations regarding the 
organization's proposal. This meeting may be held virtually. The 
applicant must provide public access to, at minimum, a copy of the 
Executive Summary and the Work Plan. The application must include a 
summary of the public recommendations and the organization's response 
to them.

(Required by statute (20 U.S.C. 956(f))
6. Three Year Work Plan and Goals (3-5 Pages)
    Provide a year-by-year outline of a proposed work plan and goals 
during the initial three-year period of performance as the selected 
humanities council partner, outlining the following:
     The steps to be taken to develop, implement, and evaluate 
humanities programming and grantmaking.
    [cir] As appropriate, identify meetings and/or opportunities for 
collaboration with key stakeholders during the planning, 
implementation, and evaluation processes.
     The sequence in which these steps will occur, the amount 
of time they will take, and who will be responsible for each task.
     The staff resources required for planning, implementation, 
and evaluation, including any new staff positions.
     The involvement of the board in planning, implementation, 
and evaluation. Will there be any changes required to the board 
structure, committees, or bylaws?
     The organization's plans to meet the required cost-share 
(1:1) for General Operating Support awards. (Required by statute 20 
U.S.C. 956(f))
Appendices/Supplementary Materials
    All applications must include:
     Letters of support from any organizational (government or 
private), program, or grant partner, as well as letters of support from 
a sampling of up to five individual humanities scholars and advisors, 
and a signed letter of commitment from the organization's current board 
of directors.
     Brief r[eacute]sum[eacute]s (no longer than two pages) for 
the executive director and the board chair.
     A copy of the organization's current strategic plan.
     A copy of the organization's current bylaws.
     A copy of the organization's organizational chart.
     A copy of the conflict-of-interest statement for the board 
and staff.
     Statements of compliance with nondiscrimination laws.

[[Page 22461]]

     Staff biographies (no more than 1 paragraph).
     Board biographies (no more than 1 paragraph).
     A copy of the organization's IRS determination letter.
     A copy of the organization's last 3 years of audited 
financial statements.

IV. Evaluation and Selection Process

    All proposals received before the end date set forth in the DATES 
section of this notice will be reviewed to determine whether they are 
submitted by an eligible organization (section II. General Scope), 
contain all required proposal information, and are responsive to this 
notice. Proposals determined to be ineligible, incomplete, and/or non-
responsive based on the initial screening by Office of Grant Management 
and program staff will be eliminated from further review. Applicants 
will be notified by email if their proposal is deemed ineligible.
    All proposals that are determined to be eligible, complete, and 
responsive will be fully reviewed in accordance with the review and 
selection process as set forth below.

a. Site Visit

    Each proposal deemed eligible for a full review will receive a two-
day on-site visit in September 2024 by one NEH staff member and one 
external reviewer (the site reviewers). The site reviewers will take 
into consideration the organization's mission, alignment with NEH 
priorities, expertise in humanities-based grantmaking and programming, 
statewide position and partnerships, and the quality of operations, 
financial health, and stability to determine the feasibility of the 
proposed plan to become NEH's designated partner. Key participants from 
the applicant organization will include the executive director, staff, 
board members, and the following constituent groups: grantees (if 
applicable), scholars/advisors, partners, and funders.
    In conjunction with the site visit conducted by the NEH Program 
Office, the applicant organization will undergo a three-hour virtual 
site visit with two staff members from the Office of Grant Management 
(OGM). The OGM site visit aims to assess the applicant organization's 
capacity to effectively manage an NEH General Operating Support award 
and provide necessary tools and resources to strengthen oversight. 
During the site visit, OGM will communicate the NEH's expectations for 
State Humanities Councils and conduct an objective review to determine 
if the organization's policies, procedures, internal controls, and 
financial systems comply with the requirements of 2 CFR part 200, 
Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit 
Requirements for Federal Awards, and the NEH General Terms and 
Conditions for General Support Grants to State Humanities Councils.
    Applicant organizations will be expected to complete a Site Visit 
Questionnaire that assesses the organization's administrative 
procedures, financial systems, and internal controls and a Financial 
Assessment Questionnaire that assesses accounting systems, internal 
controls, and audit history. Additionally, the organization must have 
all written policies available. These materials must be submitted to 
OGM for review one week before the virtual site visit. Key participants 
from the applicant organization will include the Executive Director, 
Institutional Grant Administrator (equivalent), and finance staff, as 
needed.

b. Peer Review

    Following the on-site visit, all proposals deemed eligible for a 
full review will be reviewed, along with the independent reviewer's 
site visit report, by a panel of at least three peer reviewers. Peer 
reviewers are experts in the field with relevant knowledge and 
expertise in the types of activities identified in the proposals. NEH 
instructs reviewers to evaluate proposals according to the Evaluation 
Criteria outlined below. Peer reviewers must comply with Federal ethics 
and conflicts of interest requirements. In addition to information 
included in your proposal, NEH and the peer reviewers may take into 
account feedback provided by internal or external site reviewers in the 
consideration of your proposal. NEH's Application Review Process 
[verbar] The National Endowment for the Humanities.

c. National Council on the Humanities Review

    NEH staff comment on matters of fact or on significant issues that 
otherwise would be missing from peer reviews, then make recommendations 
to the National Council on the Humanities. The National Council meets 
at least thrice annually to advise the NEH Chair. The Chair considers 
the advice provided by the review process and, by law, makes all 
funding decisions.

d. Evaluation Criteria

1. The Significance of the Humanities in the Work the Organization
     In what ways are the organization's current programs, 
grants, and other activities significant or impactful for the 
advancement of the humanities in the State of Iowa?
2. The Context and Work of the Organization
     Does the organization have appropriate relationships with 
state/local government officials, cultural institutions, colleges and 
universities, academic and public humanists, and philanthropic 
organizations?
     Does the organization have an appropriate level of 
visibility throughout the state? Does the proposal adequately outline 
plans to communicate with the general public about the work of a 
humanities council (programs, grants, etc.)?
     Who are the identified audiences served, and how will they 
benefit from the outcomes of the partnership (humanities council) over 
the long term?
     Are appropriate partners in place to enhance the 
accessibility, reach, and quality of the proposed programs and/or 
grantmaking?
     Given that NEH requires humanities councils to actively 
engage humanities scholars and practitioners in program development, 
program implementation, and evaluation, does the proposal show that 
humanities scholars and practitioners are adequately involved in the 
organization's work?
3. Proposed Humanities Programs
     Does the applicant have a history of offering humanities 
grants and/or conducting humanities programming?
     Are the current and proposed humanities grants and 
programs reasonable and achievable?
4. The Quality of Operations
     Is there a strategic plan in place that is reasonable and 
achievable?
     Is the organizational structure sound? Are there 
sufficient human and financial resources to meet the goals and 
requirements for the work of a humanities council? Does the fundraising 
plan prioritize diversified funding streams? Is there a reasonable plan 
to meet the required 1:1 cost-share beyond the use of indirect costs?
     Does the level of involvement or engagement of the board 
follow best practices in board governance? Does the board have 
appropriate oversight of the organization's operations and finances?

[[Page 22462]]

5. Public Meetings
     Has the applicant held at least 1 public meeting?
     Does the proposal include a summary of the public 
recommendations and the organization's response to them?
6. The Work Plan and Feasibility of the Proposed Methods
     To what extent are the goals and objectives clearly 
identifiable and achievable?
     Is the timeline appropriate for the work plan and the 
proposed resources?
     Are the roles and duties of key personnel clear, and are 
the team members appropriately qualified for the proposed work?
     Do the key personnel and board members represent an 
appropriate mix of humanities, nonprofit, and community expertise? How 
strong is the experience of the staff and board in each of these areas?

V. Notification of Results

    NEH will notify applicants of the NEH Chair's decision to enter 
into a partnership in December 2024. This notification is not an 
authorization to begin performance or incur related costs. No funding 
is awarded through this call for proposals. The selected partner will 
be invited to apply for a State and Jurisdictional Humanities Council 
General Operating Support Grant using the following Notice of Funding 
Opportunity: State and Jurisdictional Humanities Councils General 
Operating Support Grants.

    Dated: March 27, 2024.
Jessica Graves,
Paralegal Specialist, National Endowment for the Humanities.
[FR Doc. 2024-06811 Filed 3-29-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7536-01-P