Hello everyone, I’m Paul Austin, the Executive Director of the Arkansas Humanities Council. I’ve been with the Council for about four years and have been involved with the American agency and the Trail of Tears project. It’s a privilege and honor to be here.

Understanding the Humanities and NEH

I want to talk about the opportunities you have with your State Humanities Councils. The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) was established in 1965, and people often ask, “What are the humanities?” The legislation that created NEH defines the humanities as the study and interpretation of language, linguistics, literature, history, jurisprudence, philosophy, archaeology, comparative religion, ethics, and the history, criticism, and theory of the arts. It’s a broad field, encompassing various aspects of social sciences with humanistic content.

NEH is an independent federal agency, and its funding comes from the Department of the Interior. It is divided into two main sides: the national side and the state and federal partnerships. I will briefly touch on the national side but will focus more on the State Humanities Councils, which I believe provide the best opportunities for your projects.

NEH National Divisions

There are six national divisions within NEH, each with specific grant opportunities:

1. Challenge Grants: Strengthen the institutional basis of the humanities and help institutions increase fundraising capabilities. These are mainly for colleges and universities.
2. Digital Humanities: Utilize digital technology’s impact on the humanities. An example is a $2 million grant to digitize George Washington’s papers.
3. Educational Programs: Strengthen teaching and learning in the humanities for schools and colleges across the nation.
4. Preservation and Access: Preserve and create access to humanities collections, including grants for documenting endangered languages and preserving cultural heritage collections.
5. Public Programs: Connect humanities scholarship with the general public through projects in historical and cultural organizations, media makers, exhibitions, lectures, symposia, and site interpretation.
6. Research: Sponsor fellowships and summer stipends for professors, collaborative research, scholarly editions, and translations.

State Humanities Councils

There are 56 State Humanities Councils, one for each state and territory. These councils are independent affiliates of NEH, receiving funding from NEH. They are crucial for providing local opportunities for humanities projects.

In Arkansas, we have three general grant requirements:

1. The project must be a humanities project.
2. A humanities scholar must be involved in the project.
3. Council grant funds may account for no more than 50% of the total project cost.

Our grant categories include major grants, mini-grants, and various public programs. Major grants can be for public programs, research, publications, media, and more, while mini-grants are smaller and include planning, public programs, and research grants.

Applying for Grants

When applying for a grant, follow these steps:

1. Confirm your eligibility: You don’t need to be a 501(c)(3) but must be a nonprofit.
2. Choose and meet with your humanities scholar: This is critical for all projects.
3. Choose your project category: Public programs, media, research, planning, etc.
4. Complete the appropriate forms and budget explanations.
5. Submit the original grant application form with necessary attachments and meet the deadlines.

In Arkansas, our deadlines are September 15 and February 15 for major grants, with mini-grants reviewed monthly.

Helpful Tips

1. Read the guidelines thoroughly.
2. Speak to the program officer for guidance.
3. Submit a draft proposal if possible.
4. Write clearly and know your audience.
5. Understand the evaluation criteria, including intellectual quality, project design, and potential for significant results.
6. Include a detailed budget and narrative.

Conclusion

Each state along the Trail of Tears has a Humanities Council. I encourage you to visit their websites and review previously funded projects. The Trail of Tears projects are particularly compelling and may attract significant interest and funding.

Thank you for your time, and I’m happy to answer any questions or discuss potential projects in your state.