Opportunity Information: Apply for 20220517 CHA
The Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grants program is a discretionary grant opportunity offered by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) through its Office of Challenge Grants. It is designed to strengthen the physical and digital foundations that support humanities work, with an emphasis on improvements that will last and continue delivering value over time. The program sits within the Humanities funding activity area (CFDA 45.130) and supports projects that enhance an institution's ability to carry out humanities activities and serve broader humanities audiences.
The opportunity supports two main types of projects. The first is Capital Projects, which can include the design, purchase, construction, restoration, or renovation of facilities used for humanities activities. In practical terms, this could involve upgrading or expanding spaces where humanities research, preservation, exhibitions, public programs, teaching, or collections-based work takes place, as long as the investments are clearly tied to humanities use. The second category is Digital Infrastructure, focused on keeping existing digital scholarly projects and platforms viable. Rather than funding brand-new digital projects, this track emphasizes maintaining, modernizing, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of established digital resources, such as scholarly databases, digital editions, online collections platforms, or other mature humanities-oriented digital environments.
A key expectation across both categories is that applicants must demonstrate that proposed expenditures will produce long-term benefits, not only for the applying institution but also for the humanities more broadly. This means proposals should make a persuasive case that the project will strengthen capacity, reduce long-term risk, improve reliability or access, and provide enduring support for humanities scholarship, education, preservation, or public engagement. The challenge-grant framing also signals that NEH is looking for institutional commitment and durable impact, so the overall narrative typically needs to show how the project fits into a longer-term strategy for humanities infrastructure and organizational resilience.
Eligible applicants include a wide range of public and nonprofit entities. This includes state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions, which are listed separately). The award ceiling for this opportunity is $1,000,000, and NEH anticipated making about 15 awards under this competition. The opportunity was created on March 14, 2022, with an original application closing date of May 17, 2022, under funding opportunity number 20220517-CHA.Apply for 20220517 CHA
- The National Endowment for the Humanities in the humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) 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 Mar 14, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 17, 2022. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, 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 Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grants program?
The Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grants program is a discretionary grant opportunity offered by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) through its Office of Challenge Grants. It is designed to strengthen the physical and digital foundations that support humanities work, with a focus on improvements that are durable and continue delivering value over time.
Which NEH office runs this opportunity?
This opportunity is offered through the NEH Office of Challenge Grants.
What is the main goal of the program?
The program aims to enhance an institution's long-term ability to carry out humanities activities and serve broader humanities audiences by improving key infrastructure (physical and/or digital) that supports humanities scholarship, education, preservation, exhibitions, public programs, and collections-based work.
What funding area and CFDA number does this program fall under?
The program sits within the Humanities funding activity area and is associated with CFDA 45.130.
What types of projects does the program support?
The opportunity supports two main types of projects: Capital Projects and Digital Infrastructure projects.
What are Capital Projects under this grant?
Capital Projects can include the design, purchase, construction, restoration, or renovation of facilities used for humanities activities. Examples can include upgrading or expanding spaces used for humanities research, preservation, exhibitions, public programs, teaching, or collections-based work, as long as the investment is clearly tied to humanities use.
What are Digital Infrastructure projects under this grant?
Digital Infrastructure projects focus on keeping existing digital scholarly projects and platforms viable over the long term. This track emphasizes maintaining, modernizing, and sustaining established digital resources such as scholarly databases, digital editions, online collections platforms, or other mature humanities-oriented digital environments.
Does the Digital Infrastructure track fund brand-new digital projects?
No. Based on the information provided, the Digital Infrastructure category emphasizes sustaining and modernizing established digital resources rather than funding brand-new digital projects.
What does NEH mean by "long-term benefits" in this opportunity?
A key expectation is that proposed expenditures should produce long-term benefits for both the applicant institution and the humanities more broadly. Proposals should show how the project will strengthen capacity, reduce long-term risk, improve reliability or access, and provide enduring support for humanities scholarship, education, preservation, or public engagement.
How important is durability and sustainability for funded projects?
Durability and sustainability are central. The program emphasizes improvements that will last and continue delivering value over time, and the Digital Infrastructure track specifically prioritizes long-term viability and sustainability of established digital resources.
What does the "challenge grant" framing imply about expectations?
The challenge-grant framing signals that NEH is looking for institutional commitment and durable impact. The project narrative is expected to connect the proposed work to a longer-term strategy for humanities infrastructure and organizational resilience.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include a wide range of public and nonprofit entities, including:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions, which are listed separately)
Are nonprofit organizations eligible?
Yes. Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status are eligible (with higher education institutions categorized separately in the eligibility list).
Are tribal governments eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are included in the list of eligible applicants.
Are colleges and universities eligible?
Yes. Both public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are eligible.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling for this opportunity is $1,000,000.
How many awards did NEH anticipate making?
NEH anticipated making about 15 awards under this competition.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on March 14, 2022.
What was the original application closing date?
The original application closing date was May 17, 2022.
What is the funding opportunity number for this competition?
The funding opportunity number provided is 20220517-CHA.
What kinds of humanities activities can be supported through facility improvements?
Facility improvements can support humanities activities such as research, preservation, exhibitions, public programs, teaching, and collections-based work, as long as the proposed investments are clearly tied to humanities use.
What kinds of digital resources are considered established and eligible for sustainability work?
Examples listed include scholarly databases, digital editions, online collections platforms, and other mature humanities-oriented digital environments, with the emphasis on maintaining, modernizing, and ensuring long-term sustainability.
What should an applicant emphasize in the project narrative?
Based on the information provided, applicants should emphasize how the project strengthens long-term infrastructure and capacity, demonstrates institutional commitment, reduces long-term risk, improves reliability or access, and supports humanities audiences and activities in enduring ways. The narrative should also show how the project fits into a longer-term strategy for humanities infrastructure and organizational resilience.
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