Program Grants

DUNS Number Information

Any organization that receives federal funding from state humanities councils must have a DUNS number that identifies the organization and helps the government track how money is distributed.

At this time, the Nebraska Humanities Council is not using federal funds for competitive grants or speakers bureau grants. If you have received a grant, or want to apply for a grant, the DUNS number requirement will not apply to your organization. In the event that federal funds are used to fund an approved project, the director of that project will receive a phone call or message from NHC staff.

If your organization does not have a DUNS number but would like to acquire one, the process is free and simple. To apply, visit http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform

Humanities Council changes grant-making policies

To help sustain non-profit organizations that are important partners with the NHC in providing access to humanities programming for all Nebraskans, the NHC has initiated an open-budget policy and suspended its repeat-funding requirements for the grants it awards to encourage partner organizations to focus on their mission and sustain their core programming to survive difficult economic times.

The policy is available to organizations that have had a successful program history with the NHC and will be applied based on the size of the organizations’ annual operating budgets.

Organizations with annual operating budgets under $100,000 will be eligible to spend 100 percent of awarded grant funds with an open budget, provided that the organization implements the project described in the grant proposal.

Organizations with annual operating budgets of $100,000 to $1 million will be eligible to spend 75% of awarded funds with an open budget with 25 percent tied to the budget submitted with the grant application.

Organizations with annual operating budgets over $1 million will be eligible to spend 25 percent with an open budget with 75 percent tied to the submitted budget.

Organizations that are new to NHC programming would be held to the NHC’s standard 20 percent limit on administrative expenses. Once the organization has successfully completed a Council-funded project, the open-budget guidelines would apply.

Organizations of any size, new to NHC or not, whose applications are responding to NHC’s program emphasis on the demographic changes affecting Nebraska’s future are eligible for 100 percent open-budget grant funding if the primary purpose of that organization is to address that change. The demographic changes emphasized are the influx of immigrants and refugees, the population shift from rural to urban and suburban and the aging of Nebraska’s population.

The new open-budget policy will be evaluated annually to determine its effectiveness and the general economic need for this additional administrative support.

The NHC offers Major Grants for more than $1,500 at two grant cycles a year with application deadlines of Aug. 1 and March 1. Mini Grants are for $1,500 or less with six deadlines a year—July 1, Sept. 1, Nov. 1, Jan. 1, March 1, and May 1.

NHC grant applications may be submitted online. Just click here. In 2009 online submission is not required, but is strongly urged. Beginning Jan. 1, online submission will be required.

The NHC works with groups statewide to create high-quality programs that add to the understanding and appreciation of Nebraska and the world, and that foster a better understanding of the humanities.

The NHC staff is available for grant consultation and will read proposal drafts. Contact the NHC office if you need assistance with a project idea.

Click on the appropriate link above to view grant policies and guidelines, submit an application, view a guide for writing a funding proposal or print out the final report form or the summary of expenditures form.

You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to access the final report or summary of expenditures. See instructions below to download the free Adobe software. For a printed copy of these documents in Microsoft Word, contact the NHC by regular mail or by e-mail at nhc@nebraskahumanities.org