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Please see the full solicitation for complete information about the funding opportunity. Below is a summary assembled by the Research & Innovation Office (RIO). Please note the matching/cost-share requirements referenced in the Award Information and Matching Requirements section below.

Program Summary

The Climate Smart Humanities Organizations (Climate Smart) program strengthens the institutional base of the humanities by funding operational assessments and strategic planning efforts to sustain and protect historical, cultural, educational, intellectual, and physical assets from the risks of climate change. Projects must improve a humanities organization’s capacity to respond to a changing climate through operational and/or risk assessments and result in physical or digital planning document(s) outlining specific mitigation and/or adaptation actions the organization will implement over time. Climate Smart supports individual and consortium projects, and requires certification of an equal amount of third-party, non-federal gifts to release NEH funds.Ìý

You may propose to undertake planning efforts for your organization alone or as a consortium of humanities organizations. A consortium proposal includes two or more humanities organizations working together and can include shared consultants, training, or resources. Project outcomes must include actionable climate smart plans for each consortium member.

Climate smart strategic planning focuses on two distinct but related types of activities that increase resilience:Ìý

• planning focuses on reducing your institution’s environmental impact and energy costs.
• planning prepares for and adjusts to actual and expected climate change scenarios to protect humanities-focused institutional assets and facilities.

Mitigation assessments inform a comprehensive climate action plan by measuring the environmental impact of your organization’s operations, including energy use, waste production, and resource consumption. Your NEH project should propose specific assessments and explain how they will result in an actionable plan that will reduce your environmental impact and increase organizational resilience. Mitigation assessments might include:Ìý

• comprehensive energy audits of an organization’s building(s), land use, utilities, operations, and facilities
• measurement of an organization’s carbon footprint, including energy sources, transportation, material use, and supplies
• testing of existing HVAC, natural gas, water, and other systems to identify leaks and improve efficiency
• evaluation of alternative energy sources, such as solar, geothermal, wind, or hydrogen fuel cells as long-term cost-efficient and sustainable options
• exploration of historically informed approaches to building and land use, such as introducing native groundcover or passive heating/cooling systems
• consultation with local government or utilities entities to explore participating in regional collectives for purchase of carbon offsets, industrial composting, energy collectives, or similar programs

Adaptation assessments inform a comprehensive climate adaptation through identifying current and anticipated climate hazards and their potential impact on your humanities organization’s building(s), operations, finances, programming, staff, and audiences. Your NEH project should consider a range of hazards and assess your organization’s capacity to prepare for and respond to them. Adaptation assessments may include:Ìý

• examining location-specific risks associated with sea level rise, extreme weather, flooding, wildfires, etc.
• assessing buildings and grounds to determine their capacity to withstand current and future climatic events
• evaluating the impact of changing environmental conditions on programs and operations, such as timing and location of events, operating hours, and seasonal programming
• collecting data to record trends in temperature, weather, or other climate-related events over time and modeling future scenarios as they relate to and impact the applicant organization
• collecting and evaluating current emergency and continuity of operation plans
• consulting with engineers to consider plans to retrofit, relocate, or strengthen existing buildings, systems, and landscaping
• considering climate smart water management, such as reducing impervious surfaces and water recycling/reuse efforts that capture rainfall and mitigate water damage to humanities buildings and collections
• exploring community partnerships that support the organization’s adaptation and resilience effort, including mutual aid networks and training opportunities

See the NEH solicitation for full details.

Deadlines

• CU Internal Deadline: 11:59pm MST July 1, 2024
• NEH Optional Draft Deadline: 9:59pm MST August 9, 2024
• NEH Application Deadline: 9:59pm MST September 18, 2024

Internal Application Requirements (all in PDF format)

• Project Summary (3 pages maximum): Components should comprise a:
  1. including a) humanities focus, significance and proposed project’s impact; b) strategic goals and institutional commitment to climate smart planning; c) project outline with climate smart planning activities and methodology/approach for the planning process; and d) deliverables, dissemination plans;
  2. work plan describing the activities to achieve project objectives and a timeline for each activity; and
  3. fundraising chart identifying source(s) of third-party, non-federal gifts for matching (see solicitation for chart template).
• Resumes (2 pages maximum per person): Include resumes for key personnel, consultants and contractors. For staff that will be hired using grant funds, include a brief position description.
• Matching Commitment Letter (1 page maximum): Please provide a letter from the dean or chair including a list of potential donors, private foundations, corporations, state or local grants or other sources and detail the strategies to be used for securing matching funds.
• Budget Overview (1 page maximum): A basic budget outlining project costs is sufficient; detailed OCG budgets are not required.

To access the online application, visit:

Eligibility

Institutions of higher education may apply to develop a climate action plan for one or more humanities-based subunits, such as a library, archive, or museum. Your proposal should focus exclusively on creating strategic planning documents specifically for those humanities-based subunits. Please see the solicitation for full eligibility information.

Limited Submission Guidelines

An organization may submit only one application.

Award Information and Matching Requirements

• Amount: $300,000
• Duration: 2 years
• Anticipated Number of Awards: 10 – 20

You may request up to $300,000 in federal matching funds, which must be met at a 1:1 ratio by third-party, non-federal gifts. You may propose a budget of up to $600,000 ($300,000 from NEH plus $300,000 in matching funds). Your request should be appropriate to your organization’s ability to meet the required match, the number of participating organizations, and the goals of the project. In-kind gifts and funds derived from the recipient or subrecipient organizations are not eligible sources of certified gifts in this program.

In general, NEH anticipates that budgets for projects proposed by individual organizations will be less than those proposed by consortiums.

Review Criteria

1. Humanities significance and impact: The humanities significance of the applicant organization, its mission, programming, and/or collections. The potential impact of the proposed climate smart goals on humanities programming, collections, education, or scholarship in the long term. The clarity and persuasiveness of the benefits to the humanities and their long-term sustainability as presented in the application. If applicable, the merits of a proposal involving a consortium, including the humanities significance of each consortium member.
2. Institutional commitment: The level of institutional commitment to the planning process and future implementation of the proposed climate action plan. The alignment of climate smart planning activities with the institution’s mission and existing strategic goals. If applicable, the level of commitment from consortium members.
3. Climate action planning: The comprehensiveness and methodological soundness of the proposed activities and elements that comprise the climate action planning process. The alignment with existing best practices; national, state, and local climate or clean energy goals; and stakeholder needs.
4. Work plan and budget: The feasibility, efficiency, and productivity of the planning project, as demonstrated by the work plan. The soundness and feasibility of the proposed fundraising plan and timeline. The reasonableness of the proposed budget. The clarity and detail of the description of the planned expenditures (federal and non-federal combined).Ìý
5. Project team: The experience and appropriateness of the project team, including the project director, fundraising and facilities staff, staff at partner institutions (if applicable), and consultants. If applicable, the experience and appropriateness of participating staff from consortium members.
6. Plan assessment, dissemination, and next steps: The soundness and feasibility of the evaluation of the planning process, dissemination of the climate smart action plan, and the likelihood that the goals and measures of the plan will be implemented. As applicable, the quality and institutional focus of individual plans for consortium members.