California Story Fund
PLEASE NOTE: Due to an unavoidable scheduled system maintenance, the CA Story Fund online application form will NOT be available from Friday November 12th at 8pm PST until Saturday November 13th at 1am PST. Please plan accordingly. We apologize for the inconvenience. |
| Deadline: November 15, 2010 | |
| Noon: | Deadline for electronic submission of online application and uploaded proposal narrative and budget |
| 5 pm: | Deadline for supporting materials to be received at CCH’s San Francisco office No late applications will be accepted |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What types of projects are eligible for a California Story Fund grant?
The purpose of the Fund is to capture genuine and compelling stories from and about California’s diverse communities, and to ensure that those stories can be shared widely. The Council seeks story-based projects that are informed by humanities perspectives, methods, and content; that reveal the realities of California and its cultures, peoples and histories; and that are of interest to local and statewide, and potentially even national and global audiences. Projects that share stories that are not widely known or that bring new stories to light are viewed favorably.
Projects must involve at least one humanities advisor in the planning and implementation of the project. Projects must include some form of public programming activity—whether in-person or virtual or both. Projects must result in a work (e.g., a text, an audio recording, a video recording, digital photography, a website, etc.) that can be shared in whole or in part via the internet.
For this round of the CA Story Fund, applicants are requested to submit story projects that will encourage examination of the meaning of democracy.
What formats can projects use to present stories?
Possible formats include but are not limited to the following: audio or video recordings of oral histories and contextual narrative, photographic exhibits with interpretive content, audio/visual documentaries, digital media (e.g., interactive websites or kiosks, podcasts), narrative-based artworks (e.g., murals, documentary theater), poetry readings, storytelling events, film screenings and discussions, panel presentations and discussions, and community gatherings.
What are the humanities?
The humanities grow out of an interest in the language, literature, critical thought, the history of humankind, and an analytical and discursive approach to understanding and communicating the human experience. The practice of humanities-based inquiry involves reflection, analysis, contextualization, interpretation, and the exchange of ideas. The humanities include, but are not limited to, the disciplines of history, philosophy, literature, folklore, American studies, women's studies, ethnic studies, languages (both classical and modern), areas of linguistics and anthropology, religious studies, ethics, ethnomusicology, jurisprudence, art history, literary criticism, and philosophical approaches to the social sciences. These fields are differentiated from the purely creative expression of the arts or the quantitative analysis of the sciences or social sciences.
What is meant by “Projects must approach the subject matter from a humanities perspective”?
Projects should use the humanities to approach their subject critically and analytically. A humanities-based approach can make use of scholarship and research on the topic, incorporate a variety of perspectives, and seek to foster critical reflection and thoughtful analysis on the part of the audience.
Who qualifies as a humanities advisor?
- Academic scholars (individuals with an advanced degree in a humanities discipline or individuals teaching or researching in a scholarly institution, e.g., professors, some curators and librarians)
- Independent advisors (individuals who have researched, written and/or spoken about a humanities topic and are considered experts in their field, e.g., journalist, artist, curator, non-professional historian)
- Community advisors /culture bearers (individuals who by virtue of their life experience, training and/or standing in a community carry the knowledge, wisdom, and collective historical records of the group, e.g., tribal or neighborhood elders or practitioners of traditional cultural forms)
Can a current Council member serve as a humanities expert on a project?
Yes, as long as they avoid any action that could be interpreted as a use of Council membership to further their own interests or those of an affiliate institution. Council members who are named in a proposal or significantly involved with the creation of a proposal may not vote on or participate in discussion of that proposal. In addition, they may not receive honoraria, salary or other payment for consultation in a Council-sponsored or Council-funded program.
How can I locate a humanities expert?
Check with a local higher education institution (college or university), do a web search on your topic, or contact Felicia Kelley, Senior Program Officer, at fkelley@calhum.org.
Does the Council fund individuals?
No. Individuals seeking funds for a project must be sponsored by a California tax-exempt organization or municipal/state agency.
Does the non-profit applicant or sponsor need 501(c)(3) status?
No, but the applicant/sponsor has to be a viable non-profit organization with California tax-exempt status. California State and municipal public agencies such as schools, universities and libraries are also eligible to apply.
What are the oversight responsibilities of the applicant or sponsoring organization?
The applicant/sponsoring organization must approve the submission of the proposal, be willing and able to administer grant funds in conformity with the terms of the grant agreement, and must accept full responsibility for undertaking and supporting the project as outlined in the proposal. If a grant is awarded, the authorizing official of the organization will receive the award packet and must sign the grant agreement and other required award documents before any funds can be disbursed. The sponsoring organization is the entity with overall and final accountability to CCH for the project.
Can an organization apply for more than one grant at a time?
An organization can only apply for one grant per deadline unless it is an approved fiscal sponsor (e.g., BAVC, IDA, SFFS, Community Partners, etc.). If you have any questions about an organization’s eligibility as an approved sponsor, please contact Lucy Nguyen, CCH Grants and Contracts Manager, at Lnguyen@calhum.org.
Can an organization apply for a new grant if it has previously received a CA Story Fund award?
An organization that has received a grant from the Council can apply for a new project once the previous grant has been satisfactorily closed (that is, with all project activities completed and a final report submitted and approved by CCH). Organizations that are approved fiscal sponsors are exempt from this rule.
What is the project director’s role?
In most cases, the project’s director should be the lead staff person for seeing the project through its completion. If funded, the individual listed as project director will also be CCH’s official primary administrative contact throughout the grant period.
Can an individual serve as project director on more than one CCH grant at a time?
An individual can only serve as project director on one CCH grant at any given time. If an individual is already serving as a project director on a current CCH-funded project, he/she must complete the project and submit and have an approved final report before applying for another grant. Please note that final reports generally require two weeks for approval and should be submitted well in advance of the submission of a new application.
What is the maximum amount an applicant can request?
An applicant may request up to $10,000 for a California Story Fund project.
Is there a project budget limit for this grant?
In general, CCH will not support CSF projects with total budgets that exceed $50,000.
Are matching funds required?
Yes, each grant request must be matched by at least a 1:1 amount of cash or in-kind contributions from non-federal sources. All matching cash and in-kind contributions must be spent on project-related activities that will take place during the grant period (between March 1, 2011 and June 1, 2012). Cash on hand for use during the award period, and/or secured commitments to provide funds, labor, equipment, services or other material support to the project during the award period, are all eligible sources of matching contributions. Cash or the value of goods, services, and labor spent on the project prior to March 1, 2011, however, cannot be counted towards the required match, although your full project budget should reflect these income sources. Applicants should include all non-CCH donors in their proposal budget when tallying cash or in-kind contributions, even after the one-to-one match requirement is met.
What does “in-kind” mean?
“In-kind” refers to any contribution of labor, materials, goods or services donated to the project. It can include the contribution of staff salaried time; volunteer hours; office space; use of equipment for administrative or programmatic purposes; materials donated (e.g., for publicity, promotion or evaluation); public program supplies, including refreshments; and travel, lodging, and meals for project staff or participants. Please note: Applicants are expected to determine the fair-market value of these contributions.
Can federal funds be used towards the match?
No. Funds from NEH, NEA, state humanities councils or other federally-assisted programs may not be used toward the match.
How are funds distributed?
90% of the funds are disbursed upon approval of signed award documents and the final 10% of funds are disbursed upon completion of proposed activities and approval of a final report.
What costs are eligible for support?
Eligible costs include, but are not limited to:
- Project-related salaries and fringe benefits (up to 25% of your request)
- Professional fees, including honoraria and stipends for humanities advisors, interviewees, artists, technical consultants, etc.
- Programming, publication, dissemination expenses (e.g., exhibit fabrication and installation, venue rental, web page design, videography, screening expenses)
- Travel, lodging, and per-diem expenses. Costs should be reasonable and in keeping with practice in government and non-profit sector work.
- Supplies and materials for program activities
- Equipment (rental, unless purchase cost is less)
- Project-related administrative expenses including phone, postage, photocopying, and printing
- Marketing expenses (e.g., printing and mailing of announcements or flyers, ad placement)
- Evaluation expenses
- Program documentation
- Food costs directly tied to project activities (alcoholic beverages are not eligible costs)
- Fiscal sponsor or indirect administrative fees (only up to 10% of your request)
Is there a time limit for project completion?
Yes. The maximum term for this grant is 15 months. The grant period begins March 1, 2011, and ends June 1, 2012. However, a grantee may request an extension before the end of the project period, if necessary.
What does “technical expertise” mean?
CCH requires the involvement of personnel who are knowledgeable about the medium/media your project will employ, e.g., a filmmaker, radio producer, web designer, content developer, etc. Your proposal should demonstrate that project personnel have PRIOR experience in the proposed project medium/media.
Does the Council conduct informational grants webinars?
Yes. The Council will offer informational webinars in fall 2010. Information on grant webinars will be made available on the CCH website.
Must I submit an electronic application?
Yes. An applicant must submit an online grant application form and attach the required documents.
Can I use my own budget form?
No. Please download and submit the CA Story Fund Excel budget form provided at www.calhum.org on this grant’s guidelines page. Not all fields may apply to your project and you may leave line items blank. Please note that project budgets are weighed heavily in the review and all expenses should be accurately noted.
Can I personally deliver supporting materials to CCH?
No. Applications or supporting materials hand-delivered by applicants will not be accepted. All supporting materials must be delivered by U.S. mail, FedEx, UPS or other courier services.
What is the deadline for this grant?
Applications must be submitted electronically via the CCH website by noon on November 15, 2010. Sample work must be received in CCH’s San Francisco office by 5 pm on November 15, 2010.
When will the online application be available?
An application form will be available on the CCH website on October 15, 2010. (The guidelines, including the proposal narrative requirements, are currently available for review on our website.) Applicants have one month, from October 15, 2010 until noon on Monday, November 15, 2010, to complete and submit an application and all electronic supplemental materials (narrative and budget). The online application will be removed from the CCH website at noon on November 15.
How much time should I allow to complete my online application?
Please allow at least two hours to complete the application.
What should I mail to the CCH San Francisco office?
Two copies of a work sample (article or text, CD, DVD, CD-ROM, etc.) should be sent that demonstrates the applicant’s ability to create a product that can be made digitally accessible. Please clearly label your work samples with the project title, name of sponsor organization, and name of project director. Please test any AV samples before mailing them. Please do not send unique originals as work samples. Sample materials will not be returned unless a SASE is included.
How will I know that my application was received?
Applicants will be notified of receipt of their proposals by e-mail. If your e-mail provider uses spam blocking, please add Lnguyen@calhum.org on your "safe list" to ensure e-mails will be received.
When will awards be announced?
The review process takes approximately three and a half months. Notification of grant decisions will be sent by post to arrive on or before February 28, 2011. The grant period officially begins on March 1, 2011.
If my application is unsuccessful, may I apply again with the same project?
Yes, subject to other conditions and eligibility requirements. However, it is advised that you contact CCH to receive feedback on your application before reapplying.
If funded, what are your reporting requirements? CCH requires grantees to submit within 90 days after the termination of the grant period a final report consisting of: 1) an evaluation report, 2) a final expenditures report summarizing all expenditures of CCH grant funds and matching amounts (whether cash or in kind services/materials), and 3) two copies of any final tangible product(s) resulting from the project.
How should we acknowledge CCH if funded?
Any tangible product of grant activity (film/video/audio productions, websites, public reports, exhibits, etc.) must credit the California Council for the Humanities. If funded, specific credit language and logo requirements will be detailed in the grant agreement.
Where can I learn more about the Council?
More information about the Council is located on our website: www.calhum.org.
Whom should I contact if I have questions about eligibility, grant guidelines and requirements, or the CA Story Fund grant program in general?
Contact Felicia Kelley, Senior Program Officer, at fkelley@calhum.org.
Whom should I contact if I have technical questions about the online application process and reporting requirements?
Contact Lucy Nguyen, Grants and Contracts Manager, at Lnguyen@calhum.org.
