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 |
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Program Purpose: The California Story Fund (CSF) is a competitive grant program of the California Council for the Humanities (CCH). 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. Telling our stories can help us make sense of our existence, give us a window into other people’s lives, and make us feel part of something larger than ourselves. Sharing personal and communal narratives can enhance our understanding of where we live, with whom we live, and why we live the way we do. 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 will be of interest to local, statewide, and potentially even national and global audiences.
Thematic Focus: For this round of the California Story Fund, applicants are requested to submit proposals for story-based projects that will encourage examination of the meaning of democracy. A project might explore an instance in which the promise of democracy has been fulfilled, or a time when we have fallen short; it might lead us to understand the struggles of those who have sought to make democratic change, or cause us to reflect on the challenges of living up to the ideals of democracy we hold as individuals and as a society. Story ideas could include, but are not limited to: exploring how a group of neighbors came together to improve their community; documenting the experience of becoming a citizen or voting for the first time; sharing the challenges a group has faced in exercising their right to practice freedom of speech or religion; or examining an instance when a community tried to resolve conflicting views of “the common good.” Stories could address the experiences of new immigrants or an established community, focus on young people or elders, or explore an incident in the past or a story that is currently unfolding.
Humanities and the Public: At the Council, we think of the disciplines of the humanities as springing from a fundamental interest in understanding the values and practices that inform our lives; the need to reflect on the past and the present to make critical choices; and the desire to be moved and delighted. The practice of humanities-based inquiry involves reflection, analysis, contextualization, interpretation, and the exchange of ideas. For example, taking a humanities approach to a story could mean making use of existing or new historical research to frame questions, considering a variety of perspectives on an issue, and/or seeking to foster critical reflection on the part of audiences.
CCH is committed to providing opportunities for the general public to engage with and enjoy the riches of the humanities. For the California Story Fund, we seek projects that foster public discussion of and/or engagement with the meaning and significance of the stories. Projects must therefore include some form of public programming activity—whether in-person or virtual or both—and result in work (e.g., a text, an audio recording, a video recording, digital photography, a website, etc.) that can be shared with wider audiences. The Council plans to make the work of CSF grantees accessible through its website to extend the reach of supported projects and connect communities to one another.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants must:
- Have California tax-exempt organizational status or partner with a California tax-exempt sponsoring organization as a fiscal agent
- Be in good standing with CCH (e.g., without unfulfilled reporting requirements), if a previous grantee
- Not have an open grant with CCH
- Not submit more than one application per deadline unless acting as a CCH-approved fiscal sponsor—see FAQ for more information
Funding Level
Applicants may request up to $10,000, which must be matched by at least a 1:1 amount of cash or in-kind contributions from non-federal sources. We will generally not fund projects with a total budget of more than $50,000.
Project Requirements
California Story Fund projects must meet all of the following criteria:
- Explore stories of significance to Californians
- Address the thematic focus for this CSF application round—that is, the meaning of democracy
- Approach the subject matter from a humanities perspective—for example, making use of existing or new scholarship and research on the topic, incorporating a variety of perspectives, seeking to foster critical reflection and thoughtful analysis on the part of individuals/communities
- Actively involve at least one humanities advisor in the planning and implementation of the project
- Provide opportunities for community engagement and involvement in project activities
- Include public programming elements
- Result in work that will be accessible by the public and about which information can be shared through the CCH website
Review Criteria
Applications will be evaluated using the following criteria:
Quality
- Strength of thematic focus
- Enhancement of our understanding of California peoples, cultures, and histories
- Qualifications and experience of project personnel (e.g., applicant organization, project director, humanities advisor(s), technical staff, etc.) and the relevance of their expertise to the proposed project
- Depth of humanities content and approach
- Potential for fostering public interest and engagement
- Potential to produce publically engaging and accessible work
Capacity
- Feasibility and soundness of budget, timeline, fundraising strategy, outreach, and evaluation
- Mission, past accomplishments, and demonstrated ability to implement successful projects
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, broadcast or screening expenses)
- Travel, lodging, and per-diem expenses; see FAQ for guidelines.
- 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, or 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)
We Do Not Fund
- Institutional histories produced and/or partially funded by the institution itself
- Projects that are primarily promotional in nature
- Advocacy
- Scholarly research or curricular activities not intended for general audiences
- Fundraising activities
| Timeline | |
| Late August 2010: | Guidelines posted at www.calhum.org |
| September 2010: | Informational grant webinars. Details will be posted on the CCH website once they become available. |
| October 15, 2010: | Online application available at www.calhum.org |
| November 15, 2010: | Noon: Online application deadline
5:00 pm: Deadline for supporting materials to be received at CCH’s San Francisco office |
| February 28, 2011: | Grant awards announced by this date |
| March 1, 2011: | Earliest start date for projects |
| June 1, 2012: | Latest end date for projects |
GUIDELINES
Please include the following information in your proposal in this order using the numbered headings at the start of each section. Proposal narratives should be single spaced and in 12 pt. font, and be formatted with one-inch margins.
Proposal Narrative
- Project Description (maximum length: two pages)
- What is the story your project will tell and how does it address the theme of democracy?
- Describe the activities your project will undertake.
- How will you communicate the story to the public and provide opportunities for the public to respond?
- How will the project enhance the understanding of California and its cultures, peoples, and histories?
- Why will this story be relevant and of interest to California audiences?
- What will result from your project and what impact do you hope it will have?
- Humanities Content and/or Approach (maximum length: one page)
- CSF projects are to be focused on community stories. Describe the methods and strategies you will use to do community-based research for your project. How will the humanities inform your project? For example, how will you use the humanities to develop the broader social, cultural, or historical context for your story?
- Describe the role(s) your humanities advisor(s) will play in the planning and implementation of your project. (Provide one-paragraph advisor bio(s) under “Project Personnel.”) Please note that the Council encourages collaboration between academic institutions and community groups as appropriate, as well as the participation of both academic and community scholars on projects.
- Community Engagement and Access (maximum length: half a page)
- Describe the demographics of your target participants and audience(s), e.g., size, geography, race/ethnicity, age, cultural background, etc. (Note that the Council encourages projects that reach those underserved by public humanities programs.)
- Outline your outreach strategies for securing participants and audience(s), including any partnerships with other organizations.
- Describe any plans to share or disseminate project products with the public after the end of the project.
- Project Evaluation and Documentation (maximum length: half a page)
- How will you evaluate the results of your project? How will you know to what extent it was successful and achieved the impact you desired?
- What methods will you use to document your work over the course of the project so that information about the project process as well as results can be shared with others?
- Project Personnel (maximum length: one page)
- List the key staff roles involved in the design and implementation of the project, including the Project Director, the humanities advisor(s), technical personnel, and others important to the realization of the project. (Include volunteer and pro-bono assistance, if relevant.)
- Provide one-paragraph bios and email addresses for all confirmed personnel. Bios should include information about each person’s expertise relevant to their role on the project.
- If a key project position is currently vacant, indicate how you plan to identify and select qualified candidates.
- Applicant/Sponsoring Organization (maximum length: half a page)
Briefly describe the mission and purpose of your organization (if you are the applicant) or the mission and purpose of the organization that is acting as the fiscal sponsor for your project. Please explain the suitability of the organization to the proposed project and how the organization will contribute to the success of the project. Please include the name of the organization’s executive officer.
- Timeline (maximum length: one page)
Provide a timeline detailing major activities (e.g., meetings with humanities advisors, research, interviews, consultations, etc.) from the beginning of the project until completion. Please note that project activities for which you seek CCH funding cannot occur prior to March 1, 2011 and that the maximum term of this grant is 15 months (project must conclude June 1, 2012).
Please provide the timeline in this format:
TIME PERIOD ACTIVITY March 2011 - Project team meeting with humanities advisor, Los Angeles
- Begin archival research, Huntington Library
- Phone interviews with potential subjects
April – May 2011 - Consult humanities advisor about interview topics and approach
- Interview subjects
- Transcribe and review interview material
June 2011 - Write narrative to contextualize interviews
- Review draft narrative with humanities advisor and community partners
Sept 2011 - Edit interviews
etc.
- Sample Work Description (maximum length: half a page)
Applicants are required to submit two copies of a sample of recent work that demonstrates their capacity to create a programmatic product that is engaging and can be made digitally accessible to the public. Possible forms include audio or video recordings, photographic essays, oral history transcripts, scripts of performances, publications, exhibit catalogues, etc. Please provide a short description of the project related to the work sample, including date and location of the project. Explain how or why the previous project is relevant to your proposed one. Please tell us how current project staffs were involved with the production of the work sample.
Sample work must be mailed directly to CCH’s San Francisco office to be considered for review and must arrive by 5 pm on November 15, 2010. All work samples should be clearly labeled with name, contact information, project title, and sponsoring organization. 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.
- Full Project Budget (Excel templates to be uploaded separately)
Each project may request up to $10,000, which must be matched by at least an equivalent amount of cash or in-kind contributions from non-federal sources. Funds from NEH, NEA, state humanities councils or other federally-assisted programs may not be used for the matching funds. We will generally not fund projects with a total budget of more than $50,000, including the CCH grant. See the FAQ for in-kind details.
To prepare your budget, please download and use the CSF Project Budget Form. The budget should reflect all eligible expenses associated with the project, including those to be supported by CCH grant funds and matching cash and/or in-kind services/materials.
- Budget Narrative
Provide a brief description of any line items that require clarification, e.g., information about how salaries, professional fees, and/or travel expenses were calculated. The narrative should also be used to identify other project funders and sources of income. Provide information on all sources and amounts of project income received to date. List the status of other sources of funding currently under consideration, whether to be applied for or pending.
