Opportunity Information: Apply for 20230914 CLI
The Climate Smart Humanities Organizations program is a discretionary grant opportunity from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), run through its Office of Challenge Programs. It is designed to help humanities organizations take a serious, organization-wide look at how climate change affects their facilities, operations, and ability to carry out humanities work over time. Rather than funding a single event or a small set of upgrades, the focus is on comprehensive assessment and strategic planning that leads to a clear, usable roadmap for action.
Funded projects are expected to produce concrete planning deliverables, such as a climate action plan, adaptation plan, or similarly detailed assessment document. These outputs should do more than describe concerns; they need to lay out prioritized and measurable actions, along with the outcomes the organization expects those actions to achieve. In practice, this means applicants should be prepared to identify the biggest climate-related risks and emissions sources tied to their operations, weigh options for mitigation and adaptation, set realistic goals, and propose an implementation path that can be tracked and evaluated over time.
A central requirement is showing how climate-focused planning will strengthen long-term organizational resilience while supporting the institution's humanities mission. In other words, NEH is looking for proposals that connect environmental preparedness to sustained public service in the humanities, such as preserving collections and cultural resources, keeping programs accessible despite climate disruptions, protecting historic buildings, maintaining research continuity, and ensuring that community-facing humanities work can endure and adapt as conditions change.
The program uses a matching-funds structure. Awards are financed through a combination of federal matching funds and gifts raised from third-party non-federal sources, meaning applicants should anticipate a fundraising or cost-share component and should be prepared to document non-federal match commitments as required by NEH. The maximum federal award amount is $300,000, and NEH anticipated making about 25 awards under this opportunity.
Eligibility is broad and 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 IRS 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education). The funding activity category is Humanities (CFDA 45.130). The opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number 20230914 CLI, with an original application closing date of September 14, 2023, and a creation date of May 5, 2023.
In summary, this NEH opportunity supports the planning stage that often has to come before major climate-related capital work or operational change: assessing climate vulnerabilities and environmental impacts, mapping priorities, setting measurable goals, and producing a strategic plan that helps a humanities organization protect its people, buildings, collections, and programs while staying effective and mission-driven in a changing climate.Apply for 20230914 CLI
- The National Endowment for the Humanities in the humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Climate Smart Humanities Organizations" 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 May 05, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 14, 2023. (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 $300,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 25 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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Climate Smart Humanities Organizations (NEH)
What is the Climate Smart Humanities Organizations program?
The Climate Smart Humanities Organizations program is a discretionary grant opportunity from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), administered through the NEH Office of Challenge Programs. It supports humanities organizations in doing a comprehensive, organization-wide assessment and strategic planning process focused on climate change impacts and long-term resilience.
What is the main purpose of this grant?
The program is designed to help organizations take a serious look at how climate change affects facilities, operations, and the ability to carry out humanities work over time. The focus is on planning: identifying risks and emissions sources, setting measurable goals, prioritizing actions, and producing a clear roadmap that can guide future action.
Is this grant intended to fund a single event or a small set of building upgrades?
No. The opportunity emphasizes comprehensive assessment and strategic planning rather than funding a single event or a narrow set of upgrades. The expectation is that the funded work results in organization-wide planning deliverables that guide longer-term action.
What kinds of deliverables are expected from funded projects?
Funded projects are expected to produce concrete planning deliverables, such as a climate action plan, an adaptation plan, or a similarly detailed assessment document. These deliverables should lay out prioritized and measurable actions and describe the outcomes the organization expects those actions to achieve.
What does NEH mean by "prioritized and measurable actions"?
Based on the program description, the planning document should move beyond general statements of concern. It should identify specific actions, rank or prioritize them, and include measurable elements so the organization can track progress and evaluate results over time.
What types of issues should the planning process address?
Applicants should be prepared to identify major climate-related risks to the organization and the main emissions sources tied to operations. The planning process should consider mitigation and adaptation options, set realistic goals, and propose an implementation path that can be tracked and evaluated over time.
How should the proposal connect climate planning to the humanities mission?
A central requirement is demonstrating how climate-focused planning strengthens long-term organizational resilience while supporting the institution's humanities mission. Proposals should connect environmental preparedness to sustained public service in the humanities.
What are examples of humanities-related outcomes this grant is trying to protect?
The opportunity highlights outcomes such as preserving collections and cultural resources, keeping programs accessible during climate disruptions, protecting historic buildings, maintaining research continuity, and ensuring community-facing humanities work can endure and adapt as conditions change.
Is this grant focused on planning or implementation?
This opportunity supports the planning stage that often needs to happen before major climate-related capital work or operational changes. It funds assessment, priority mapping, goal-setting, and creation of a strategic plan or roadmap for action.
Who administers the program within NEH?
The program is run through the NEH Office of Challenge Programs.
What is the funding structure for this opportunity?
The program uses a matching-funds structure. Awards are financed through a combination of federal matching funds and gifts raised from third-party non-federal sources. Applicants should anticipate a fundraising or cost-share component and be prepared to document non-federal match commitments as required by NEH.
What is the maximum federal award amount?
The maximum federal award amount is $300,000.
How many awards did NEH anticipate making?
NEH anticipated making about 25 awards under this opportunity.
What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility 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 IRS 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education).
Are nonprofit organizations eligible?
Yes. Nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status are eligible, with the eligibility list specifying nonprofits other than institutions of higher education.
Are colleges and universities eligible?
Yes. Both public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are included in the eligibility list.
Are government entities eligible to apply?
Yes. State, county, and city or township governments and special district governments are explicitly included in the eligibility list.
Are federally recognized tribal governments eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are included in the eligibility list.
What is the funding activity category and CFDA number?
The funding activity category is Humanities, with CFDA 45.130.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this program?
The opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number 20230914 CLI.
When was the opportunity created?
The creation date listed for the opportunity is May 5, 2023.
What was the original application closing date?
The original application closing date was September 14, 2023.
What should a strong planning roadmap include, based on the program description?
Based on the information provided, the roadmap should identify key climate risks and emissions sources, evaluate mitigation and adaptation options, set realistic and measurable goals, prioritize actions, and outline an implementation path that can be tracked and evaluated over time.
What does "organization-wide" planning mean in this context?
In this program description, "organization-wide" points to looking across facilities and operations and how climate change affects the organization as a whole, including its ability to sustain humanities work over time, rather than focusing on a single project area or isolated activity.
How does NEH frame resilience for humanities organizations?
NEH frames resilience as the ability to continue delivering humanities public service over time despite climate disruptions. The description ties resilience to protecting collections, buildings, research continuity, and ongoing access to humanities programs for communities.
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