Blanket Justification forNEA Funding Application Guidelines and Reporting Requirements for Individuals

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How to Prepare and Submit an Application
SIDE BAR NAVIGATION TOOLS:
Using Grants.gov
Register with Grants.gov
Download the application package using Adobe Reader
Submit your electronic application
Grants.gov Tips

Application Instructions
What makes a complete application
Step 1
Fill out the Application for Federal Assistance SF 424 – Individual
Step 2 Complete and attach items required for the Attachments Form (resumes,
descriptions of work, etc.)
Step 3
Submit items in Steps 1-2 electronically through Grants.gov

Application Deadline: March 3, 2011

These application guidelines provide all of the information that you need to submit an
application. We urge you to read these instructions in their entirety before you begin the
application process. You also may want to keep these instructions open in a window in
your computer as they contain helpful links to information that you will need as you
complete your application.
In addition to these instructions, you should periodically check the Grants.gov blog and
homepage for tips, updates, and alerts.

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IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Electronic application through Grants.gov is MANDATORY.
1) Register with Grants.gov. Registration is a one-time process, which can take a
day or more to complete.
2) Verify that you have a version of Adobe Reader that is supported by Grants.gov
installed on your computer before you download your new application package
from Grants.gov.
3) Submit your application no later than 10 days prior to the deadline to give
yourself ample time to resolve any problems that you might encounter. You take
a significant risk by waiting until the day of the deadline to submit.
The Grants.gov Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week. (Phone: 1-800-518-4726.)
Submit your application outside of Grants.gov’s hours of heaviest
usage, generally 12 noon to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time.
The Arts Endowment will not accept late applications.

The Grants.gov system must receive your application no later than 11:59 p.m., Eastern
Time, on March 3, 2011.
If you are unable to submit your application electronically, you may request a waiver. A
waiver will be granted for the following reasons only:
•
•

Internet access is not available within a 30-mile radius of your address.
Disability prevents you from submitting your application electronically.

Your waiver request must be in writing and must be received (not postmarked) at the
Arts Endowment at least three weeks before the application deadline. Click here for
more information on waivers.
WAIVER POP UP BOX:
Requesting a waiver: Literature Fellowships

If you are unable to submit your application electronically, you may request a waiver. A
waiver will be granted for the following reasons only:

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Internet access is not available within a 30-mile radius of your address.
Disability prevents you from submitting your application electronically.
Your waiver request must be in writing and must be received (not postmarked) at the
Arts Endowment at least three weeks before the application deadline, or no later than
5:30 p.m., Eastern Time, on February 10, 2011. You may fax your request to 202/6825660 or send it to:
Deputy Chairman for Programs and Partnerships
Grants.gov Waiver Request
Room 705
National Endowment for the Arts
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20506-0001
The National Endowment for the Arts continues to experience delays in the delivery of
First-Class mail. Please consider faxing your waiver request or using a commercial
delivery service, particularly if you are sending your request close to the receipt
deadline.
In the event a waiver is granted, your complete paper application package must be
postmarked (or show other proof of mailing) no later than March 3, 2011.

Using Grants.gov
Register with Grants.gov [Back to Top]
NOTE: Grants.gov will be implementing new security requirements for the use of
the Grants.gov system. Among the changes, applicants will be required to
change their passwords every 90 days. See www.grants.gov for more details.
It is your responsibility to create and maintain a registration with Grants.gov.
Registration is a one-time process, which can take a day or more to complete. DO NOT
WAIT UNTIL THE DAY OF THE APPLICATION DEADLINE TO REGISTER to allow
time to resolve any issues that may arise. Failure to comply with this requirement may
result in your inability to submit your application.
To register, click: Individual Registration. You will be asked to provide the Funding
Opportunity Number of the grant. Enter 2011NEA03LFCW. If you have problems with
registration contact Grants.gov at 1-800-518-4726, e-mail [email protected], or
consult the information posted on the Grants.gov Web site at Help. The Grants.gov
Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Maintain documentation (with dates) of your efforts to register before the deadline.

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You do not need to complete the registration process to download the application
package and begin to prepare your material (see below). However, you will need your
Grants.gov Username and Password that you obtain in the final step of the registration
process to submit your application.
Download the Application Package [Back to Top]
1. Verify your software.
You must have a version of Adobe Reader that is supported by Grants.gov
installed on your computer before you download your application package from
Grants.gov. Non-compatible versions of Adobe Reader or other Adobe products will
lead to errors and prevent you from submitting your application. If more than one
computer will be involved in the preparation of the application package, ensure that
the same version of Adobe Reader is used.
Please go to "Download Software" to see the compatible versions of Adobe Reader
or to download and install Adobe Reader.
2. Access the application package on Grants.gov by clicking on the link below.
DOWNLOAD
[Funding Opportunity Number 2011NEA03LFCW]
This will bring you to the "Selected Grant Applications for Download" screen.
Download the application package and follow the instructions below. It is not
necessary to download the instructions from Grants.gov as you will merely be
directed back to the instructions in this document.
3. When you download the application package, the Grants.gov "Grant Application
Package" screen will open. Click on the "Save" button at the top of the form and
save the application package to a location on your computer or network where
you can find it readily. Save your application each time you work on it. You will get
the message "The File already exists. Replace existing file?" Click "Yes" to ensure
that you always save the most recent version.
4. In the "Mandatory Documents" box, you will see two forms. You must move these
forms to the "Mandatory Documents for Submission" box before you can open them.
Once moved, the two forms merge into a single document. You can access each
form by clicking on it to highlight it and then clicking on the "Open Form" box OR you
can scroll down your screen and you will come to each form in succession.

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The forms are:
•

Application for Federal Assistance SF 424 - Individual Form

•

Attachments Form

Submit Your Electronic Application [Back to Top]

1. Check the size of your electronic application. The total size should not exceed 10
MB.

2. To begin the submission process, click the Save & Submit button. [This button will
not become active (and turn from light to dark gray) until you have saved your
application with all required fields completed. Clicking this button will prompt you to
save your application package one last time. When asked if you want to replace the
existing file, click “Yes.” You will then be reconnected to Grants.gov and the
Internet.] You will be prompted to provide your Grants.gov Username and
Password that you obtained during registration. (REMINDER: You must have
successfully completed the registration process in order to receive your Grants.gov
Username and Password.)
3. Click the "Login" button. This will bring you to the "Application Submission
Verification and Signature" screen, which provides a summary of the Funding
Opportunity for which you are applying. Click the "Sign and Submit Application"
button to complete the process. Be certain that you are satisfied with your
application before you click this button. No revisions to your application are
possible through Grants.gov once it is submitted.
If you have difficulty submitting, go to Adobe Reader Error Messages or Applicant
Resources for several tools and documents to help you.
4. Ensure that your application was validated and accepted by the Grants.gov system.
Go to Track My Application to track the validation and progress of your application
submission through Grants.gov. After the Arts Endowment retrieves your application
from Grants.gov, log in to the Grants.gov system by using your Username and
Password to receive your Agency Tracking Number (this will be the Arts
Endowment-assigned application number).
Additional Help

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For additional help on how to use Grants.gov, please see the Grants.gov Web site at
Help. You also can send e-mail to the Grants.gov Contact Center at
[email protected] or call them at 1-800-518-4726 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For specific help on how to complete your application, please review the instructions in
these guidelines or contact the Literature staff at 202/682-5034 or
[email protected].
Application Instructions

For a complete application, follow Steps 1-3 below
A complete application consists of:
Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)
Attachments Form to which you have attached:
o Literature Fellowships Application Supplemental
Information Form
o Manuscript material: 20-30 pages of sample text
o Cover page
o Summary of applicant publications

Applications that are determined to be incomplete will be
rejected without panel review.
Step 1: Fill out the Application for Federal Assistance SF 424 - Individual
NOTE: All asterisked (*) items and yellow fields on this form are required and must be
completed before you will be able to submit the form. Do not type in all capital letters
when completing the form. Enter information directly into the form. Do not copy from an
old application package or another document and paste into the form.
1. Name of Federal Agency: Pre-populated.
2. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: Pre-populated.
3. Date Received: This will be filled automatically with the date that you submit your
application; leave blank.
4. Funding Opportunity Number: Pre-populated.
5. Applicant Information:

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a. Name and Contact Information:
Applicants using pen names must list their legal name here. All transactions with the
Arts Endowment must be made using the legal name. Contact information must be valid
through December 2011. You must notify us of any changes.
b. Address:
Enter information for your permanent address. Information must be valid through
December 2011.
Use Street 1 for your street address or post office box number, whichever is used for
your U.S. Postal Service mailing address. Street 2 is not a required field and should be
used only when a Suite or Room Number or other similar information is part of your
address. Do not use Street 2 to provide a second address.
In the Zip/Postal Code box, enter the full 9-digit zip code that was assigned by the
U.S. Postal Service. If you do not know your full zip code, you may look it up at
www.usps.com/zip4/ .
c. Citizenship Status:
If you are a permanent resident of the United States, provide your Alien Registration
Number.
d. Congressional District of Applicant: Enter the Congressional District that corresponds
to your permanent address. Use the following format: 2 character State Abbreviation-3
character District Number. For example, if you live in the 5th Congressional District of
California, enter "CA-005." If your state has a single At-Large Representative or your
territory has a single Delegate, enter your 2 character state/territory abbreviation and "000." If you need help determining your district, please visit the House of
Representatives Web site at www.house.gov and use the "Find Your Representative"
tool.
6. Project Information:
a. Project Title: Leave blank.
b. Project Description: In two or three sentences, briefly describe how you see your
work being advanced by this fellowship. This may include writing, research, travel, etc.
c. Proposed Project Start Date/End Date: Enter your preferred beginning and ending
dates. The beginning date must fall between January 1, 2012, and January 1, 2013, and
the period of support may extend up to two years.
7. Signature Block:
By clicking the "I Agree" box, you are certifying that your application is true and correct
to the best of your knowledge and that you are in compliance with relevant federal
requirements that can be found in the Assurance of Compliance section of these

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guidelines. The "Signature" and "Date Signed" boxes will be populated by Grants.gov
upon submission of the application.
Step 2: Complete and Attach Required Items to the Attachments Form
The "Attachments Form" is not a form in the conventional sense. Rather, it is a place to
attach documents that you have completed and saved elsewhere on your computer.
1. Attachment 1 (Literature Fellowships Application Supplemental Information) is a
fillable form; you will find a link to it. This form can be filled in, saved to your
computer, and attached without the need for special software or conversion to PDF.
2. Attachments 2 - 4 are documents that you will develop in accordance with the
instructions provided. These items must be submitted as PDF (portable
document format) files.
These non-form documents can be created using any word processing software.
When you have completed the document, save it to your computer and convert it to
PDF before attaching. If you don't already have software to convert files to PDF,
there are many low-cost and free software packages that can do this. To learn more,
go to PDF Conversion Programs.
Please make sure to convert your documents into PDF format in line with the
guidance above. Do not create PDFs of your electronic documents by
scanning. In the past, some applicants have printed their electronic documents and
then scanned them, saving the scan in PDF format. PDFs created this way are much
larger, and of lower quality, than PDFs created by the methods we recommend. Do
not embed non-printable media files (video and/or sound) in your PDF
documents. Static images (e.g., pictures) are acceptable. Please do not enable any
document security settings or password-protect any PDF file you submit to us.
No attachment should be more than 2 MB.
3. For non-form documents, label pages clearly with the name of the item (e.g.,
Summary of Applicant Publications) and your legal name. Leave a margin of at least
one inch at the top, bottom, and sides of all pages. Do not reduce type below 12
point font size. Do not type in all capital letters. Number pages sequentially. Excess
pages will be removed and not be reviewed.
4. Name your files as indicated below and attach them in the proper order. Please note
that you cannot change the name of a file on the Attachments Form. Therefore make
certain that each file is named correctly before you attach it.

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When you open the Grants.gov Attachments Form, you will find 15 attachment buttons.
By clicking on a button, you will be able to choose the PDF file from your computer that
you wish to attach. Please attach the proper file to the proper button as listed below.
The Attachments
ATTACHMENT 1: LITERATURE FELLOWSHIPS APPLICATION SUPPLEMENTAL
INFORMATION FORM
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD [FORM]

To this button, attach the Literature Fellowships Application Supplemental
Information form. We collect this information to inform the agency about the
composition of the application pool. This information is not provided to panelists, nor is it
taken into consideration for the awarding of grants. The file name should be your last
name followed by "SuppInfo.pdf" (e.g., JonesSuppInfo.pdf).
Under Category Under Which Support is Requested, check "Fellowships for
Creative Writers." Then choose "Fiction" or "Creative Nonfiction."
ATTACHMENT 2: MANUSCRIPT SAMPLE
To this button, attach one copy of your manuscript sample. The file name should be
your last name followed by "Manuscript.pdf."
Your manuscript sample must be minimum of 20 to a maximum of 30 typescript, doublespaced pages of:
•

Fiction (e.g., short story, short fiction, vignette, graphic fiction, novel excerpt,
hypertextual fiction)

or
• Creative nonfiction (e.g., essay, memoir, belles-lettres, creative nonfiction, literary
journalism)
Please note that applicants may submit one or more writing samples as their
manuscript, but the total pages cannot exceed 30 pages. All samples must be in the
same genre (fiction or creative nonfiction).
Your manuscript sample must be:
1. From work that you have written in the time period that establishes your
eligibility, and for which you have sole artistic responsibility. You may
submit published work, unpublished work, or work in progress. Do not indicate
whether or not the material has been published.

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2. In the literary genre in which you establish your eligibility (e.g., creative
nonfiction).
3. Completely free of your name, initials, address, or any other marks that
could identify you.
4. Labeled to indicate title and genre of the sample. At the top of every page,
include the page number in the upper right corner and state the titles of stories,
novels, etc. Below the title, indicate the genre and whether the sample is an
excerpt (e.g., short story, short story excerpt, novel excerpt, memoir).
5. In typescript and clearly readable. Use a 12 point font and margins of at least
one inch at the top, bottom, and sides of all pages. Manuscripts must be doublespaced. Do not submit more than the maximum number of pages that are
allowed; excess pages will be removed.
Remember to convert your manuscript into PDF in line with the guidance above (Step 2:
Complete and Attach Required Items to the Attachments Form). Do not create PDFs of
your electronic documents by scanning.
ATTACHMENT 3: COVER PAGE
To this button, attach one copy of an unnumbered cover page that lists your legal
name and address and the title(s) of the work(s) you are submitting. The file name
should be your last name followed by "CoverPg.pdf." Your name, initials, address, or
other identifying marks must not appear on any other page of the manuscript
material that is submitted.
ATTACHMENT 4: SUMMARY OF APPLICANT PUBLICATIONS
To this button, attach a Summary of Applicant Publications to establish your eligibility
(two-page maximum). The file name should be your last name followed by
"SummaryPubs.pdf."
List the specific published works that establish your eligibility (see Eligibility for
details). For each publication note:
•
•
•
•
•
•

Title, author.
Publisher (including name of magazine or press with physical address, Web
address, and phone number).
Publication date (month and year, or volume/issue).
ISBN or ISSN number, if a print publication.
Number of pages of your material.
Page number or exact URL if published online.

Example:

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Title/Author: A Walk in the City/ John Doe
Publisher: University Press, 1234 Main St., Springfield, IL, www.up.edu, 123-4567891
Publication Date/ Volume-Issue: 12/2008/ Vol. 5 Issue 2
ISBN or ISSN: 0000000000
# of pages: 7
Page # or URL: 131-137
Title/Author: “Hidden Moon”/ Flores Paz
Publisher: Violet Journal, 44 Spring St., Mesa, AZ, www.violetjournal.org, 333456-7891
Publication Date/ Volume-Issue: 10/2008/ Vol. 32 Issue 4 (Fall)
ISBN or ISSN: n/a
# of pages: 5
Page # or URL: www.violetjournal.org/32-4/paz

Upon request, you must provide proof of eligibility to the Arts Endowment in the form
of one or more of the following ways:
a. The title page or cover with your name and the title of the work.
b. The copyright page with the publisher's information; publication date (month and
year); ISBN or ISSN number, if a print publication; or URL, if publication is online
only.
c. The publication's stated selection criteria and editorial policy.
NOTE: When you check the Certification box on the SF 424-Individual form, you are
certifying that all parts of your application, including your summary of the publications
that establish your eligibility, are true and correct to the best of your knowledge.

Leave all remaining Attachment buttons blank.
Step 3: Submit Items in Steps 1-2 above electronically through Grants.gov

[Back to

Top]

Follow the detailed instructions under “Submit your electronic application” above.

Reporting Burden
The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated at an average
of 12 hours per response including the time for reviewing instructions, searching

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existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and
reviewing the collection of information. The Arts Endowment welcomes any suggestions
that you might have on improving the guidelines and making them as easy to use as
possible. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this
collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Office of
Guidelines & Panel Operations, Room 620, National Endowment for the Arts, 1100
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20506-0001. Note: Applicants are not
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently valid
U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.