Strategic Planning External Stakeholder Survey Final

DRAFT Strategic Planning Survey: External Stakeholders
What was your relationship with NEH?
• Current grant recipient
• Former grant recipient
• Member of a State or Jurisdictional Humanities Council
• Federal Partner
• Other (free text)
How long have you been involved with NEH?
• > 10 years
• 8-10 years
• 5-8 years
• 3-5 years
• 1-3 years
• Less than 1 year
• Not currently involved with NEH
NEH’s current mission is to serve and strengthen our nation by supporting high-quality projects
and programs in the humanities and by making the humanities available to all Americans.
Please rate your level of agreement.
Answer options: Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly Disagree, Don’t Know
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NEH’s mission is realistic in light of its funding and quantity of personnel resources
NEH’s programs and projects are consistent with its mission statement
NEH’s planning and budgetary priorities are consistent with and supportive of the mission
NEH’s processes and activities reflect attention to diversity as appropriate within the mission
and the people served
NEH’s actions and decisions demonstrate an understanding that NEH serves and has obligations
to the American public
NEH treats its mission as a “check the box” exercise
NEH staff are committed to the achievement of its mission

What degree of change do you believe is required for NEH to fulfill its mission: to serve and
strengthen our nation by supporting high-quality projects and programs in the humanities and by
making the humanities available to all Americans?
Answer options: None, Very Low, Low, Moderate, High, Very High
Please rate your level of agreement with the following statements.
Answer options: Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly Disagree, Don’t Know
• NEH demonstrates its dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• NEH operationalizes its strategic plan, so it is a part of day-to-day thinking
• NEH is a performance-driven agency
• NEH is a risk-averse agency
• NEH staff take a risk-based approach towards the achievement of their particular activities in
achieving NEH’s mission

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NEH staff use evidence-based and best practice approaches in day-to-day work

Which of the following words or phrases would you use to describe NEH currently? Select no more
than your top five.
• Accountable
• Community-minded
• Creative
• Data-driven
• Diverse / Reflective of constituency
• Effective
• Efficient
• Encourages interest and interaction
• Equitable
• Essential
• Fiscally responsible
• Inclusive
• Innovative
• Participatory
• Performance-driven
• Productive
• Provides leadership
• Research agency
• Responsive
• Solution-focused
• Sustainable
• Thoughtful
• Transparent
• Unconventional
• Values-driven
• Other (free text)
Which of the following words or phrases would you use to describe the NEH you hope to see in the
FUTURE? Select no more than your top five.
• Accountable
• Community-minded
• Creative
• Data-driven
• Diverse / Reflective of constituency
• Effective
• Efficient
• Encourages interest and interaction
• Equitable
• Essential
• Fiscally responsible
• Inclusive
• Innovative
• Participatory

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Performance-driven
Productive
Provides leadership
Research agency
Responsive
Solution-focused
Sustainable
Thoughtful
Transparent
Unconventional
Values-driven
Other (free text)

The list below articulates some of the public benefits of making the humanities available to all
Americans. In your opinion, please select the top five benefits.
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Advancing knowledge and understanding of the shared human experience
Benefitting the broader community through better informed citizens and a better understanding
of our place in the world
Contributing to economic and social progress
Ensuring longevity and accessibility of the nation’s cultural heritage
Expanding the American people’s understanding of untold stories of historically underserved
groups
Helping the American people develop the skills they need in life
Helping the American people feel part of their local community
Helping the American people understand others through their languages, histories, and cultures
Helping the American people work more effectively and creatively
Helping to strengthen American democracy
Helping us answer big questions, such as what is the meaning, value, and purpose of human life?
Improving social outcomes
Offering practical applications for everyday life
Preserving valued traditions and transmitting them from generation to generation
Strengthening the economy
Other (free text)

In your opinion, what are the top three most pressing issues facing the humanities in America?
• Access to humanities education in PreK-12 schools
• Access to humanities education in postsecondary schools
• Access to lifelong learning in the humanities
• Career paths for a diverse generation of humanities professionals
• Climate, the environment, and sustainability
• Equity and inclusion
• Financial resources
• Major technological shifts
• Personnel resources
• Poor appreciation and understanding of the contributions the humanities can make to public
policymaking

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Public perception of the humanities
Other (free text)

NEH is committed to cultural equity and equitable access to its programs. The list below
represents populations that may encounter barriers to both. In your opinion, please indicate the
top three populations whose access to quality humanities programs should be prioritized by NEH:
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At-risk youth
Economically disadvantaged communities
Immigrant / ethnic populations
Incarcerated persons
Individuals with disabilities
Members of the military and veterans
Non-English-speaking individuals / English language learners
Pre-K-12 students
Rural communities
Seniors
Socially disadvantaged groups, including women, black/African American, Hispanic/Latino,
Native American, Native Alaskan, Asian, Pacific Islander, or Native Hawaiian
Other (free text)

The Biden-Harris Administration has indicated the following areas and topics as its priorities for
government agencies. For each topic below, please provide your opinions, ideas and thoughts on
how you think NEH can meet these priorities:
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Advancing equity and support for underserved communities
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Improving diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the federal workforce
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Confronting the climate crisis
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Strengthening our democracy
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Responding to COVID-19
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Restoring America’s global standing
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In your opinion, what are the most important priorities NEH should focus on over the next three
years?
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The list of terms articulates potential agency strengths that may apply to NEH. In your opinion,
please select five strengths most applicable to NEH currently.
• Budget performance
• Business processes
• Communication
• Culture
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Enterprise risk management
• Financial resources
• Governance
• Grant application process
• Leadership
• Mission and direction
• Organizational structure
• Intra-governmental relationships
• Public relationships
• Peer review process
• Performance monitoring
• Personnel resources
• Policies and procedures
• Reputation
• Staff knowledge and expertise
• Systems and technology
• Other (free text)
The list of terms articulates potential internal agency weaknesses that may apply to NEH. In your
opinion, please select five weaknesses most applicable to NEH currently.
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Budget performance
Business processes
Communication
Complacency
Culture
Diversity, equity, and inclusion
Enterprise risk management
Financial resources
Governance
Grant application process
Leadership
Mission and direction
Organizational structure
Intra-governmental relationships
Public relationships
Peer review process
Performance monitoring
Personnel resources
Policies and procedures

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Reputation
Staff knowledge and expertise
Systems and technology
Other (free text)

The list of terms articulates potential external opportunities that may apply to NEH. In your
opinion, please rank these opportunities from most relevant (1) to NEH to least relevant (9) to
NEH currently.
Answer options: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
• Branding and messaging
• Developing capacity building measures to safeguard the educational and cultural sectors from
future economic or public health crises
• Diversity and inclusion
• Expansion of reach, including to under-represented communities
• Funding
• New partnerships
• New technologies
• Public interest
• Social media
• Other (free text)
The list below articulates potential external challenges that may apply to NEH. In your opinion,
please rank these challenges from most relevant (1) to NEH to least relevant (9) to NEH currently.
Answer options: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
• Changes in government priorities
• Data security
• Federal regulations
• Funding
• Government shutdown
• Natural disasters and emergency events
• Public health crises, e.g., COVID-19 pandemic
• Public perception
• Agility & speed in response to change
• Other (free text)
Thank you for your participation. Please share any additional thoughts or comments for NEH here
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