3135-0112 Research Grant Application Form and Instructions (Resear

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How to Use This Document
These instructions are for the NEA Research Labs category.
NOTE: You will only be able to complete this part of the application process if you have
submitted to Grants.gov by the appropriate deadline. See here for more information.
Applications are reviewed on the basis of artistic excellence and artistic merit. For more
detailed information on how artistic excellence and artistic merit will be evaluated, see the
"Review Criteria." Make sure you demonstrate how your project meets the review criteria in
your application material.
This document will guide you through completing Part 2 of the NEA Research Labs application
process; it contains detailed instructions for completing the Grant Application Form (GAF) in
the Arts Endowment’s Applicant Portal. Review all sections of this document to see the
required fields needed to complete the application, along with detailed instructions on what
you should include in each section. This document includes any specifications about your
material (e.g., character limits for narrative responses, acceptable work sample formats). For
your application to be considered complete, every item that is required MUST be included in
your application.
You will not have access to the online Grant Application Form until the Arts Endowment’s
Applicant Portal is available. However, you should prepare your responses and material well
in advance of the Part 2 deadline and have them fully ready to upload once the Arts
Endowment’s Applicant Portal opens.
Deadline:
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov
March 30, 2020 by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal
April 2, 2020 at 9:00 a.m., Eastern Time, to April 9,
2020 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time

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Tab 1: View Application Data
This section is the first screen you will see when you open the GAF. It cannot be edited; it is
autopopulated with information you entered on the Application for Federal Domestic
Assistance/Short Organizational Form that was submitted to Grants.gov. If you find any
incorrect information on this page, contact the staff at [email protected].

Tab 2: Organizational Info
Subtab 1: Organization Information
You will be asked to provide the following information in this section:
Legal Name (should match Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational
Form)
Popular Name (if different)
Mission of Your Organization. Your organization’s mission and how it relates to this program.
(500 Character Limit, including spaces)
Summary of the background/history of your organization. Include examples of your
organization’s experience in commissioning and conducting research in the behavioral or social
sciences, and communicating research findings and policy implications through reports and
convenings over the past three years (e.g., 2018, 2019, 2020). (4,000 Character Limit, including
spaces)
Subtab 2: Organization Budget
Budget Form: You must complete this section using figures for the most recently completed
fiscal year, the previous fiscal year, and the fiscal year prior to that.

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Sample View:

When completing this form you’ll use the line items below for each fiscal year. Unaudited
figures are acceptable. Figures that amount to $0 are acceptable in cases where organizations
do not have a budget line for that particular figure. Because budget information will vary
according each organization, each field is not required. However, it is mandatory to provide
budget information in some of these fields.
Income
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Earned: Revenues that are received through the sale of goods, services performed, or
from investments. Examples: ticket sales, subscription revenue, contractual fees,
interest income.
Contributed: Gifts that are received which are available to support operations.
Examples: annual fund donations, grants for general operating or project support, inkind contributions.

Expenses

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Artistic Salaries: Costs that are directly related to the creation, production, and
presentation of art work. Examples: fees for dancers, choreographers, actors, curators,
artistic directors, contributors to literary publications. Include arts personnel that are on
your staff as well as those that are paid on a contract or fee basis.
Production/exhibition/service expenses: All program or service delivery costs,
excluding artistic salaries and fees that are listed above. Examples: research
expenditures; presentation costs; costs of sets, costumes, and lighting; publication costs
of catalogues or literary magazines.
Administrative expenses: All other costs that are incurred during the normal course of
business. Examples: outside professional non-artistic services, space rental, travel,
marketing, administrative salaries, utilities, insurance, postage.

NOTE: The figures are subject to verification by the National Endowment for the Arts.
If you are a parent organization, provide this information for the independent component on
whose behalf you are applying. If your organization is a smaller entity that exists within a larger
organization (such as a museum or a literary organization housed at a college or university),
submit information for the smaller entity and follow the instructions for parent organizations
and independent components. Note that academic departments within universities and
colleges are not considered independent components. This is intended to show your
organization's fiscal activity as it relates to operations. Do not include activity related to a
capital campaign (such as raising money for a new facility, an endowment fund, or a cash
reserve fund). You will be given an opportunity to explain and discuss the fiscal health of your
organization, including identifying the source of the activities, as needed. We may request
additional information to clarify an organization's financial position.
Fiscal Health: Discuss the fiscal health of your organization. In addition, you must explain: 1)
any changes of 15% or more in either your income or expenses from one year to the next, and
2) plans for reducing any deficit (include the factors that contributed to the deficit and its
amount). For independent components, you may use the space to discuss the fiscal health of
your organization and to explain the relationship that the independent component has with the
larger entity (e.g., "museum guards and utilities paid for by university"). (1,000 Character Limit,
including spaces)

Tab 4: Project Info
Subtab 1: Project Activity
Project Title: Provide a brief descriptive title for your proposed project. For example: To
support a group of studies to trace the potential effects of various musical interventions on
early childhood development. (200 Character Limit, including spaces)

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Project Summary: In two or three sentences, clearly describe the specific project you would like
us to support, and state why the project is important. Include, as applicable, the target
population that will be served, and where the project will take place during the period of
performance. (750 Character Limit, including spaces)
Project Description (30,000 Character Limit, including spaces)
The information that you provide will be reviewed in accordance with the "Review
Criteria." Your narrative should address each of these "Review Criteria" and include information
on the following, as relevant to your project.
If any of the activities related to your proposal are included in a current Arts Endowment
application or award, include the applicable application or award number, and clearly state that
you are not requesting funding for the same activity. NOTE: You may not receive more than one
Arts Endowment award for the same expenses. There can be no overlapping project costs
within the submitted budget with other federally sponsored projects.
Include information on activities that will take place during the requested period of
performance. Be as specific as possible about actual activities and describe them in full. Do not
merely describe the vision or long-term goals for the project. You may present information
about a broader initiative, if applicable, but be very specific about the phase(s) of your project
that are included in your request for funding (e.g., “funding is being requested for ‘B’ of ‘ABC’
activity).
Organize your response a), b), c), etc. and use the boldfaced language in the instructions as a
heading for each item. Be as specific as possible about your plans for accomplishing all aspects
of the project that will take place during the project period.
If you do not include all of the components below in this section, your application will be
incomplete and will not be reviewed by panelists.
a. Identify only one topic area and at least two research questions within the topic
area that your NEA Research Lab will be designated to investigate.
b. Describe the overall vision for the NEA Research Lab and its research agenda.
Include brief descriptions of any studies that are likely to be conducted as part of
that agenda.
c. Provide a more detailed plan for a “keystone” study to be conducted and completed
during the period of performance. Provide a clear and detailed research design,
including descriptions of any proposed qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method
design, and strong justification for the proposed design.
d. Works cited or references of literature cited.

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Data management plan (5000 Character Limit, including spaces): Describe the types of raw
data and meta-data to be generated by the project, and address any plans for sharing those
data with other researchers and the public. The data management plan will be evaluated by
panelists as part of the application review. At a minimum, data management plans should
address:
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Types of raw data (e.g., results of data collection) and meta-data (e.g., data
collection instruments, codebooks) to be produced in the course of the research
project.
Standards to be used for raw- and meta-data format and content. Where existing
standards are absent or inadequate, this should be documented along with any
proposed solutions or remedies.
Policies for sharing the raw- and meta-data with researchers and the public,
including provisions for appropriate protection of privacy, confidentiality,
security, intellectual property, or other rights or requirements. Applicants should
discuss HIPAA Privacy Rule, de-identification of personally identifiable
information, and IRB as appropriate. To the degree possible, explain factors that
may affect making the data publicly available. If appropriate, explain the lowest
level of aggregated data that will be shared with others.
Plans for archiving the raw- and meta-data, and for ensuring continuous access
to them beyond the project period. Describe physical and virtual resources
and/or facilities that will be used for data preservation. Include any third-party
data repositories. Explain changes to any roles and responsibilities that will occur
if the project leaders leave the applicant organization or project.

A valid data management plan may include only the statement that no detailed plan is needed,
as long as the statement is accompanied by a clear justification.
Subtab 2: Project Partners
Selection of Key Organizational Partners:
An organizational partner is an outside entity that will provide resources (other than
money) to support the project. Because all Arts Endowment projects require matching
resources from non-federal sources, organizations that only provide money are not
considered partners. Funders are not excluded from being partners, but they must also
supply human resources or information capital, or actively participate in another way. If
applicable, briefly describe the process and criteria for the selection of key organizations
that will be involved in the project. Where relevant, describe their involvement in the
development of the project to date. Where they remain to be selected, describe the
selection procedures that you plan to follow and the qualifications that you seek. .
(1,000 Character Limit, including spaces)

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We aim to make arts-relevant research a shared endeavor (with shared benefits)
for academic researchers, arts practitioners, and policy-makers. As such, NEA
Research Labs require a partnership between the official applicant organization
and a nonprofit arts organization confirmed at the time of application. The
nonprofit arts organization should be involved in a substantive way in the NEA
Research Lab’s development, in designing research questions, and maybe even
conduct of the study. It is expected that the partner would also assist in
distribution, outreach, and interpretation of findings.
In addition, we strongly encourage applicants to partner with other non-arts or
arts partners from the for-profit or nonprofit sectors with expertise in the
proposed research topic area. We welcome organizations from sectors such as
health, business, and science, and educational entities such as school districts or
individual schools.

Description of Key Organizational Partners: Include brief, current descriptions of the key
organizational partners. You may include up to 10.
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Organization Name
Proposed or committed? Select answer from drop-down.
Description of the Organization, including the proposed role in the project (500
Character Limit per partner, including spaces)

Subtab 3: Key Individuals
Selection of Key Individuals:
Briefly describe the process and criteria for the selection of key staff, consultants,
advisors, artists, designers – anyone who will be a key contributor to the success of your
proposed project, regardless of their organizational affiliation -- that will be involved in
this project. Where relevant, describe their involvement in the development of the
project to date. In addition, include information about the types of expertise and
organizational characteristics you are looking for in your technical working group
(specific names of individuals and their qualifications are not necessary). (1,000
Character Limit, including spaces)
Bios of Key Individuals: Include brief, current biographies of the key individuals. You may include
up to 5.
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First Name
Last Name (Use this field for artistic group names or single names)
Proposed or committed? Select answer from drop-down.
Bio. Briefly describe the qualifications, roles, responsibilities, and percent of time to be
devoted to the project for key personnel. Identify if the personnel will be involved with

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human subjects research and/or human subjects data (certificates of training in ethics
for human research are requested as a special attachment). Include, as appropriate:
education; professional experience and honors; selected peer-review and non-peer
review publications, including manuscripts in preparation or under review; history of
ongoing and completed research support, including sources of support; and research
skills, particularly those that are relevant for the proposed project. Include affiliations
within the past year and through the following year (1,000 Character Limit, including
spaces)
Subtab 4: Other Details
Schedule of Key Project Dates:
Describe key project planning and implementation dates, including the projected
release dates of products. Include proposed time frames for the Arts Endowment and
the technical working group to respond to tasks and material that need their review and
approval. Distinguish between studies or related projects that could occur during the
period of performance (the base year/s), and any studies or related projects that might
occur in subsequent years, were the award to be renewed. Costs incurred prior to
March 1, 2021, cannot be included in the project budget. If you include activities that
occur before March 1, 2021, in the schedule make sure that those activities and costs
are not included on the Project Budget form. (1,500 Character Limit, including spaces)
Promotion & Publicity:
Provide your plans for the dissemination of ideas, information, findings, raw- and or
meta-data, research products or tools related to the selected topic area. Describe the
format of the products, including any novel and/or creative communication strategies,
and taking into account the national scope of the project and its audience, and propose
a timeline for their release. Include at least one public-facing event or product, such as
hosting a convening or releasing a toolkit. Also include your vision for your NEA web
presence--a website is required, however, other strategies for engaging social media are
also welcome. Describe how your NEA Research Lab will engage with other entities
conducting research or practice in the selected topic area. Describe any flexibility the
NEA Research Lab will have in responding to ad hoc requests from the Arts Endowment
for analyses or information related to studies on the research agenda. (1,000 Character
Limit, including spaces)
Performance Measurement: How will you measure the success of your project? Describe any
plans you have for program evaluation, for working collaboratively with researchers, strategic
consultants, program evaluators, and/or any other plans for performance measurement related
to the project. Explain how your methods are relevant to the project. (1,000 Character Limit,
including spaces)

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See "Program Evaluation Resources" for additional information.
Intended Audience/Participants/Community: Who will benefit from the project and how?
What are the potential direct and indirect benefits or impacts of this project for researchers,
study participants, the arts sector, the non-arts sectors (explain which sectors), policy, and
practice. This may include the extent to which the project may yield potential for
generalizability of findings, even for discrete populations or practitioner groups. (2,000
Character Limit, including spaces)

Tab 5: Project Budget
NOTE: Organizations cannot receive more than one National Endowment for the Arts award for
the same expenses. This budget cannot include project costs that are supported by any other
federal funds or their cost share/match, including costs that may be included in applications
submitted, or awards received, by partner organizations or presenters.
Your Project Budget should reflect only those activities and associated costs that will be
incurred during the "Period of Performance" that you have indicated for your project. Any costs
incurred before or after those dates will be removed. REMINDER: The earliest allowable project
start date is March 1, 2021.
We need to know how you plan to spend both the requested Arts Endowment funds, as well as
your cost share/matching funds. All items in your budget, whether supported by Arts
Endowment funds or your cost share/matching funds, must be reasonable, necessary to
accomplish project objectives, allowable in terms of the agency’s General Terms and
Conditions, and adequately documented. Your "Total project income" must equal the "Total
project costs/expenses."
Applicants whose projects are recommended for awards will be asked to update the project
budget.
Subtab 1: Project Expenses
DIRECT COSTS are those that are identified specifically with the project during the period of
performance, and are allowable. Be as specific as possible.
1. DIRECT COSTS: Salaries and wages cover compensation for personnel, administrative
and artistic, who are paid on a salary basis. (Funds for contractual personnel and
compensation for artists who are paid on a fee basis should be included in "3. Other
expenses" on the Project Budget form, and not here.) Indicate the title and/or type of
personnel (40 characters maximum), the number of personnel (30 characters
maximum), the annual or average salary range (40 characters maximum), and the

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percentage of time that will be devoted to the project annually (30 characters
maximum). List key staff positions, and combine similar functions. Where appropriate,
use ranges. If the costs for evaluation and assessment are part of staff salary and/or
time, separately identify those costs.
Salaries and wages for performers and related or supporting personnel must be
estimated at rates no less than the prevailing minimum compensation as required by
the Department of Labor Regulations. (See "Legal Requirements" for details.) NOTE:
Salaries/wages/fringe benefits incurred in connection with fundraising specifically for
the project are allowed. These costs must be incurred during the Arts Endowment
project period of performance, and be approved as allowable project expenses by the
agency.
Sample View:

Fringe benefits are those costs other than wages or salary that are attributable to an
employee, as in the form of pension, insurance, vacation and sick leave, etc. They may
be included here only if they are not included as indirect costs.
Sample View:

2. DIRECT COSTS: Travel must be estimated according to the applicant's established travel
practice, providing that the travel cost is reasonable and does not exceed the cost of air
coach accommodations. Limit your descriptions to these character maximums: # of
Travelers = 20 characters; From = 50 characters; To = 50 characters. Include subsistence
costs (e.g., hotels, meals) as part of the "Amount" listed for each trip, as appropriate.
Foreign travel, if any is intended, must be specified by country of origin or destination
and relate to activity outlined in your narrative. Foreign travel also must conform with

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government regulations, including those of the U.S. Treasury Department Office of
Foreign Asset Control. If National Endowment for the Arts funds are used for foreign
travel, such travel must be booked on a U.S. air-carrier when this service is available. List
all trips -- both domestic and foreign -- individually. Justification for travel should be
included in the project narrative and/or schedule of key project dates.
Sample View:

3. DIRECT COSTS: Other expenses include consultant and artist fees, contractual services,
promotion, acquisition fees, rights, evaluation and assessment fees, access
accommodations (e.g., audio description, sign-language interpretation, closed or open
captioning, large-print brochures/labeling), telephone, photocopying, postage, supplies
and materials, publication, distribution, translation, transportation of items other than
personnel, rental of space or equipment, and other project-specific costs. List artist
compensation here if artists are paid on a fee basis. For procurement requirements
related to contracts and consultants, review 2 CFR Part 200.317-.326. Limit your
descriptions to 100 characters maximum.
Television broadcast projects and educational/interpretive videos must be closed or
open captioned. Applicants should check with captioning organizations for an estimate.
Clearly identify the rental of equipment versus the purchase of equipment. If you intend
to purchase any equipment that costs $5,000 or more per item and that has an
estimated useful life of more than one year, you must identify that item here. Provide a
justification for this expenditure either in this section of the Project Budget form or in
your narrative. Digital computers, mobile devices, or other new technologies are
considered supplies if less than $5,000 per item regardless of the length of useful life.
If you engage in contracts of more than $15,000, identify the item or service and its
relation to the project.

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Group similar items together on a single line, with only one total cost. List consultant
and artist fees or contracts for professional services on consecutive lines; do not scatter
them throughout the list. Specify the number of persons, the service being provided,
and the applicable fee, rate, or amount of each. For other types of line items, provide
details of what is included in each item.
Sample View:

4. TOTAL DIRECT COSTS is the total of all direct cost items listed in "Salaries and wages,"
"Travel," and "Other expenses."
5. INDIRECT COSTS are overhead or administrative expenses that are not readily
identifiable with a specific project. (The costs of operating and maintaining facilities and

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equipment, depreciation or use allowances, and administrative salaries and supplies are
typical examples of indirect costs.) Indirect costs are prorated or charged to a project
through a rate agreement negotiated with the National Endowment for the Arts or
another federal agency (limit your description of Federal Agency to 50 characters). If
you have a Research indirect cost rate you may apply it to applications to Research
awards only. You are not required to have an indirect cost/facilities and administration
rate to apply for or receive an award. You may claim administrative costs or overhead as
direct costs under "3. Other expenses." Alternatively, a non-federal entity that has never
received a negotiated indirect cost rate may elect to charge a de minimis rate of up to
10% of modified total direct costs (MTDC). For more information see 2 CFR Part
200.414.f. However, you cannot claim both Indirect Costs and Administrative/overhead
costs; you must choose one method or the other. If you have a negotiated rate and
would like to include indirect costs, complete the information requested in this section.
If you do not have or intend to negotiate an indirect cost rate, or do not plan to charge a
de minimis rate leave this section blank. For additional information, see "Indirect Cost
Guide for NEA Grantees."
Sample View of the de minimis rate:

6.

TOTAL PROJECT COSTS/EXPENSES is the total of "Total direct costs," and, if applicable,
"Indirect costs." NOTE: "Total project income" must equal the "Total project
costs/expenses." Your project budget should not equal your organization's entire
operating budget.

Subtab 2: Project Income
1. AMOUNT REQUESTED FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS:
Sample View:

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2. TOTAL COST SHARE/MATCH FOR THIS PROJECT: The National Endowment for the Arts
requires each applicant to obtain at least half the total cost of each project from
nonfederal sources. For example, if you receive a $30,000 award, your total project
costs must be at least $60,000 and you must provide at least $30,000 toward the project
from nonfederal sources. These cost share/matching funds may be all cash or a
combination of cash and in-kind contributions as detailed below. Be as specific as
possible. For projects that include additional partners, indicate on the form the portion
of the cost share/match that is being contributed by each participant. Asterisk (*) those
funds that are committed or secured.
NOTE: At its discretion, the Arts Endowment may choose to negotiate a lesser
match/cost share rate at the time of the award.
Applicant Cash cost share/match refers to the cash contributions (including items or
services that are provided by the applicant organization), grants, and revenues that are
expected or received for this project. This also includes course-releases for faculty;
tuition remission, course-credit, and/or internship credits for undergraduate or
graduate students; and institutionally waived indirect costs. Limit your descriptions to
100 characters maximum. Do not include any Arts Endowment or other federal awards
that are anticipated or received. If you include grants from your state arts agency or
regional arts organization as part of your cost share/match, you must ensure that the
funds do not include subgranted federal funds. Identify sources. The Arts Endowment
allows the use of unrecovered indirect costs as part of the cash cost share/match. Your
organization must have a federal negotiated indirect cost rate agreement to include
unrecovered indirect costs.
Third-Party In-kind: Donated space, supplies, volunteer services are goods and services
that are donated by individuals or organizations other than the applicant organization
(third-party). Limit your descriptions to 100 characters maximum. To qualify as cost
share/matching resources, these same items also must be identified as direct costs in
the project budget to ensure their allowability. In-kind items not reflected as direct costs
will be removed from your budget. The dollar value of these non-cash donations should
be calculated at their verifiable fair-market value. Identify sources. Reminder: Proper
documentation must be maintained for all items noted as "in-kind."
Sample View:

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3. TOTAL PROJECT INCOME is the total of "Amount requested from the National
Endowment for the Arts" and “Total cost share/match for this project." NOTE: "Total
project income" must equal the "Total project costs/expenses." Your project budget
should not equal your organization's entire operating budget.
Sample View:

Additional Project Budget Notes (Optional) Provide information to clarify any line item
included in the project budget. (750 Character Limit, including spaces)

Tab 6: Items to Upload
There are two required items that must be uploaded by all applicants: 1) a letter of support
from the nonprofit arts partner and 2) permission to collect/use data (including IRB
documentation).

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In addition, for applicants that propose primary data collection from human research subjects,
human ethics in research training certificates are required.
Beyond the required item(s), one optional item may be uploaded (examples related to the data
collection and analysis).
See below for more specific instructions.
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Required: Statement of support from your required nonprofit arts partner (no more
than one page in length) reflecting its support for and involvement in the project. (If you
have more than one nonprofit arts partner, you can include one letter from each of
those partners.) Do not provide a general statement of support for your organization.
The statement should include the name, affiliation, phone number, and email address of
the individual who provided it.
Required: Information that documents your organization’s right to access the data
and/or collect the data specified in your application. Five pages maximum. Excess
pages will be removed and not be reviewed. Include all documentation that applies:
o Evidence that the data is in the public domain.
o Written permission that grants you the right to access the data specified in your
application. The written permission must explicitly identify the holder of the
access and the date of consent, and, if applicable, time restrictions or other
restrictions for accessing the data and the cost of the data.
o If you will be including the purchase of the data in your Official Arts Endowment
Project Budget, evidence that guarantees that you will have the right to access
the dataset(s) upon purchase. Detail the process that you will use, the date by
which you will purchase the data and secure access rights, and the cost of the
data.
o Applicants who include primary data collection as a proposed project activity are
required to provide documentation regarding whether or not IRB approval is
needed to execute the project. If the documentation states that IRB approval is
required, then applicants also must indicate the measures they have taken or
plan on taking to gain IRB approval, including evidence that they have reached
out to their preferred IRB or IRBs.
If IRB approval is needed, then you should begin working with an IRB office as
soon as possible. If you are recommended for an award, you will be expected to
submit a confirmation letter on the status of your IRB submission. If you receive
an award, the Arts Endowment may withhold funds until IRB approval is
demonstrated.

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Required: Human Ethics in Research Training: If the proposed project involves primary
data collection from human research subjects, evidence of ethics training must be
included for each key personnel involved with primary data collection or analysis of

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personally identifiable information from human subjects. Evidence can take the form of
an active, unexpired certificate of completion of a training module. The Arts Endowment
does not specify or endorse any specific educational programs.
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Optional: Examples related to the data collection and analysis, such as graphic
representations of the framework or model guiding the research project, survey
instruments, interview protocols, sampling design, relevant excerpts from codebooks,
and other relevant information about the data collection and analysis methods. Only
include information that is relevant to the project in this item. Screenshots are allowed.
Do not include links or embed non-printable media files (video and/or sound). Five
pages maximum. Excess pages will be removed and not be reviewed.

The Arts Endowment may contact you for documentation of access, IRB status, and
human ethics research training at any time.
Information About Uploaded Items
Your file names must not:
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Exceed 100 characters.
Begin with a space, period, hyphen, or underline.
Contain these characters: #%&{}\<>*?/$!‘“:+`=|"@.

When naming your files use the prefix “Training” or “Permission” or “Examples.”
For each item that you upload, you will find a descriptive field into which you will enter the
following information, as appropriate:
Title box:
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Title each item with a unique name.
Simply state the type of item using the prefix “Training” or “Permission” or “Examples.”

Description box (500 Character Limit, including spaces):
•

Simply state the type of item.

Tab 7: Organization & Project Data

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The National Endowment for the Arts collects basic descriptive information about all applicants
and their projects. The information that follows will help the Arts Endowment to comply with
government reporting requirements, and will be used to develop statistical information about
the organizations and projects it funds to report to Congress and the public. Your responses
will not be a factor in the review of your application.
Applicant Organization Discipline: Select the primary discipline that is most relevant to your
organization. This refers to the primary artistic emphasis of your organization. If you are solely a
research institution, choose “None of the Above.” You will choose one from the following:
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Artist Community
Arts Education Organization
Dance
Design
Folk & Traditional
Literary Arts
Local Arts Agency
Media Arts
Museums
Music
Musical Theater
Opera
Presenting & Multidisciplinary Work Organization
Theater
Visual Arts
None of the Above

You will also have the option of selecting two additional disciplines for your organization,
though this is not required.
Applicant Organization Description: This section asks for the description that most accurately
describes your organization. You will choose one from the following:
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Artists' Community, Arts Institute, or Camp
Arts Center
Arts Council / Agency
Arts Service Organization
College / University
Community Service Organization
Fair / Festival
Foundation
Gallery / Exhibition Space

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Government
Historical Society / Commission
Humanities Council / Agency
Independent Press
Library
Literary Magazine
Media-Film
Media-Internet
Media-Radio
Media-Television
Museum-Art
Museum-Other
Performance Facility
Performing Group
Presenter / Cultural Series Organization
Religious Organization
School District
School of the Arts
Social Service Organization
Tribal Community
Union / Professional Association
None of the Above

You will also have the option of selecting two additional descriptions for your organization,
though this is not required.
Preparedness Plans: Does your organization have a disaster preparedness plan (i.e., plans to
handle disasters and emergencies such as floods, hurricanes, and man-made disasters)? You
will choose one from the following:
• Yes
• No
Project Activity Type: Select the option that best describes the type of project you are
proposing:
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Apprenticeship/Mentorship
Arts & Health Includes projects that support the delivery of creative arts therapies in
healthcare and non-healthcare settings. Also includes projects that place arts activities
in healthcare settings, and/or that seek to improve service delivery by healthcare
professionals.
Arts Instruction Includes lessons, classes and other means to teach knowledge of and/or
skills in the arts

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Artwork Creation Includes media arts, design projects, and commissions
Audience Services (e.g., ticket subsidies)
Broadcasting via TV, cable, radio, the Web, or other digital networks
Building Public Awareness Activities designed to increase public understanding of the
arts or to build public support for the arts
Building International Understanding Includes activities that either bring international
art and/or artists to the U.S. or bring American art and/or artists to other nations
Concert/Performance/Reading Includes production development
Curriculum Development/Implementation Includes design, implementation,
distribution of instructional materials, methods, evaluation criteria, goals, objectives,
etc.
Distribution of Art (e.g., films, books, prints; do not include broadcasting)
Exhibition Includes visual arts, media arts, design, and exhibition development
Fair/Festival
Identification/Documentation (e.g., for archival or educational purposes)
Marketing
Presenting/Touring
Professional Development/Training Activities enhancing career advancement
Professional Support: Administrative Includes consultant fees
Professional Support: Artistic (e.g., artists' fees, payments for artistic services)
Publication (e.g., books, journals, newsletters, manuals)
Recording/Filming/Taping (e.g., to extend the audience for a performance through
film/tape audio/video; do not include archival projects)
Repair/Restoration/Conservation
Research/Planning Includes program evaluation, strategic planning, and establishing
partnerships
Residency - School Artist activities in an educational setting
Residency - Other Artist activities in a nonschool setting
Seminar/Conference
Student Assessment Includes measurement of student progress toward learning
objectives. Not to be used for program evaluation.
Technical Assistance with technical/administrative functions
Web Site/Internet Development Includes the creation or expansion of Web sites,
mobile and tablet applications, the development of digital art collections, interactive
services delivered via the Internet, etc.
Writing About Art/Criticism
None of the above

Additional Project Activity Type: Optionally, choose up to two additional types from the above
list.
Proposed Beneficiaries of Project

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Select all groups of people that your project intends to serve directly.
Race/Ethnicity: (Choose all that apply) U.S. federal government agencies must adhere to
standards issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in October 1997, which
specify that race and Hispanic origin (also known as ethnicity) are two separate and distinct
concepts. These standards generally reflect a social definition of race and ethnicity recognized
in this country, and they do not conform to any biological, anthropological, or genetic criteria.
Origin can be viewed as the heritage, nationality group, lineage, or country of birth of the
person or the person’s ancestors before their arrival in the United States.
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American Indian or Alaskan Native - A person having origins in any of the original
peoples of North and South America (including Central America) and who maintains
tribal affiliation or community attachment.
Asian - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast
Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan,
Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Black or African American - A person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of
Africa.
Hispanic or Latino - People who identify their origin as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish may
be of any race.
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander - A person having origins in any of the original
peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
White - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East,
or North Africa.
Other racial/ethnic group
No specific racial/ethnic group

Age Ranges: (Choose all that apply)
• Children/Youth (0-18 years)
• Young Adults (19-24 years)
• Adults (25-64 years)
• Older Adults (65+ years)
• No specific age group
Underserved/Distinct Groups: (Choose all that apply)
• Individuals with Disabilities
• Individuals in Institutions (include people living in hospitals, hospices, nursing homes,
assisted care facilities, correctional facilities, and homeless shelters)
• Individuals below the Poverty Line
• Individuals with Limited English Proficiency
• Military Veterans/Active Duty Personnel
• Youth at Risk

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Other underserved/distinct group
No specific underserved/distinct group

Submit Your Application
Be sure to click Save before clicking Submit. See “Help” on the menu bar at the top of the
Applicant Portal for information on how the validation function works.
You must click Submit to finalize your application for National Endowment for the Arts
review.
Don't forget to hit the "Submit" button when you are ready to submit your application. If you
do not hit the "Submit" button, your application will not be received.
Ensure that your application was received by logging in to the Applicant Portal. On the first
screen it will say “Submitted” if your application has been received. If your application has not
yet been received, it will say “In Progress.” You can maintain documentation of your successful
submission by taking a screenshot. You also may receive a courtesy confirmation email.
After submitting your application, you may log back into the Applicant Portal and make changes
to your submission up until the system closes at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on the day of the
deadline. Be sure to click “Save” and “Submit” when you are finished. You also may receive a
courtesy confirmation email after you resubmit.