3135-0112 Challenge America Grant Application Form and Instruction

Challenge America

FY24 Application Instructions
Introduction and Calendar .............................................................................................................. 2
Part 1: Submit the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/ Short Organizational Form to
Grants.gov ....................................................................................................................................... 3
Step 1: Complete the Form ......................................................................................................... 3
Step 2: Submit the form via Grants.gov’s Workspace ................................................................ 6
Step 3: Confirm Application Submission..................................................................................... 6
Part 2: Submit the Grant Application Form through the Applicant Portal ..................................... 8
Access the Applicant Portal ........................................................................................................ 8
Fill out the Grant Application Form ............................................................................................ 9
Tab 1: View Application Data ................................................................................................ 10
Tab 2: Organization Info ....................................................................................................... 10
Subtab 1: Organization Details ......................................................................................... 10
Subtab 2: Organization Budget ......................................................................................... 11
Tab 3: Arts Programmatic History......................................................................................... 12
Tab 4: Project Details ............................................................................................................ 13
Subtab 1: Project Activity.................................................................................................. 13
Subtab 2: Other Details ..................................................................................................... 15
Subtab 3: Project Partners & Key Individuals ................................................................... 16
Tab 5: Project Budget............................................................................................................ 18
Budget Worksheet ............................................................................................................ 18
Filling out the budget in the Applicant Portal................................................................... 18
Project Budget Guidance .................................................................................................. 18
Visible on Both Subtabs .................................................................................................... 19
Subtab 1: Project Expenses ............................................................................................... 19
Subtab 2: Project Income .................................................................................................. 23
Tab 6: Items to Upload.......................................................................................................... 25
Tab 7: Organization & Project Data ...................................................................................... 29
Submit the Grant Application Form ...................................................................................... 33
Click on a heading above to navigate directly to that section.

OMB No. 3135-0112 Expires TBD
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FY24 Application Instructions

Introduction and Calendar
A Challenge America application consists of two parts:
Part 1: Submit the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form
to Grants.gov
•

Collects basic information about your organization. You must successfully complete Part
1 in order to have access to Part 2.

Part 2: Submit the Grant Application Form through the NEA’s Applicant Portal
•

Collects the remainder of your application, including:
o Answers to narrative questions about your organization and project,
o Budget information about your organization and project,
o Information about key individuals and partners, and
o Work samples.

This document will walk you through how to submit both parts of the application.
Submission Deadlines:
All deadline times are Eastern. Be sure to double check the deadline time based on your time
zone.
Challenge America
Part 1: Grants.gov

April 27, 2023 at 11:59 pm ET

Part 2: Applicant
Portal window

From 9 am ET on May 2 through 11:59 pm ET on May 16, 2023

Applicant Portal access will only be available during the dates listed above for Part 2.
You will not be able to access the portal until the first day in the window.

What does this icon mean?
You’ll see this icon throughout these instructions. This indicates that tips from
NEA staff. Click on the link and it will bring you to a document with more
information. You may need to scroll down in the document to find the tip you are
looking to access.

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FY24 Application Instructions: Part 1

Part 1: Submit the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/ Short
Organizational Form to Grants.gov
You will use Grants.gov Workspace to complete Part 1 in Grants.gov. For a detailed guide on
how to use Workspace, see here.
1. Access the application package on the How to Apply page by clicking on the link for
opportunity number 2023NEA01CA, under “All Applicants: Go to the Grant Opportunity
Package.” This will take you directly to the pre-populated application package in
Grants.gov.
2. The Grants.gov “View Grant Opportunity” screen will open, click the red “Apply” button.
3. You will be prompted to log in. In order to create the Workspace application, you must
be logged into Grants.gov with a participant role of either Workspace Manager or
Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). More information on participant roles
can be found here.
4. After logging in, to create a Workspace application:
a. Fill in the Application Filing Name field with your organization name, then
b. Click the Create Workspace button.
5. After creating a Workspace, you will be directed to the Manage Workspace page, where
you can begin working on the application.
Reminder: Grants.gov is a government-wide portal, and NEA staff does not have control of, or
administrative access to, the site. If you run into technical issues with grants.gov, please contact
grants.gov directly at 1-800-518-4726 or via email [email protected]. The Grants.gov Contact
Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Step 1: Complete the Form
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 for
Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form or another document and paste into
the form.
EMAILS: Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send
emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email
address.
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.
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FY24 Application Instructions: Part 1
4. Funding Opportunity Number: Pre-populated.
5. Applicant Information:
a. Legal Name: The name provided here must be the applicant's legal name as it appears in
the current IRS 501(c)(3) status letter or in the official document that identifies the
organization as a unit of state or local government, or as a federally recognized tribal
community or tribe. (Do not use your organization's popular name, if different.)
If you are a parent organization that is applying on behalf of an eligible independent
component, do not list the name of the independent component here. You will be asked for
that information in Part 2.
b. Address: Use Street 1 for your organization’s physical street address. This address must
be identical to the physical address that you used with SAM (System for Award
Management). Only use Street 2 for your organization’s mailing address if it differs from the
SAM physical street address.
In the Zip/Postal Code box, organizations in the United States should 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 https://tools.usps.com/zip-code-lookup.htm.
d. Type of Applicant: Select the item that best characterizes your organization from the
menu in the first drop down box. Additional choices are optional.
e. Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN/TIN): Enter the 9-digit number that was
assigned by the Internal Revenue Service; do not use a Social Security Number.
f. Organizational UEI: All organizational applicants for federal funds must have a UEI. Enter
your organization’s UEI here. You can find your UEI in your System for Award Management
(SAM) record. If you cannot locate your UEI, contact SAM for assistance. NOTE: Do not enter
a DUNS number here. The UEI you enter here must match the UEI associated with your
organization’s SAM (System for Award Management) record that was used as part of your
Grants.gov registration. Otherwise, your application will not be validated by Grants.gov
and will be rejected.
g. Congressional District: Enter the number of the Congressional District where the
applicant organization is physically located. The Congressional District that you enter here
must match with the Congressional District that shown in the Business Information section
of your organization’s SAM (System for Award Management) record.
Use the following format: 2 character State Abbreviation-3 character District Number. For
example, if your organization is located in the 5th Congressional District of California, enter
"CA-005." If your state has a single At-Large Representative or your jurisdiction has a single
Delegate, enter your 2 character state/jurisdiction abbreviation and "-000." If you need help
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FY24 Application Instructions: Part 1
determining your district, go to www.house.gov and use the "Find Your Representative"
tool.
6. Project Information:
a. Project Title: Enter “N/A.” Any other text entered here will not be used in the review of
your application.
b. Project Description: Enter “N/A.” Any other text entered here will not be used in the
review of your application.
c. Proposed Project Start Date/End Date: Enter the beginning and ending dates for your
requested period of performance, i.e., the span of time necessary to plan, execute, and
close out your proposed project. The start date should be the first day of the month, and
the end date should be the last day of the month.
Our support of a project may start on or after: January 1, 2024
7. Project Director:
Provide contact information, including an email address that will be valid through the
announcement date for your category. Optional: Select a Prefix (e.g., Ms., Mr.)
8. Primary Contact/Grant Administrator:
Provide the requested information for the individual who should be contacted on matters
involving this application and the administration of any grant that may be awarded. For
colleges and universities, this person is often a Sponsored Research, Sponsored Programs,
or Contracts and Grants Officer. For the Telephone number field, use the following format:
000-000-0000. Optional: Select a Prefix (e.g., Ms., Mr.)
This individual may be the same as the Project Director. If this is the case, you may check
the "Same as Project Director" box and not repeat information that you have already
provided in Item 7. If the Primary Contact/Grant Administrator is the same as the
Authorizing Official, complete all items under both 8 and 9 even though there will be some
repetition.
9. Authorized Representative:
Enter the requested information for the AOR (Authorized Organization Representative) who
is authorized to submit this application to Grants.gov. Optional: Select a Prefix (e.g., Ms.,
Mr.)
The AOR must have the legal authority to obligate your organization (e. g., be a senior
member of the staff such as an Executive Director, Director of Development). See specific
requirements for who can serve as an AOR for colleges and universities.
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FY24 Application Instructions: Part 1
Contractors/consultants, including grant writers, or administrative support staff cannot
serve as an AOR.
NOTE: By clicking the "I Agree" box at the top of Item 9, this individual will be certifying
compliance with relevant federal requirements on your organization's behalf. These
requirements can be found in the Assurance of Compliance section of these guidelines.
The "Signature of Authorized Representative" and "Date Signed" boxes will be populated by
Grants.gov upon submission of the application.

Step 2: Submit the form via Grants.gov’s Workspace
Be certain that you are satisfied with your Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short
Organizational Form before you click submit. No revisions to your form are possible through
Grants.gov once it is submitted.
We strongly suggest that you submit your application well before the deadline to provide ample
time to resolve any problems you might encounter.
Navigate to the Forms tab on the Manage Workspace page:
•

•
•

Once the form is filled out and the Form Status column says "Passed," it will be ready
for submission.
o Important note: The status “Forms Passed” does NOT indicate that your
application has been submitted, only that your forms have been filled out. You
still need to click the Sign and Submit button after receiving the “Forms Passed”
status. For more information, review the Forms Tab help article.
Click Complete and Notify AOR, which will notify the user(s) with the AOR role that the
workspace is ready to submit.
The AOR must click Sign and Submit to submit the application. Detailed instructions can
be found here.

After the AOR submits the application, they will see a confirmation screen explaining that the
submission is being processed. Take a screenshot and retain the Grants.gov Tracking Number
that you receive in the application submission confirmation screen.

Step 3: Confirm Application Submission
Verify that the application was validated by the Grants.gov system. Take a screenshot of the
validation confirmation for your records.
You can track the progress of your application submission through Grants.gov in one of three
ways:
•

Check the progress bar in Workspace. When your application has been successfully
received, the bar will be green, and a check mark will appear in each bubble.
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FY24 Application Instructions: Part 1
•

When logged in to Grants.gov, click the Check Application Status link under the
Applicants drop-down menu and search for the submitted application.

•

When not logged in to Grants.gov, go to Track My Application and enter your Grants.gov
Tracking Numbers. Then click the Track button to see the status listings of the valid
tracking numbers entered. This function will only work if you have a tracking number.

For more information about checking Grants.gov application status and a complete list of
statuses, see here.
Do not wait until the day of the deadline to verify your submission in case you encounter any
difficulties. Failure to successfully submit the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short
Organizational Form through Grants.gov will make you ineligible to complete Part 2 of the
application process.

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FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2

Part 2: Submit the Grant Application Form through the Applicant Portal
You will only be able to complete Part 2 of the Challenge America application process if you
have successfully submitted Part 1 of the application to Grants.gov by the appropriate
deadline.
You will not have access to the Applicant Portal until the Part 2 application window opens as
described in the calendar. However, we urge you to use this document to prepare your
responses and material well in advance so you will have them ready to upload once the
system opens.
The Applicant Portal is an NEA administered site, if you run into technical issues, please reach
out to [email protected] / 202-682-5700.

Access the Applicant Portal
Log on to the Applicant Portal at: https://applicantportal.arts.gov
•

User Name = Grants.gov Tracking Number (Example: "GRANT38906754")
o Your Grants.gov tracking number is assigned to you by Grants.gov at the time you
submit Part 1 of your application.
o A confirmation screen will appear in Grants.gov once your submission is complete.
o Your Grants.gov tracking number will be provided at the bottom of the screen.

•

Password = Agency Tracking Number/NEA Application Number (Example: "1425736")
o The NEA assigns the number to your application 1-2 business days after you submit
Part 1 of your application.
o Log on to Grants.gov.
 Under Grant Applications, select Check Application Status.
 Look for your Grants.gov Tracking Number and select Details under the Actions
column.
 You’ll be taken to the Submission Details screen to find your Agency
Tracking#/NEA Application Number.
o NOTE: Check Application Status is a separate feature from Track My Application at
Grants.gov.

The User Name and Password can only be used by one person at a time in the Applicant
Portal. If multiple people use the User Name and Password at the same time to work on an
application, data will be lost.
Technical notes for using the Applicant Portal:
• The Applicant Portal is best viewed in the following browsers: Chrome 58+, Firefox 54+,
or Microsoft Edge 44+. You should only open the Applicant Portal in one browser at a
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time to enter information. Cookies and JavaScript may need to be enabled for you to
successfully view the site. You might also need to disable AdBlocker and/or similar
software.
•

Most problems can be solved by changing your browser.

•

Be sure to first copy and paste any text into Notepad (if you’re using a PC) or TextEdit (if
you’re using a Mac) before copying it into the Applicant Portal. This will strip away any
HTML coding that may add unwanted additional characters to text (however, any
formatting you had will be deleted). These additional characters can be added due to
some special characters such as ampersands, quotation marks, apostrophes, and angle
brackets.

•

Limit character counts by using a solution other than special characters (e.g., instead of
using quotation marks for titles of works, put them in italics), using only one space at
the end of sentences, and limiting the use of tabs.

•

Click “Save” and log off if you plan to leave the Applicant Portal with work in progress.
Your session will deactivate after a period of time and you could lose content.

•

You may use the “Print” function in the upper right corner to create a printable version
of your application at any point during the application process. You may save this as a
separate file by either choosing “Save as PDF” from your print dialogue box, or by
copying and pasting into a separate document. We strongly recommend that you save a
final copy right after you click Submit.

•

View the Grant Application Form Tutorial to assist you in completing the online form.

Fill out the Grant Application Form
The Grant Application Form in the Applicant Portal has seven tabs, some of which have subtabs:
•
•
•
•

•
•
•

Tab 1: View Application Data
Tab 2: Organization Info
o Subtab 1: Organization Details
o Subtab 2: Organization Budget
Tab 3: Arts Programmatic History
Tab 4: Project Details
o Subtab 1: Project Activity
o Subtab 2: Other Details
o Subtab 3: Project Partners & Key Individuals
Tab 5: Project Budget
o Subtab 1: Project Expenses
o Subtab 2: Project Income
Tab 6: Items to Upload
Tab 7: Organization & Project Data
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Required items are denoted with an asterisk (*) throughout this document.
When filling out the Grant Application Form, you must adhere to the character count limit in
each section. Do not include hyperlinks. They will not be reviewed, unless provided as part of
your work sample upload.

Tab 1: View Application Data
This section is the first screen you will see when you open the Grant Application Form. It cannot
be edited. If you find any incorrect information on this page, contact an NEA staff member.

Tab 2: Organization Info
Subtab 1: Organization Details
LEGAL/IRS NAME*
Must match the Organization Name you entered in the Application for Federal Domestic
Assistance/Short Organizational Form
POPULAR NAME (if different)
FOR THIS APPLICATION, ARE YOU SERVING AS THE PARENT OF AN INDEPENDENT
COMPONENT?
Drop-down selection: Y/N
Before choosing, see the definition of official Independent Component status.
If you select Yes: Enter the name of the component.
MISSION AND BACKGROUND/HISTORY OF YOUR ORGANIZATION
Text box: 1,000 character limit, including spaces
Describe your organization’s mission, history and operations. This may include, but need not be
limited to, a description of the following elements:
•
•

Historical or cultural background of your organization and/or its communities served,
including demographic information; and
Information about your organization’s staff or governance
Staff Tip: Reviewers may not be familiar with your community or your
organization. This information provides helpful context for understanding your
work and project. See the full staff tip here.

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Subtab 2: Organization Budget
The Organization Budget is a webform, you will fill out each field in the Applicant Portal. The
form will appear as follows:
Organization Budget Form (see below for guidance)

FY End Date

Most Recently
Completed FY

Previous FY

Two FY’s Prior

MM-DD-YY

MM-DD-YY

MM-DD-YY

Income

$

$

$

Expenses

$

$

$

Operating Surplus/Deficit

Autofills from above

Autofills from above

Autofills from above

Parent Organizations: If you are a parent organization, provide only the budget information for
the independent component for which you are applying.
Organizational Units: If your project will be undertaken by a smaller organizational unit that
exists within a larger organization (such as an academic department, a literary organization
housed at a college or university, or an office, facility, or department of local government),
submit information for the smaller unit and clearly identify that the budget is for the smaller
unit in the Fiscal Health section.
The Organization Budget 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). We may request additional
information to clarify an organization's financial position. The figures you submit are subject to
verification by the National Endowment for the Arts.
FISCAL YEAR END DATE*: Indicate the end date for each of your organization’s three most
recent fiscal years using the calendar drop down.
INCOME*: Enter your organization’s income for each fiscal year. Unaudited figures are
acceptable. Income sources may include earned revenues such as those that are received
through the sale of goods, services performed, or from investments, as well as contributed
funds, such as gifts, grants, loans, and in-kind contributions.
EXPENSES*: Enter your organization’s total operating expenses for each fiscal year. Unaudited
figures are acceptable. Expenses may include salaries and fees, production/exhibition expenses,
services, and administrative costs, among others.
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OPERATING SURPLUS/DEFICIT: These fields will automatically populate based on the figures
you input for income and expenses.
FISCAL HEALTH
Text box: 1,000 character limit, including spaces
Discuss the fiscal health of your organization. You may use this space to discuss how the COVID19 pandemic may have affected your organization’s budget. 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 factors that contributed to the deficit and its
amount).
For independent components, you may use the space to discuss the fiscal health of the
component and to explain the relationship that it has with the larger entity (e.g., "museum
guards and utilities paid for by university").

Tab 3: Arts Programmatic History
Submit one representative example of programmatic history per year for three recent
years/seasons prior to the application deadline. Select examples that emphasize how your
previous work is connected to the review criteria. This list should demonstrate eligibility (i.e.,
your organization's three-year history of arts programming), as well as the artistic excellence
and artistic merit of your organization. For the purpose of defining eligibility, "three-year
history" refers to when an organization began its programming and not when it incorporated or
received nonprofit, tax-exempt status.
YEAR*
3 Fields, 4 character limit each
REPRESENTATIVE EXAMPLES*
3 Text boxes: 750 character limit each, including spaces,
Providing information in bulleted or list form is acceptable. Do not submit this information as a
separate work sample.
For each representative example, where appropriate, include:
• Date/Year
• Title/Work/Program
• Key Artists/Personnel
• # of Classes, Performances, Exhibitions, Residencies, etc.
• # of Participants or Audience
Staff Tip: Your responses to the Arts Programmatic History section will be used in
two ways — for eligibility and for competitiveness. See the full staff tip here.
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Tab 4: Project Details
Subtab 1: Project Activity
From the dropdown, select the discipline for your proposed project: This refers to the artistic
discipline associated with your project, not necessarily your organization as a whole.
• Artist Communities
• Arts Education
• Dance
• Design
• Folk & Traditional Arts
• Literary Arts
• Local Arts Agencies
• Media Arts
• Museums
• Music
• Musical Theater
• Opera
• Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works
• Theater
• Visual Arts
PROJECT SYNOPSIS*
Text box: 200 character limit, including spaces
Provide a brief synopsis for your proposed arts project. For example: “To support the ‘ABC
Project’, which will XYZ”.
UNDERSERVED GROUPS/COMMUNITIES*
Identify the specific underserved groups/communities your project is intended to reach. See
here for more information.
Choose all that apply:
1. Geography
2. Ethnicity
3. Economics
4. Disability
Staff Tip: The underserved groups/communities listed are defined by our
legislation and agency policy. More details are provided in the Program
Description, on what we mean by “underserved groups/communities.”

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INTENDED UNDERSERVED AUDIENCE/PARTICIPANTS/COMMUNITY*
Text box: 1,500 character limit, including spaces
The focus of the Challenge America program is to provide support for projects that extend the
reach of the arts to populations that are underserved.
Clearly explain:
• Who will benefit from the project and how will they be intentionally engaged?
• Who will be served by the proposed project? Describe the demographics of your
community at-large and the intended audience.*
• If applicable, explain how your intended audience’s* opportunities to experience the
arts have been limited, related to the underserved population categories of geography,
ethnicity, economics, and/or disability.
As a reminder, in the federal-funding context, a focus on a particular group or demographic
may be permissible, but exclusion is not. Please review the Assurance of Compliance, as well as
NEA Civil Rights guidance on our website including the NEA Civil Rights webinar, Things to Know
Before You Apply: Federal Civil Rights and Your Grants Application.
*The term “audience” is used to describe the group intended to be served by your project:
attendees, participants, communities, constituencies, etc.
Staff Tip: This section will help reviewers understand the specific audience that
your project is intended to reach, and the potential impact of your project. See the
full staff tip here.
PROPOSED PROJECT START DATE/END DATE
Calendar selections: PROJECT START DATE: (MM-DD-YYYY)*
PROJECT END DATE: (MM-DD-YYYY)*
Enter the beginning and ending dates for your requested period of performance (period of
support), i.e., the span of time necessary to plan, execute, and close out your proposed project.
The start date must be the first day of the month, and the end date must be the last day of the
month. Your application will not validate if the start or end dates are incorrect.
Our support of a project may start on or after January 1, 2024. While a period of performance
of up to two years is allowed, we anticipate that most Challenge America projects -- including
planning and closeout time -- will be substantially shorter. Your budget should include only the
activities and costs incurred during the requested period of performance. The dates you enter
here will be used in the review of your application.
Staff Tip: The Project Start Date that you provide is also used to determine
application eligibility. Be sure to double-check that your Project Start Date is no
earlier than January 1, 2024.
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PROJECT DESCRIPTION*
Text box: 3,500 character limit, including spaces
We fund arts projects, and make grants only for specific, definable activities. Describe the
proposed arts project you would like us to support. Be as specific as possible. Answer the
questions below as you describe your project:
a. What activities will take place during the grant period of performance? Provide relevant
logistics and details.
b. What artists, productions, venues, or pieces of artwork will be central to the project?
c. How does this project relate to your organization, your community, and the intended
audience/participants?
d. If applicable, include project details specifically intended to strengthen engagement
with the intended audience/participants, such as educational activities, marketing or
outreach.
Do not describe unrelated organizational programming. The information that you provide will
be evaluated against the Review Criteria by readers, so make sure your response addresses the
Review Criteria.
Staff Tip: This section is the core of your narrative. Be sure to thoroughly describe
what activities you are asking us to fund. See the full staff tip here.

Subtab 2: Other Details
SCHEDULE OF KEY PROJECT DATES*
Text box: 1,000 character limit, including spaces
Provide a timeline for your project and describe the significant dates for the project. If you
include activities that occur before January 1, 2024, or outside your period of performance,
indicate them by adding an asterisk (*) and make sure that those activities and costs are not
included in the Project Budget form.
PROJECT GOALS AND MONITORING*
Text box: 1,000 character limit, including spaces
Describe your goals for the project, and how you will monitor progress towards those goals.
Examples of monitoring activities include surveys of program participants, measuring
attendance, and third-party program evaluations, among others.
Note: If your project involves directly collecting sensitive data from program participants, such
as personally identifiable information or data from vulnerable populations, and you are
recommended for a grant, the NEA may conduct a review of your project to ensure it complies
with our general guidance regarding the responsible conduct of research. See: Responsible
Conduct of Program Evaluation.
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Staff Tip: Explain any plans for tracking your accomplishments, challenges, and
the project’s potential impact. See the full staff tip here.

Subtab 3: Project Partners & Key Individuals
SELECTION OF KEY ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERS AND KEY INDIVIDUALS*
Text box: 1,000 character limit, including spaces
Provide additional context about key organizational partners (if applicable to your project) and
individuals involved in the project.
•
•

Briefly describe the process and criteria for selecting organizational partners and/or key
individuals.
Explain why these organizations and/or individuals are relevant to your proposed
project.

If you are applying for a project for which artists or artist groups are not yet identified, describe
the process and criteria that you will use to select those involved.
NOTE: Funders are not excluded from being partners, but they must also supply human
resources or information capital, or actively participate in another way. Organizational partners
are not required, but can be one way to show how your project will reach your intended
audiences.
INFORMATION ABOUT KEY ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERS & INDIVIDUALS
Include any combination of up to 5 organizations and/or individuals.
FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL or PARTNER ORGANIZATION ENTER:
•
•
•

INDIVIDUAL or PARTNER ORGANIZATION NAME*: Text box, 100 character limit
PROPOSED or COMMITTED*: Drop-down, select either “Proposed” or “Committed”
INDIVIDUAL/PARTNER ORGANIZATION TYPE*: Drop-down
 For Individuals (such as staff, artists, teaching artists, collaborators, consultants,
mentors) select “Individual”.
 For Partner Organizations, choose the one category that best describes the
organization from the following options:
o College/University, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
(AANH)
o College/University, Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI)
o College/University, Historically Black College or University (HBCU)
o College/University, Tribal College or University (TCU)
o Other College/University
o Government - State
o Government - Regional
o Government - County

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o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
•

Government - Municipal
Government - Tribal
Organization - Arts Nonprofit
Organization - Arts For-Profit
Organization - Other Nonprofit
Organization - Other For-Profit
Correctional Institution
Foundation
Healthcare Facility (e.g., hospital, clinic, or nursing home)
K-12 School/School District
Mass Transit
Military Base
Public Library
Religious Organization
TV or Radio Station or other Media Organization
Other; please specify: __________________

Description of the Organization or Bio of Individual
Text box: 750 character limit, including spaces
o Include the role of the individual/organization in the project.
o Reminder: Do not include hyperlinks. They will not be reviewed.
Staff Tip: If you have not yet selected an artist, that is OK. Provide bios for artists
that you are considering for the project, or artists that you have worked with
previously. You may also describe the criteria for selecting artists. See the full
staff tip here.

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Tab 5: Project Budget
Budget Worksheet
You may use the budget worksheet [LINK] to prepare your project budget in advance. The
worksheet includes a tab with example amounts in each section, which are for demonstration
purposes only, and should not be interpreted as cost allocation guidance from the NEA. DO
NOT UPLOAD THE WORKSHEET TO THE APPLICANT PORTAL. You must complete the project
budget webform within the portal in order for your application to be accepted for review.

Filling out the budget in the Applicant Portal
The project budget is a webform, with each item description and amount in its own field. The
form will auto-calculate each section, as well as the overall totals. The number of lines available
in each section is static – you cannot add additional lines.
You will be asked to provide an estimated project budget that consists of:
•

Subtab 1: Project Expenses: A breakdown of all project expenses that will be supported
with both the NEA Requested Amount and your cost share/matching funds. Review
Unallowable Activities/Costs for a list of costs that cannot be included in your project
budget.

•

Subtab 2: Project Income: The combined total of the amount you are requesting from
the NEA and how you plan to meet the minimum 1:1 cost share/match requirement.

Project Budget Guidance
Applicants are required to demonstrate a minimum 1:1 non-federal Cost Share/Match. For
example, with a requested amount of $10,000, you must show a minimum of $10,000 in Cost
Share/Matching, and your total project expenses must be at least $20,000. Applications that do
not submit a project budget meeting the minimum requirement of a $10,000 request,
$10,000 cost share/match and $20,000 in total project expenses will be deemed ineligible and
not be reviewed.
Cost Share/Matching funds do not need to be secured at the time of application, but you will be
asked to provide anticipated sources in the Project Income section of the project budget. Cost
Share/Match may be cash, documented in-kind contributions, or a combination of both.
The costs included in your project budget should align with your proposed activities, and only
include activities and associated costs that will be incurred during the "Period of Performance,"
i.e., the span of time necessary to plan, execute, and close out your proposed project. Any costs
incurred before or after those dates will be removed. Be as specific as possible.
All items in your budget, whether supported by NEA funds or your cost share/matching funds,
must be reasonable, necessary to accomplish project objectives, and allowable in terms of the
NEA’s General Terms and Conditions.
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Applicants whose projects are recommended for grants will be asked to provide an updated
project budget.
NOTE: Organizations cannot receive more than one National Endowment for the Arts grant 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 grants received, by partner organizations or presenters.

Visible on Both Subtabs
TOP OF PAGE: AMOUNT REQUESTED FROM THE NEA*
Enter $10,000.
BOTTOM OF PAGE: PROJECT EXPENSES/INCOME SUMMARY TABLE
At the bottom of the project budget form, the totals from each subtab you complete will
automatically populate in a summary table. Remember: your final total project income must
equal your total project costs/expenses. Refer to this summary table to confirm these sections
are equal before submitting your application.
BOTTOM OF PAGE: ADDITIONAL PROJECT BUDGET NOTES (OPTIONAL)
Text box: 750 character limit, including spaces.
Provide information to clarify any line item included in the project budget, or to provide further
details on the scope of your project budget.

Subtab 1: Project Expenses
Project expenses should include costs covered by both NEA funds and the Cost Share/Match.
At the bottom of the Project Expenses subtab, the TOTAL PROJECT COSTS/EXPENSES field will
auto-calculate with the combined sum of Total Direct Costs, and, if applicable, Indirect Costs.

DIRECT COSTS

Direct Costs are those that are expended specifically for the project during the period of
performance. The TOTAL DIRECT COSTS field at the bottom of the page will auto-calculate the
total of all combined Direct Cost items listed in Salaries and wages, Travel, and Other expenses.
DIRECT COSTS: Salaries and wages
Covers compensation for personnel, both administrative and artistic, who are paid on a salary
basis. List key staff positions for the project. Combine similar job functions if necessary. Funds
for contractual personnel and compensation for artists who are paid on a fee basis should be
included below in DIRECT COSTS: Other, and not here.
•

Enter the title and/or type of personnel, the number of personnel, the annual or
average salary range, the percentage of time that will be devoted to the project
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annually, and the dollar amount of the salary that is being allocated to the project
budget.
o These fields will not auto calculate horizontally across each line. The dollar
amounts in the last column will auto calculate vertically to tally the Total Salaries
and Wages.
•

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: Only Salaries/wages/fringe benefits associated with managing the project or fundraising
the minimum required cost share/match for the project are allowable. General fundraising for
the organization or for other projects is not allowable.
FRINGE BENEFITS
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.
DIRECT COSTS: Travel
Travel costs 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.
•

Include subsistence costs (e.g., hotels, meals) as part of the "Amount" listed for each
trip, as applicable, unless these costs are included as part of an artist fee.

•

List all trips -- both domestic and international -- individually.

•

All international travel must be specified by country of origin or destination and relate
to activity outlined in your narrative. International travel also must conform with
government regulations, including those of the U.S. Treasury Department Office of
Foreign Asset Control. If you are including international travel in this budget, all such
travel must be booked on a U.S. air-carrier when this service is available.

DIRECT COSTS: Other
If needed, group similar items together on a single line, with only one total cost.
May include the following project-related costs:
•

Artist fees (if paid on a fee and not salary basis), consultant fees, and contractual
services
o Artist fees may include, but are not limited to, compensation for: the creation of
new work, the presentation of new or existing work, educational activities,
community engagement, and travel/stipends/subsistence (if not already included
under Direct Costs: Travel).
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•

 List the fees paid to each artist/artistic group separately where possible.
o List consultant and artist fees or contracts for professional services on consecutive
lines; do not scatter them throughout the list.
o Specify the number of persons, the service being provided, and the applicable fee,
rate, or amount of each.
o If you engage in contracts of more than $15,000, identify the item or service and its
relation to the project.
o For procurement requirements related to contracts and consultants, see 2 CFR
200.317-327.
Production/technical costs

•

Promotion, marketing, and outreach

•

Acquisition fees, rights

•

Evaluation and assessment fees

•

Telephone, photocopying, and postage

•

Supplies and materials

•

Publication, distribution, and translation

•

Transportation of items other than personnel

•

Access accommodations (e.g., audio description, sign-language interpretation, closed or
open captioning, large-print brochures/labeling).
o Videos, films, television broadcast projects, and virtual streamed events must be
closed or open captioned, and radio and podcast programs must be transcribed.
Applicants should check with captioning and transcription vendors, as well as
vendors for sign language interpretation and audio description, for cost estimates.
Rental/purchase of equipment
o Clearly identify the rental of equipment versus the purchase of equipment.
o If you intend to purchase any equipment with a unit/item cost of $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 the Additional
Project Budget Notes section, or in your Project Description.
o 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.

•

•
•

Portion of Space/Facilities costs such as mortgage principal, rent, and utilities, as
allocable to the project.
Other clearly identified project-specific costs.

INDIRECT COSTS
NEA applicants have the option to include Indirect Costs in their project budgets. They are not
required.
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Indirect Costs are overhead, administrative, or general operating expenses that are not readily
identifiable with, or are difficult to assign to, a specific project. Nevertheless, these costs are
still necessary to the operation of the organization, the performance of its activities, and the
execution of its projects. Examples of Indirect Costs include the expenses associated with
operating and maintaining facilities and equipment, rent, utilities, supplies, and administrative
salaries.
To include these types of costs in a project budget, choose ONE of the following options (for
help in determining which option to choose, see the Indirect Cost Guide for NEA Grantees.
A. If your organization does not have a federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (or
ICRA):
Option 1: Include a reasonable figure for “Overhead and Administrative Costs” as a line
item under the “Direct Costs: Other” section, and leave the Indirect Costs section blank.
•

This may be the best option if your organization can easily document the discrete,
specific expenses that would fit within this line item (i.e., payroll taxes, a percentage
of facility electricity use, the percentage of staff time for the administrative support
of a project), you may decide to use this option.

•

The total dollar amount indicated in this line has to be reasonable and consistent
with best practices in financial management. If you go with this option, it is
important that you do not simply use a percentage of your project budget. You must
be able to calculate the actual costs included in the line item.

Option 2: Use a de minimis indirect cost rate of up to 10% of your modified total direct
costs. Modified Total Direct Costs include salaries and wages, fringe benefits, materials and
supplies, services, and travel. Modified Total Direct Costs excludes equipment, capital
expenditures, rental costs, scholarships and fellowships, among others. Additional
information on calculating Modified Total Direct Costs can be found at 2 CFR 200 Subpart A
Acronyms and Definitions (200.0 and 200.1).
B. If your organization currently has a federally negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement:
Option 1: Use your negotiated indirect cost rate agreement. In this case, indirect costs are
prorated or charged to a project through a rate negotiated with the National Endowment
for the Arts or another Federal agency. Complete the information requested in the “Indirect
Costs (if applicable)” section accordingly. Enter the percentage of the ICRA as decimals.
•
•

Please note it is rare for applicants and grantees to the NEA to have an ICRA. This
option is most often relevant to colleges and universities.
Important: You may only use a Research Indirect Cost Rate Agreement for
applications to the NEA’s Office of Research and Analysis.

Option 2: You may choose not to use your Indirect Cost Rate Agreement. You may elect to
use one of the options listed above in section A.
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C. If your organization has an expired federally negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement:
If you had federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement that is now expired, do not use
it. You may choose one of the options listed above in section A.

Subtab 2: Project Income
TOTAL COST SHARE/MATCH FOR THIS PROJECT*: The National Endowment for the Arts cannot
support more than 50% of a project’s costs, each applicant must obtain at least half the total
project cost from nonfederal sources. For example, for a request of $10,000, the total project
costs must be at least $20,000 and you must provide at least $10,000 toward the project from
nonfederal sources as the cost share/match.
Cost share/matching funds may be all cash or a combination of cash and in-kind contributions
as detailed below. If your cost share/match includes IN-KIND contributions, you must also
include them as direct costs to balance your budget. Asterisk (*) those funds that are
committed or secured.

APPLICANT CASH

Applicant Cash cost share/match refers to the cash contributions, grants, and revenues that are
expected or received for this project. Identify sources.
• Allowable sources of Cash funds include your own organization’s cash resources such as
grants from private foundations, corporate donations, individual donations, and ticket
sales, among others.
•

Federal funds cannot be used as cost share/match for NEA awards.
o You may include grants from your state arts agency, regional arts organization, or
local arts agency as part of your cost share/match, as long as those grants do not
include subgranted federal funds or cost share/match. You can check with the
funder to confirm the source of the funding.
o Do not include any other National Endowment for the Arts or other federal grants -including grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, U.S. Department
of Education, the National Park Service, etc. -- that are anticipated or received.

•

You may use unrecovered indirect costs as part of the cash cost share/match.
Unrecovered indirect costs generally are used only by large organizations such as
colleges and universities. Your organization must have a current federally-negotiated
indirect cost rate agreement to include unrecovered indirect costs.

THIRD-PARTY IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS

In-kind contributions are third-party donations of goods, facilities, or services used to meet the
cost share/matching requirement for a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) award (2 CFR
200.1). The use and value of such third-party contributions must be properly documented.
• All third-party contributions must be necessary and reasonable for the project, and for
allowable costs.
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•

Do not include goods, facilities, or services contributed by your own organization as
these are considered part of your own organization’s cash cost share/match.

•

To qualify as cost share/matching resources, the expenses associated with the in-kind
donations must be clearly identified as direct costs in the project budget to ensure their
allowability.

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Tab 6: Items to Upload
Upload your work samples here.
Work Samples
Work samples are a critical part of your application and are carefully considered during the
application review. The work sample should demonstrate the artistic excellence of your project.
Wherever possible, this should be a sample of work by the primary artist(s) for the project.
At least one work sample is required and no more than 3 may be submitted for all Challenge
America applications. The work samples you submit should be your strongest and should be in
the format and within the space limitations described below.
Only upload materials that we request. Items such as promotional materials, letters or support
or other documents that are not direct work samples of the artists should not be used in this
section. Readers are looking for 1-3 distinct work samples. No more than 3 will be considered,
do not submit a document with more than 3 links. Additional items included will not be
reviewed.
Staff Tip: See our staff tips related to work samples, including common issues and
suggested remedies. See the full staff tip here.

Work Sample Limits:
Type
File Size
Limit

Video
250 MB

avi, mov,
Format/File mp4, mpeg,
Types
and wmv; or
Accepted
PDF with
links

Audio

Images

Documents

Websites

5 MB

5 MB

5 MB/10
pages each

5 MB

mp3, wma,
wav, aac,
and mpa

jpeg, gif, bmp,
png, and tif; or
PDF with
images

PDF

PDF with links

Submit no more than three files total. Each link counts as a work sample, do not submit more
than 3 links.
Reviewers will spend no more than a total of 10 minutes reviewing work samples.
Note: The combined storage space for all work samples in the Applicant Portal is 250 MB. If
you submit a video file of 250 MB, that will use all of the available space.
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We recommend:
For performing arts projects, submit audio or video samples.
For media projects, submit audio or video samples.
For design/museum/visual arts projects, submit digital images.
For literary projects, submit documents.
For multidisciplinary projects, submit samples in at least two art forms.
For arts education projects, submit documentation such as lesson plans, curricula, or
other planning documents.

•
•
•
•
•
•

Organizations also have the option of uploading a video statement as a work sample. This
informal video statement can describe your organization, project, and/or engagement with
underserved audiences and will be considered one of your three total work samples.
Staff Tip: If you have not yet selected an artist, that is OK. Provide work samples
for artists that you are considering for the project, or artists that you have
worked with previously. See the full staff tip here.
Uploading Files
There can be a slight delay between the upload of your work samples and seeing them in the
Applicant Portal. This is particularly true for videos. For videos, the usual upload time runs five
to ten minutes. However, close to the deadline, this time may extend to as much as an hour. Do
not wait until the night of the deadline to begin uploading work samples. Videos are placed in a
queue to be converted for upload, and the more people uploading, the longer the queue. Do
not immediately assume that your upload failed; wait and try accessing the material again.
File names and descriptions
Your file names must not:
Exceed 100 characters.
Begin with a space, period, hyphen, or underline.
Contain these characters: #%&{}\<>*?/$!‘“:+`=|"@.

•
•
•

For the item you upload, you will find a descriptive field into which you will enter the following
information, as applicable:
Title box: Title each item with a unique name.
•

State the title of the work or organization represented by the work sample.

Description box (500 Character Limit, including spaces):
For each work sample:
•
•

Company/Artist.
Title of work/image/activity (if different from first bullet).
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•
•
•
•
•

Date work created/performed or date of activity.
Brief description including how the work sample relates to proposed project.
For images of visual artworks, the medium and dimensions of the work.
For audio and video samples, length of the sample.
If applicable, include cueing instructions

Guidance for Video Samples
You may submit a clickable link to a video sample, or upload a video sample directly.
If you submit a link:
• Submit a PDF with a clickable link to the website.
• If you are including more than one website, list them all on a single PDF document.
• For each site, list the URLs for pages to be shown.
• Include any necessary information on required plug-ins, passwords, or navigation paths.
• Do not submit links to sites that require work samples to be downloaded (e.g.,
Dropbox), or sites that require a user account.
If you upload directly:
File size restrictions may prohibit you from using this option.
To upload each file:
•
•
•

Upload the file directly into the Applicant Portal.
You may provide titles and short descriptions to provide context for panelists using the
text box provided during the upload process.
If applicable, include any cue information to indicate the start of each selection.

Guidance for Digital images
You may either combine all of your images into a single PDF file or upload each image in a
separate jpeg file. Image size should be consistent; medium to high resolution is recommended
(e.g., 300 dpi). Do not submit PowerPoint or Word documents.
Guidance for Documents (Literary Samples, Publications, Periodicals, Catalogues,
Architectural Schematics, Marketing Materials)
Leave a margin of at least one inch at the top, bottom, and sides of all pages. Use only 8.5 x
11-inch size pages. Do not reduce type below 12-point font size. Within each PDF, number
pages sequentially; place numbers on the bottom right hand corner of each page. Documents
may be no longer than 10 pages. Excess pages will be removed and not be reviewed. Do not
submit Word, PowerPoint, or Excel documents.
Guidance for Websites
Do not submit your organization's general website. Only submit a website that is an essential
part of the project.
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If you are including a website as a work sample, list it on a single PDF. List URL for page to be
shown; include any necessary information on required plug-ins, passwords, or navigation paths.
Do not submit links to sites that require work samples to be downloaded (e.g., Dropbox), or
sites that require a user account.
NOTE: If you provide links to works samples -- audio samples, digital images, video samples, or
documents – the same limits on work samples uploaded directly apply to those provided via
links.

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Tab 7: Organization & Project Data
The National Endowment for the Arts collects basic descriptive information about all applicants
and their projects. The information that follows will help the National Endowment for the Arts
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 shared with reviewers or used as 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. You will choose one from the following:
• Artist Community
• Local Arts Agency
• Presenting &
Multidisciplinary Work
• Arts Education
• Media Arts
Organization
Organization
• Museums
• Theater
• Dance
• Music
• Visual Arts
• Design
• Musical Theater
• None of the Above
• Folk & Traditional
• Opera
• Literary Arts
ADDITIONAL APPLICANT ORGANIZATION DISCIPLINE (OPTIONAL): You may select two
additional disciplines for your organization, if relevant.
APPLICANT ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION*
Select a description that most accurately describes your organization.
Choose one from the following:
• Artists' Community,
• Government
•
Arts Institute, or Camp
• Historical Society /
•
• Arts Center
Commission
•
• Arts Council / Agency
• Humanities Council /
Agency
• Arts Service
•
Organization
• Independent Press
•
• College / University
• Library
•
• Community Service
• Literary Magazine
•
Organization
• Media-Film
• Design Organization
• Media-Internet
•
• Fair / Festival
• Media-Radio
•
• Foundation
• Media-Television
• Gallery / Exhibition
•
• Museum-Art
Space
• 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

ADDITIONAL ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION (OPTIONAL): You may select two additional
descriptions for your organization, if relevant.
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PREPAREDNESS PLANS*
Does your organization have a disaster preparedness plan (i.e., plans to handle disasters and
emergencies such as floods, hurricanes, pandemics, and man-made disasters)? Note that your
organization does not need to have a preparedness plan to be eligible for Challenge America
funding.
Choose one from the following:
•
•

Yes
No

PROJECT ACTIVITY TYPE*
Select the option that best describes the type of project you are proposing:
• 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
• 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)
• Equipment Purchase/Lease/Rental
• 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)
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

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 non-school setting
Seminar/Conference
Student Assessment Includes measurement of student progress toward learning
objectives. Not to be used for program evaluation.
Subgranting – Local Arts Agencies only
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 (OPTIONAL): You may choose up to two additional types
from the above list.
ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP/STAFFING QUESTION (OPTIONAL)
Text box: 750 characters, including spaces
As part of the NEA’s commitment to DEIA, we are interested in learning more about applicants’
organizational structures. How does your organization’s governance and staff reflect the
composition of the community (or communities) served by your organization?
NOTE: This question is optional. Your response will not be seen by reviewers evaluating your
application. It is for research purposes only. Your response will not be used in panel
deliberations or in making funding decisions related to grant awards.
PROPOSED BENEFICIARIES OF PROJECT (OPTIONAL)
Select all groups of people that your project intends to serve directly.
NOTE: This question is optional. Your response will not be seen by reviewers evaluating your
application. It is for research purposes only. Your response will not be used in panel
deliberations or in making funding decisions related to grant awards.
RACE/ETHNICITY: (Optional, 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.
•

No specific racial/ethnic group
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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.

AGE RANGES: (Optional, choose all that apply)
•
•
•
•
•

No specific age group
Children/Youth (0-17 years)
Young Adults (18-24 years)
Adults (25-64 years)
Older Adults (65+ years)

UNDERSERVED GROUPS/COMMUNITIES: (Optional, choose all that apply)
When thinking about the underserved groups/communities your project intends to
serve, please select the factors that limit their opportunities to benefit from arts
programming:
•
•
•
•
•
•

Geography
Economic Status
Ethnicity
Disability
Other limiting factors, please specify:_________
No specific underserved/distinct group

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Challenge America

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2

Submit the Grant Application Form
We strongly urge you to complete and submit the Grant Application Form and upload
materials outside of the hours of heaviest usage, which are generally 8:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.,
Eastern Time, on the day of the deadline. Staff will not be available to help you after 5:30 p.m.,
Eastern Time.
Submit your materials 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. When in doubt, contact us at [email protected] / 202-682-5700.
Step 1: Validate
•

To submit your application, you must provide a response to every item denoted with a
red asterisk (*).

•

Click the 'Validate' link found at the top right corner of the page.
o Click either 'Validate All' to validate all the tabs or select each link to validate
separately.
o When the Validate button is clicked, the application will search for errors.
o If there are no errors, the 'Validate' link will change to green and each tab will have a
check mark by it.
o To clear validation messages, press the Esc key.

This feature does not check to be sure that your application is complete. Carefully
review the application instructions to be sure you have submitted each required item.
Step 2: Click Save and Submit
•

The “Submit” button is only visible when you are on Tab 7: Organization & Project Data.
You must click “Save” and then “Submit.” If you do not click the "Submit" button, your
application will not be received.
• 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. Click “Save” and “Submit” again when you are finished with any
edits.
Step 3: Confirm Submission
•
•

•

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.” Maintain documentation
of your successful submission by taking a screenshot.

•

You may use the “Print” function in the upper right corner to create a printable version
of your application. You may save this as a separate file by either choosing “Save as
PDF” from your print dialogue box, or by copying and pasting into a separate document.
We strongly recommend that you save a final copy right after you click Submit.
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