Research Awards NOFO

Blanket Justification for National Endowment for the Arts Funding Application Guidelines and Requirements

Research Awards NOFO

OMB: 3135-0112

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FY2024

Research Awards
GUIDELINES
CFDA No. 45.024
OMB No. 3135-0112 Expires TBD

Research Awards FY24 Guidelines

Contents
RESEARCH AWARDS ........................................................................................................................ 0
RESEARCH GRANTS IN THE ARTS ................................................................................................ 1
Application Calendar for the FY 2024 Cycle*.......................................................................... 1
Program Description ............................................................................................................... 3
Award Information.................................................................................................................. 6
Applicant Eligibility.................................................................................................................. 7
Application Review ................................................................................................................. 8
How to Apply......................................................................................................................... 11
NEA RESEARCH LABS ................................................................................................................. 15
Application Calendar for the FY 2024 Cycle*........................................................................ 15
Program Description ............................................................................................................. 17
Award Information................................................................................................................ 22
Applicant Eligibility................................................................................................................ 23
Application Review ............................................................................................................... 25
How to Apply......................................................................................................................... 27
RESEARCH AWARDS ...................................................................................................................... 31
Other Requirements and Priorities ........................................................................................... 31
Responsible Conduct of Research......................................................................................... 31
Research about Arts Education............................................................................................. 32
Data Management and Sharing ............................................................................................ 32
National Archive of Data on Arts and Culture (NADAC) ....................................................... 33
Applicant Resources.................................................................................................................. 45
Frequently Asked Questions ..................................................................................................... 46

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Research Awards FY24 Guidelines
Sidebars for Website
Landing Page:
Research Grants in the Arts
NEA Research Labs
Research Grants in the Arts

NEA Research Labs

Application Calendar

Program Description

NEA Research Agenda

Award Information

Eligibility

Application Review

How to Apply

Other Requirements and
Priorities

Award Administration

Applicant Resources

Contact:
nearesearchgrants@arts.gov

Frequently Asked Questions

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Research Awards FY24 Guidelines

RESEARCH AWARDS
(Landing Page)

View full infographic
The National Endowment for the Arts invites applicants to engage with the agency’s five-year
research agenda through two funding opportunities for research projects:
•

Research Grants in the Arts funds research studies that investigate the value and/or
impact of the arts, either as individual components of the U.S. arts ecology or as
they interact with each other and/or with other domains of American life.
Matching/cost share grants of $20,000 to $100,000 will be awarded.

•

NEA Research Labs funds transdisciplinary research teams grounded in the social
and behavioral sciences, yielding empirical insights about the arts for the benefit of
arts and non-arts sectors alike. Matching/cost share grants of $100,000 to $200,000
will be awarded.

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Research Grants in the Arts

RESEARCH GRANTS IN THE ARTS
Application Calendar for the FY 2024 Cycle*
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov
March 27, 2023 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens
March 30-April 6, 2023 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal
Time
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or
November 2023
Rejection
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project
January 1, 2024
*We plan to use these same guidelines for up to three years, to coincide with the NEA’s FY
2022-2026 Research Agenda. As such, we expect these instructions to be used also for the FY
2025 and FY 2026 competitions, which will have Grants.gov deadlines in late March 2024 and
late March 2025, respectively. Deadlines for FYs 2025 and 2026, respectively, will be posted in
January 2024 and January 2025. Please monitor our website for updates.
Before applying, your organization must create and maintain up-to-date registrations with
both the System for Award Management (SAM) at SAM.gov and Grants.gov. Registering and
maintaining accounts with SAM and Grants.gov is always FREE. See How to Apply for more
information.
Registration in SAM.gov and Grants.gov can take several weeks. Give yourself plenty of time
to get registered. Similarly, submit your application to Grants.gov well in advance of the
deadline in case you encounter any difficulties.
Late, ineligible, and incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Exceptions to the deadline will be considered only for registration or renewal issues or technical
malfunctions that are the result of failures on the part of SAM, Grants.gov, or NEA systems, as
determined by the NEA. To be considered for this exception, you must provide documentation
of a SAM, Grants.gov, or NEA systems failure that prevented your submission by the deadline.
In the event of an emergency (e.g., a hurricane or a SAM, Grants.gov, or NEA systems
technological failure), the NEA Chair may adjust application deadlines for affected applicants. If
a deadline is extended for any reason, an announcement will be posted on our website.
Do not seek information on the status of your application before the announcement date that
is listed above.
The NEA is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and fostering mutual
respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and groups.

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Research Grants in the Arts
Questions?
Email: nearesearchgrants@arts.gov
Access for individuals with disabilities:
Contact the Office of Accessibility at 202-682-5532 / accessibility@arts.gov or the Office of
Civil Rights at civilrights@arts.gov to request an accommodation or an alternate format of the
guidelines.

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Research Grants in the Arts

Program Description
Deadlines:
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov

March 27, 2023 at 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

March 30-April 6, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

Earliest Announcement of Award or Rejection November 2023
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project

Research Grants in the Arts: January 1, 2024

Research Grants in the Arts support research studies that investigate the value and/or impact
of the arts, either as individual components of the U.S. arts ecology or as they interact with
each other and/or with other domains of American life.
With these guidelines, the NEA welcomes research proposals that address priority topics and
possible questions as outlined in the agency’s FY 2022-2026 research agenda LINK. The priority
topics are described below. Note: for each of the four topics, the research agenda also lists
several “related sample questions” that may be used or adapted by applicants to the Research
Grants in the Arts program. Applicants are strongly urged to consult this more detailed list.
•

•

What are measurable impacts of the arts on the following outcome areas: health and
wellness for individuals; cognition and learning; and U.S. economic growth and
innovation? Under what conditions do such impacts occur, through what mechanisms,
and for which populations and/or sectors?
In what ways do the arts contribute to the healing and revitalization of communities?
What factors mediate these contributions, and for the benefit of which populations?
What are common elements of such programs or practices, and what are appropriate
measures of success?
What is the state of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the arts? What
progress has been made in achieving these outcomes for arts administration,
employment, learning, and participation? What are some promising practices and/or
replicable strategies in these domains, and what are appropriate measures of success?
How is the U.S. arts ecosystem (e.g., arts organizations and venues, artists and arts
workers, and participants and learners) adapting and responding to social, economic,
and technological changes and challenges to the sector, including trends accelerated by
the COVID-19 pandemic? What are promising practices and/or replicable strategies for
responding to such forces, for different segments of the arts ecosystem?

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Research Grants in the Arts
Proposals to the Research Grants in the Arts program should align with at least one of the
aforementioned topics, and, if possible, address research questions identical or similar to the
related sample questions in the NEA’s research agenda for FY 2022-2026.

Projects and Research Methods
As in previous years, we welcome applications from diverse research fields (e.g., economics;
psychology; education; sociology; medicine, health, and therapy; communications; business
administration; urban and regional planning). We expect our total awards portfolio to be
diverse in terms of geographical distribution, the artistic and research fields or disciplines
involved, and the research topics proposed. We also expect our portfolio to reflect an array of
study design characteristics.
Accordingly, applicants may propose research projects drawing from a range of study design
types. In recent years, the NEA has supported a growing cohort of studies that hypothesize a
cause-effect relationship between the arts and key outcomes of interest (e.g., in health,
education, or the economy). For projects seeking to explore causal claims about the arts,
experimental approaches (e.g., randomized controlled trials) are generally preferred. Where
experimental approaches are not feasible, then high-quality, quasi-experimental design studies
offer an attractive alternative for impact studies about the arts.
In many cases, however, other or different study design characteristics will be preferable. These
designs may include, but are not limited to, case studies, complex surveys, mixed methods, and
meta-analyses. In particular, we encourage community-based participatory research
approaches where warranted by the research objective. Program evaluations also are eligible
for funding.
The NEA research agenda states that, through such awards, the agency will “incentivize the
creation of practitioner tools grounded in research.” In keeping with this aim, we especially
welcome translational research that moves scientific evidence toward the development,
testing, and standardization of new arts-related programs, practices, models, or tools that can
be used easily by other practitioners and researchers.

Data Sources and Analysis
Projects supported under this program must include data analysis activities that occur during
the period of performance, and can include either primary and/or secondary/archival data
sources. We do not fund projects that focus exclusively on data acquisition.
Primary data sources refer to research data or information that did not exist prior to the
project and that 1) will be actively collected by the applicant during the period of performance
and 2) is part of the project budget.
Secondary/archival data sources refer to research data or information that was or will be
actively collected outside of the period of performance and is not part of the project budget.
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Research Grants in the Arts
Examples of this might include an existing dataset or archival information that applicants plan
to analyze under an NEA award.
Data analysis may include quantitative, qualitative, and/or mixed-method approaches. Data
sources may include, but are not limited to, surveys, censuses, biological or medical
experiments, observations, interviews, focus groups, social media activity, administrative data,
and transactional/financial data. Other examples of data sources include archived materials
such as written documents, audio/video recordings, or photographs and images.
We welcome the use of data in both the public and private domain, including commercial
and/or administrative data sources. Visit the NEA website for a partial list of publicly available
datasets that include arts-related variables. Some of these datasets are also available through
the NEA’s public data repository: the National Archive of Data on Arts & Culture (NADAC).

We do not fund
•
•
•
•
•

•
•

Projects that do not include a focus on a priority topic outlined in the NEA’s research
agenda.
Projects that focus exclusively on data acquisition.
Projects that do not include data analysis.
Projects that focus exclusively on conducting a literature review.
Project activities that include the creation and/or installation of public art as part of the
proposed project activities and budget. Public art refers to the commissioning and
installation of artwork in public spaces, such as temporary or permanent outdoor
furnishings (e.g., benches or market structures), or other artwork such as a sculpture or
mural that is temporarily or permanently installed in public spaces.
Seasonal or general operating support.
Costs of physical construction or renovation, or the purchase costs of facilities or land.

See the General Terms and Conditions for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to Organizations
for more information on unallowable costs and activities.

Recommended Partnerships
Although not required to do so, applicants are strongly encouraged to include project teams
that enable substantial input and participation from arts practitioners and
researchers/evaluators. If applicants do not already have research staff in their organizations,
then they are strongly encouraged to collaborate with other organizations, entities, or
individuals who will be able to support the technical requirements of the research project. By
the same token, applicants that do not have an arts practitioner serving on the project are
strongly encouraged to collaborate with other organizations, entities, or individuals who will be
able to provide any artistic or arts field perspectives as needed.

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Research Grants in the Arts

Award Information
We anticipate awarding 10 to 20 grants, based on the availability of funding.
Grants will range from $20,000 to $100,000. For projects that intend solely to use pre-existing
data—and that will not involve primary data collection—we anticipate making awards in the
$20,000-$50,000 range. Projects that include primary data collection as part of the research
activities are eligible for awards between $20,000 and $100,000.
Grants cannot exceed 50% of the total cost of the project. All grants require a nonfederal cost
share/match of at least 1 to 1. These cost share/matching funds may be all cash or a
combination of cash and in-kind contributions, and can include federally-negotiated indirect
costs. You may include in your Project Budget cost share/matching funds that are proposed but
not yet committed at the time of the application deadline.
In developing an application, we urge all applicants to consider the grant award levels of recent
awards and to request a realistic grant amount. Applicants should review the lists of grants on
our website to see recent grant award levels and project types.
Applicants whose projects are recommended for less than the requested amount will have the
opportunity to revise the project budget to reflect any necessary changes to the project, based
on the recommended funding amount.
We reserve the right to limit our support of a project to a particular phase(s) or cost(s). All costs
included in your Project Budget must be expended during your period of performance. Costs
associated with other federal funds, whether direct or indirect (e.g., flow down through a state
arts agency), can't be included in your Project Budget. No pre-award costs are allowable in the
Project Budget. Costs incurred before the earliest project start date of January 1, 2024, can't
be included in your budget or cost share/match.
We expect our awards portfolio to be diverse in terms of research focus area, research design,
and geographical distribution.
All applications submitted and grants made in response to these guidelines are subject to the
NEA’s grant regulations and terms and conditions.

Period of Performance
Our support of a project may start on or after January 1, 2024. Grants generally may cover a
period of performance of up to three years. Projects that extend beyond one year will be
required to submit an annual progress report, and must include updated ethics training on
human subjects research protections and Institutional Review Board (IRB) materials as
necessary.

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Research Grants in the Arts
A grantee may not receive more than one NEA grant for the same activities during the same
period of performance.

Applicant Eligibility
Official applicant organizations must be:
•

Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organizations;

•

Units of state or local government; or

•

Federally recognized tribal communities or tribes.

This may include colleges and universities.
For projects that involve multiple organizations, one organization that meets the eligibility
requirements below must act as the official applicant, submit the application, and assume full
responsibility for the grant. Partnering organizations are not required to meet the eligibility
requirements below.
To be eligible, the official applicant organization must:
•

Meet the NEA’s "Legal Requirements," including nonprofit, tax-exempt status at the
time of application. (All organizations must apply directly on their own behalf.
Applications through a fiscal sponsor/agent are not allowed. See more information
on fiscal sponsors/agents.) LINK

•

Have completed a three-year history of operations prior to the application deadline.

Eligible organizations that received American Rescue Plan (ARP) or CARES Act funding may
apply to this program as long as there are no overlapping costs during the same grant period.
All applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), be registered with the System for
Award Management (SAM, www.sam.gov), and maintain an active SAM registration until the
application process is complete, and should a grant be made, throughout the life of the award.
The following are not eligible to apply as the official applicant organization:
•

The designated 50 state and six jurisdictional arts agencies (SAAs) and their regional
arts organizations (RAOs). SAAs and RAOs may serve as partners in projects.
However, they may not receive NEA funds (except as provided through their
designated grant programs), and SAA/RAO costs may not be included as part of the
required cost share/match. SAAs and RAOs are eligible to apply through the
Partnership Agreements guidelines.

•

An organization whose primary purpose is to channel resources (financial, human, or
other) to an affiliated organization if the affiliated organization submits its own
application. This prohibition applies even if each organization has its own 501(c)(3)
status. For example, the "Friends of ABC Museum" may not apply if the ABC
Museum applies.
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Research Grants in the Arts

Late, ineligible, and incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Applications will not be transferred from Research Grants in the Arts to NEA Research Labs or
vice versa.
Competition for Research Grants in the Arts is extremely rigorous. It is expected that an
applicant organization selected to receive an award will complete the research project. We will
not transfer the award to another organization.

Application Limits
•

An organization may submit more than one application under these Research Grants
in the Arts guidelines. In each case, the request must be for a distinctly different
project. However, an organization will not receive more than one Research Grants in
the Arts award in any given cycle.

•

Applicants to the Research Grants in the Arts program may apply to other NEA
funding opportunities, within the same fiscal year, including NEA Research Labs.
However, each request must be for a distinctly different project.

•

An organization will not receive both a Research Grants in the Arts award and a new
NEA Research Lab award in the same fiscal year.

Application Review
Review Criteria
Applications will be reviewed on the basis of agency-wide criteria of artistic excellence and
artistic merit. For the Research Awards programs, artistic excellence and artistic merit can be
considered as research excellence and research merit, respectively, as they relate to the bullets
below.
The following are considered during the review of applications:
Artistic Excellence of the Project:
•

Is the research plan clear and effective? This includes the conceptual framework,
research design, sampling techniques and/or data sources, and the proposed
analytical methods, in addition to the relationship of these elements to the
proposed research questions. This also includes the appropriateness of the research
questions to the Research Grants in the Arts program.

•

Is there a sufficient evidence base for the research plan? This includes evidence
that the project is informed by a literature review and/or citations of previous work
or research (either published or unpublished) that support the conceptual

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Research Grants in the Arts
framework and proposed research plan (including the study design and analytical
methods).
•

Are the organization, its partners, and project personnel qualified to execute the
research plan? This includes credentials and past accomplishments in conducting
research of the type proposed. As appropriate, discussion of planned or actual ethics
training on human subjects research protections for relevant personnel, and the
project’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) plans and/or status. This also includes the
appropriateness of the research and/or artistic disciplines represented on the
project team.

•

Does the project include effective strategies, including quality control measures, to
document progress and success during the period of performance? This includes
any milestones that the organization plans to achieve during the project as well as
beyond the life of the grant. This also includes any processes that ensure fidelity of
the data collection/analysis and program/therapy implementation through routine
monitoring and oversight.

•

Have the organization and partners devoted adequate resources to execute the
entire project? This includes appropriateness of the budget, other resources, and
the degree of involvement by project personnel.

Artistic Merit of the Project:
•

Does the project have high potential to bridge arts-related research with policy
and/or practice in at least one of the following ways:
o Likely to yield results that are generalizable, even for discrete populations or
practitioner groups.
o Likely to spur innovation in arts-related research, policy, or practice—e.g.,
through the development, testing, and standardization of models, tools, or
evidence-based guides.
o Likely to allow more than one field, sector, or population subgroup to benefit
from arts-related research.

•

Where appropriate, likely to yield results benefiting historically underserved
groups/communities, including those for whom there are limited opportunities to
experience the arts and arts-related benefits.

•

Does the project include effective strategies to promote and disseminate the
research results, products, and data? This includes distribution strategies to make
the research findings, products, and data accessible to the public and to other
researchers and practitioners, beyond the materials that would be posted to the
NEA’s website. This also may include a record of past accomplishments in publishing
or distributing research results, and the data management plan, as appropriate.

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Research Grants in the Arts

What Happens to Your Application
After processing by our staff, applications are reviewed, in closed session, by interdisciplinary
research and evaluation advisory panelists. Each panel comprises a diverse group of artsresearch experts and other individuals, including at least one knowledgeable layperson. Panels
are convened remotely. Panel membership changes regularly. The panel recommends the
projects to be supported, and the staff reconciles panel recommendations with the funds that
are available. These recommendations are forwarded to the National Council on the Arts,
where they are reviewed in an open, public session.
The Council makes recommendations to the Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Chair reviews the recommendations for grants in all funding categories and makes the final
decision on all grant awards. Applicants are then notified of funding decisions. It is anticipated
that applicants will be notified of award or rejection in November 2023.
NOTE: All recommended applications undergo review to evaluate risk posed by the applicant
prior to making a federal award. This may include past performance on grants and cooperative
agreements, meeting reporting deadlines, compliance with terms and conditions, audit
findings, etc.
After notification, applicants with questions may contact the staff. Any applicant whose
request has not been recommended may ask for an explanation of the basis for denial. In
such instances, the NEA must be contacted no later than 30 calendar days after the official
notification.

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Research Grants in the Arts

How to Apply
Submitting an application is a multi-step process:
• Register with Login.gov, SAM and Grants.gov or renew/verify these registrations.
• Part 1: Submit to Grants.gov the “Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short
Organization Form.” This is a brief form that will collect very basic information about
your organization. A direct link to the Grants.gov Opportunity Package is included
further down this on this page.
• Part 2: Complete the “Grant Application Form (GAF)” and upload items through the
NEA’s Applicant Portal. This web form is where you will enter the majority of your
application material (e.g., project description, timelines, budget information).
Login.gov, SAM, Grants.gov (Part 1), and the NEA’s Applicant Portal (Part 2) are all separate
online systems.

All Applicants: Registration and Renewal
Applying for a federal grant for the first time? See here.
Register with Login.gov, SAM and Grants.gov or renew/verify these registrations
Before applying, your organization must create and maintain up-to-date registrations with
Login.gov, the System for Award Management (SAM) at SAM.gov, and Grants.gov. Registering
and maintaining accounts with SAM and Grants.gov is always FREE.
These registrations can take several weeks to finalize, so begin this process early! Registrations
with Login.gov, SAM, and Grants.gov must be active for you to submit your application. Finalize
your registrations well before the application deadline. This should allow you time to resolve
any issues that may arise.
We recommend that you register in the following order:
1. Login.gov
2. SAM
3. Grants.gov
Both SAM and Grants.gov will require you to use your Login.gov username and password to log
in to their sites.
Login.gov Registration
Go to Create an account to set up your Login.gov account. This account will allow you to access
many government websites, including both SAM and Grants.gov.
SAM Registration
Go to SAM Entity Registration to get started on a new registration, or to renew/check the status
of an existing registration.
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Research Grants in the Arts

Your SAM registration must be current at the time a grant is made, and throughout the life of
the award. SAM registrations, once activated, can take a day or more to be visible in
Grants.gov. Verify your SAM registration well ahead of the application deadline.
When registering/renewing your SAM account, you must select “Yes” when completing the
“Representations & Certifications” section. All awardees are required to have these
representations & certifications in order to receive an award.
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
To apply for federal funds, organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier, also known as a
“UEI.” The UEI is a 12-character alpha numeric value that will be assigned by SAM for free
during the registration process. Organizations can find their UEI in their SAM record.
If you have difficulty locating the UEI, contact SAM at 1-866-606-8220 or see the help section of
SAM’s website.
Grants.gov Registration
New Applicants:
•
•
•
•

If your organization is not yet registered with Grants.gov, go to Organization
Registration, after setting up your Login.gov account, and registering with SAM.
During the Grants.gov registration process, you will be asked to set up a separate
username and password for Grants.gov.
After creating your Grants.gov account, you may link your Grants.gov and Login.gov
accounts.
After linking accounts, you will use your Login.gov credentials each time you sign in to
Grants.gov.

Returning Applicants:
•
•

If your organization already has registered with Grants.gov, renew your registration with
SAM and verify that your registration with Grants.gov is current.
If you have not already linked your Grants.gov and Login.gov accounts, you will be
prompted to link your accounts when you click the “login” button on Grants.gov.

You must complete the Grants.gov registration process to access the Part 1 application package
(see below). You will need the Login.gov Username and Password that you obtain during the
registration process to submit your application, and you won’t be able to submit your
application unless your SAM registration is active and up-to-date.
Login.gov, SAM, and Grants.gov Help
The NEA does not have access to your Login.gov, SAM, or Grants.gov accounts. If you have any
questions about or need assistance with these sites, including questions regarding electronic
accessibility, contact them directly:

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Research Grants in the Arts
•

•

SAM Federal Service Desk: Call 1-866-606-8220 or see the information posted on the
SAM website at SAM Help.

•

Grants.gov Contact Center: Call 1-800-518-4726, email support@grants.gov, or consult
the information posted on the Grants.gov website at Support. The Grants.gov Contact
Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Part 1: Go to the Grant Opportunity Package
Access the Grant Opportunity Package with the Application for Federal Domestic
Assistance/Short Organization Form on Grants.gov by clicking on the link below:
Research Grants in the Arts
[Funding Opportunity Number 2023NEA01ORAGRANTS]
1. Clicking the link above 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 login. 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. Afterwards, you will be directed to the Manage Workspace page, where you can begin
working on the application.
Learn more about using Grants.gov’s Workspace here.

Application Questions and Instructions:
Full instructions on how to complete both Part 1 and Part 2, including the application questions,
and a link to the NEA Applicant Portal for Part 2, can be found in this PDF document.
Instructions on completing Part 1 and Part 2.
Tips:
View the Guidelines Webinar:
•

We will conduct a live webinar on TBD featuring an overview presentation followed
by a Q&A session. Link to registration information.

•

An archived recording will be available on the Applicant Resources page.
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Research Grants in the Arts

View the Grant Application Form (GAF) Tutorial:
This tutorial provides an overview of the Grant Application Form (GAF) to assist you during Part
2 of the application process: Online Tutorial: Using the Grant Application Form.
Application updates after submission:
Send new information that significantly affects your application (such as changes in project
personnel, confirmed funding commitments, or IRB status) as soon as possible to the NEA
Research Awards staff. Remember to include your organization’s name and NEA application
number.
If you have questions about your application, contact the NEA Research Awards staff
at nearesearchgrants@arts.gov.

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NEA Research Labs

NEA RESEARCH LABS
Application Calendar for the FY 2024 Cycle*
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov
March 27, 2023 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens
March 30-April 6, 2023 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal
Time
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or
November 2023
Rejection
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project
January 1, 2024
*We intend to use these same guidelines for up to three years, to coincide with the NEA’s FY
2022-2026 Research Agenda. As such, we expect these instructions to be used also for the FY
2025 and FY 2026 programs, which will have Grants.gov deadlines in late March 2024 and late
March 2025, respectively. Deadlines for FYs 2025 and 2026, respectively, will be posted in
January 2024 and January 2025.
Before applying, your organization must create and maintain up-to-date registrations with
both the System for Award Management (SAM) at SAM.gov and Grants.gov. Registering and
maintaining accounts with SAM and Grants.gov is always FREE. See How to Apply for more
information.
Registration in SAM.gov and Grants.gov can take several weeks. Give yourself plenty of time
to get registered. Similarly, submit your application to Grants.gov well in advance of the
deadline in case you encounter any difficulties.
Late, ineligible, and incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Exceptions to the deadline will be considered only for registration or renewal issues or technical
malfunctions that are the result of failures on the part of SAM, Grants.gov, or NEA systems, as
determined by the NEA. To be considered for this exception, you must provide documentation
of a SAM, Grants.gov, or NEA systems failure that prevented your submission by the deadline.
In the event of a major emergency (e.g., a hurricane or Grants.gov technological failure), the
NEA Chair may adjust application deadlines for affected applicants. If a deadline is extended for
any reason, an announcement will be posted on our website.
Do not seek information on the status of your application before the announcement date that
is listed above.
The NEA is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and fostering mutual
respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and groups.

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Questions? Email: nearesearchgrants@arts.gov
Access for individuals with disabilities:
Contact the Office of Accessibility at 202-682-5532 / accessibility@arts.gov or the Office of
Civil Rights at civilrights@arts.gov to request an accommodation or an alternate format of the
guidelines.

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Program Description
Deadlines:
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov
March 27, 2023 at 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
March 30-April 6, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time
Earliest Announcement of Award or
November 2023
Rejection
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project
NEA Research Labs: January 1, 2024
The NEA Research Labs program funds transdisciplinary research teams grounded in the social
and behavioral sciences, yielding empirical insights about the arts for the benefit of arts and
non-arts sectors alike.
Established in FY 2017, the NEA Research Labs continue to build public knowledge about the
arts and their contributions to individuals, communities, and society at large. Through this
program, we are cultivating transdisciplinary research partnerships that are producing research
findings and evidence-based tools of value not only to arts practitioners, but also to non-arts
sectors such as healthcare, education, and business or management. Institutions of higher
education and/or nonprofit research and policy organizations may submit applications to be
NEA Research Labs.
The NEA Research Labs program offers grant funding for longer-term research agendas. These
agendas will include multiple research studies and activities that build and inform the field
throughout the life of an NEA Research Lab. Applicants seeking grant funding for a specific and
discrete research study should refer to the Research Grants in the Arts program guidelines.
Each NEA Research Lab will design a transdisciplinary research agenda, conduct project
activities to execute that agenda, and prepare and disseminate reports and other products or
services that will contribute substantively to a wider understanding of one of the following
research areas of special interest to the NEA:
1) Measuring the Impacts of the Arts:
a) On U.S. Economic Growth, and/or Innovation
b) On Cognition and Learning
c) On Health and Wellness for Individuals
2) Monitoring and Improving Systems:
a) Community Health and/or Revitalization
b) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Arts

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c) Other Aspects of the Arts Ecology
These research areas correspond with priority topics and related questions identified in the
NEA’s research agenda for FY 2022-2026. LINK TO PLAN Applicants are strongly urged to consult
the agenda for detailed descriptions of each priority topic and for related sample questions.
NEA Research Labs serve as “hubs” or centers of excellence in the domain of interest. Each NEA
Research Lab will develop a pipeline of projects or products, including a website, while
conducting at least one major study. More detail on NEA Research Labs activities can be found
in the “NEA Research Lab Project Activities” section.

Projects and Research Methods
As in previous years, we welcome applications from diverse research fields (e.g., economics;
psychology; education; sociology; medicine, health, and therapy; communications; business
administration; urban and regional planning). We expect our total awards portfolio to be
diverse in terms of geographical distribution, the artistic and research fields or disciplines
involved, and the research topics proposed. We also expect our portfolio to reflect an array of
study design characteristics.
Accordingly, applicants may propose research projects drawing from a range of study design
types. In recent years, the NEA has supported a growing cohort of studies that hypothesize a
cause-effect relationship between the arts and key outcomes of interest (e.g., in health,
education, or the economy). For projects seeking to explore causal claims about the arts,
experimental approaches (e.g., randomized controlled trials) are preferred. Where
experimental approaches are not feasible, then high-quality, quasi-experimental design studies
offer an attractive alternative for impact studies about the arts.
In many cases, however, other or different study design characteristics will be preferable. These
designs may include, but are not limited to, case studies, complex surveys, mixed methods, and
meta-analyses. In particular, we encourage community-based participatory research
approaches where warranted by the research objective. Program evaluations also are eligible
for funding.
The NEA research agenda states that through such awards, the agency will “incentivize the
creation of practitioner tools grounded in research.” In keeping with this aim, we especially
welcome translational research that moves scientific evidence toward the development,
testing, and standardization of new arts-related programs, practices, models, or tools that can
be used easily by other practitioners and researchers. This function is especially important to
NEA Research Labs, which should be prepared to contribute products and services not only for
the research community but for practitioners in the arts and other sectors.

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Data Sources and Analysis
Project supported under this program must include data analysis activities that occur during the
period of performance, and can include either primary and/or secondary/archival data sources.
We do not fund projects that focus exclusively on data acquisition.
Primary data sources refer to research data or information that did not exist prior to the
project and that 1) will be actively collected by the applicant during the period of performance
and 2) is part of the project budget.
Secondary/archival data sources refer to research data or information that was or will be
actively collected outside of the period of performance and is not part of the project budget.
Examples of this might include an existing dataset or archival information that applicants plan
to analyze under an NEA award.
Data analysis for the research studies may include quantitative, qualitative, and/or mixedmethod approaches. Data sources may include but are not limited to, surveys, censuses,
biological or medical experiments, observations, interviews, focus groups, social media activity,
administrative data, and transactional/financial data. Other examples of data sources include
archived materials such as written documents, audio/video recordings, or photographs and
images.
We welcome the use of data in both the public and private domain, including commercial
and/or administrative data sources. Visit the NEA website for a partial list of publicly available
datasets that include arts-related variables. Some of these datasets are also available through
the NEA’s public data repository: the National Archive of Data on Arts & Culture (NADAC).

We do not fund
•
•
•
•
•

•
•

See the General Terms and Conditions for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to Organizations
LINK for more information on unallowable costs and activities.
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Required Partnership
We aim to make arts-relevant research a shared endeavor (with shared benefits) for academic
researchers, arts practitioners, stakeholders, and the greater public. Accordingly, the NEA
Research Labs program requires a confirmed partnership between the official applicant
organization and a nonprofit arts organization at the time of application. The nonprofit arts
organization is expected to contribute substantially to the NEA Research Lab.
Applicants are also strongly encouraged to partner with other non-arts or arts organizations
(for-profit or nonprofit entities) 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.
In addition to a required partnership with a nonprofit arts organization, NEA Research Labs are
also required to develop and maintain a technical working group, including representatives
from partner organizations and other experts in the field or a related field, to offer feedback to
the NEA Research Lab on key project activities and deliverables. The technical working group
will periodically review the activities conducted under this award and report back to the NEA
Research Lab.
Applicants seeking funding for a specific, discrete research study that may or may not involve a
partnering organization should consider applying to the Research Grants in the Arts program
instead.

NEA Research Lab Project Activities
Each NEA Research Lab will design and execute the following:
Research Agenda, Keystone Study, and Related Activities
•

Choose one of the following research areas (described below) in which to develop
and refine a multiyear research agenda. For detailed descriptions of NEA priority
topics and related sample questions, applicants are directed to NEA’s own research
agenda for FY 2022-2026.
1) Measuring the Impacts of the Arts:
a) On U.S. Economic Growth, and/or Innovation
b) On Cognition and Learning
c) On Health and Wellness for Individuals
2) Monitoring and Improving Systems:
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a) Community Health and/or Revitalization
b) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Arts
c) Other Aspects of the Arts Ecology
•

Create an interdisciplinary core team of researchers of at least two different
research disciplines to engage in all aspects of the NEA Research Lab. We encourage
teams that include research personnel at various stages in their career (e.g., tenured
professors, mid-career professionals, early-career professionals, graduate students,
and postdocs).

•

As part of the multiyear Research Lab agenda and within the initial award’s period of
performance, conduct a keystone study or series of studies that addresses at least
two key research questions under the topic area selected above (see the NEA’s FY
2022-2026 research agenda LINK for sample research questions under each NEA
priority topic).

As part of the multiyear research agenda, applicants must propose a plan for sustainability of
the NEA Research Lab beyond the initial award’s period of performance, including any potential
plans to continue studies beyond the initial award’s period of performance, and/or a pipeline of
studies that the NEA Research Lab would start after the initial award’s period of performance.
Products and Services
•

Develop, host, and regularly update a public website specifically about the NEA
Research Lab. At minimum, this website should include a description of the NEA
Research Lab and accompanying research agenda and studies and periodic updates
on the progress of fulfilling the research agenda and related studies. The website
should also carry information about key personnel and technical working group
members and about research products, events, and resources associated with the
NEA Research Lab agenda—including working products and in-press products, as
well as conference presentations. Additional content will be based on a proposed
dissemination plan and will draw upon guidance to be developed through an NEA
technical assistance provider (See Administration section below). The NEA Research
Labs visual identifier should be included in a prominent area of the website, the NEA
Research Lab funding source should be clearly acknowledged, and appropriate
disclaimers must be included.

•

Produce at least one research report that documents the methods and findings of
each research study.

•

Through the NEA Research Lab website and other vehicles, disseminate research
reports or other products, tools or services, data, or communications (e.g., literature
reviews, research or policy briefs, white papers, blog posts, podcasts, webinars, and
technical guides) to researchers, arts practitioners, and the general public.
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•

Prepare and deliver at least two presentations per year, one to a community of
researchers and the other to a community of arts practitioners.

Administration
•

Establish and support a technical working group. It will include representatives from
partner organizations, and/or experts in distinct fields of practice or research that
are needed to inform the work of the NEA Research Lab. The technical working
group members will offer feedback to the NEA Research Lab on key project activities
and deliverables. The technical working group will periodically review the activities
conducted under this agreement and report back to the NEA Research Lab.

•

Partake of technical assistance activities, as provided by the NEA, relevant to the
NEA Research Labs program.
o With guidance from the NEA Research Lab Technical Assistance provider,
develop and implement a plan for communications and stakeholder
engagement around the NEA Research Lab’s activities.
o Participate in an NEA Research Labs needs assessment process.
o Participate in professional development and communications trainings,
webinars, and web conferences.

•

Participate in transdisciplinary NEA Research Labs meetings every six months that
include multiple NEA Research Labs supported under the NEA Research Labs
program. The meetings are expected to be audio-video conferences, with the
possibility that one meeting per year will be conducted in person (or in a hybrid
format). Costs for travel and subsistence for transdisciplinary NEA Research Labs
meetings that occur in person are to be included in the total project budget for the
NEA Research Lab award. The NEA Research Labs technical assistance provider will
organize and schedule these meetings. In the event that a convening is not held,
and/or travel is not required (e.g., if the event is virtual), those costs may be
redirected to other allowable project activities.

•

Obtain any necessary intellectual property rights, permissions, consents, licenses,
and releases as appropriate to the project activities (the “Rights”), and provide to
the NEA. The Rights may include, but are not limited to, approval from Institutional
Review Boards (IRBs), and/or data licensing for the acquisition of existing data, as
may be required (see Responsible Conduct of Research section).

Award Information
Grants will range from $100,000 to $200,000, based on the availability of funding.
Grants cannot exceed 50% of the total cost of the project. All grants require a nonfederal cost
share/match of at least 1 to 1. These cost share/matching funds may be all cash or a
combination of cash and in-kind contributions, and can include federally-negotiated indirect

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costs. You may include in your Project Budget cost share/matching funds that are proposed but
not yet committed at the time of the application deadline.
Applicants whose projects are recommended for less than the requested amount will have the
opportunity to revise the project budget to reflect any necessary changes to the project, based
on the recommended funding amount.
We reserve the right to limit our support of a project to a particular phase(s) or cost(s). All costs
included in your Project Budget must be expended during your period of performance. Costs
associated with other federal funds, whether direct or indirect (e.g., flow down through a state
arts agency), can't be included in your Project Budget. No pre-award costs are allowable in the
Project Budget. Costs incurred before the earliest project start date of January 1, 2024, can't
be included in your budget or cost share/match.
All applications submitted and grants made in response to these guidelines are subject to the
NEA’s grant regulations and terms and conditions.

Period of Performance
Our support of a project may start on or after January 1, 2024. The period of performance is a
minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 24 months. An awardee may not receive more than
one NEA award for the same activities during the same period of performance.

Subsequent Awards
The NEA may enter into up to four subsequent renewal awards with the recipient of a NEA
Research Labs grant for a project consistent with the intent of the program. Any such future
awards, however, would be subject to agency priorities, the availability of funds, awardee
performance, and the agency’s regular review process.

Applicant Eligibility
The official applicant must be an organization with research and policy as a principal focus for
its core components, either as the primary work or as part of a transdisciplinary mission.
Eligible official applicants are:
•

U.S. institutions of higher education, or

•

Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organizations with a three-year history of
commissioning and conducting research in the behavioral or social sciences, and
communicating research findings and policy implications through reports and/or
convenings, at the time of application.

NEA Research Labs require a partnership that involves multiple organizations. One organization
that meets the eligibility requirements below must act as the official applicant, submit the
application, and assume full responsibility for the grant. Partnering organizations are not
required to meet the eligibility requirements below.
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To be eligible, the applicant organization must:
•

Meet the NEA’s "Legal Requirements" at the time of application. (All organizations
must apply directly on their own behalf. Applications through a fiscal sponsor/agent
are not allowed. See more information on fiscal sponsors/agents.)

Eligible organizations that received American Rescue Plan (ARP) or CARES Act funding may
apply to this program as long as there are no overlapping costs during the same grant period.
All applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), be registered with the System for
Award Management (SAM, www.sam.gov) and maintain an active SAM registration until the
application process is complete, and should an award be made, throughout the life of the
award.
The following are not eligible to apply as the official applicant organization:
•

Organizations that served as the official applicant for any previous NEA Research
Labs award in any topic area. For a listing of previously awarded NEA Research Labs,
see the NEA Research Labs webpage.

•

Organizations whose primary purpose is to channel resources (financial, human, or
other) to an affiliated organization if the affiliated organization also submits its own
application. This prohibition applies even if each organization has its own 501(c)(3)
status. For example, the "Friends of ABC Organization" may not apply if the ABC
Organization applies.

Late, ineligible, and incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Applications will not be transferred from Research Grants in the Arts to NEA Research Labs or
vice versa.
Competition for NEA Research Labs is extremely rigorous. It is expected that an applicant
organization selected to receive an NEA Research Labs award will complete the proposed
research project activities. We will not transfer the award to another organization.

Application Limits
•

An organization may submit more than one application under these NEA Research
Labs guidelines. In each case, the request must be for a distinctly different project.
However, an organization will not receive more than one new NEA Research Labs
award.

•

Applicants to the NEA Research Labs program may apply to other NEA funding
opportunities within the same fiscal year, including Research Grants in the Arts.
However, each proposal must be for a distinctly different project.

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•

An organization will not receive both a Research Grants in the Arts award and a new
NEA Research Lab award in the same fiscal year.

Application Review
Applications will be reviewed on the basis of agency-wide criteria of artistic excellence and
artistic merit. For the Research Awards programs, artistic excellence and artistic merit can be
considered as research excellence and research merit, respectively, as they relate to the bullets
below.
The following are considered during the review of applications:
The artistic excellence of the planned project activities, specifically the:
•

Clarity of the research agenda and project activities, including commitment to both
short- and long-term project objectives. This includes the appropriateness of the
project for the NEA Research Labs program, the coherence of the proposed project
activities and their correspondence to the Lab’s central theme or research agenda,
and evidence that the research agenda is informed by extant literature, as
appropriate.

•

Clarity of the proposed keystone research study to be completed during the initial
award period of performance, including the conceptual framework, research design,
and analytical methods to be used, and the relationship of these elements to the
proposed research questions. This includes, if relevant, the keystone study’s
Institutional Review Board plans and/or status.

•

Research qualifications of the key project personnel and organizations involved,
including the proposed technical working group. This includes the degree to which
the mission and experience of the proposed research partners, or the nature of the
interdisciplinary collaboration, advance the purposes of the NEA Research Labs
program and the proposed keystone study. As appropriate, this includes discussion
of planned or actual ethics training on human subjects research protections for
relevant personnel.

•

Ability to carry out the project on time and within budget, including the
reasonableness of the budget.

The artistic merit of the planned project activities, specifically the:
•

Potential of the project activities to yield empirical insights about the arts for the
benefit of arts and non-arts sectors alike.

•

Novel or promising research questions, approaches, and/or methods.

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•

Plan to develop evidence-based products and/or services that will engage the
scientific and artistic communities and the greater public regularly and throughout
the period of performance.

•

This includes plans to generate and release reports, articles, tools, programs or
services, convenings, or data for the benefit of arts and non-arts sectors alike. This
also includes creative communication and distribution strategies to make the
research findings, products, and data accessible to the public and to other
researchers and practitioners.

•

Potential for a sustained research program beyond the period of performance.

•

Potential for raw- and/or meta-data to be shared with other researchers and the
public, as applicable.

What Happens to Your Application
After processing by our staff, applications are reviewed, in closed session, by interdisciplinary
research and evaluation advisory panelists. Each panel comprises a diverse group of artsresearch experts and other individuals, including at least one knowledgeable layperson. Panels
are convened remotely. Panel membership changes regularly. The panel recommends the
projects to be supported, and the staff reconciles panel recommendations with the funds that
are available. These recommendations are forwarded to the National Council on the Arts,
where they are reviewed in an open, public session.
The Council makes recommendations to the Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Chair reviews the recommendations for awards in all funding categories and makes the
final decision on all awards. Applicants are then notified of funding decisions. It is anticipated
that applicants will be notified of award or rejection in November 2023.
NOTE: All recommended applications undergo review to evaluate risk posed by the applicant
prior to making a federal award. This may include past performance on grants and cooperative
agreements, meeting reporting deadlines, compliance with terms and conditions, audit
findings, etc.
After notification, applicants with questions may contact the staff. Any applicant whose
request has not been recommended for funding may ask for an explanation of the basis for
denial. In such instances, the NEA must be contacted no later than 30 calendar days after the
official notification.

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How to Apply
Submitting an application is a multi-step process:
•

•

Part 1: Submit to Grants.gov the “Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short
Organization Form.” This is a brief form that will collect very basic information about
your organization. A direct link to the Grants.gov Opportunity Package is included
further down this on this page.

•

Part 2: Complete the “Grant Application Form (GAF)” and upload items through the
NEA’s Applicant Portal. This web form is where you will enter the majority of your
application material (e.g., project description, timelines, budget information).

All Applicants: Registration and Renewal
Applying for a federal grant for the first time? See here.
Register with Login.gov, SAM and Grants.gov or renew/verify these registrations
Before applying, your organization must create and maintain up-to-date registrations with
Login.gov, the System for Award Management (SAM) at SAM.gov, and Grants.gov. Registering
and maintaining accounts with SAM and Grants.gov is always FREE.
These registrations can take several weeks to finalize, so begin this process early! Registrations
with SAM and Grants.gov must be active for you to submit your application. Finalize your
registrations well before the application deadline. This should allow you time to resolve any
issues that may arise.
We recommend that you register in the following order:
1. Login.gov
2. SAM
3. Grants.gov
Both SAM and Grants.gov will require you to use your Login.gov username and password to log
in to their sites.
Login.gov Registration
Go to Create an account to set up your Login.gov account. This account will allow you to access
many government websites, including both SAM and Grants.gov.

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SAM Registration
Go to SAM Entity Registration to get started on a new registration, or to renew/check the status
of an existing registration.
Your SAM registration must be current at the time a grant is made, and throughout the life of
the award. SAM registrations, once activated, can take a day or more to be visible in
Grants.gov. Verify your SAM registration well ahead of the application deadline.
When registering/renewing your SAM account, you must select “Yes” when completing the
“Representations & Certifications” section. All awardees are required to have these
representations & certifications in order to receive an award.
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
To apply for federal funds, organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier, also known as a
“UEI.” The UEI is a 12-character alpha numeric value that will be assigned by SAM for free
during the registration process. Organizations can find their UEI in their SAM record.
If you have difficulty locating the UEI, contact SAM at 1-866-606-8220 or see the help section of
SAM’s website.
Grants.gov Registration
New Applicants:
•
•
•
•

Returning Applicants:
•
•

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Login.gov, SAM, and Grants.gov Help
The NEA does not have access to your Login.gov, SAM, or Grants.gov accounts. If you have any
questions about or need assistance with these sites, including questions regarding electronic
accessibility, contact them directly:
•

•

SAM Federal Service Desk: Call 1-866-606-8220 or see the information posted on the
SAM website at SAM Help.

•

Part 1: Go to the Grant Opportunity Package
Access the Grant Opportunity Package with the Application for Federal Domestic
Assistance/Short Organization Form on Grants.gov by clicking on the link below:
NEA Research Labs
[Funding Opportunity Number 2023NEA01ORALABS]
1. Clicking the link above 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 login. 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. Afterwards, you will be directed to the Manage Workspace page, where you can begin
working on the application.
Learn more about using Grants.gov’s Workspace here.

Tips:
View the Guidelines Webinar:
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•

We will conduct a live webinar on TBD, featuring an overview presentation followed
by a Q&A session. LINK to registration information.

•

An archived recording will be available on the Applicant Resources page.

View the Grant Application Form (GAF) Tutorial:
This tutorial provides an overview of the Grant Application Form (GAF) to assist you during Part
2 of the application process: Online Tutorial: Using the Grant Application Form
Application updates after submission:
Send new information that significantly affects your application (such as changes in project
personnel, confirmed funding commitments, or IRB status) as soon as possible to the NEA
Research Awards staff. Remember to include your organization’s name and NEA application
number.
If you have questions about your application, contact the NEA Research Awards staff
at nearesearchgrants@arts.gov.

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RESEARCH AWARDS
(These items apply to both programs)

Other Requirements and Priorities
Responsible Conduct of Research
The NEA is committed to the responsible conduct of research. As such, the NEA requires
applicants to comply with all applicable laws and regulations governing the conduct of research
in the United States. We further require applicants to obtain permissions (including but not
limited to the acquisition of existing data) from all appropriate entities or individuals (including
but not limited to minors or other sensitive populations) for conducting the proposed project
and to include evidence of such permissions in the application material. These may include, but
are not limited to, approval from Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), and/or data licensing for
the acquisition of existing data, as may be required.
Data collection activities conducted under an award are the sole responsibility of the recipient
organization, and the NEA’s support of the project does not constitute approval of those data
collection procedures. Therefore, data collected from respondents/participants will be
conducted by the awardee or at the awardee’s direction, and any NEA-funded researchers
collecting data from respondents/participants may not represent to those subjects that such
data are being collected on the NEA’s behalf.
Applicants who propose primary data collection as part of their projects are required to
describe plans and/or status of ethics training on human subjects research protections,
including such aspects as working with minors and other sensitive populations, as well as the
role of IRBs. Evidence can take the form of an active, unexpired certificate of completion of a
training module. The NEA does not specify or endorse any specific educational programs.
Training evidence must be submitted at the time of application for all key personnel involved
with primary data collection or analysis of personally identifiable information from human
research subjects. The NEA will not reimburse costs for ethics training under either the
Research Grants in the Arts program or the NEA Research Labs program. Awardees are required
to submit evidence of ethics training on human subjects research protections to the NEA prior
to engaging in any activity related to human research subjects, as well as submit updated ethics
training documentation as relevant. The NEA may withhold funds until ethics training is
demonstrated.
In addition, applicants who include primary data collection as a proposed project activity are
required to provide an explanation for whether IRB approval is needed to execute the project.
If IRB approval is required, then applicants also must indicate the measures they have taken or
plan on taking to gain IRB approval. If multiple organizations are directly involved in human
subjects research for a proposed project, then the applicant must provide documentation from
those organizations as well. Awardees are required to submit IRB approval documentation to
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the NEA prior to engaging in any activity determined to require IRB approval, as well as submit
updated IRB documentation as relevant. The NEA may withhold funds until IRB approval is
demonstrated.
If an applicant organization does not already have an IRB, awardees are required to partner
and/or consult with another institution or organization that does to determine whether IRB
approval is necessary for your project. Costs of submitting research proposals to IRBs are
allowable if this activity takes place during the award period of performance; however, the
application proposal must include evidence that the applicant has consulted with their
preferred IRB or IRBs.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides additional guidance and resources
for learning about the responsible conduct of research, including decision charts for assessing
whether a project needs an IRB/research ethics review, a set of free training modules (which
can be used to provide evidence of ethics training for an NEA research application), and
a database of registered IRBs; the National Science Foundation also has resources related to IRB
and human subjects research protections.

Research about Arts Education
Through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Education, the NEA supports the Arts
Education Partnership, which has launched an online clearinghouse of more than 300 studies of
student and educator outcomes associated with arts education in both in-school and out-ofschool settings. If you are interested in submitting a proposal to investigate some aspect of arts
education or related variables and outcomes, you are encouraged to explore ArtsEdSearch for
summaries of previous studies, criteria for inclusion in the ArtsEdSearch database, discussion of
policy implications, and suggested areas for future research.
Separately, the State Data Infrastructure Project for Arts Education offers a suite of resources
and tools to help stakeholders in the arts extract, analyze, and report on data about arts
education.

Data Management and Sharing
We intend primarily for the Research Grants in the Arts program and the NEA Research Labs
program to generate new findings that will inform the public about the value and/or impact of
the arts in American life. To help build capacity and continuity for such research in subsequent
years, we require applicants to submit a data management plan documenting how any raw
data and meta-data resulting from the proposed project will be used and maintained during
and beyond the life of the award. Applicants should discuss confidentiality, security, intellectual
property, or other relevant rights or requirements (to include but not be limited to securing and
handling / deidentification of Protected Health Information (PHI) and Personally Identifiable
Information (PII)). This may include referencing the HIPAA Privacy Rule, IRB status, and
permissions and/or protections of minors and other sensitive populations, as appropriate.

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Costs of storing and/or sharing data are allowable if these data management activities take
place during the award period.

National Archive of Data on Arts and Culture (NADAC)
The National Archive of Data on Arts and Culture (NADAC) is a repository that facilitates
research on arts and culture by acquiring and archiving data, particularly those funded by
federal agencies and other public organizations, and making the data and a variety of data tools
freely available to researchers, arts and cultural practitioners, other stakeholders, and the
general public.
Contact nearesearchgrants@arts.gov to learn about opportunities for research awardees to
deposit their raw- and meta-data in the archive.

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Award Administration
Award Notices
The "Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection" date for your category on the
Application Calendar tells you when we expect to announce grant decisions.
Note that the "announcement" is likely to take the form of a preliminary congratulatory
message, a request for project/budget revisions, or a rejection notification. The official grant
award notification (i.e., a notice of action authorized by the NEA Office of Grants Management)
is the only legal and valid confirmation of award. Receipt of your official award notification can
take several months depending on a number of factors such as reviewing changes to the
project budget, the number of awards to be processed, whether the agency has its
appropriation from Congress, etc.

Final Reporting
Before a grant is awarded, organizations must have submitted acceptable Final Report packages
by the due date(s) for all NEA grant(s) previously received.

Accessibility
Federal regulations require that all NEA-funded projects be accessible to people with
disabilities, including audiences, visitors, artists, performers, teaching artists, students, staff,
and volunteers. Funded activities must be held in a physically accessible venue and program
access and effective communication must be provided for participants and audience members
with disabilities, including people who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing, people who are blind, and
people with physical, cognitive, sensory, and/or psychological disabilities.
If your project is recommended for funding, you will be asked to provide detailed information
describing how you will make your project physically and programmatically accessible to people
with disabilities:
•

Buildings and facilities (including projects held in historic facilities) should be physically
accessible. This includes, but is not limited to:
o Ground-level/no-step entry, ramped access, and/or elevators to project facilities and
outdoor spaces;
o Integrated and dispersed wheelchair seating in assembly areas;
o Wheelchair-accessible box office, stage/backstage, meeting, and dressing rooms;
o Wheelchair-accessible display cases, exhibit areas, and counters;
o Accessible studio, classroom, and work spaces;
o Accessible artist residency studios and living spaces, to include dining facilities and
restrooms;
o Wheelchair-accessible restrooms and water fountains; and
o Directional signage for accessible entrances, restrooms, and other facilities; and
o Accessible workspaces for employees.
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•

The programmatic offering should be accessible either as part of the funded activity or
upon request, where relevant. This can include, but is not limited to providing:
o Designation of an accessibility coordinator and publicly-available contact information
(on website and promotional materials) for requesting accommodations;
o Accessible and screen reader-compatible electronic materials, documents, websites,
virtual platforms, and inclusion of alternative text for images;
o Accessible on-line application and grant systems (where relevant);
o Print materials in alternative formats, such as large-print brochures/labels/programs,
braille, and electronic/digital formats;
o Accommodations for performances, tours, virtual streamed events, conferences,
and lectures, such as sign language interpretation, real-time captioning, and audio
description;
o Tactile art, signage, sculpture, and representations of two-dimensional artwork;
o Closed/open captioning and audio/visual description for video, film, television
broadcasts;
o Transcripts of radio programs and podcasts;
o Auxiliary aids and devices such as assistive listening devices;
o Sensory-friendly programming, spaces, and approaches for people with sensoryprocessing issues and other neurological conditions;
o Accommodations for live and archived virtual events, including captioning, sign
language interpreting, and audio/visual description; and
o Accommodations to integrate students with disabilities in arts learning programs.

See the Nondiscrimination Statutes in our "Assurance of Compliance" for additional
information.
For technical assistance on how to make your project accessible, contact the Accessibility Office
at accessibility@arts.gov, 202-682-5532 Voice; or the Civil Rights Office at civilrights@arts.gov,
202-682-5454 Voice; or see our online Accessibility Resources.

Accessibility Requirements for Research Award Products
Ensure that your products are developed in a format that is readable by screen reading
software using the built-in accessibility features of your software to create content in an
accessible format. Provide a text equivalent for every non-text element, such as tables, charts,
and photos by tagging them with alternate text descriptions (alt text) and captions. Do not use
color-coding as the only method of conveying information. More resources regarding
Accessibility are located at https://www.arts.gov/impact/accessibility/publications-checklistsand-resources.

Civil Rights
Projects may focus on reaching a particular group or demographic (such as race, color or
national origin, including limited English proficiency); however, they may not be exclusionary
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under Federal civil rights laws and policies prohibiting discrimination. This extends to hiring
practices, artist selection processes, and audience engagement. For additional information,
refer to this archived webinar: Things to Know Before You Apply: Federal Civil Rights and Your
Grants Application.
The Office of Civil Rights at 202-682-5454 or civilrights@arts.gov investigates complaints about
compliance with accessibility standards as well as other federal civil rights statutes. For
inquiries about limited English proficiency, go to http://www.lep.gov, the FOIA Reading Room,
or contact the Office of Civil Rights at 202-682-5454 or civilrights@arts.gov.

Project Reporting and Evaluation
We ask all applicants to define what they would like to achieve, how they will evaluate the
degree to which it is achieved, and, upon completion of the project, what they have learned
from their experiences. Such feedback need not entail large-scale or expensive evaluation
efforts. You should do what is feasible and appropriate for your organization and project. When
an award is completed, you must submit a final report and answer questions on your
accomplishments, who benefited, and the resulting impact as well as list the involvement of key
partners, funders, and artists. We recognize that some projects involve risk, and we want to
hear about both your successes and failures. Failures can provide valuable learning experiences,
and reporting them will have no effect on your ability to receive NEA funds in the future.
Through Research awards, we intend to achieve the following objective: Produce research,
statistics, and general information about the arts for the benefit of the arts sector and beyond.
If an award is received, the awardee also will be asked to provide evidence of those results.
Before applying, review the reporting requirements.
NEA Research Labs grantees will also be required to submit to the NEA quarterly progress
reports throughout the life of the award.

Product Requirement for Research Grants in the Arts and NEA Research
Labs:
At the end of the grant period, both Research Grants in the Arts and NEA Research Labs
awardees will be required to submit, at minimum, a 20-50-page research paper of that, at a
minimum, includes two separate components: an abstract/executive summary and a full
research paper for each award:
•

The abstract/executive summary of the project should consist of a 1-5-page
summary of the study’s research goals, methods, findings, conclusions, and
implications for research and policy and/or practice.

Abstracts/executive summaries must be targeted toward both technical and non-technical
audiences.

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In addition, full research papers (excluding the abstract and executive summary) typically are
comprehensive accounts of the project. The exact format and organization of the full research
papers may vary depending on the project scope and distribution plans; see Research Grants in
the Arts Study Findings page for examples of previous grantees' final research products. These
include but are not limited to academic research articles; white or grey papers; and books,
handbooks, or book chapters.
Full research papers usually contain the following components:
•

An explanation of why the research topic and related question(s) are important.

•

A review of existing literature or previous work on the topic, if any, including a
description of the theory being tested and hypotheses, if appropriate.

•

A description of the methods, such as the descriptions of the research participants,
sample characteristics and/or data source characteristics, procedures, measures and
assessments, and the data analysis plan.

•

A summary of the analysis conducted, and related findings.

•

A conclusions section, including interpretations of the findings and discussion of
whether the results supported or did not support any research hypotheses as
appropriate; strengths and limitations of the research; future directions; and
research and/or policy recommendations, based on the findings.

•

A works cited or references list.

•

Tables and figures, as appropriate (these can be included in the body of the paper if
desired, rather than at the end).

•

Any appendices or supplementary material.

•

Contact information of the corresponding author (name and email at minimum) and
websites for where the papers, products, and data of the project may be available
beyond the NEA website, if applicable. This section should also include whether rawdata and/or meta-data will be accessible or shared, and procedures to obtain that
information if it is, in the case that the NEA, other researchers, or non-researchers
are interested in obtaining updated papers, data, or other resources (these details
can be included in the title page of the paper).

For translational research projects, grantees are encouraged, but not required, to also submit a
research product that can be used easily by practitioners or researchers who might be
interested in developing a similar program, model, or tool.
The NEA Research Labs program requires additional products beyond the mandatory paper
described above, and those expectations will be included in the terms and conditions of an NEA
Research Lab award.

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It is our intention to publish grantees’ research papers on our website. We also understand that
some of our grantees may desire to publish their work in other venues, such as peer-review
research journals, in books, or in other types of publications. With this possibility in mind, we
intend to post final research papers as "working papers;" if the papers are copyrighted or
become copyrighted, then we will replace any working papers with the copyrighted versions.
However, you may request a one-year embargo (a restriction) on electronic access to your final
research papers through the Research Grants in the Arts Study Findings page or through
the NEA Research Labs page. Should we agree to restrict access to your final paper, then your
name, the title of your work, a description of your research, and the abstract will be available
via our website, but the full text version will not be available for viewing or download until the
embargo period has passed.
Please make sure to contact the NEA if you are contacted by the press or if you proactively
engage the press about your award through such outlets as commercial newspapers (and their
websites), radio, and TV; public broadcasting stations; community and alternative newspapers
and newsletters; college and high school papers and stations; noncommercial and community
access stations; listservs; news websites; membership websites (if relevant); and blogs. You may
notify us of your media engagement and publications by emailing nearesearchgrants@arts.gov.

Administrative Requirements
Any project that extends beyond one year is required to submit an annual progress report.

Crediting Requirement
Grantees must clearly acknowledge support from the NEA in their programs and related
promotional material including publications and websites. Additional acknowledgment
requirements, including template language, are provided under the Manage Your
Award page, and may be provided later.
In publications of the data and the findings, acknowledgment of the NEA must be prominently
displayed, including the Research Grants in the Arts or NEA Research Labs award number. In all
other places (including but not limited to presentations concerning the project and material
created for social media), the awardee must clearly acknowledge support from the NEA,
regardless of the medium of the material, except as noted in the section titled “Responsible
Conduct of Research.” Include appropriate disclaimers, depending on the nature of the
product. The NEA Research Labs program has an additional requirement: to the extent possible,
include the NEA Research Labs visual identifier in all materials.

Ownership and Use of Materials
Any materials resulting from a Research Grant in the Arts or NEA Research Lab award, including
but not limited to products, training materials, research, and data, whether tangible or
intangible (the “Work Product”), are deemed to be owned by the awardee. The awardee agrees
to only make use of the Work Product in a manner consistent with the award terms and
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conditions (including but not limited to crediting requirements) in perpetuity, and agrees that
such restrictions shall inure to any of the awardee’s successors in interest, including any such
successors not yet known to the awardee. The NEA reserves a perpetual, royalty-free,
nonexclusive, and irrevocable right to reproduce, publish or otherwise use the products
submitted by the awardee under the terms of any resulting award for federal purposes and to
authorize others to do so (2 CFR 200.315).
Consultants or vendors engaged by the NEA Research Lab as part of the NEA-funded project will
be required to agree that any information gathered will be used only for the purposes
described in the award.

Implementation of Title 2 CFR Part 200 Uniform Administrative
Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal
Awards
This guidance from the federal government's Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
establishes clarity and consistency of the pre- and post-award requirements applicable to
federal grantees. Under the authority listed above, the NEA adopts the OMB Guidance in 2 CFR
part 200 under §3255.1 Adoption of 2 CFR Part 200. This part gives regulatory effect to the
OMB guidance and supplements the guidance as needed for the NEA.

General Terms & Conditions
Federal and agency requirements that relate to grants awarded by the NEA are highlighted in
our General Terms & Conditions (GTC). The GTC incorporates the adoption of 2 CFR Part 200 by
reference. The document also explicitly identifies where the NEA has selected options offered
in the regulation, such as budget waivers and requirements for use of program income. It also
includes agency requirements for cost share/matching funds, reporting requirements,
amendment processes, and termination actions. Grantees must review, understand, and
comply with these requirements. Failure to do so may result in having a grant terminated
and/or returning funds to the National Endowment for the Arts, among other things.

Changes in Projects
Applicants must notify the NEA immediately of any significant changes in their project that
occur after they have submitted their application. If the project or the organization's capacity
changes significantly before an award is made, the NEA may revise or withdraw the funding
recommendation.
Grantees are expected to carry out a project that is consistent with the proposal that was
approved for funding by the NEA. If changes in the project are required, the grantee must
submit a request with justification for the change(s) through a proper REACH account for the
award for review by the Office of Grants Management. Approval is not guaranteed. Detailed
information is included the NEA’s General Terms & Conditions for Grants to Organizations.
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Legal Requirements
NOTE: This list highlights some of the significant legal requirements that may apply to an
applicant or grantee, however, it is not exhaustive. More information regarding these and
other legal requirements may be found at Appendix A of our General Terms & Conditions
which sets forth the National Policy and Other Legal Requirements, Statutes, and Regulations
that Govern Your Award. There may be other applicable legal requirements that are not
listed here.
1. By law, the National Endowment for the Arts may support only those organizations that:
•

Are tax-exempt. Organizations qualifying for this status must meet the following
criteria:
1. No part of net earnings may benefit a private stockholder or individual.
2. Donations to the organization must be allowable as a charitable contribution under
Section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended.
For further information, go to the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) website.

•

Organizations who have had their IRS status revoked are not eligible for National
Endowment for the Arts support. It is your responsibility to ensure that your status is
current at the time of the application and throughout the life of your award.

•

Compensate all professional performers and related or supporting professional
personnel on National Endowment for the Arts-supported projects at no less than the
prevailing minimum compensation. (This requirement is in accordance with regulations
that have been issued by the Secretary of Labor in 29 CFR Part 505. This part does not
provide information on specific compensation levels.)

•

Ensure that no part of any National Endowment for the Arts-supported project will be
performed or engaged in under working conditions which are unsanitary or hazardous
or dangerous to the health and safety of the employees involved.

2. Some legal requirements apply to every applicant, for example:
•

Compliance with the federal requirements that are outlined in the Assurance of
Compliance below.

•

Debarment and Suspension procedures. The applicant must comply with requirements
set forth in Subpart C of 2 CFR 180, as adopted by the National Endowment for the Arts
in 2 CFR Part 3254. Failure to comply may result in the debarment or suspension of the
grantee and the National Endowment for the Arts suspending, terminating and/or
recovering funds.

•

Federal Debt Status (OMB Circular A-129). Processing of applications will be suspended
when applicants are delinquent on federal tax or non-tax debts, including judgment
liens against property for a debt to the federal government. An organization's debt
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status is displayed in the System for Award Management (SAM). New awards will not be
made if an applicant is still in debt status as of September 1.
•

Labor Standards (29 CFR Part 505). If a grant is awarded, the grantee must comply with
the standards set out in Labor Standards on Projects or Productions Assisted by Grants
from the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities.

•

The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 (41 U.S.C. 8101 et seq. and 2 CFR Part 3256). The
grantee is required to publish a statement regarding its drug-free workplace program as
well as comply with other requirements.

3. Some legal requirements apply depending upon what the grant is funding, for example:
• If your project activities have the potential to impact any structure that is eligible for or
on the National Register of Historic Places, adjacent to a structure that is eligible for or
on the National Register of Historic Places, or located in an historic district, you will be
asked to provide additional information about your project or take additional action so
that the agency can review and comply with the National Historic Preservation Act
(NHPA). NHPA also applies to any planning activities that may affect historic properties
or districts. The additional agency review must be completed prior to any agency funds
being released.
•

If your project activities have the potential to impact the environment or
environmentally sensitive resources, you will be required to provide information in
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The additional agency
review must be completed prior to any agency funds being released.

•

If your contract is over $2,000 and involves the construction, alteration, or repair of
public buildings or public works, it must contain a clause setting forth the minimum
wages to be paid to laborers and mechanics employed under the contract in accordance
with The Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA).

4. Some legal requirements apply depending upon who the Applicant is, for example:
• The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (25 U.S.C. 3001 et
seq.) applies to any organization that controls or possesses Native American cultural
items, such as human remains or associated funerary objects and receives Federal
funding, even for a purpose unrelated to the Act (25 USC 3001 et seq.).

Assurance of Compliance
By signing and submitting its application form on Grants.gov, the Applicant certifies that it is
in compliance with the statutes outlined below and all related National Endowment for the
Arts regulations and will maintain records and submit the reports that are necessary to
determine compliance.
We may conduct a review of your organization to ensure that it is in compliance with these
statutes. If the NEA determines that a grantee has failed to comply with these statutes, it may

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suspend or terminate the award, and/or recover funds. This assurance is subject to judicial
enforcement.
The Applicant certifies that it does not discriminate:
•

On the grounds of race, color, or national origin, in accordance with Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.), implemented by the
National Endowment for the Arts at 45 CFR 1110.

•

Solely on the grounds of disability, in accordance with Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794), implemented by the National
Endowment for the Arts at 45 CFR 1151, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990 ("ADA"), as amended, (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.).

•

On the basis of age, in accordance with the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42
U.S.C. 6101 et seq.) implemented by the National Endowment for the Arts at 45 CFR
1156.

•

On the basis of sex, in any education program or activity, in accordance with Title IX
of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.).

Applicant will inform the public that persons who believe they have been discriminated against
on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, sex, or age may file a complaint with the
Director of Civil Rights at the National Endowment for the Arts.
Applicant will forward all complaints for investigation and any finding issued by a Federal or
state court or by a Federal or state administrative agency to:
Director, Office of Civil Rights
National Endowment for the Arts
400 7th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20506
Applicant shall maintain records of its compliance and submission for three (3) years. The
Applicant will compile, maintain and permit access to records as required by applicable
regulations, guidelines or other directives.
The Applicant must also certify that it will obtain assurances of compliance from all
subrecipients and will require all subrecipients of National Endowment for the Arts funds to
comply with these requirements.
The United States has the right to seek judicial or administrative enforcement of this assurance.
For further information and copies of the nondiscrimination regulations identified above,
contact the Office of Civil Rights at 202-682-5454 or civilrights@arts.gov. For inquiries about

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limited English proficiency, go to http://www.lep.gov, the FOIA Reading Room, or contact the
Office of Civil Rights at civilrights@arts.gov or 202-682-5454.

Regulations Relating to Lobbying
For organizations applying for more than $100,000 (31 U.S.C. 1352).
The Applicant certifies that:
a) It has not and will not use federal appropriated funds to pay any person for influencing
or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a member of a
National Endowment for the Arts advisory panel or the National Council on the Arts, a
Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member
of Congress in connection with the awarding of or modification to any federal grant or
contract.
b) If it has used or will use any funds other than federal appropriated funds to pay any
person for influencing or attempting to influence any of the individuals specified above,
the Applicant:
c) Is not required to disclose that activity if that person is regularly employed by the
Applicant. (Regularly employed means working for at least 130 days within the year
immediately preceding the submission of this application.)
d) Will complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, "Disclosure of Lobbying Activities," if that
person is not regularly employed by the Applicant.
e) It will require that the language of this certification be included in the award documents
for all subawards of more than $100,000 and that all subrecipients shall certify and
disclose accordingly.

Standards for Service
The National Endowment for the Arts has set the following standards for serving applicants. We
pledge to:
• Treat you with courtesy and efficiency.
•

Respond to inquiries and correspondence promptly.

•

Provide clear and accurate information about our policies and procedures.

•

Provide timely information about funding opportunities and make guidelines available
promptly.

•

Promptly acknowledge the receipt of your application.

• Ensure that all eligible applications are reviewed thoughtfully and fairly.
We welcome your comments on how we are meeting these standards. Email:
webmgr@arts.gov, attention: Standards for Service.
For questions about these guidelines or your application, email nearesearchgrants@arts.gov. In
addition, applicants may receive an invitation to participate in a voluntary survey to provide
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feedback on the grant application guidelines on our website and any experiences consulting
with our staff.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement
The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated at an average of 26
hours per response. This includes the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data
sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the
collection of information. We welcome any suggestions that you might have on improving the
guidelines and making them as easy to use as possible. Send comments regarding this burden
estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for
reducing this burden, to: webmgr@arts.gov, attention: Reporting Burden. Note: Applicants are
not required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently valid U.S.
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

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Applicant Resources
Webinars
•

FY 2024 Research Awards Guidelines Webinar
PLACEHOLDER FOR REGISTRATION INFO

•

Things to Know Before You Apply: Federal Civil Rights and Your Grants Application
Webinar
Recording

Online Tutorial: Using the Grant Application Form (GAF)
Research Agenda: FY 2022-2026
•

Infographic

Sample Application Narratives
Research Grants in the Arts Study Findings
Previous NEA Research Lab Awardees
Publicly Available Data Sources
National Archive of Data on Arts & Culture (NADAC)

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Frequently Asked Questions
How can I find out when new guidelines are released?
We plan to use these same guidelines for up to three years, to coincide with the NEA’s FY 20222026 Research Agenda. As such, we expect these instructions to be used also for the FY 2025
and FY 2026 competitions, which will have Grants.gov deadlines in late March 2024 and late
March 2025, respectively. Deadlines for FYs 2025 and 2026, respectively, will be posted in
January 2024 and January 2025. Please monitor our website for updates. You may also
email nearesearchgrants@arts.gov to sign up for our distribution list to receive updates. You
can also sign up via Grants.gov.
What is the difference between the Research Grants in the Arts program and the NEA
Research Labs program?
Both programs invite applicants to engage with the agency’s five-year research agenda with
research projects:
Research Grants in the Arts funds discrete research studies that investigate the value and/or
impact of the arts, either as individual components of the U.S. arts ecology or as they interact
with each other and/or with other domains of American life. See examples of previous
Research Grants in the Arts projects. (Prior to Fiscal Year 2020, this program was known as
“Research: Art Works.”)
NEA Research Labs funds transdisciplinary research teams, grounded in the social and
behavioral sciences, to engage with the NEA's five-year research agenda. NEA Research Labs
yield empirical insights about the arts for the benefit of arts and non-arts sectors alike. The NEA
Research Labs offers funding for longer-term research agendas, which may include multiple
research studies and activities that build and inform the field throughout the life of an NEA
Research Lab.
I am a state arts agency (SAA) or a regional arts organization (RAO), and I am interested in
applying for a Research Grants in the Arts grant or an NEA Research Lab award. Can I apply?
No. SAAs and RAOs cannot apply for either opportunity as the authorizing organization, but can
apply to the NEA as the official applicant under the Partnership Agreements category.
I am a SAA or RAO, and I am interested in being a partner on an application for a Research
Grants in the Arts grant or an NEA Research Lab award. Can I serve as a partner?
Yes. SAAs or RAOs may participate as a partner for either opportunity; however, no federal or
cost share/matching funds included in the Partnership Agreement can be given to or provided
by the SAA or RAO.
Do I need to include citation references in my proposal and if so, where do I put them?
Yes. References should be included in the Project Narrative section of the Grant Application
Form. Do not include them as a special attachment, the files will be removed.
What method of citation is preferred?
We do not currently have any requirements regarding the style of citation. Common citation
formats include but are not limited to APA, AMA, Chicago, and MLA. Do not use footnoting in

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the text fields of the Grant Application Form, though this is acceptable for any PDF
attachments.
We missed the application deadline. Can I submit a late application?
No. Late, ineligible, and incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Exceptions to the
deadline will be considered only for registration or renewal issues or technical malfunctions
that are the result of failures on the part of SAM, Grants.gov, or NEA systems, as determined by
the NEA. To be considered for this exception, you must provide documentation of a SAM,
Grants.gov, or NEA systems failure that prevented your submission by the deadline.
Examples of Reasons Why Late Applications Will Not Be Accepted:
•

Heavy administrative responsibilities on the part of the applicant’s staff, relocation
of an office/other workspace, personal events, or a very busy schedule.

•

Problems with computer systems or Internet access at the applicant organization, or
failure to complete or renew required registrations in advance of the application due
date.

•

Failure to follow instructions in the guidelines or funding opportunity
announcement.

We will not make exceptions for applications that are the result of user error, including failure
to register in SAM.gov or to verify that your application was successfully submitted to the
Grants.gov system. The NEA is under no obligation to accept applications that are late for these
reasons.
Reminders:
•

The NEA expects that applications will be submitted on time.

•

On time submission means an application is submitted error free no later than 11:59
p.m. Eastern Time on the application due date.

•

Permission for late application submission cannot be granted in advance.

•

Applications submitted late or outside the Grants.gov system or NEA system (e.g., an
emailed SF-424) will not be processed, reviewed, or considered for funding.

Will you contact me if my application is missing anything?
No. Because of the volume of applications, we have a strict approach to incomplete
applications. For your application to be considered complete, every item that is required MUST
be included in your application package, which must be submitted no later than the application
deadline date. Staff will not contact applicants to request missing material, and incomplete
applications will be returned to you. Please don't let that happen. Use the "How to Prepare and
Submit an Application" section for your category to make sure that you have included every
item. Have the completeness and accuracy of your application package double-checked by a
responsible staff member who understands the importance of this task. Allow at least six weeks
to prepare your application and other supplementary information. And do not wait until the
day of the deadline to submit!

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If my application is determined to be incomplete, may I add the missing item(s) and resubmit
the application?
No. The staff has to check hundreds of applications. By the time that an application is identified
as incomplete, it will likely be several weeks after the application deadline. An organization
cannot add missing items and resubmit the application after the application deadline. We
encourage you to double-check your application package against the "How to Prepare and
Submit an Application" section to make sure that nothing is missing. If new or updated
information that significantly affects your application becomes available after the deadline, you
may send it to the Research staff at nearesearchgrants@arts.gov.
One of the proposed research staff is unable to complete the ethics training on human
subjects research protections and thus cannot supply the required certificate of completion
of the training. Is there an alternative to the requirement for this person that would allow
him/her to continue as a researcher on the project without the certificate?
We require all researchers involved in human subjects research and data to demonstrate a plan
for completion of a human subjects research protections ethics training course. If a particular
researcher is unable to provide a plan for this training, then that person may not collect,
process, or analyze data from human subjects as part of the project, but may serve in another
research capacity.
Can I get a sample application?
Examples under the Research Grants in the Arts category (previously known as the Research:
Art Works grant category) can be found in the FOIA Reading Room, Frequently Requested
Records for information on what is available as sample application material. We do not have
sample applications available for the NEA Research Labs program.
How soon after the "Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project" for my deadline does my
project have to begin?
The project can start any time on or after that date.
Can my project start before this date?
No. Proposed project activities for which you're requesting support cannot take place before
this date. Ask the NEA to fund only the portion of your project that will take place after the
"Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project." If you include project costs that are incurred before
the "Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project" in your Project Budget, they will be removed.
How long can my project last? May I apply for another project during this period?
Research Grants in the Arts generally allows a period of performance of up to three years.
Within the limits of the guidelines, ask for the amount of time that you think is necessary.
NEA Research Lab awards generally allows a period of performance of up to two years, and may
be renewed up to four times. The life of NEA funding of an NEA Research Lab could be up to ten
years, including all renewal awards.
If you get close to the end of your award period and think you need more time, you may
request an extension, but approval is not guaranteed.

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As long as it meets all other eligibility requirements, an organization may apply for funding for
another project (with totally different project costs) the following year even if a NEA-supported
project is still underway. Note that if you do receive an extension on a previous year's project, it
may affect your grant period for your new proposed project. Requests for extensions must be
submitted through a proper REACH account for the award.
Can federally recognized tribes apply?
Yes, but under the Research Grants in the Arts category only. In keeping with federal policies
of Tribal Self Governance and Self-Determination, we may provide support for a project with a
primary audience restricted to enrolled members of a federally recognized tribe. Applicants
(federally recognized tribal governments, nonprofits situated on federally recognized tribal
lands, or other nonprofits whose mission primarily serves federally recognized tribal enrollees)
should consult with nearesearchgrants@arts.gov to verify their eligibility before preparing an
application.
Can non-federally recognized tribes apply?
Yes, but under the Research Grants in the Arts category only, and as long as the applicant is a
nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organization. Projects for non-federally recognized tribes
and indigenous groups may be supported, but project participation can’t be restricted to only
tribal members.
Can Native Hawaiian groups apply?
Yes, but under the Research Grants in the Arts category only, and as long as the applicant is a
nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organization. Projects for Native Hawaiians may be
supported, but project participation can’t be restricted to only Native Hawaiians.
My organization received an NEA Research Labs award last year or in prior years; are we
eligible to apply under the NEA Research Labs program for a new award?
As an official applicant, you are not eligible to apply for this round. However, you can serve as a
partner on another application from an eligible applicant organization.
Can our organization use funds we received from the Small Business Administration (SBA) as
cost share/match for an NEA grant?
No. Federal funds are not allowed to be used as cost share/match for federal grants (2 CFR
§200.306). In addition, the NEA’s enabling legislation does not allow any federal funds to be
used as cost share/match for its awards. This includes the Paycheck Protection Program from
the SBA, as well as other federal funding, including funding from:
•

AmeriCorps

•

National Endowment for the Humanities

•

National Institutes of Health

•

National Park Service

•

National Science Foundation

•

U.S. Department of Agriculture

•

U.S. Department of Education (e.g., grants from the Institute of Education Sciences)
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•

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

•

Or an entity that receives federal appropriations such as the Corporation for Public
Broadcasting or Amtrak

Note that organizations are eligible to apply for NEA funding even if they have applied for and
received funding from the SBA, provided the organization isn't double-claiming any individual's
salary. Recipients will be required to keep documentation to show which employees are being
paid from each funding source so that the government isn't paying more than 100 percent of a
salary. Applicants with additional questions about SBA programs should contact the SBA
directly as we are unable to provide guidance on programs other than our own.
My organization received American Rescue Plan (ARP) or CARES funding. Can we also apply to
Research Awards?
Yes. You can apply as long as you meet the eligibility criteria. However, you need to be sure that
there are no overlapping costs during the same grant period.
Can my organization apply for the same types of costs that were available for funding in the
American Rescue Plan (ARP) or CARES programs?
Yes. You can apply for salaries, fees/stipends, facilities costs, and marketing expenses as long as
they fit into the proposed project. There is a key difference between the ARP and CARES
programs and Research Awards. Research Awards applications must be for projects only. A
project may consist of one or more specific events or activities, and it may be a part of an
applicant's regular season or activities. We do not fund seasonal or general operating support in
Research Grants in the Arts nor NEA Research Labs.
How should my organization formulate its project if we’re not sure when in-person research
and associated activities will be possible? Will it be possible to make project changes if
needed later in the process?
You should do your best to complete information within the application to the best of your
knowledge. If you are recommended for an award, you will have an opportunity to request
changes (e.g., a time extension, a modification to project activities) at that stage of the process.
If you receive an award, you will have the opportunity to request project changes later in the
process, as outlined in the How to Manage Your Award Handbook.
We will work with you to try to accommodate changes to your project, but approval is not
guaranteed. If you need to request a change, please contact the NEA at
nearesearchgrants@arts.gov to discuss what is possible.
My organization usually applies for in-person research activities. Can we apply for virtual
activities, or the costs associated with planning for virtual activities?
Yes.
Our exhibition space and/or performance venue will need to make physical changes to meet
social distancing requirements, such as the removal of seats or installation of plexiglass to
protect staff. To what extent can these costs be included in the project budget?
You can apply for costs related to physical changes as long as they fit into the proposed project.

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Research Awards: Grants in the Arts and Labs
However, we do not fund the costs of physical construction or renovation, or the purchase
costs of facilities or land.
Can project budgets include expenses related to increased sanitation measures, such as
additional personnel, cleaning services, PPE, and other supplies?
Yes. You can apply for costs related to increased sanitation as long as they fit into the proposed
project.

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File Type	application/pdf
File Title	Research Awards
Subject	FY24
Author	Lara Allee
File Modified	2022-08-25
File Created	2022-08-25