3135-0112 Research Labs Grant Application Form and Instructions

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions
Introduction and Calendar .............................................................................................................. 2
Part 1: Submit the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/ Short Organizational Form to
Grants.gov ....................................................................................................................................... 3
Step 1: Complete the Form ......................................................................................................... 3
Step 2: Submit the form via Grants.gov’s Workspace ................................................................ 6
Step 3: Confirm Application Submission..................................................................................... 7
Part 2: Submit the Grant Application Form through the Applicant Portal ..................................... 8
Access the Applicant Portal ........................................................................................................ 8
Fill out the Grant Application Form ............................................................................................ 9
Tab 1: View Application Data .................................................................................................. 9
Tab 2: Organization Info ....................................................................................................... 10
Subtab 1: Organization Details ......................................................................................... 10
Subtab 2: Organization Budget ......................................................................................... 10
Subtab 3: Operating History ............................................................................................. 11
Tab 3: Project Details ............................................................................................................ 12
Subtab 1: Project Activity.................................................................................................. 12
Subtab 2: Project Partners ................................................................................................ 15
Subtab 3: Key Individuals .................................................................................................. 17
Subtab 4: Additional Project Details ................................................................................. 18
Tab 4: Project Budget............................................................................................................ 19
Budget Worksheet ............................................................................................................ 19
Filling out the budget in the Applicant Portal................................................................... 19
Project Budget Guidance .................................................................................................. 20
Subtab 1: Project Expenses ............................................................................................... 21
Subtab 2: Project Income .................................................................................................. 24
Tab 5: Items to Upload.......................................................................................................... 26
Tab 6: Organization & Project Data ...................................................................................... 28
Submit the Grant Application Form ...................................................................................... 32
Click on a heading above to navigate directly to that section.

1|Page

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions

Introduction and Calendar
These instructions are for the NEA Research Labs category.
An NEA Research Labs application consists of two parts:
Part 1: Submit the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form
to Grants.gov
•

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

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

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

Unless otherwise specified, the information that you provide will be reviewed in accordance
with the review criteria. Your narrative should address each of these "Review Criteria" and
include information on the following, as relevant to your project.
Deadlines for the FY2024 Cycle*:
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov

March 27, 2023 by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time

Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal

March 30, 2023 at 9:00 a.m., Eastern Time, to
April 6, 2023 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time

*We intend to use these same guidelines for up to three years, to coincide with the NEA’s
Research Agenda. As such, we expect these instructions to also be used for the FY 2025 and FY
2026 programs, and which will have Grants.gov deadlines in late March 2024 and late March
2025, respectively. Deadlines for FY 2025 and 2026 will be posted in January 2024 and January
2025, respectively.
Applicant Portal access will only be available during the dates listed above for Part 2. You will
not be able to access the portal until the first day in the window.

2|Page

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 1

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

Step 1: Complete the Form
All asterisked (*) items and yellow fields on this form are required and must be completed
before you will be able to submit the form. Do not type in all capital letters when completing
the form. Enter information directly into the form. Do not copy from an old Application for
Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form or another document and paste into
the form.
EMAILS: Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send
emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email
address.
1. Name of Federal Agency: Pre-populated.
2. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: Pre-populated.
3. Date Received: This will be filled automatically with the date that you submit your
application; leave blank.
4. Funding Opportunity Number: Pre-populated.
3|Page

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 1
5. Applicant Information:
a. Legal Name: The name provided here must be the applicant's legal name as it appears in
the current IRS 501(c)(3) status letter or in the official document that identifies the
organization as a unit of state or local government, or as a federally recognized tribal
community or tribe. (Do not use your organization's popular name, if different.)
b. Address: Use Street 1 for your organization’s physical street address. This address must
be identical to the physical address that you used with SAM (System for Award
Management). Only use Street 2 for your organization’s mailing address if it differs from the
SAM physical street address.
In the Zip/Postal Code box, organizations in the United States should enter the full 9-digit
zip code that was assigned by the U.S. Postal Service. If you do not know your full zip code,
you may look it up at https://tools.usps.com/zip-code-lookup.htm.
d. Type of Applicant: Select the item that best characterizes your organization from the
menu in the first drop down box. Additional choices are optional.
e. Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN/TIN): Enter the 9-digit number that was
assigned by the Internal Revenue Service; do not use a Social Security Number.
f. Organizational UEI: All organizational applicants for federal funds must have a UEI. Enter
your organization’s UEI here. You can find your UEI in your System for Award Management
(SAM) record. If you cannot locate your UEI, contact SAM for assistance. NOTE: Do not enter
a DUNS number here. The UEI you enter here must match the UEI associated with your
organization’s SAM (System for Award Management) record that was used as part of your
Grants.gov registration. Otherwise, your application will not be validated by Grants.gov
and will be rejected.
g. Congressional District: Enter the number of the Congressional District where the
applicant organization is physically located. The Congressional District that you enter here
must match with the Congressional District that shown in the Business Information section
of your organization’s SAM (System for Award Management) record.
Use the following format: 2 character State Abbreviation-3 character District Number. For
example, if your organization is located in the 5th Congressional District of California, enter
"CA-005." If your state has a single At-Large Representative or your jurisdiction has a single
Delegate, enter your 2 character state/jurisdiction abbreviation and "-000." If you need help
determining your district, go to www.house.gov and use the "Find Your Representative"
tool.

4|Page

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 1
6. Project Information:
a. Project Title: Enter “N/A.” Any other text entered for this field will not be used in the
review of your application.
b. Project Description: Enter “N/A.” Any other text entered for this field will not be used in
the review of your application.
c. Proposed Project Start Date/End Date: Enter the beginning and ending dates for your
requested period of performance, i.e., the span of time necessary to plan, execute, and
close out your proposed project. The start date should be the first day of the month, and
the end date should be the last day of the month.
For NEA Research Labs applicants: Our support of a project may start on or after January 1,
2024. The grant period is a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 24 months.
Your budget should include only the activities and costs incurred during the requested
period of performance.
7. Project Director:
Provide contact information, including an email address that will be valid through the
announcement date for your category. Optional: Select a Prefix (e.g., Ms., Mr.)
The Project Director should be the Principal Investigator who has the authority and
responsibility for the proper conduct of the research, including the appropriate use of
federal funds. This individual will have primary responsibility for communicating with the
NEA on the scientific and related budgetary aspects of the project.
8. Primary Contact/Grant Administrator:
Provide the requested information for the individual who should be contacted on matters
involving this application and the administration of any grant that may be awarded. For
colleges and universities, this person is often a Sponsored Research, Sponsored Programs,
or Contracts and Grants Officer. For the Telephone number field, use the following format:
000-000-0000. Optional: Select a Prefix (e.g., Ms., Mr.)
This individual may be the same as the Project Director. If this is the case, you may check
the "Same as Project Director" box and not repeat information that you have already
provided in Item 7. If the Primary Contact/Grant Administrator is the same as the
Authorizing Official, complete all items under both 8 and 9 even though there will be some
repetition.

5|Page

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 1
9. Authorized Representative:
Enter the requested information for the AOR (Authorized Organization Representative) who
is authorized to submit this application to Grants.gov. Optional: Select a Prefix (e.g., Ms.,
Mr.)
The AOR must have the legal authority to obligate your organization (e. g., be a senior
member of the staff such as an Executive Director, Director of Development). See specific
requirements for who can serve as an AOR for colleges and universities.
Contractors/consultants, including grant writers, or administrative support staff cannot
serve as an AOR.
NOTE: By clicking the "I Agree" box at the top of Item 9, this individual will be certifying
compliance with relevant federal requirements on your organization's behalf. These
requirements can be found in the Assurance of Compliance section of the guidelines.
The "Signature of Authorized Representative" and "Date Signed" boxes will be populated by
Grants.gov upon submission of the application.

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

•
•

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

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

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 1

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

Check the progress bar in Workspace. When your application has been successfully
received, the bar will be green, and a check mark will appear in each bubble.

•

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

•

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

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

7|Page

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2

Part 2: Submit the Grant Application Form through the Applicant Portal
You will only be able to complete Part 2 of the Grants for Arts Projects application process if
you have successfully submitted Part 1 of the application to Grants.gov by the appropriate
deadline.
You will not have access to the Applicant Portal until the Part 2 application window opens as
described in the calendar. However, we urge you to use this document to prepare your
responses and material well in advance so you will have them ready to upload once the
system opens.
The Applicant Portal is an NEA administered site, if you run into technical issues, please reach
out to us at nearesearchgrants@arts.gov.

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

•

User Name = Grants.gov Tracking Number (Example: "GRANT38906754")
o Your Grants.gov tracking number is assigned to you by Grants.gov at the time you
submit Part 1 of your application.
o A confirmation screen will appear in Grants.gov once your submission is complete.
o Your Grants.gov tracking number will be provided at the bottom of the screen.
Password = Agency Tracking Number/NEA Application Number (Example: "1425736")
o The NEA assigns the number to your application 1-2 business days after you submit
Part 1 of your application.
o Log on to Grants.gov.
 Under Grant Applications, select Check Application Status.
 Look for your Grants.gov Tracking Number and select Details under the Actions
column.
 You’ll be taken to the Submission Details screen to find your Agency
Tracking#/NEA Application Number.
o NOTE: Check Application Status is a separate feature from Track My Application at
Grants.gov.

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

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
successfully view the site. You might also need to disable AdBlocker and/or similar
software.
•

Most problems can be solved by changing your browser.

•

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

•

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

•

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

•

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

•

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

Fill out the Grant Application Form
The Grant Application Form in the Applicant Portal has eight tabs, some of which have sub-tabs:
•
•
•
•
•
•

Tab 1: View Application Data
Tab 2: Organization Info
Tab 3: Project Details
Tab 4: Project Budget
Tab 5: Items to Upload
Tab 6: Organization & Project Data

Required items are denoted with an asterisk (*) throughout this document.
When filling out the Grant Application Form, you must adhere to the character count limit in
each section. Do not include hyperlinks.

Tab 1: View Application Data
This section is the first screen you will see when you open the Grant Application Form. It cannot
be edited. If you find any incorrect information on this page the staff at
nearesearchgrants@arts.gov.
9|Page

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2

Tab 2: Organization Info
Subtab 1: Organization Details
LEGAL/IRS NAME*: Must match the Organization name you entered in the Application for
Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form
POPULAR NAME: If different from the Organization’s Legal/IRS name
MISSION OF YOUR ORGANIZATION* (500 character limit, including spaces)
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT FOR PROJECT ACTIVITIES* (2,000 character limit, including
spaces)
Describe your organization’s history and operations, including the context in which your
organization will undertake the project activities.
This may include, but need not be limited to, a description of the following elements:
•
•
•

Historical or cultural background of your organization and/or its communities served;
Information about your organization’s staff or governance; and
Current or recent efforts to improve engagement with historically underserved
groups/communities and/or to advance opportunities for their inclusion in your
organization. (For the purpose of this question, underserved groups/communities
include populations whose opportunities have been limited by factors such as their
geography, race or ethnicity, economic status, and/or disability.)

Subtab 2: Organization Budget
The Organization Budget is a webform you will complete in the Applicant Portal. The form will
appear as follows:

Organization Budget Form (see below for guidance)

FY End Date

Most Recently
Completed FY

Previous FY

Two FY’s Prior

MM-YY-DD

MM-YY-DD

MM-YY-DD

Income

$

$

$

Expenses

$

$

$

Operating Surplus/Deficit

Autofills from above

Autofills from above

Autofills from above

10 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
The Organization Budget is intended to show your organization's fiscal activity as it relates to
operations. Do not include activity related to a capital campaign (such as raising money for a
new facility, an endowment fund, or a cash reserve fund). We may request additional
information to clarify an organization's financial position. The figures you submit are subject to
verification by the NEA.
FISCAL YEAR END DATE* Indicate the end date for each of your organization’s three most
recent fiscal years using the calendar drop down.
INCOME*: Enter your organization’s income for each fiscal year. Unaudited figures are
acceptable. Income sources may include earned revenues such as those that are received
through the sale of goods, services performed, or from investments, as well as contributed
funds, such as gifts, grants, loans, and in-kind contributions.
EXPENSES*: Enter your organization’s total operating expenses for each fiscal year. Unaudited
figures are acceptable. Expenses may include salaries and fees, production/exhibition expenses,
services, and administrative costs, among others.
OPERATING SURPLUS/DEFICIT: These fields will automatically populate based on the figures
you input for income and expenses.
FISCAL HEALTH* (1,000 character limit, including spaces)
Discuss the fiscal health of your organization. You may use this space to discuss how the COVID19 pandemic may have affected your organization’s budget. In addition, you must explain:
1. Any changes of 15% or more in either your income or expenses from one year to the
next, and
2. Plans for reducing any deficit (include factors that contributed to the deficit and its
amount).

Subtab 3: Operating History
Submit a representative list of your operating history for three recent years/seasons prior to
the application deadline.
This list should demonstrate eligibility (i.e., your organization's three-year history of
operations) and the artistic excellence and artistic merit of your organization. For the purpose
of defining eligibility, "three-year history" refers to when an organization began its operations
and not when it incorporated or received nonprofit, tax-exempt status. Where available,
include summaries and examples of your organization’s experience in commissioning and/or
conducting research in the behavioral or social sciences, and communicating research findings
and policy implications through reports and convenings for three recent years prior to the
application deadline. This should not be an exhaustive list of everything that you do, but
rather a relevant sampling of your operating history from three recent years/seasons.
11 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
REPRESENTATIVE EXAMPLES* (1,000 character limit per year, including spaces)
For each representative example, where applicable, include:
•
•
•
•
•

Date
Title, Work, Event, Program and/or Research Study
Short description/abstract of the Title, Work, Event, Program, and/or Research Study
Venue and City/State, if applicable
Key Personnel and/or Artists

Providing information in bulleted or list form is acceptable. Do not submit this information as a
separate attachment.

Tab 3: Project Details
Subtab 1: Project Activity
PROJECT SYNOPSIS* (200 character limit, including spaces)
Provide a brief synopsis for your proposed project. For example: For example: To support a
study examining the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional effects of music engagement on
low-income, older adults.
RESEARCH AGENDA TOPIC AREA*
Select the category that best fits your project from the NEA priority research topic areas below.
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
c. Other Aspects of the Arts Ecology
See the NEA Research Agenda for more detail on the topic areas above.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION* (30,000 character limit, including spaces)
Note: formatting such as bold, italics, underlining, and bulleting is not allowed in this field.
The information that you provide will be reviewed in accordance with the Review Criteria. Your
narrative should address each of these "Review Criteria" and include information on the
following, as relevant to your project.
If any of the activities related to your proposal are included in a current NEA application or
award, include the applicable application or award number, and clearly state that you are not
requesting funding for the same activity. NOTE: You may not receive more than one NEA award
for the same expenses. There can be no overlapping project costs within the submitted budget
with other federally sponsored projects, including from federal agencies other than the NEA.
12 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
Include information on activities that will take place during the requested period of
performance. Be as specific as possible about actual activities and describe them in full. Do not
merely describe the vision or long-term goals for the project. You may present information
about a broader initiative, if applicable, but be very specific about the phase(s) of your project
that are included in your request for funding (e.g., “funding is being requested for ‘B’ of ‘ABC’
activity).
Organize your response a), b), c), etc. and use the boldfaced/capitalized language in the
instructions as a heading for each item. For example, heading a) will include your selected
research area, heading b) will include the specific research questions you expect to focus on,
heading c) will include your research agenda and motivation, etc. Be as specific as possible
about your plans for accomplishing all aspects of the project that will take place during the
project period.
If you do not include all of the components below in this section, your application will be
incomplete and will not be reviewed by panelists.
a. SELECTED RESEARCH QUESTIONS (include at least two)
b. RESEARCH AGENDA AND MOTIVATION. Describe the overall vision for the NEA
Research Lab and its research agenda. This should include a description of short- and
long-term project objectives, appropriateness and interdisciplinary nature of the NEA
Research Lab team and the activities for the NEA Research Labs program, and evidence
that the research agenda is informed by extant literature, as appropriate. Include brief
descriptions of any studies that are likely to be conducted as part of that agenda
(identifying projects that will be covered under the initial period of performance as well
as projects that might be completed during a renewal phase to show potential
sustainability of the Lab beyond the initial period of performance). Strong justification
for the research project should be presented beyond merely restating that the NEA is
interested in such projects.
c. DESCRIPTION OF THE KEYSTONE STUDY. Provide a more detailed plan for a “keystone”
study to be conducted and completed during the period of performance. Provide a
clear and detailed research design, including descriptions of any proposed qualitative,
quantitative, or mixed-method design, and strong justification for the proposed design.
d. WORKS CITED OR REFERENCES of literature cited. A list of references should be
included here. Do not upload an attachment with a list of references.
DATA ACCESS PLAN* (5,000 character limit, including spaces)
Describe your organization’s right to access the data and/or collect the data specified in your
application. Include information below that demonstrates your access, as appropriate to your
dataset/s. IRB approval documents and ethics on human subjects research protections
certificates are encouraged and may be included as a special attachment; do not include images
in the text box.
13 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
•

Evidence that the data are in the public domain.

•

If data was collected or will be collected outside of your NEA research application
activities, detail the process that you will use to obtain access to the data, the date by
which you will obtain the data and secure access rights, and, if applicable, time
restrictions or other restrictions for accessing the data and the cost of the data.

•

For projects that include primary data collection as a proposed project activity under
the NEA research application, applicants must describe plans and/or status for both IRB
and ethics training on human subjects research protections, as outlined below:
o Explain your plans to obtain IRB approval. If IRB is needed, indicate the measures
you have taken or plan on taking to gain IRB approval, and when IRB approval is
expected to be obtained. While approval is not required at the time of application, if
you are recommended for an award, you will be expected to submit a confirmation
letter on the status of your IRB submission. If you receive an award, the NEA may
withhold funds until IRB approval is demonstrated.
o Explain your plans to complete ethics training on human subject research
protections. Certificates of completion of the training is not required at the time of
application. If you are recommended for an award, you will be expected to submit
active, unexpired certificates of a completion of a training module for each key
personnel involved with primary data collection or analysis of personally identifiable
information from human subjects. If you receive an award, the NEA may withhold
funds until active unexpired certificates of completion are demonstrated. The NEA
does not specify or endorse any specific educational programs.

DATA MANAGEMENT PLAN* (5,000 character limit, including spaces)
Describe the types of raw data and meta-data to be generated by the project, and address any
plans for sharing those data with other researchers and the public. The data management plan
will be evaluated by panelists as part of the application review. At a minimum, data
management plans should address:
•

Types of raw data (e.g., results of data collection) and meta-data (e.g., data collection
instruments, codebooks) to be produced in the course of the research project.

•

Standards to be used for raw- and meta-data format and content. Where existing
standards are absent or inadequate, this should be documented along with any
proposed solutions or remedies.

•

Policies for sharing the raw- and meta-data with researchers and the public, including
provisions for appropriate protection of privacy, confidentiality, security, intellectual
property, or other rights or requirements (to include but is not limited to securing and
handling Protected Health Information (PHI) and Personally Identifiable Information
(PII)). This may include reference to HIPAA Privacy Rule, de-identification of personally
identifiable information, IRB, and permissions and/or protections of minors and other
sensitive populations as appropriate. To the degree possible, explain factors that may
14 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
affect making the data publicly available. If appropriate, explain the lowest level of
aggregated data that will be shared with others.
•

Plans for archiving the raw- and meta-data, and for ensuring continuous access to them
beyond the project period. Describe physical and virtual resources and/or facilities that
will be used for data preservation. Include any third-party data repositories. Explain
changes to any roles and responsibilities that will occur if the project leaders leave the
applicant organization or project.

A valid data management plan may include only the statement that no detailed plan is needed,
as long as the statement is accompanied by a clear justification.

Subtab 2: Project Partners
SELECTION OF KEY ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERS* (1,000 character limit, including spaces)
An organizational partner is an outside entity that will provide resources (other than money) to
support the project. Because all NEA projects require cost share/matching resources from nonfederal sources, organizations that only provide money are not considered partners. Funders
are not excluded from being partners, but they must also supply human resources or
information capital, or actively participate in another way. If applicable, briefly describe the
process and criteria for the selection of key organizations that will be involved in the project.
Where relevant, describe their involvement in the development of the project to date. Where
they remain to be selected, describe the selection procedures that you plan to follow and the
qualifications that you seek.
•

We aim to make arts-relevant research a shared endeavor (with shared benefits) for
academic researchers, arts practitioners, and other stakeholders. As such, NEA Research
Labs require a partnership between the official applicant organization and a nonprofit
arts organization confirmed at the time of application. The nonprofit arts organization
should be involved in a substantive way in the NEA Research Lab’s development, in
designing research questions, and maybe even conducting the study. It is expected that
the partner would also assist in distribution, outreach, and interpretation of findings.

•

In addition, we strongly encourage applicants to partner with other non-arts or arts
partners from the for-profit or nonprofit sectors with expertise in the proposed research
topic area. We welcome organizations from sectors such as health, business, and
science, and educational entities such as school districts or individual schools.

Description of Primary Organizational Partner:* Include a brief, current description of the
primary organizational partner. For NEA Research Labs applicants, this field is required and
must be related to the primary nonprofit arts partner—the required letter of support for this
partner must be uploaded to Tab 5: Items to Upload.
•
•
•

ORGANIZATION NAME*
PROPOSED or COMMITTED*: Select answer from drop-down
ORGANIZATION TYPE* Select one from the following drop-down options:
o College/University, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions (AANH)
15 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
•

College/University, Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI)
College/University, Historically Black College or University (HBCU)
College/University, Tribal College or University (TCU)
Other College/University
Government - State
Government - Regional
Government - County
Government - Municipal
Government - Tribal
Organization - Arts Nonprofit
Organization - Arts For-Profit
Organization - Other Nonprofit
Organization - Other For-Profit
Correctional Institution
Foundation
Healthcare Facility (e.g., hospital, clinic, or nursing home)
K-12 School/School District
Mass Transit
Military Base
Public Library
Religious Organization
TV or Radio Station or other Media Organization
Other; please specify: __________________

DESCRIPTION OF THE ORGANIZATION*(1,000 characters, including spaces), including
the proposed role in the project. Describe how the mission and experience of the
proposed nonprofit arts partner and the nature of the interdisciplinary collaboration
advance the purposes of the project.

DESCRIPTION OF ADDITIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERS: Include brief, current
descriptions of the key organizational partners. You may include up to 10.
•
•
•

ORGANIZATION NAME
PROPOSED or COMMITTED: Select answer from drop-down
ORGANIZATION TYPE Select one from the following drop-down options:
o College/University, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions (AANH)
o College/University, Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI)
o College/University, Historically Black College or University (HBCU)
o College/University, Tribal College or University (TCU)
o Other College/University
o Government - State
o Government - Regional
o Government - County
o Government - Municipal
16 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
•

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

DESCRIPTION OF THE ORGANIZATION (500 characters, including spaces), including the
proposed role in the project.

Subtab 3: Key Individuals
SELECTION OF KEY INDIVIDUALS* (1,000 character limit, including spaces)
Briefly describe the process and criteria for the selection of key staff (including the project
director), consultants, advisors, artists, designers - anyone who will be a key contributor to the
success of your proposed project, regardless of their organizational affiliation - that will be
involved in this project. Describe how this team of key personnel demonstrates that your
project is interdisciplinary in terms of research expertise, as appropriate. Where relevant,
describe their involvement in the development of the project to date. In addition, include
information about the types of expertise and organizational characteristics you are looking for
in your technical working group (specific names of individuals and their qualifications are not
necessary).
BIOS OF KEY INDIVIDUALS
Include brief, current biographies of the key individuals. You may include up to 5.
• FIRST NAME
• LAST NAME Use this field for artistic group names or single names
• PROPOSED OR COMMITTED? Drop-down, select either “Proposed” or “Committed”.
• BIO. (1,000 character limit, including spaces)
Briefly describe the qualifications, roles, responsibilities, and percent of time to be
devoted to the project for key personnel. Identify if the personnel will be involved with
human subjects research and/or human subjects data (certificates of training in ethics
for human subjects research are requested as a special attachment). Include, as
appropriate: education; professional experience and honors; selected peer-review and
non-peer review publications, including manuscripts in preparation or under review;
17 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
history of ongoing and completed research support, including sources of support; and
research skills, particularly those that are relevant for the proposed project. Include
affiliations within the past year and through the following year.

Subtab 4: Additional Project Details
PROPOSED PROJECT START DATE/END DATE
Calendar selections: PROJECT START DATE: MM-DD-YYYY*
PROJECT END DATE: MM-DD-YYYY*
Enter the beginning and ending dates for your requested period of performance, i.e., the span
of time necessary to plan, execute, and close out your proposed project. The start date should
be the first day of the month, and the end date should be the last day of the month. Our
support of a project may start on or after January 1, 2024. The period of performance is a
minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 24 months. Your budget should include only the
activities and costs incurred during the requested period of performance. The dates you enter
here will be used in the review of your application.
PROMOTION & PUBLICITY* (1,000 character limit, including spaces)
Provide your plans for the dissemination of ideas, information, findings, raw- and or meta-data,
research products or tools related to the selected topic area. Describe the format of the
products, including any novel and/or creative communication strategies, and taking into
account the national scope of the project and its audience, and propose a timeline for their
release. Include at least one public-facing event or product, such as hosting a convening or
releasing a toolkit. Also include your vision for your NEA web presence--a website is required,
however, other strategies for engaging social media are also welcome. Describe how your NEA
Research Lab will engage with other entities conducting research or practice in the selected
topic area.
SCHEDULE OF KEY PROJECT DATES* (1,500 character limit, including spaces)
Describe key project planning and implementation dates, including the projected release dates
of products. Include proposed time frames for the technical working group to respond to tasks
and material that need their review and approval. Distinguish between studies or related
projects that could occur during the period of performance (the base year/s), and any studies or
related projects that might occur in subsequent years, were the award to be renewed. Costs
incurred prior to January 1, 2024, cannot be included in the project budget. If you include
activities that occur before January 1, 2024, in the schedule make sure that those activities and
costs are not included on the Project Budget form.
PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT* (1,000 character limit, including spaces)
How do you define and how will you measure success from your project? Include plans to
ensure fidelity of the data collection and program/therapy implementation through routine
monitoring and oversight, as appropriate. Include plans for documenting and disseminating the
project results, as appropriate.
18 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
ENGAGEMENT WITH INTENDED COMMUNITY, PARTICIPANTS & AUDIENCE* (2,000 character
limit, including spaces)
Describe the intended communities, participants, or audiences involved in the project activities,
and how they will benefit. Clearly explain how you will engage these groups. Include the
demographics of your intended communities, participants and/or audiences.
Where applicable, describe how this project will engage individuals whose opportunities to
experience the arts have been limited by factors such as their geography, race or ethnicity,
economic status, and/or disability.
Where applicable, include how you will involve and accommodate people with disabilities (as
artists, performers, teaching artists, students, participants, staff, and/or audiences) in the
planning, creation, and/or implementation of your project activities.
As a reminder, in the federal-funding context, a focus on a particular group or demographic
may be permissible, but exclusion is not. Please review the Assurance of Compliance, as well as
NEA Civil Rights guidance on our website including the NEA Civil Rights webinar, Things to Know
Before You Apply: Federal Civil Rights and Your Grants Application.

Tab 4: Project Budget
NOTE: Organizations cannot receive more than one NEA award for the same expenses. This
budget cannot include project costs that are supported by any other federal funds or their cost
share/match, including costs that may be included in applications submitted, or awards
received, by partner organizations or presenters.

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

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

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

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
•

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

Project Budget Guidance
Applicants may request between $100,000 and $200,000.
Applicants are required to demonstrate a minimum 1:1 non-federal Cost Share/Match. For
example, if you are requesting the lowest amount of $100,000, you must show a minimum of
$100,000 in Cost Share/Matching, and your total project expenses must be at least $200,000.
Cost Share/Matching funds do not need to be secured at the time of application, but you will be
asked to provide anticipated sources in the Project Income section of the project budget. Cost
Share/Match may be cash, documented in-kind contributions, or a combination of both.
The costs included in your project budget should align with your proposed activities, and only
include activities and associated costs that will be incurred during the "Period of Performance,"
i.e., the span of time necessary to plan, execute, and close out your proposed project. Any costs
incurred before or after those dates will be removed. Be as specific as possible.
All items in your budget, whether supported by NEA funds or your cost share/matching funds,
must be reasonable, necessary to accomplish project objectives, and allowable in terms of the
NEA’s General Terms and Conditions.
Applicants whose projects are recommended for grants will be asked to provide an updated
project budget.
NOTE: Organizations cannot receive more than one National Endowment for the Arts grant for
the same expenses. This budget cannot include project costs that are supported by any other
federal funds or their cost share/match, including costs that may be included in applications
submitted, or grants received, by partner organizations or presenters.

Visible on Both Subtabs
TOP OF PAGE: AMOUNT REQUESTED FROM THE NEA*
Enter the grant amount you are requesting between $100,000 to $200,000.
BOTTOM OF PAGE: PROJECT EXPENSES/INCOME SUMMARY TABLE
At the bottom of the project budget form, the totals from each subtab will automatically
populate in a summary table. Remember: your final total project income must equal your total
project costs/expenses. Refer to this summary table to confirm these sections are equal before
submitting your application.

20 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
BOTTOM OF PAGE: ADDITIONAL PROJECT BUDGET NOTES (OPTIONAL) (750 character limit,
including spaces)
Provide information to clarify any line item included in the project budget, or to provide further
details on the scope of your project budget.

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

DIRECT COSTS

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

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

•

Salaries and wages for performers and related, or supporting personnel must be
estimated at rates no less than the prevailing minimum compensation as required by
the Department of Labor Regulations. (See Legal Requirements for details.)

NOTE: Only Salaries/wages/fringe benefits associated with managing the project or fundraising
the minimum required cost share/match for the project are allowable. General fundraising for
the organization or for other projects is not allowable.
FRINGE BENEFITS
Costs other than wages or salary that are attributable to an employee, as in the form of
pension, insurance, vacation and sick leave, etc. They may be included here only if they are not
included as indirect costs.

21 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
DIRECT COSTS: Travel
Travel costs must be estimated according to the applicant's established travel practice,
providing that the travel cost is reasonable and does not exceed the cost of air coach
accommodations.
•

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

•

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

•

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

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

Artist fees (if paid on a fee and not salary basis), consultant fees, and contractual
services
o Artist fees may include, but are not limited to, compensation for: the creation of
new work, the presentation of new or existing work, educational activities,
community engagement, and travel/stipends/subsistence (if not already included
under Direct Costs: Travel).
 List the fees paid to each artist/artistic group separately where possible.
o List consultant and artist fees or contracts for professional services on consecutive
lines; do not scatter them throughout the list.
o Specify the number of persons, the service being provided, and the applicable fee,
rate, or amount of each.
o If you engage in contracts of more than $15,000, identify the item or service and its
relation to the project. For contracts of $15,000 or more in total, provide a
breakdown of items or services in the Additional Project Budget Notes section, or in
your Project Description.
o For procurement requirements related to contracts and consultants, see 2 CFR
200.317-327.

•

Production/technical costs

•

Promotion, marketing, and outreach

•

Acquisition fees, rights

•

Evaluation and assessment fees

•

Telephone, photocopying, and postage

•

Supplies and materials
22 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
•

Publication, distribution, and translation

•

Transportation of items other than personnel

•

Access accommodations (e.g., audio description, sign-language interpretation, closed or
open captioning, large-print brochures/labeling).
o Videos, films, television broadcast projects, and virtual streamed events must be
closed or open captioned, and radio and podcast programs must be transcribed.
Applicants should check with captioning and transcription vendors, as well as
vendors for sign language interpretation and audio description, for cost estimates.
Rental/purchase of equipment
o Clearly identify the rental of equipment versus the purchase of equipment.
o If you intend to purchase any equipment with a unit/item cost of $5,000 or more per
item and that has an estimated useful life of more than one year, you must identify
that item here. Provide a justification for this expenditure either in the Additional
Project Budget Notes section, or in your Project Description.
o Digital computers, mobile devices, or other new technologies are considered
supplies if less than $5,000 per item regardless of the length of useful life.

•

•
•

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

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

23 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
•

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

•

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

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

Please note it is rare for applicants and grantees to the NEA to have an ICRA. This
option is most often relevant to colleges and universities.
Important: You may only use a Research Indirect Cost Rate Agreement for
applications to the NEA’s Office of Research and Analysis.
If you are recommended for an award, the NEA will ask you for a copy of your
federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement.

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

Subtab 2: Project Income
TOTAL COST SHARE/MATCH FOR THIS PROJECT*: The National Endowment for the Arts cannot
support more than 50% of a project’s costs, each applicant must obtain at least half the total
project cost from nonfederal sources. For example, if you request a $100,000 grant, your total
project costs must be at least $200,000 and you must provide at least $100,000 toward the
project from nonfederal sources as the cost share/match.
24 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
Cost share/matching funds may be all cash or a combination of cash and in-kind contributions
as detailed below. If your cost share/match includes IN-KIND contributions, you must also
include them as direct costs to balance your budget. Asterisk (*) those funds that are
committed or secured.

APPLICANT CASH

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

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

•

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

THIRD-PARTY IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS

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

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

•

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

25 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2

Tab 5: Items to Upload
Files must be in PDF format, and must adhere to the page limits listed in the instructions
above. Excess pages will be removed as will files that are not in PDF format. Do not include
hyperlinks.
There is one required item that must be uploaded by all applicants: a letter of support from the
nonprofit arts partner.
•

REQUIRED*: Statement of support from your required nonprofit arts partner (no more
than one page in length) reflecting its support for and involvement in the project. If you
have more than one nonprofit arts partner, you can include one letter (no more than
one page in length) from each of those partners. Do not provide a general statement of
support for your organization. The statement should include the name, affiliation,
phone number, and email address of the individual who provided it.

Beyond the required item(s), additional optional items may be uploaded (examples and
supporting documentation related to the data collection and analysis if not already discussed in
other areas of the application). Examples related to the data collection and analysis are limited
to the following types of documentation:
•

OPTIONAL: Evidence that documents your organization’s right to access the data
and/or collect the data specified in your application. (five pages maximum, combine
all materials into ONE PDF file). Include all documentation that applies:
o Evidence that the data are in the public domain.
o Written permission that grants you the right to access the data specified in your
application. The written permission must explicitly identify the holder of the
access and the date of consent, and, if applicable, time restrictions or other
restrictions for accessing the data and the cost of the data.
o Evidence that guarantees that you will have the right to access the dataset(s)
upon purchase. Detail the process that you will use, the date by which you will
purchase the data and secure access rights, and the cost of the data.
o For applicants who include primary data collection as a proposed project activity,
documentation regarding whether or not IRB approval is needed to execute the
project. If the documentation states that IRB approval is required, evidence that
applicants have reached out to their preferred IRB or IRBs. If IRB approval is
needed, then you should begin working with an IRB office as soon as possible. If
you are recommended for an award, you will be expected to submit a
confirmation letter on the status of your IRB submission. If you receive an award,
the NEA may withhold funds until IRB approval is demonstrated.

•

OPTIONAL: Evidence of ethics training in human subjects research protections for each
key personnel involved with primary data collection or analysis of personally identifiable
information from human subjects (combine all materials into ONE PDF file). Evidence
can take the form of an active, unexpired certificate of completion of a training module.
26 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
The NEA does not specify or endorse any specific educational programs. Note: If you
receive an award, the NEA may withhold funds until ethics training is demonstrated.
•

OPTIONAL: Additional examples related to the data collection and analysis (five pages
maximum, combine all materials into ONE PDF file), such as graphic representations of
the framework or model guiding the research project, survey instruments, interview
protocols, sampling design, relevant excerpts from codebooks, and other relevant
information about the data collection and analysis methods. Only include information
that is relevant to the project in this item and that is specifically about data collection
and analysis methods.

The NEA may contact you for documentation of access, IRB status, and ethics training in
human subjects research protections at any time.
Information About Uploaded Items
Your file names must not:
•
•
•

Exceed 100 characters.
Begin with a space, period, hyphen, or underline.
Contain these characters: #%&{}\<>*?/$!‘“:+`=|"@.

When naming your files use the prefix “Training” or “Permission” or “Examples.”
For each item that you upload, you will find a descriptive field into which you will enter the
following information, as appropriate:
Title box:
• Title each item with a unique name.
• Simply state the type of item using the prefix “Training” or “Permission” or “Examples.”
Description box (500 character limit, including spaces)
•

Simply state the type of item.

Files must be in PDF format, and must adhere to the page limits listed in the instructions
above. Excess pages will be removed as will files that are not in PDF format. Do not include
hyperlinks.

27 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2

Tab 6: Organization & Project Data
The National Endowment for the Arts collects basic descriptive information about all applicants
and their projects. The information that follows will help the National Endowment for the Arts
to comply with government reporting requirements, and will be used to develop statistical
information about the organizations and projects it funds to report to Congress and the public.
Your responses will not be shared with panelists or used as a factor in the review of your
application.
APPLICANT ORGANIZATION DISCIPLINE*
Select the primary discipline that is most relevant to your organization. This refers to the
primary artistic emphasis of your organization. Choose one from the following:
• Local Arts Agency
• Presenting &
• Artist Community
Multidisciplinary Work
• Media Arts
• Arts Education
Organization
• Museums
Organization
• Theater
• Music
• Dance
• Visual Arts
• Musical Theater
• Design
• None of the Above
• Opera
• Folk & Traditional
•

Literary Arts

ADDITIONAL APPLICANT ORGANIZATION DISCIPLINE (OPTIONAL): You may select two
additional disciplines for your organization, if relevant.
APPLICANT ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION*
Select a description that most accurately describes your organization. Choose one from the
following:
• Artists' Community,
• Government
• Performance Facility
Arts Institute, or Camp
• Historical Society /
• Performing Group
• Arts Center
Commission
• Presenter / Cultural
• Arts Council / Agency
• Humanities Council /
Series Organization
Agency
• Arts Service
• Religious Organization
Organization
• Independent Press
• School District
• College / University
• Library
• School of the Arts
• Community Service
• Literary Magazine
• Social Service
Organization
• Media-Film
Organization
• Design Organization
• Media-Internet
• Tribal Community
• Fair / Festival
• Media-Radio
• Union / Professional
• Foundation
Association
• Media-Television
• Gallery / Exhibition
• None of the Above
• Museum-Art
Space
• Museum-Other
ADDITIONAL ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION (OPTIONAL): You may select two additional
descriptions for your organization, if relevant.
28 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
PREPAREDNESS PLANS*
Does your organization have a disaster preparedness plan (i.e., plans to handle disasters and
emergencies such as floods, hurricanes, pandemics, and human-made disasters)?
Choose: Yes or No
PROJECT ACTIVITY TYPE*
Select the option that best describes the type of project you are proposing:
• Apprenticeship/Mentorship
• Arts & Health Includes projects that support the delivery of creative arts therapies in
healthcare and non-healthcare settings. Also includes projects that place arts activities
in healthcare settings, and/or that seek to improve service delivery by healthcare
professionals.
• Arts Instruction Includes lessons, classes and other means to teach knowledge of and/or
skills in the arts
• Artwork Creation Includes media arts, design projects, and commissions
• Audience Services (e.g., ticket subsidies)
• Broadcasting via TV, cable, radio, the Web, or other digital networks
• Building Public Awareness Activities designed to increase public understanding of the
arts or to build public support for the arts
• Building International Understanding Includes activities that either bring international
art and/or artists to the U.S. or bring American art and/or artists to other nations
• Concert/Performance/Reading Includes production development
• Curriculum Development/ Implementation Includes design, implementation,
distribution of instructional materials, methods, evaluation criteria, goals, objectives,
etc.
• Distribution of Art (e.g., films, books, prints; do not include broadcasting)
• Equipment Purchase/Lease/Rental
• Exhibition Includes visual arts, media arts, design, and exhibition development
• Fair/Festival
• Identification/Documentation (e.g., for archival or educational purposes)
• Marketing
• Presenting/Touring
• Professional Development/Training Activities enhancing career advancement
• Professional Support: Administrative Includes consultant fees
• Professional Support: Artistic (e.g., artists' fees, payments for artistic services)
• Publication (e.g., books, journals, newsletters, manuals)
• Recording/Filming/Taping (e.g., to extend the audience for a performance through
film/tape audio/video; do not include archival projects)
• Repair/Restoration/Conservation
• Research/Planning Includes program evaluation, strategic planning, and establishing
partnerships
• Residency - School Artist activities in an educational setting
29 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Residency - Other Artist activities in a non-school setting
Seminar/Conference
Student Assessment Includes measurement of student progress toward learning
objectives. Not to be used for program evaluation.
Subgranting – Local Arts Agencies only
Technical Assistance with technical/administrative functions
Web Site/Internet Development Includes the creation or expansion of Web sites,
mobile and tablet applications, the development of digital art collections, interactive
services delivered via the Internet, etc.
Writing About Art/Criticism
None of the above

ADDITIONAL PROJECT ACTIVITY TYPE (OPTIONAL): You may choose up to two additional types
from the above list.
ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP/STAFFING QUESTION (OPTIONAL) (750 characters, including
spaces)
As part of the NEA’s commitment to DEIA, we are interested in learning more about applicants’
organizational structures. How does your organization’s governance and staff reflect the
composition of the community (or communities) served by your organization?
NOTE: This question is optional. Your response will not be seen by panelists evaluating your
application. It is for research purposes only. Your response will not be used in panel
deliberations or in making funding decisions related to grant awards.
PROPOSED BENEFICIARIES OF PROJECT (OPTIONAL)
Select all groups of people that your project intends to serve directly.
NOTE: This question is optional. Your response will not be seen by panelists evaluating your
application. It is for research purposes only. Your response will not be used in panel
deliberations or in making funding decisions related to grant awards.
RACE/ETHNICITY: (Optional, choose all that apply)
U.S. federal government agencies must adhere to standards issued by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) in October 1997, which specify that race and Hispanic
origin (also known as ethnicity) are two separate and distinct concepts. These standards
generally reflect a social definition of race and ethnicity recognized in this country, and they
do not conform to any biological, anthropological, or genetic criteria. Origin can be viewed
as the heritage, nationality group, lineage, or country of birth of the person or the person’s
ancestors before their arrival in the United States.
•
•

No specific racial/ethnic group
American Indian or Alaskan Native - A person having origins in any of the original
peoples of North and South America (including Central America) and who maintains
tribal affiliation or community attachment.
30 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2
•

•
•
•
•

Asian - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East,
Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China,
India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and
Vietnam.
Black or African American - A person having origins in any of the Black racial groups
of Africa.
Hispanic or Latino - People who identify their origin as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish
may be of any race.
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander - A person having origins in any of the
original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
White - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle
East, or North Africa.

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

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

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

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

31 | P a g e

NEA Research Labs

FY24 Application Instructions: Part 2

Submit the Grant Application Form
We strongly urge you to complete and submit the Grant Application Form and upload
materials outside of the hours of heaviest usage, which are generally 8:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.,
Eastern Time, on the day of the deadline. Staff will not be available to help you after 5:30 p.m.,
Eastern Time.
Submit your materials prior to the deadline to give yourself ample time to resolve any problems
that you might encounter. You take a significant risk by waiting until the day of the deadline to
submit.
Step 1: Validate
• To submit your application, you must provide a response to every item denoted with a
red asterisk (*).
• Click the 'Validate' link found at the top right corner of the page.
o Click either 'Validate All' to validate all the tabs or select each link to validate
separately.
o When the Validate button is clicked, the application will search for errors.
o If there are no errors, the 'Validate' link will change to green and each tab will have a
check mark by it.
o To clear validation messages, press the Esc key.
• This feature does not check to be sure that your application is complete. Carefully
review the application instructions to be sure you have submitted each required item.
Step 2: Click Save and Submit
• The “Submit” button is only visible when you are on Tab 6: Organization & Project Data.
• You must click “Save” and then “Submit.” If you do not click the "Submit" button, your
application will not be received.
• After submitting your application, you may log back into the Applicant Portal and make
changes to your submission up until the system closes at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on
the day of the deadline. Click “Save” and “Submit” again when you are finished with any
edits.
Step 3: Confirm Submission
• Ensure that your application was received by logging in to the Applicant Portal. On the
first screen it will say “Submitted” if your application has been received. If your
application has not yet been received, it will say “In Progress.” Maintain documentation
of your successful submission by taking a screenshot.
• You may use the “Print” function in the upper right corner to create a printable version
of your application. You may save this as a separate file by either choosing “Save as
PDF” from your print dialogue box, or by copying and pasting into a separate document.
We strongly recommend that you save a final copy right after you click Submit.
OMB No. 3135-0012 Expires TBD
32 | P a g e