Climate Smart Humanities Organizations | 20230117 CLI

Opportunity Information: Apply for 20230117 CLI

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), through its Office of Challenge Programs, offered the Climate Smart Humanities Organizations grant to help humanities-focused institutions take a serious, organization-wide look at how climate change affects their facilities, operations, and long-term ability to deliver humanities programming. The core purpose of the opportunity is not to fund construction or immediate implementation projects, but to support the upfront work that many organizations struggle to resource: comprehensive assessment and strategic planning that identifies risks, sets clear priorities, and lays out practical steps to both reduce environmental impacts and adapt to changing climate conditions.

Funded projects are expected to produce tangible planning deliverables, such as a climate action plan, an adaptation plan, or similarly detailed assessment documents. These outputs should go beyond general aspirations and include prioritized actions that are measurable, along with the expected outcomes of taking those actions. In other words, NEH was looking for organizations to create a usable roadmap: what needs to be done first, why it matters, how progress will be measured, and what improved resilience will look like for that specific organization.

A central requirement is that proposals clearly explain how this climate-focused strategic planning will strengthen the organization over the long term and protect or enhance its ability to carry out humanities work. That might include planning to reduce threats to collections, archives, historic structures, or digital infrastructure; preparing for disruptions from extreme heat, flooding, storms, wildfire smoke, or power outages; improving operational continuity so programs can continue during emergencies; or reducing energy and resource use in ways that stabilize costs and support sustainability goals. The emphasis is on resilience in service of the humanities mission, tying climate preparedness directly to the organization’s capacity to preserve, interpret, and share humanities resources with the public.

The program is structured as a matching grant, meaning awards are financed through a combination of federal funds and required gifts raised from third-party, non-federal sources. Applicants therefore need to be prepared not only to design a strong planning project, but also to secure or raise the non-federal match consistent with NEH Challenge Program expectations. This match requirement is meant to leverage federal dollars and encourage broader community or philanthropic investment in the organization’s long-term climate readiness.

Eligibility is broad and includes many common humanities stakeholders: state, county, and local governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled colleges and universities; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions). The opportunity was listed as a discretionary grant under CFDA 45.130 (humanities). The funding opportunity number was 20230117-CLI, with an original closing date of January 17, 2023. NEH anticipated making about 25 awards, with a maximum award amount (ceiling) of $300,000 per grant.

• The National Endowment for the Humanities in the humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Climate Smart Humanities Organizations" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 45.130.
• This funding opportunity was created on Oct 20, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 17, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 25 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for 20230117 CLI

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