Project Guidelines & Eligibility

Project Guidelines and Eligibility

New Grant Requirement: Moving from DUNS Number to Unique Entity ID (UEI)

In accordance with federal government policy, all organizations – including (but not limited to) nonprofit organizations and government entities – must provide a valid Unique Entity ID (UEI) to receive a New Mexico Humanities grant award.

The UEI requirement will replace the DUNS number requirement, effective April 4, 2022. (Note: New NMHC applications will be updated to reflect a place to enter the UEI for the May 2022 grant deadline).

What is an UEI, and why do I need one?
SAM UEIs are federally issued UEIs obtained through SAM.gov, an Entity Validation Service, which independently verifies the uniqueness of an entity by confirming that there is no existing registration for that legal business name and address. This ensures that SAM UEIs are unique.

As a recipient of federal funding through the National Endowment for the Humanities, the New Mexico Humanities Council must require its grantees to provide a SAM UEI.

Is an UEI the same as a DUNS number, Tax ID, or FEIN?
No it is not. The FEIN or Tax ID number relates to federal tax-exempt status. The SAM UEI is for identification of unique entities.

Who Needs an UEI?
If you are applying for an NMHC grant then your organization will need one. All organizations – including (but not limited to) nonprofit organizations and government entities – must have a UEI to receive a New Mexico Humanities Council grant award.

How Does My Organization Get a UEI?
Request a UEI via SAM.gov.

What Information Will I Need to Provide?
(subject to change)

Legal name of organization
Physical address (and PO box if you have one)
Telephone number
Web address
Name of the authorizing official (e.g., president, director, etc.)
The purpose of your organization.

Can Anyone Register My Organization?
Not just anyone. Must be an authorizing official (someone who can legally represent the organization) should request the SAM UEI.

How Much Does it Cost?
There is no fee.

Please check out these guides for more guidance:
VIDEO (Youtube)

Get an UEI PDF help guide.

Who can apply?

NOTE: Sub-awards are not issued to pass-through entities. Applicants must be directly involved in the management and execution of a project or program.

NMHC is authorized to award grants to private, nonprofit organizations in good standing including institutions of higher education and state, local, and federally recognized Indian tribal governments. Organizations or groups that apply for funding must be constituted for nonprofit purposes, but it is not necessary that they be incorporated or have tax-exempt status. NMHC does not award grants to individuals; they are required to partner with a private, nonprofit organization to serve as sponsor and applicant.

NMHC may award grants with conditions attached. For example, an organization may be required to revise the project budget or address stipulations set by the NMHC board. No disbursal of funds will be authorized until the organization meets these conditions.

Visit our grants management portal to create a profile and begin the screening and application process.

Daisy Patton, Untitled, Cross Pollination Exhibit, 516 ARTS, 2017

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Project Requirements

Projects funded by NMHC must meet the following requirements:

NOTE: Sub-awards are not issued to pass-through entities. Applicants must be directly involved in the management and execution of a project or program.

1) Involvement of Humanities Scholars

Humanities scholars play central roles in all phases of project-planning, presentation, and evaluation. They participate as professional scholars drawing upon their academic expertise. Professional humanities scholars have higher-level training - usually advanced degrees - in a humanities discipline and are active professionally in the humanities as researchers, teachers, writers, or community scholars. The best public humanities programs involve participation by both academic and community, or organic scholars. Community scholars include persons grounded (experienced) in the humanities, acknowledged/recognized by their peers and their communities, to include (but not limited to) community historians, cultural specialists, tradition bearers, and others working in a non-academic setting.

2) Humanities Content

The humanities are central to activities funded by NMHC. Projects focus on one or more of the humanities disciplines, or on applying the methods of the humanities, such as critical thinking, analysis, and interpretation to current social or public policy issues and concerns. Funded projects might include components that do not involve the humanities, provided they are subordinate to activities that do use the humanities.

3) Balance of Viewpoints

Projects provide a balanced treatment of different viewpoints, especially projects dealing with controversial contemporary issues. Projects are required to avoid advocacy and bias in their overall design.

4) Public Audiences

Projects involve and address out-of-school adults and families as their primary audience. These may include specific audiences such as professional, civic, ethnic, and community groups, but events must be open to the public. Planned events and activities offer opportunities for audience engagement. Publicity is targeted to the intended audience and may include community flyers or mailers, social media and press releases to diverse media.

5) Cost Sharing

Project budget must show a minimum 1:1 match of funds requested provided by the Sponsor Organization through matching cash, in-kind donations (services, goods or volunteers’ time), third-party cash or project income.

Funding Exclusions

NMHC policies and guidelines exclude grant funding for the following types of projects, activities and costs:

• “Bricks and mortar” projects such as construction, renovation, or preservation.

• Museum or library acquisitions.

• Fundraising events or events intended to make a profit.

• Curriculum development.

• Classroom presentations or “how to” workshops without humanities discussions.

• Traditional courses for college credit.

• Fellowships or scholarships.

• Research, except as preparation for an NMHC public grant program.

• Broadcast quality film or video projects, unless an integral part of another project, e.g., a video as part of an exhibit or oral history project.

• Fine or performing arts programs, with the exception of programs in conjunction with humanities elements (such as history, theory, criticism).

• Publications, unless directly linked to NMHC public grant programs, such as a gallery guide or interpretive program notes. Publications funded through NMHC awards may not contain solicitations of funds.

• Advocacy or direct action programs.

• Projects which promote only one point of view or one course of action.

• The continuation of existing humanities programs that are a regular part of an organization’s activities.

• Professional conference events intended solely for those registered at the conference; conference events open and accessible to the general public may be considered for funding.

• Staff positions unrelated to NMHC grant programs.

• Salaries and/or Professional Development, with the exception of the $350 in honoraria per speaker for a single public event.

• Costs of meals and refreshments, with the exception of per diem expenses for scholars or others who must travel from out of town to participate in the project and stay overnight (see current rate in online application).

• Out of state advertising or publicity costs.

• International travel that does not comply with the Fly America Act: https://www.gsa.gov/policy-regulations/policy/travel-management-policy/fly-america-act

Required Project Personnel

Project Director - the person who directs the planning, implementation, completion, and evaluation of project activities and events. The project director is the primary contact for the project and bears responsibility for preparing and submitting the reports to NMHC. The project director receives all correspondence from the Council.

Fiscal Agent - a person, other than the project director, with the authority to represent the Sponsor Organization. This person signs the application with the understanding that he/she is certifying to NMHC that the Sponsor Organization is eligible to receive Federal funds and will comply with applicable Federal law if funds are awarded. The Instructions for Certification included in these Guidelines explain what this involves. This person must co-sign agreements and requests for payment with the Project Director. He/she will accept fiscal responsibility on behalf of the Sponsor Organization and will file reports if the Project Director cannot.

Humanities scholar(s) - individuals with specialized competence or training in one or more of the humanities disciplines, usually reflected in advanced degrees. Humanities scholars may also include community and tribal elders and historians, cultural specialists, tradition bearers, self-trained humanists, and other humanists working in a non-academic setting who can bring consideration of the humanities to bear on civic and community life.

Evaluator – an independent evaluator (someone with separation from the Sponsor Organization, project goals and objectives and who is not a participant) is required on all NMHC-funded projects. Evaluators are required to attend programs and assess the program’s effectiveness related to the criteria outlined in the submitted Application.

**Changes in any of the above personnel after submission of application
requires written notification**

**Please note that this list of required personnel does not apply to the Archaeology Education quick grants.**