Maryland Humanities Council

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FAQ

WHAT ARE THE HUMANITIES?
The humanities are academic disciplines which study the human condition, using methods that are largely analytic, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural and social sciences. These include: history; philosophy; languages; literature; ethics; linguistics; archaeology; comparative religion; jurisprudence; the history, theory, and criticism of the arts and architecture; and those aspects of the social sciences employing historical or philosophical approaches. Scholars working in the humanities are sometimes described as "humanists".
WHO ARE SCHOLARS?
Scholars are professional specialists in a given field of the humanities, such as historians, philosophers, poets and writers, and the like, who by training have gained mastery in a discipline. While a scholar need not have an advanced degree in the humanities, he or she should be demonstrably qualified for their assigned role in the proposed project by virtue of education, training and experience.

Humanities experts may be:
  • Academic scholars (individuals with an advanced degree in a humanities discipline or individuals teaching or researching in a scholarly institution, e.g., professor, some curators and librarians)
  • Independent scholars (individuals who have researched, written and/or spoken about a humanities topic and are considered experts int their field, e.g., journalist, artist, curator, nonprofessional historian)
  • Community scholars/culture bearers,(individuals who by virtue of their life experience, training and/or standing in a community carry the knowledge, wisdom, and collective historical records of the group, e.g., tribal or neighborhood elders or practitioners of traditional cultural forms.)
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR A GRANT?
If you can answer ‘yes’ to ALL five of the questions below, you are eligible to apply for a grant.
  1. Is your organization a non profit?
  2. Are the humanities a key component to your project?
  3. Have you involved humanities scholars in the project?
  4. Is there a discussion component?
  5. Do you have matching funds to support project costs?
WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING?
Grant projects should:
  • Reach the general public of Maryland
  • Engage them in discussions about a critical issue or an enriching humanities experience
  • Projects activities must be handicapped accessible
  • Open to the public without regard to race, color, religion, handicap, national origin, sex, disability, or age
WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING?
The Council does not support scholarly symposia directed toward a limited or specialized audience; scholarships, fellowships, or regular course offerings; book publishing; research projects; activities in the creative or performing arts; general operating expenses; construction and/or renovation projects; museum or library acquisitions; direct social action or political advocacy; or fundraising or profit making activities.
HOW CAN MHC HELP YOU?
We can provide assistance by:
  • Identifying prospective scholars or facilitators
    • Conversations on controversial issues have the potential to become heated and degrade into argument. A facilitator — an independent person who can provide assistance and guidance to keep conversations on track and civil — is often useful in a discussion project. During the spring and summer of 2007, the Council will be training facilitators who have a background in the humanities, and we would be happy to recommend one to participate in your project.
  • Suggesting possible partners
  • Offering budget advice
  • MHC also holds grant workshops around Maryland during the year. Please check our website or contact us for more information
WHAT IS A LETTER OF INQUIRY?
A Letter of Inquiry is an abbreviated request for funding that is sent to MHC prior to a request for a Major Grant. The letter briefly outlines the project and the funding request, in enough detail for MHC to determine whether a full proposal should be submitted. Applicants with projects that fit into MHC funding guidelines will be given the opportunity to submit a full proposal. Being requested to submit a full proposal does not guarantee project funding.
CAN I SUBMIT A GRANT IF NOT INVITED TO DO SO AFTER SUBMITTING A LETTER OF INQUIRY?
No, not unless another Letter of Inquiry was submitted that is revised to more closely meet the grant guidelines and criteria.
MUST THE PROGRAM BE FREE TO THE PUBLIC?
MHC believes that funded projects should be free and open to the public. However, small admission or registration fees may be charged if necessary to offset project expenses not covered by grant funds. Such fees cannot result in a profit for the sponsoring organization.
MUST MATCHING FUNDS BE AVAILABLE TO MATCH MHC GRANT FUNDING?
Sponsoring organizations are required to provide financial support for their projects. The matching funds must be at least equal to the grant amount requested from the Council. The matching funds can be made up of cash and other contributions from the sponsoring organization, cash from third parties, in-kind contributions from third parties, or program income. Applicants are encouraged to raise third-party cash as an indication of community interest in their project and to demonstrate a partnership between public and private support.

WHEN WILL GRANT PAYMENTS BE MADE?

Grantees may receive their grant award on an advance or reimbursement basis. Awards totaling $1,200 or less may be advanced in full in one installment. Awards over $1,200 may be advanced for sums that in total are not more than 90% of the total award. The final 10% of all grants over $1,200 will be paid upon receipt of the Final Narrative and Financial Reports.

For awards over $10,000, the MHC may advance the Grantee up to $10,000 for a three-month period. When a Grantee’s cash needs exceed $10,000 for a three-month period, advances will be limited to the Grantee’s anticipated cash expenditures for a thirty-day period.

The Payment Request Form must be filled out and submitted to the MHC by the Grant Administrator to receive grant funds. The Grantee should allow two to three weeks for a check to be issued by the MHC.

All activities that are paid from a MHC grant award must have occurred during the official grant period. The grant period begins on the date specified in the application or the date on which the MHC approves funding for the grant and concludes ninety days following the completion of project activities funded by the MHC.

WHAT ARE THE PROJECT ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS?
Projects activities must be handicapped accessible and open to the public without regard to race, color, religion, handicap, national origin, sex, disability, or age.
WHO DO I CONTACT?
For more information on grants, please contact Lydia Woods at 410-685-0303 or lwoods@mdhc.org.

WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS HAVE YOU FUNDED IN THE PAST?

See the list of MHC awarded grants from past years. Please note that MHC is now focusing on grant categories and criteria that encourage discussions, forums, and other interactive formats using the humanities as the central tools to explore and understand the complexity of an issue.

IS A PROGRAM PREVIOUSLY FUNDED BY MHC ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE REPEAT FUNDING?
No, unless the program has a new target audience.
WILL FUNDING BE PROVIDED FOR K-12 SCHOOL PROGRAMS?
These projects must justify the need for the project, demonstrate a partnership with the public schools, and provide a way to disseminate the results and lessons learned.
WILL MHC FUND ORAL HISTORY PROJECTS?
MHC does not fund projects whose primary purpose is the collection and preservation of oral histories. MHC does encourage the interpretation and dissemination of oral history information to public audiences.
WILL MHC FUND MEDIA PROJECTS?
Only organizations with demonstrated experience within the particular media area (video, radio, website, etc.) may apply. Proposal must include a sample script, treatment, use and distribution plan for the completed project, and specific plan for reaching Maryland audiences. All video and film projects that receive MHC funding must be closed or open captioned, as required by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1974.