California Story Fund
Program Overview and Project Requirements
Deadline: April 1, 2009, at noon
Grants of up to $10,000 available
The California Council for the Humanities (CCH) is an independent, nonprofit state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The mission of CCH is to foster understanding between people and encourage their engagement in community life through the public use of the humanities. Our experience has demonstrated that one of the most effective ways to fulfill this mission is to engage Californians in programs that involve the telling and sharing of stories. This strengthens communities by:
- breaking down barriers between people
- making people feel more connected to each other and the place where they live
- giving people a greater understanding of the story of their neighborhood, town and state and their role in that story
- creating a more inclusive community narrative
The Council's belief in the power of stories paved the way for California Stories, our multiyear initiative designed to update the story of California with the stories of today's Californians. The California Story Fund is a part of this initiative, along with the California Documentary Project, How I See It and WeAreCA.org, the Council’s new website on California’s immigration and migration history.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The California Story Fund is a grant program of the California Council for the Humanities. The goal of the program is to encourage Californians from many communities to share their stories, thus promoting greater understanding and appreciation of the richness and complexity of our state. The Council will award grants of up to $10,000 to nonprofit organizations for public humanities programs that bring to light compelling stories from California's diverse communities and provide opportunities for collective reflection and public discussion.
Note: The Council is especially interested in projects that engage California youth in interpreting and reflecting on their experiences through humanities-based programming. Organizations serving youth are strongly encouraged to apply.
Descriptions of previously funded CSF projects can be viewed at www.calhum.org/programs/story_intro.htm.
Please note: The online application for this grant program is now available. All applications must be submitted electronically via the CCH website by noon on April 1, 2009. Application submissions will be accepted from March 2, 2009, until 12 pm, April 1, 2009. No applications will be accepted thereafter.
Who May Apply?
- Applicants must be California tax-exempt organizations or municipal or state agencies.
- Individuals or non-tax exempt groups may apply under an approved fiscal sponsor.
- Applicants who have previously received a CCH grant must be in good standing with CCH.
- Organizations may not submit more than one application per deadline unless acting as a fiscal sponsor.
- Organizations with an open CCH grant are not eligible to apply unless acting as a fiscal sponsor.
Timeline
January 2009: Guidelines available online.
March 2, 2009: Online application available on the CCH website.
February/March 2009: Grant informational webinars. Details will be posted on the CCH website once they become available.
April 1, 2009: Application deadline. All applications must be submitted online by noon to be eligible.
June 2009: Awards announced.
July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010: California Story Fund grant period
We Do Not Fund
- Advocacy on behalf of a cause.
- The creation of promotional pieces.
- Magazine or book publications.
- Media (film, video, radio, new technologies) projects that require more than $50,000 to produce.
- Film/video projects exceeding 30 minutes in length.
- Fundraising projects or expenses.
- Prizes, awards, gifts or scholarships.
PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
California Story Fund projects must:
- Address the mission of the California Council for the Humanities: “To foster understanding between people and encourage their engagement in community life through the public use of the humanities.”
- Use grant funds to identify or collect stories from community members or archives, present and communicate the stories to the general public, and foster public discussion of the meaning and significance of the stories.
- Use one or more of the following formats to present and communicate the stories: art/photography and interpretive exhibit, radio documentary, digital media, dramatic presentation, poetry readings, storytelling events, film festivals, and community conferences. For other eligible formats, check with a CCH programs manager.
- Host at least one face-to-face community event as part of the program that engages people in discussion of the stories and their relevance to the community. Public events should be free or low cost. (See FAQs.)
- Involve at least one humanities advisor in the design and implementation of the project. Projects are strongly encouraged to seek scholars and experts knowledgeable about the subject matter who hold a variety of perspectives. (See FAQs.)
- Document the stories through transcripts, photos, or audio or video recordings that can be archived and made available to the general public. (Copies of documentation must be submitted to CCH upon completion of the project.)
- Match the amount requested from CCH by at least an equivalent amount of cash or in-kind contributions from nonfederal sources. (See FAQs.)
- Not request CCH funds for expenses incurred before July 1, 2009, for proposals submitted for the April 1, 2009, deadline. All project activities must be completed by June 30, 2010.
What are the humanities?
The humanities grow out of an interest in the language, literature, thought and history of humankind. They emphasize analysis, interpretation and exchange of ideas. The humanities include, but are not limited to, the disciplines of history, philosophy, literature, folklore, American studies, women's studies, ethnic studies, languages (both classical and modern), linguistics, comparative religion, ethics, cultural anthropology, jurisprudence, art history, theory, and criticism, and philosophical approaches to the social sciences. These fields are different from the creative expression of the arts or the quantitative explanation of the sciences or social sciences.
Who qualifies as a humanities advisor?
- Academic scholars (individuals with an advanced degree in a humanities discipline or individuals teaching or researching in a scholarly institution, e.g., professors, some curators and librarians)
- Independent scholars (individuals who have researched, written and/or spoken about a humanities topic and are considered experts in their field, e.g., journalists, artists, curators, nonprofessional historians)
- 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)