3135-0112 Research Labs Application Instructions

National Endowment for the Arts
Notice of Funding Opportunity: FY27 Research Labs
Application Instructions
Table of Contents

Click a heading below to jump directly to that section
Research Labs ........................................................................................................................ 3
Apply ................................................................................................................................. 3
Application Calendar ............................................................................................................... 3
Application Part 1: Submit the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short
Organizational Form (SF-424) to Grants.gov ....................................................................... 4
Step 1: Access the Application Package and Create a Workspace ......................................... 4
Step 2: Complete the Form ..................................................................................................... 4
Step 3: Submit the form via Grants.gov’s Workspace ............................................................ 7
Step 4: Confirm Part 1 Application Submission ...................................................................... 7
Application Part 2: Submit the Grant Application Form through the Applicant Portal (AP) .. 8
Step 1: Access the AP .............................................................................................................. 8
Step 2: Fill out the Grant Application Form ............................................................................ 9
Part 1 Application Data Tab ................................................................................................ 9
Organization Info Tab ......................................................................................................... 9
Subtab: Organization Details .......................................................................................... 9
Subtab: Organization Budget .......................................................................................... 9
Subtab: Operating History ............................................................................................ 10
Project Details Tab ............................................................................................................ 11
Subtab: Project Activity................................................................................................. 11
Subtab: Project Partners ............................................................................................... 14
Subtab: Key Individuals ................................................................................................. 15
Subtab: Additional Project Details ................................................................................ 15
Project Budget Tab............................................................................................................ 17
Project Budget Guidance .............................................................................................. 17
Project Budget Form ..................................................................................................... 17
Budget Subtab: Project Expenses ................................................................................. 18
Budget Subtab: Project Income .................................................................................... 22

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Items to Upload Tab.......................................................................................................... 24
Organization & Project Data Tab ...................................................................................... 25
Step 3: Submit the Grant Application Form.......................................................................... 27
Contacts
For questions about application requirements or problems with the NEA Applicant Portal
contact NEA staff at NEAResearchGrants@arts.gov.
Access for individuals with disabilities: Contact accessibility@arts.gov to request an
accommodation or an alternate format of the guidelines at least 2 weeks prior to the
application deadline.
For GRANTS.GOV HELP: 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 them directly at 1-800-518-4726, via email support@grants.gov, or consult the
information posted on the Grants.gov website at Support or Help. The Grants.gov Contact
Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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FY27 Research Labs Instructions

Apply

Research Labs
Apply
PRE-APPLICATION REGISTRATION: Before beginning your application, confirm your required
registrations with Login.gov, SAM, and Grants.gov. All three required registrations must be
active to submit Part 1 of the application through Grants.gov. More information can be found
in the Registration PDF, located in the How to Apply section of the Research Awards webpage.
APPLICATION COMPONENTS:
Part 1: Submit the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form to
Grants.gov. This form collects basic information about your organization. You must successfully
complete Part 1 to have access to Part 2.
Part 2: Submit the Grant Application Form (GAF) through the NEA’s Applicant Portal (AP). The
GAF collects the remainder of your application, including answers to narrative questions about
your organization and project, budget information about your organization and project,
information about key individuals and partners, and special attachments.
NOTE: Grants.gov and the Applicant Portal are separate websites, with different submission
deadlines associated with each part of the application. Check the submission dates found below
and set a calendar reminder for yourself to avoid missing a deadline.
Related Document: RESEARCH LABS PROGRAM GUIDELINES
We reference the Program Guidelines found on the Research Awards webpage in these
instructions; we recommend having both available while preparing your application.

Application Calendar
All deadline times are Eastern time zone (ET). Be sure to double-check the deadline time based
on your time zone. Applicants will not have access to the Applicant Portal prior to the Part 2
dates listed below.
Step

Dates

Part 1: Grants.gov
Submission Deadline
Part 2: NEA Applicant Portal
Opens to Applicants

March 23, 2026
11:59 pm Eastern Time
March 26, 2026
9:00 am Eastern Time

Part 2: NEA Applicant Portal
Submission Deadline

April 2, 2026
11:59 pm Eastern Time

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FY27 Research Labs Instructions

Part 1 Instructions

Application Part 1: Submit the Application for Federal
Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form (SF-424) to
Grants.gov
You will use Grants.gov Workspace to complete Part 1 in Grants.gov.

Step 1: Access the Application Package and Create a Workspace
Review the Grants.gov video tutorial on how to create a Workspace.
1. To access the Research Labs application package:
o On the Research Awards page, go to the How to Apply section.
o Under PART 1 GRANTS.GOV APPLICATION PACKAGES, click the Research Labs link to go
directly to the pre-populated application package on Grants.gov. The package is typically
posted at least one month prior to the Part 1 deadline.
o NOTE: The Research Labs and Research Grants in the Arts application packages are
different. Be sure to use the correct application package – the NEA will not transfer
applications between funding opportunities.
2. The Grants.gov “View Grant Opportunity” screen will open, click the red “Apply” button.
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).
o If the Apply button is grey or you receive a “bad request” error, see instructions on
how to troubleshoot.
3. Create a Workspace application:
o Fill in the Application Filing Name field with your organization name, then
o Click the Create Workspace button.
4. Go to the Manage Workspace page, where you can begin working on the application.

Step 2: Complete the Form
Review the Grants.gov video tutorial on how to complete forms in Workspace. All asterisked
(*) items and yellow fields on this form are required. Do not type in all capital letters. Enter
information directly into the form, do not copy and paste. Due to government restrictions, 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: Automatically filled with the date when you submit Part 1; leave blank.
4. Funding Opportunity Number: Pre-populated.
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FY27 Research Labs Instructions

Part 1 Instructions

5. Applicant Information:
a. Legal Name: Enter 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.)
If you are a parent organization applying on behalf of an eligible independent component,
do not list the name of the independent component here. You will provide that information
in Part 2.
b. Address: Use Street 1 for your organization’s physical street address. This address must
be identical to the physical address shown in your organization’s SAM registration. 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, enter the full 9-digit zip code assigned by the U.S. Postal Service.
The full zip code can be found on the USPS website.
c. Web Address: Provide your organization’s website. This will be used for administrative
purposes only and will not be used in application review. Review the information under
Items to Upload for a list of allowable special attachment types, and instructions on how to
submit them through the Applicant Portal.
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-character number
assigned by the Internal Revenue Service; do not use a Social Security Number or a 12character EIN/TIN number.
f. Organizational UEI: All organizational applicants for federal funds must have a Unique
Entity Identifier (UEI). Enter your entity’s UEI here. You can find your entity’s UEI in your
entity’s System for Award Management (SAM) record. If you cannot locate your entity’s UEI,
contact SAM for assistance. The UEI must match the UEI associated with your entity’s SAM
(System for Award Management) record used in your Grants.gov registration. Otherwise,
Grants.gov will not validate your application and it will be rejected.
g. Congressional District: Enter the number of the Congressional District where the
applicant organization is physically located. It must match with the Congressional District
that shown in the Business Information section of your organization’s SAM record.
Use the following format: 2-character State Abbreviation-3-character District Number. For
example, if your organization is in the 5th Congressional District of California, enter "CA005." If your state/jurisdiction has a single At-Large Representative or Delegate, enter your
2-character state/jurisdiction abbreviation and "-000." For help determining your district, go
to www.house.gov and use the "Find Your Representative" tool.
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FY27 Research Labs Instructions

Part 1 Instructions

6. Project Information:
a. Project Title: Enter “N/A.” Other text entered here will not be used in application review.
b. Project Description: Enter “N/A.” Other text entered here will not be used in application
review.
c. Proposed Project Start Date/End Date: Enter the beginning and ending dates for your
requested period of performance. NEA support may start on or after January 1, 2027.
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.)
8. Primary Contact/Grant Administrator: Provide information for the individual who should be
contacted regarding this application and the administration of an award. For the Telephone
number, use the following format: 000-000-0000. Optional: Select a Prefix (e.g., Ms., Mr.)
If this individual is the same as the Project Director, you may check the "Same as Project
Director" box and not repeat information already provided. 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 repetition.
9. Authorized Representative: Provide information for the Authorized Organization
Representative (AOR) 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 staff such as an Executive Director or Director of Development). Contractors/consultants,
including grant writers, or administrative support staff cannot serve as an AOR. See the NEA’s
General Terms and Conditions for who can serve as an AOR for colleges and universities.
NOTE: By clicking the "I Agree" box at the top of Item 9, this individual will be certifying
compliance on your organization's behalf with statutes outlined in the Assurance of
Compliance and all related NEA regulations, as well as all applicable executive orders, and
that it will maintain records and submit the reports that are necessary to determine its
compliance.
The "Signature of Authorized Representative" and "Date Signed" boxes will be completed by
Grants.gov upon submission.

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FY27 Research Labs Instructions

Part 1 Instructions

Step 3: Submit the form via Grants.gov’s Workspace
The NEA strongly suggests you submit your application well before the deadline to provide time
to resolve any problems. Review the Grants.gov video tutorial on submitting an application in
Workspace.
When you are ready to submit, 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 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, to 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.
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 on the application submission confirmation screen.

Step 4: Confirm Part 1 Application Submission
Verify that the Part 1 application was validated by the Grants.gov system. Take a screenshot
of the validation confirmation for your records. 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 (SF-424) through
Grants.gov will make you ineligible to complete Part 2 of the application.
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, the AOR can 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 Number.

Information about checking Grants.gov application status and a complete list of statuses.
Part 2 of your application will be submitted through the NEA’s Applicant Portal (AP).
Instructions on how to access the portal, including how to find your username and password
can be found on the next page.

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FY27 Research Labs

Part 2 Instructions

Application Part 2: Submit the Grant Application Form
through the Applicant Portal (AP)
Applicants who successfully submit Part 1 by the submission deadline will have access to the
AP for Part 2 during a one-week submission window. For AP technical issues contact NEA staff.

Step 1: Access the AP
The AP is a separate website from Grants.gov. Log on at: https://applicantportal.arts.gov.
•

AP User ID = Grants.gov Tracking Number (Example: GRANT38906754): The Grants.gov
tracking number will appear on a confirmation screen when you submit Part 1.

AP Password = Agency Tracking Number/NEA Application Number (Example: 1425736):
Assigned by the NEA 1-2 business days after you submit Part 1. The AOR may retrieve the
agency tracking number when logged into Grants.gov:
o Under Grant Applications, select Check Application Status.
o Look for your Grants.gov Tracking Number and select Details in the Actions column.
o The Submission Details screen will show your Agency Tracking number/NEA
Application Number.
The AP user ID and password are unique to each application you submit. Do not use tracking
numbers from a different or previous application to log into the AP.
•

TECH TIPS FOR THE APPLICANT PORTAL
The AP User ID and Password can only be used by one person at a time. If multiple people use
the User ID and Password at the same time to work on an application, data will be lost.
Click “Save” and log off if you plan to leave the AP with work in progress. Your session will
deactivate after 30 minutes, which may result in the loss of content.
Browser issues:
•

The AP is best viewed in the following browsers: Chrome 58+, Firefox 54+, or Microsoft
Edge 44+. Cookies and JavaScript may need to be enabled for you to successfully view the
site. You might also need to disable AdBlocker and/or similar software.

•

Many problems can be solved by switching to a different browser. However, you should
only open the AP in one browser at a time.

Character count issues
•

Unseen HTML coding from word processing software may result character counts in the AP
being higher than expected. This is often related to special characters such as ampersands,
quotation marks, apostrophes, and brackets.

•

To strip the HTML, we recommend copying and pasting text into Notepad (if you’re using a
PC) or TextEdit (if you’re using a Mac) before copying it into the AP.

•

Limit character counts by using only one space at the end of sentences, and limiting the
use of tabs.

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FY27 Research Labs

Part 2 Instructions

Step 2: Fill out the Grant Application Form
Application content is collected through the Grant Application Form, using a series of tabs and
subtabs in which applicants will enter text, select from drop-down menus, or upload
attachments. View the Grant Application Form Tutorial for a video walk-through of the AP.
Use this document to prepare your Part 2 responses and material in advance. Each application
question is outlined below. Text fields have character limits noted in parentheses next to the
question. Required items are denoted with an asterisk (*). Do not include hyperlinks, unless
specifically requested in the instructions below. Unsolicited hyperlinks will not be reviewed.
Unless otherwise specified, the information that you provide will be reviewed in accordance
with the Review Criteria found in the Research Labs Program Guidelines (pg. 17). Your
narrative should address each of the "Review Criteria" as relevant to your project.

Part 1 Application Data Tab
Information from Part 1 submission cannot be edited, contact NEA staff if you find errors.

Organization Info Tab
Subtab: Organization Details
LEGAL/IRS NAME*: Enter your organization’s Legal/IRS name. It must match the Organization
name entered in the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form.
POPULAR NAME: If different from the Organization’s Legal/IRS name.
YEAR FOUNDED*: Enter the year your organization began operating.
ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND* (2,500 character limit, including spaces)
Describe your organization’s mission, history, and operations as they relate to research.
Subtab: Organization Budget
The Organization Budget is intended to show your organization’s fiscal activity as it relates to
annual operations. Do not include activity related to a capital campaign. We may request
additional information to clarify an organization’s financial position. The figures you submit are
subject to verification by the NEA. Unaudited figures are acceptable.
Organizational Units: For projects undertaken by a smaller unit of a larger organization (such as
an academic department), submit information for the smaller unit and identify that the budget
is for the smaller unit in the Fiscal Health section.
The Organization Budget is a webform within the AP with the following fields:

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Part 2 Instructions
Most Recently
Completed Fiscal Year

Two Fiscal Years
Prior

Previous Fiscal Year

Fiscal Year End Date
(MM/DD/YYYY)

Calendar Selection*

Calendar Selection*

Calendar Selection*

Total Income

$

$

$

Total Expenses

$

$

$

Operating Surplus/Deficit
(single year)

Autofills

Autofills

Autofills

For each of your organization’s three most recent fiscal years, enter:
• FISCAL YEAR END DATE*
•

TOTAL INCOME*: Enter your organization’s income. Sources may include earned revenues
such as funds received from the sale of goods, services performed, or investments; as well
as contributed funds, such as gifts, grants, loans, and in-kind contributions.

•

TOTAL EXPENSES* Enter your organization’s total operating expenses. Expenses may
include salaries and fees, production/exhibition expenses, services, and administrative
costs.

•

OPERATING SURPLUS/DEFICIT: These fields will automatically populate.

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: Operating History
Submit a representative list of your operating history for five (5) 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.
Your dated entries must show that your organization meets the five-year history of
operations requirement for eligibility:
• Examples must demonstrate your organization’s experience in commissioning and/or
conducting research, and communicating research findings and policy implications
through reports and convenings.
• You may include examples that occurred before the organization received non-profit, taxexempt status.
• If operations were suspended due to the pandemic, you may include examples that
occurred in 2018 or 2019 to meet the five-year requirement. Do not include examples
prior to 2018.
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•

Part 2 Instructions

Organizations that previously operated as a program of another institution may include
operations carried out while part of that institution.

YEAR* (Drop down): Choose the year for each example, with the most recent year first (e.g.,
2025, 2024, etc.).
REPRESENTATIVE EXAMPLES* (1,000 character limit per year, including spaces)
For each representative example, where applicable, include a short description/abstract of the
Title, Work, Event, Program, and/or Research Study; and Key Personnel. Providing information
in bulleted or list form is acceptable. Do not submit this information as a separate attachment.

Project Details Tab
Subtab: Project Activity
PROJECT PURPOSE* (200 character limit, including spaces)
Provide a one-sentence statement that identifies the primary purpose of the project and begins
with “To support”. Example: To support a research agenda and associated studies that will be
designed and implemented by the XYZ Lab.
PROJECT SUMMARY* (500 character limit, including spaces)
Provide two to three short sentences summarizing the major activities of the project. Example:
The Lab will partner with Arts Partner Name to conduct a study examining the effects of ABC on
DEF. Planned products include a public website, and XYZ.
RESEARCH AGENDA TOPIC AREA*: Select the one NEA priority research area (as explained in
the Research Labs Program Guidelines, pg. 5) that best describes your project.
• Arts and Health
• Arts and the Economy
• Arts and Education
RESEARCH STUDY CHARACTERISTICS*: Select the research methods that best describe your
study. Choose all that apply:
• Quantitative
• Qualitative
• Mixed-methods
ARTISTIC DISCIPLINE*: Select the artistic discipline that the research study focuses on. Choose
all that apply:
• Arts Education
• Local Arts Agencies
• Presenting &
Multidisciplinary Works
• Dance
• Museums
• Theater & Musical
• Design & Our Town
• Music
Theater
• Folk & Traditional Arts
• Opera
•
Visual & Media Arts
• Literary Arts
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Part 2 Instructions

PROJECT DESCRIPTION* (25,000 character limit, including spaces)
Note: formatting such as bold, italics, underlining, and bulleting is not allowed in this field. Use
paragraphs to organize your text. Do not include weblinks.
If any of the activities related to your proposal are included in another NEA application or
award, include the applicable application or award number, and clearly state that you are not
requesting funding for the same activity.
Include information on plans for accomplishing all aspects of the project 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 capitalized language in the instructions as a
heading for each item.
IMPORTANT: If you do not include all the components listed 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. IMPACT STATEMENT. In one or two sentences, provide a clear understanding of how the
public will benefit directly from this research project.
c. RESEARCH AGENDA AND SIGNIFICANCE. Describe the overall vision for the NEA
Research Lab, its research agenda, and its contribution to arts-related research and/or
practice. This should include short- and long-term project objectives and brief
descriptions of studies and activities to be conducted during the initial period of
performance. Describe the appropriateness and interdisciplinary nature of the NEA
Research Lab team how the research agenda is informed by extant literature, as
appropriate. Include any potential plans to continue activities beyond the conclusion of
the initial award’s period of performance. Strong justification for the research activities
should be presented beyond restating that the NEA is interested in such activities.
d. DESCRIPTION OF THE KEYSTONE STUDY. Provide a clear and detailed plan for a
“keystone” study to be conducted and completed during the initial period of
performance. Describe and give justification for the research design, data sources, and
analytical approach to each research question.
e. 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 AND MANAGEMENT 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 to the dataset/s; do not

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Part 2 Instructions

include images or links in the text box.
• Evidence that the data are in the public domain.
•

Steps you will take to obtain access to any pre-existing data or data collected outside your
NEA research application activities.

•

For projects that include primary data collection as a proposed project activity under the
NEA research application, describe plans and/or status for both Institutional Review Board
(IRB) and ethics training on human subjects research protections, as outlined below:
o Explain your plans or status for IRB approval. If IRB is needed and not yet approved,
indicate the measures you have taken or plan on taking to gain IRB approval. 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 provided to us.
o Explain your plans or status for completing ethics training on human subject research
protections. If you are recommended for an award, you will be expected to submit
active, unexpired certificates of a completion of a training module for ALL key
personnel involved with primary data collection/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 provided to us.

Describe your organization’s plan to manage the data generated or used by the project. This
includes any plans for sharing data with other researchers and the public and the timeline for
public release. Data management plans should address:
• Types of raw data (e.g., results of data collection) and meta-data (e.g., data collection
instruments, codebooks) used or produced for 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 to ensure responsible conduct of research and use of research data. To the
degree possible, explain factors that may 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—including,
where known, specific names of platforms or proposed platforms. Explain changes to any
roles and responsibilities that will occur if the project leaders leave the applicant
organization or project.
A valid data access and/or management plan may include only the statement that no detailed
plan is needed, as long as the statement is accompanied by a clear justification.
•

The NEA strongly encourages grant recipients, as appropriate, to deposit raw data and code in
publicly accessible repositories for use by other researchers.
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Part 2 Instructions

Subtab: 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 resources from non-federal
sources, organizations that only provide money are not considered partners. For projects
involving primary data collection, applicants should list any partner organizations that may be
providing access to the populations being studied. If you have no organizational partners, enter
N/A in this text field.
If applicable, briefly describe the process and criteria for the selection of key organizations
that are or will be involved in the project. If partners are not yet selected or confirmed,
describe the selection procedures you plan to follow and the qualifications you seek.
The NEA Research Labs program requires a confirmed partnership at the time of application
between the lead applicant organization and at least one external “arts partner,” defined as
either (a) an arts organization or (b) working artist(s).) If your required arts partner is an
organization, include information on that partner in this section.
DESCRIPTION OF KEY ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERS: Include brief, current descriptions of the
key organizational partners. You may include up to five (5).
•
•
•

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
o Government - Tribal
o Organization - Arts Nonprofit
o Organization - Arts For-Profit
o Organization - Other Nonprofit
o Organization - Other For-Profit
o Correctional Institution
o Foundation
o Healthcare Facility (e.g., hospital, clinic, or nursing home)
o K-12 School/School District
o Mass Transit
o Military Base

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o
o
o
o
•

Part 2 Instructions

Public Library
Religious Organization
TV or Radio Station or other Media Organization
Other

DESCRIPTION OF THE ORGANIZATION (500 characters, including spaces, per partner),
including the organization’s planned role in the project.

Subtab: 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, artists, etc. who are or will be involved in this project. Describe the
interdisciplinary nature of the team and on what activities the members will collaborate. Where
relevant, describe the team members’ involvement in the development of the project to date.
The NEA Research Labs program requires a confirmed partnership at the time of application
between the lead applicant organization and at least one external “arts partner,” defined as
either (a) an arts organization or (b) working artist(s). If your arts partner is a working artist,
include information on that partner in this section.
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). If any key individuals are not yet selected or confirmed,
describe the selection process you plan to follow and the qualifications you seek.
BIOS OF KEY INDIVIDUALS*: Include up to five (5) current biographies of the key individuals,
including the project director. At least one (1) bio of a key individual is required.
• 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* (1,500 character limit, including spaces)
Describe the qualifications, roles, responsibilities, and percent of time to be devoted to
the project for key personnel. Indicate if the personnel will be involved with human
subjects research and/or human subjects data. Include, as appropriate: education;
professional experience and honors; selected publications and other works; history of
ongoing and completed research support, including sources of support; and research
skills, particularly those relevant for the proposed project. Include organizational
affiliations within the past year and through the following year.
Subtab: Additional Project Details
PROPOSED PROJECT START DATE*/END DATE* (Calendar selections): MM/DD/YYYY
NEA support of a project may start on or after January 1, 2027.
Enter the beginning and ending dates for your period of performance, i.e., the span of time
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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. These dates will
be used in application review.
Grants may cover a period of performance of up to three years. Your project budget should
include only the activities and costs incurred during the period of performance identified here.
Do not include costs related to a renewal award period of performance.
SCHEDULE OF KEY PROJECT DATES* (1,500 character limit, including spaces)
Describe the significant dates in the project. If you include activities that occur before January
1, 2027 in the schedule, do not include those costs on the Project Budget form.
PROMOTION & PUBLICITY* (1,500 character limit, including spaces)
Provide plans to make all resulting research papers, presentations, and other products
accessible to the public—including, as relevant, to researchers and/or practitioners in the arts
and other domains—through various distribution channels and modes. Describe the format of
the products, including any novel and/or creative communication strategies that account for
the national scope of the project and its audience, and propose a timeline for the products’
release. Also include aa plan for your required NEA Lab website and any strategies for engaging
the public, including through social media. Describe partnerships, if any, for distributing the
results. For projects that include the development of new arts interventions and/or research
tools or models, describe the potential for scalability of the project, and—if applicable—how
the work-products or results may stimulate changes in arts practice. Describe how your NEA
Research Lab will engage with other entities conducting research or practice in the selected
topic area.
PRODUCTS
Research Labs recipients will be required to submit a 15-30-page research paper of publishable
quality at the end of the grant period, and a link to the required NEA Research Lab website.
Optional additional products are also welcome. Select any optional products that you aim to
complete during the initial period of performance:
• Publication of articles in academic journals, including peer-reviewed journals.
• Publication of content outside academic journals (e.g., books, reports, guides, white
papers, toolkits, curricula, patents, etc.)
• Presentations at meetings, conferences, or workshops.
• Development of a new database or code to be made available to other researchers or the
public.
PERFORMANCE MONITORING* (1,000 character limit, including spaces)
Describe proposed strategies to document progress and success of the project. This includes
any milestones that the organization plans to achieve both during the project and beyond the
period of performance. This element also includes quality control measures and the routine
monitoring and oversight of project activities.

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ENGAGEMENT WITH INTENDED COMMUNITIES, PARTICIPANTS & AUDIENCES* (1,500
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.
NOTE: As a reminder, in the federal-funding context, a focus on a particular group or
demographic may be permissible, but exclusion is not. This extends to hiring practices, artist
selection processes, and audience engagement. The NEA recognizes that selection criteria in
research projects that focus on specific populations are warranted where nondiscriminatory
justifications establish that such criteria are appropriate for the scientific study design and/or
the purpose of the research. Therefore, federal funding for research projects with a focus on a
particular group or demographic may be permissible. For additional guidance regarding how
this applies to the NEA grant program, contact NEA staff. Review the Assurance of Compliance.

Project Budget Tab
Project Budget Guidance
Use the fillable Research Labs project budget template to prepare your project budget in
advance. DO NOT UPLOAD THE TEMPLATE TO THE AP. You must complete the project budget
webform within the AP for your application to be accepted for review.
Applicants must provide a minimum 1:1 non-federal cost share. For example, if you are
requesting the lowest funding amount of $100,000, you must show a minimum of $100,000 in
cost share funds, and your total project expenses must be at least $200,000.
All items in your budget, whether supported by NEA funds or your cost share funds, must be
reasonable, necessary to accomplish project objectives, allowable in terms of the NEA’s General
Terms and Conditions, allocable to your proposed activities, and occur during the Period of
Performance (period of support) entered in the Additional Project Details tab. Organizations
cannot receive more than one NEA award for the same expenses/activities. Do not include
project costs supported by any other federal funds or their cost share, including costs that are
part of applications or grants by partner organizations.
Project Budget Form
The project budget form will auto-calculate each section and overall totals. The number of lines
available in each section is static – you cannot add additional lines. Applicants recommended
for funding will be asked to provide an updated project budget and scope based on the
recommended award amount. Review “We Do Not Fund” (Labs Program Guidelines, pg. 7)
before completing your budget.
AMOUNT REQUESTED FROM THE NEA*: Enter an amount between $100,000 and $300,000.
PROJECT EXPENSES/INCOME SUMMARY TABLE: The table will automatically populate with
totals for each section of the project budget. Refer to this summary table to confirm that your
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total income and total costs/expenses are equal. The table includes:
• Amount Requested from the NEA
• Total Cost Share for this project: Total Cash + Total In-Kind
• Total Project Income: Total Cost Share + Amount Requested from NEA
• Total Project Costs/Expenses: Total Direct Costs + Total Indirect Costs
ADDITIONAL PROJECT BUDGET NOTES (OPTIONAL) (750 character limit, including spaces)
Provide information to clarify any line item in the project budget, or to provide further details
on the scope of your project budget. Note any other NEA awards or applications that might
overlap with the proposed project, include relevant application/award numbers.
Budget Subtab: Project Expenses
Project expenses must include costs covered by both NEA funds and the Cost Share. All activity
funded with NEA funds or cost share funds must take place in the US or US jurisdictions.

DIRECT COSTS

Costs directly identified for the project and incurred during the period of performance. Include
third-party in-kind contributions as expenses to ensure allowability.
DIRECT COSTS: Salaries and Wages
Direct Costs Salaries and Wages covers compensation for administrative and artistic personnel
paid on a salary basis. List key staff positions for the project. Combine similar job functions if
necessary. Contractual personnel and artists paid on a fee/stipend basis should be included 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 allocable to the project annually, and the dollar amount
of the salary allocated to the project budget.
Title and/or Type of
Personnel

Fringe Benefits
($ Amount)
Total Salaries and
Fringe Benefits

Number of
Personnel

Annual or Avg
Salary Range

% of time devoted to
the project annually

Total Salaries and Wages

$ Amount

$

$

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Salaries and Wages dollar amounts must be prorated for the length of your Period of
Performance entered in the Additional Project Details tab. For example:
• A project with a 6-month period of performance: a person with a $50,000 annual salary
working on the project for 100% of their time, enter a total dollar amount of $25,000.
• A project with a period of performance that exceeds 1 year: multiply the salary figures
accordingly. For example, on a project with a 24-month period of performance, a person
with a $50,000 annual salary working on a project for 100% of their time, the total dollar
amount allocated to the project would be $100,000.
Enter an amount for 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 not included as indirect costs.
Salaries and wages must be estimated at rates no less than the prevailing minimum
compensation as required by the Department of Labor Regulations (see Legal Requirements.)
Development and/or fundraising costs are only allowable if they are associated with managing
the project or fundraising for the required project cost share. All other development and/or
general fundraising costs are not allowable.
DIRECT COSTS: Travel
Enter the number of travelers, the geographic locations they will be travelling from and to, and
the dollar amount for each.
Number of travelers
(20 char. max)

From (location)
(50 char. max)

To (location)
(50 char. max)

$ Amount

Total Travel Expenses

$

Travel costs must be estimated according to the applicant's own written travel policies,
provided that the travel cost is reasonable and does not exceed the cost of air coach
accommodations.
• Include lodging and subsistence costs (e.g., hotels, meals) as part of the "Amount" listed
for each trip, as applicable, unless already included as part of a separate fee.
•

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

•

All international travel included in this budget must be specified by country of origin or
destination and relate to activity outlined in your narrative; conform with government
regulations, including those of the U.S. Treasury Department Office of Foreign Asset
Control; and be booked on a U.S. air-carrier when this service is available. See the General
Terms & Conditions for detailed information.

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DIRECT COSTS: Other
Enter a Description and Dollar Amount for each line item. If needed, group similar items
together on a single line, with only one total cost. Include contractual personnel and artists paid
on a fee/stipend basis here.
Description (100 char. max)

$ Amount

Total Other Expenses

$

Project-related costs may include:
•

•

Artist fees (if paid as a fee/stipend 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 in 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.
o For procurement requirements related to contracts and consultants, see 2 CFR 200.
Production/technical costs

•

Promotion, marketing, and outreach

•

Acquisition fees, rights

•

Evaluation and assessment fees

•

Telephone, photocopying, and postage

•

Supplies and materials. Identify the type of supplies / materials and their purpose. (e.g.,

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“Art supplies,” “Event materials,” etc.)
•

Publication, distribution, and translation

•

Transportation/shipping of items other than personnel (instruments, art, etc.)

•

Access accommodations (e.g., audio description, sign-language interpretation, closed or
open captioning, large-print brochures/labeling, publications in alternate formats).
Applicants should check with vendors for cost estimates.
o Videos, films, television broadcast projects, and virtual streamed events must be
closed or open captioned, and radio and podcast programs must be transcribed.
Rental/purchase of equipment
o Clearly identify equipment rental versus equipment purchase.
o For equipment purchase with a unit/item cost of $10,000 or more and an estimated
useful life of more than one year, identify that item here. Provide justification for the
purchase(s) either in the Additional Project Budget Notes or Project Description.
o Computers, mobile devices, or other new technologies are considered supplies if less
than $10,000 per item regardless of the length of useful life.
o Applications with a budget that includes only costs for equipment rental/purchase and
no other expenses will be marked ineligible.

•

•
•

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. You are not required to include Indirect
Costs in this budget. Indirect Costs are overhead, administrative, or general operating expenses
that are not readily identifiable with, or are difficult to assign to, a specific project. Examples of
Indirect Costs include the expenses associated with operating and maintaining facilities and
equipment, rent, utilities, supplies, and administrative salaries. If you plan to include indirect
costs, please refer to the Indirect Cost Guide for detailed guidance.
Enter the name of the Federal Agency, the percentage Rate (as decimals), and the Base (total
modified direct costs).
Federal Agency (Name; 50 char. max)
Rate Agency (.0000)
Base
Total Indirect Costs

$

Organizations with a federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA): Calculate
Indirect Costs using your federally negotiated NICRA. You may include a rate lower than your
NICRA, if needed. Do not use an expired NICRA.
• Important: If your organization has more than one federally negotiated rate approved in
your NICRA, use the one most relevant to your project activities.

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• Recommended applicants must provide a copy of their NICRA.
Organizations without a federally negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA):
• Option 1: Include reasonable “Overhead and Administrative Costs” as a line item under
the “Direct Costs: Other” section and leave the Indirect Costs section blank.
o Use this option if your organization can easily document the discrete, specific
expenses. Do not double count costs already included separately in your budget.
o The amount must be reasonable and consistent with best practices in financial
management. Do not simply use a percentage of your project budget. You must be
able to document the actual costs included in the line item.
•

Option 2: Enter a de minimis indirect cost rate of up to 15% of your modified total direct
costs in the Indirect Costs section.

Budget Subtab: Project Income
The NEA cannot support more than 50% of a project’s costs; each applicant must contribute at
least half the total project cost from nonfederal sources. For example, for a request of
$100,000, the 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.
Cost share funds may be all cash or a combination of cash and in-kind. If your cost share
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 refers to cash contributions, grants, and revenues that will pay for
your share of the costs in this project. Identify sources.
Enter a Description and Dollar Amount for each cash source.
Description (100 char max)

$ Amount

Total Cash

$0

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 for NEA awards. Do not include any other NEA
or other federal awards in your cost share.
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o You may include grants from your state arts agency, regional arts organization, or local
arts agency as part of your cost share, as long as those grants do not include
subawarded federal funds or funds used as cost share for a federal award. You can
check with the funder to confirm the source of the funding.
•

Applicants with a current federally-negotiated indirect cost rate may use unrecovered
indirect costs as part of the cash cost share. Unrecovered indirect costs generally are used
only by large organizations such as colleges and universities.

THIRD-PARTY IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS

In-kind contributions are third-party donations of goods, facilities, or services used to meet the
cost share requirement for an NEA award (2 CFR 200.1). The use and value of such third-party
contributions must be properly documented.
Enter a Description and Dollar Amount for each in-kind source.
Description (100 char max)

$ Amount

Total In-Kind

$0

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

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Part 2 Instructions

Items to Upload Tab
Files must be in PDF format, and must adhere to the page limits listed in the instructions
below. Excess pages and files not in PDF format will be removed. Do not include hyperlinks.
REQUIRED for all applicants*: A one page statements of support from your external required
arts partner (see Research Labs Program Guidelines pg. XX for a definition of “arts partner.”) If
you have more than one arts partner, you can include an additional one-page letter from each
partner. Do not provide a general statement of support for your organization. The statement
should include the name and affiliation of the individual who provided it.
Additional items related to data collection and analysis may be submitted, if not already
discussed in other areas of the application. Limit your items 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 (5) pages maximum, combine all
materials into ONE PDF file). Include all documentation that applies:
o Evidence that guarantees you will have or that you already have the right to access
existing dataset(s).
o Evidence that your project is already approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB),
such as a confirmation letter from your preferred IRB.
•

OPTIONAL: Additional examples related to the data collection and analysis (five (5)
pages maximum, combine all materials into ONE (1) 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.
TECHNICAL GUIDANCE: AP FILE UPLOAD & DESCRIPTIONS
File Naming: Files may fail to upload if the file name:
• Exceeds 100 characters.
• Begins with a space, period, hyphen, or underline.
• Contains these characters: #%&{}\<>*?/$!‘“:+`=|"@
AP Upload Box: For each item, provide the following information:
• TITLE: State the type of item using the prefix “Training” or “Permission” or “Examples.”
• FILE TYPE: Select “PDF” file type.
• DESCRIPTION (500-character limit, including spaces): Include A brief description including
how the document relates to proposed project.

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Organization & Project Data Tab
The NEA collects basic information about all applicants and their projects to help the NEA
comply with government reporting requirements, and develop statistical information about the
organizations and projects it funds. Your responses will not be shared with panelists or used as
a factor in the review of your application.
APPLICANT ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION*: Select a description that best describes your
organization.
• Artists' Community, Arts
• Historical Society /
• Performance Facility
Institute, or Camp
Commission
• Performing Group
• Arts Center
• Humanities Council /
• Presenter / Cultural
Agency
• Arts Council / Agency
Series Organization
• Arts Service Organization • Independent Press
• Religious Organization
•
Library
• College / University
• School District
• Literary Magazine
• Community Service
• School of the Arts
Organization
• Media-Film
• Social Service
• Design Organization
• Media-Internet
Organization
• Fair / Festival
• Media-Radio
• Tribal Community
• Foundation
• Media-Television
• Union / Professional
Association
• Gallery / Exhibition Space • Museum-Art
• None of the Above
• Government
• Museum-Other
PREPAREDNESS PLANS*: Does your organization have a disaster preparedness plan (i.e., plans
to handle disasters and emergencies such as floods, hurricanes, and pandemics)?
Choose: Yes or No
PROJECT ACTIVITY TYPE*: Select the option that best describes your proposed project:
• Apprenticeship/Mentorship
• Arts & Health Includes creative arts therapies and other arts and health programs.
• Arts Instruction Lessons, classes and other means to teach knowledge of and/or skills in
the arts
• Artwork Creation
• 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 Design, implementation, distribution of
instructional materials, methods, evaluation criteria, goals, objectives, etc.
• Distribution of Art (e.g., films, books, prints; do not include broadcasting)
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Part 2 Instructions

Equipment Purchase/Lease/Rental
Exhibition 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 Program evaluation, strategic planning, and establishing partnerships
Residency - School Artist activities in an educational setting
Residency - Other Artist activities in a non-school setting
Seminar/Conference
Student Assessment 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 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

PROPOSED BENEFICIARIES OF PROJECT (OPTIONAL): Select all groups of people that your
project intends to serve directly.
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): If your project
intends to serve underserved groups/communities, select the factors that limit their
opportunities to experience or participate in arts programming:
•
•
•
•

Geography
Economic Status
Ethnicity
Disability

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Part 2 Instructions

Step 3: Submit the Grant Application Form
We 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 pm to 11:59 pm, Eastern
Time, on the day of the deadline. Staff will not be available to help you after 5:30 pm, Eastern
Time.
Submit your materials prior to the deadline to give yourself ample time to resolve any
problems. You take a significant risk by waiting until the day of the deadline to submit.
Step 1: Validate
• To submit your application, provide a response to every item denoted in the AP with an
asterisk (*).
• Click the “Validate” link found at the top right corner of the page to search for errors.
o Each tab with no errors will have a check mark by it.
o To clear validation messages, press the Esc key.
• This feature does not check that your application is complete. 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 the Organization & Project Data tab.
• If you do not click the "Submit" button, your application will not be received.
• After submitting your application, you may log back into the AP and make changes until
the system closes at 11:59 pm, Eastern Time, on the day of the deadline. Click “Save” and
“Submit” again to save any edits.
Step 3: Confirm Submission
• Ensure that your application was received by logging in to the AP. 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.
• Use the “Print” function in the upper right corner to create a printable version of your
application. Save a final copy for your records by choosing “Save as PDF” from your print
dialogue box.
ALN No. 45.024
OMB No. 3135-0112 Expires TBD

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