PENNSYLVANIA
HUMANITIES COUNCIL
CIVIC ENAGEMENT GRANT GUIDELINES
Spring 2015
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2
2. About the Pennsylvania Humanities Council
2
3. Partnership with Orton Family Foundation
3
4. Award details
4
5. Projects
4
6. Eligibility
6
7. Timeline
7
8. Review Criteria
8
9. Letter of Inquiry (LOI) Form
9
Pennsylvania Humanities Council
Civic Engagement Grant Guidelines
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1. Introduction
The Pennsylvania Humanities Council (PHC) invites applications for grants to fund community
planning and development projects that will employ a humanities-based civic engagement
approach called Community Heart & Soul. In addition to funding, grantees will receive guidance
from PHC and its partner, the Orton Family Foundation, which developed Heart & Soul.
2. About the Pennsylvania Humanities Council
For the last 40 years, PHC has championed the humanities through advocacy, original
programming, and humanities grants throughout the Commonwealth. We are a non-profit
organization and a federal-state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Our
annual budget of $1.3 million is funded in part by the NEH through the Federal/State
Partnership Office, with additional funding from generous individuals, foundations,
corporations, and government agencies.
At PHC, we embrace a broad and practical definition of the humanities:
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We recognize that the humanities develop essential thinking and social skills through
history, arts, culture, literature, and conversation, helping us make sense of the world
we live in.
We know that the humanities can help people of diverse background and experiences
build common understanding.
And, we see the humanities as a powerful tool of civic engagement—a uniting force that
can bring people together to have an impact on their neighborhoods, cities, and towns.
At PHC, our mission is to build and lead a vibrant network of individuals, organizations, and
communities that champions the humanities and empowers Pennsylvanians to think critically,
grow, and engage in their communities.
PHC programmatic priorities are:
 Local civic engagement which uses the humanities to address issues important to
Pennsylvanian communities through open and inclusive dialogue;
 Educational endeavors that engage a wide range of Pennsylvanians in the humanities to
build essential 21st century life and work skills
PHC is committed to increasing the capacity of program partners to provide rich humanities
experiences to their communities and developing partnerships and relationships that generate
more resources for humanities initiatives that lead to stronger policies supporting humanities
education. The projects and programs we support demonstrate this pledge.
For more about the PHC and our work, visit www.pahumanities.org.
Civic Engagement Initiative
In 2013, PHC rethought its grant making strategy. Board and staff explored the value of the
humanities to the people of Pennsylvania and how best to support residents, organizations, and
communities given finite funds.
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It became clear that Pennsylvanians, like the world, were facing complex challenges that
threatened the viability of towns all over the state. Communities were struggling to address
issues including a lack of resources and jobs and a disparity of educational opportunities, while
also dealing with rapidly shifting demographics. PHC saw the need to support engagement
projects that invite residents to better understand challenges in their community and identify
solutions that lead to growth. We firmly believe the humanities can enable people to develop
multi-faceted, empathetic, and informed perspectives and address the problems they face
despite political and socio-economic divisions. We seek to empower Pennsylvanians in doing so.
3. Partnership with Orton Family Foundation
In 2015, PHC began a partnership with the Orton Family Foundation to bring Community Heart
& Soul, a resident-driven approach to community planning and development to Pennsylvania for
the first time. Our partnership with the Foundation is built on the shared belief that residents
hold the key to meeting their toughest challenges and meeting those challenges involves
actively listening to what people value most about the communities in which they live. The
“heart and soul” of Heart & Soul is the humanities; central to the method is gathering stories or
histories of the people and places that make up a community.
Orton, headquartered in Vermont and formed in 1995 by Lyman Orton and Noel Fritzinger,
supports efforts that empower people to shape the future of their communities by improving
local decision-making, creating a shared sense of belonging, and ultimately strengthening the
social, cultural, and economic vibrancy of each place. Orton created Community Heart & Soul as
an extension of this mission to help residents in small cities and towns meet the challenges of
planning for the future.
Orton has worked for 10 years with communities across the
country to develop an effective process for community
planning and improvement, thinking out steps leading to
transformative decision-making. During the four-step
Community Heart & Soul process residents work together to
lay the groundwork for a project, explore their community
through storytelling events, mine data to make decisions
and take action to improve their communities.
Individuals come together to participate in storytelling
activities by sharing personal experiences and exploring the
“heart and soul” of each place. This has been done through
art projects, gathering oral or written histories, interviewing residents, conducting open-forum
discussions, and organizing unique theater projects. Compiling the stories and analyzing the data
is an important first step toward building a set of community values that lead to further
discussion of issues, opportunities, and challenges. Translating these into action has been a
powerful experience for many communities, producing new civic collaborations that have
resulted in revitalization efforts, Main Street expansions, building projects, and
intergenerational programs.
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4. Award Details
Funding
PHC will offer civic engagement grants up to $25,000 to two or more groups or organizations in
Pennsylvania interested in enhancing the “heart and soul” of their community by involving
residents in storytelling experiences that lead to a plan for sustained engagement. Funds will be
used to develop partnerships, conduct a community analysis to better understand resources,
design storytelling activities that aim to bring together residents to explore values, history, and
traditions and mine data to create a long-term community improvement plan.
PHC will choose projects that apply humanities-based approaches to engage residents in
achieving change and that integrate stakeholders of many kinds into community life and
decision-making. Such projects will help demonstrate the effectiveness of the humanities as a
vehicle for addressing current issues. Finally, we seek sustainable projects that lead to action
and are supported by other funders interested in civic engagement and community
improvement.
Support and Training
PHC will work with the Orton staff to provide support and resources to grantees through
webinars, one in-person storytelling workshop, and a help desk. PHC and Orton staff are not
involved in project implementation or day-to-day activities, but rather serve in an advisory role.
PHC and Orton staff can advise on key activities like developing your team, conducting a
community network analysis, designing a quality humanities experience, and building resident
engagement.
Evaluation
Grantees will be asked to participate in PHC-led evaluation activities during the course of the
project. Assessment will be conducted by PHC through a professional evaluator and activities
will happen at three key points: the start of the project, mid-way through, and at the end. Tools
used will vary, but may include conference calls, surveying tools, and interviews.
Evaluations will take into account PHC’s goals and outcomes related to our civic engagement
grant initiative and the grantees community-specific goals.
5. Projects
PHC will award grants to applicants interested in building their community’s capacity to engage
residents in planning that draws on the “heart and soul” of where they live. Storytelling must be
a central method of engagement. Overall the projects will last for one year and must conform to
the Heart & Soul inspired framework below:
Step 1: Build Your Team
A strong team is crucial to any successful community planning effort. During this phase,
project partners will identify skill gaps and needs, build a recruitment plan and connect
with organizations and individuals that will add value and support to a project.
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Step 2: Community Network Analysis
During this phase, project partners will analyze their community to identify resources
needed and additional stakeholders that can help them achieve their goal. A community
network analysis can help inform team recruitment, identify groups outside of the
process to improve outreach efforts and can be applied continually throughout the
lifecycle of the project.
Step 3: Storytelling
This goal of this phase is for project partners to begin building a better understanding of
their community and what their resident’s value. Activities include building a storytelling
team, designing your event and conducting outreach to get residents involved. Efforts
should culminate in a storytelling event unique to your community.
Step 4: Determine Next Steps
During this final step, project partners will use what’s learned from the storytelling
process and identify what issues, values and opportunities their residents prioritized as
a way to build a plan to work towards improvement.
Some applicants may be ready to plan for the full-scale four-step Community Heart & Soul
process. PHC can support these efforts, but those interested in this option should contact
PHC’s program staff before submitting an LOI.
Roles & Responsibilities
Applicants are required to identify a fiscal sponsor (usually the lead organization) of the project
and a project coordinator, an individual that manages the leadership team.
A project coordinator manages the overall project by organizing the project partners, assisting
with the design and implementation of activities, coordinating communications, assisting with
outreach, managing the work plan and budget and assisting with PHC’s evaluation activities.
(See Orton’s resources for tips on how to build your project team and select a project
coordinator.)
We will also look for evidence that the partners or individuals involved in the project have the
capacity needed for the project to be successful, particularly with respect to storytelling
activities.
Finally, grantees will be required to participate in PHC-led evaluation activities and PHC
advocacy efforts.
Community & Leadership Readiness
The Community Heart & Soul workshops will help potential applicants analyze where they are in
the evolution of readiness for civic participation. However, applicants should demonstrate how
the community can benefit from the project and why this is a good time for residents to be part
of a civic engagement process.
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In addition, project leadership should show evidence that they have experience managing
collaborative projects that include resident involvement. This includes providing meaningful
opportunities for all people to participate, regardless of their cultural, economic, or political
perspectives.
Capacity to Complete the Work
PHC will be looking for evidence that the applicant has the capacity to manage the project and
demonstrates a long-term commitment to resident engagement and decision-making.
Interest in Using Storytelling as a Means of Resident Engagement
PHC believes that storytelling can be a powerful tool for engagement and it is at the core of
Orton’s Heart & Soul method. Applicants must demonstrate that they are committed to using
storytelling as a means of engagement and a first step in more informed decision-making.
6. Eligibility
PHC is inviting Letters of Inquiry (LOI) from communities in Pennsylvania interested in enhancing
the “heart and soul” of their community by engaging their residents in storytelling experience
that leads to a plan for continued improvement. The project must be organized by at least two
organizations with one taking the lead on project management and fiscal responsibility.
Grantees are required to match requested funds 1-1 through outright cash (preferred) or inkind contributions.
Eligible organizations can be from a variety of sectors: Community organizations, economic
development groups, local government, revitalization and preservation groups, and civically and
culturally focused nonprofits. Individual community leaders, including artists, can also play a
vital role in each partnership by advising on event design and encouraging participation of
populations that have a vested interest in the issue but may be hard to reach. PHC can also
consider LOIs from ad hoc groups as long as a fiscal sponsor is selected.
At least one representative from the partnering organizations must attend a Community Heart
& Soul workshop in Colmar, Latrobe, or Harrisburg, PA (May 11, 13 and 15) for a project to be
eligible for consideration.
LOI submission deadline is June 15, 2015. PHC will notify applicants by July 10 as to whether or
not they are invited to submit a full proposal. Full proposal will be due on September 1 for
review.
The full application will be available in May following the series of Community Heart and Soul
workshops.
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7. Timeline
June 15, 2015
Submission deadline for LOIs
July 10, 2015
Applicants invited to submit full proposal
September 1, 2015
Full proposals due
October 19, 2015
Applicants notified of funding decisions
December 2015
Grantee kick-off meeting
January 2016
Projects start
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8. Review Criteria
In addition to meeting the eligibility requirements; a successful applicant will demonstrate the
following:
Interest: Level of interest demonstrated is likely to produce sufficient participation
in leadership and community engagement activities. (15 points)
Leadership commitment: The organization or groups and community partners have
committed to participating in the process. (15 points)
Storytelling commitment: Applicant is interested in using storytelling to engage
residents; project partners or individuals involved have capacity do so. (15 points)
Leadership history: A working level of trust between community leaders and
residents is demonstrated. (10 points)
Relationships and Community-Building: Some experience with collaborative
planning and/or action in the community is demonstrated. (10 points)
Conformance: Proposal incorporates Heart & Soul-inspired steps outlined in section
5. (10 points)
Project management capacity: The project partners, including the project
coordinator, demonstrate the capacity to manage the project. (10 points)
Participation commitment: Commitment to engaging the public in community
decision-making in meaningful ways is demonstrated. (5 points)
Communications capacity: Meaningful dollars spent are allocated in the Project
Budget to invest in communications efforts. (5 points)
Evaluation capacity: Understands the value of evaluation, learning and continuous
improvement. (5 points)
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9.Letter of Inquiry (LOI) Form
The purpose of the LOI is for you to tell us more about your project. PHC staff will consider many
factors when evaluating LOIs, including the feasibility of the project, the ability of the partners,
particularly the lead organization, to manage the project through multiple phases and the
readiness of the community to engage in the work.
The submission deadline for LOI forms is June 15, 2015. Applicants should email their forms to
[email protected], subject line “Civic Engagement LOI.”
Applicants will be notified by July 10 as whether or not they have been invited to submit a full
project proposal.
Questions can be directed to PHC program staff by emailing [email protected] or
calling 215-925-1005, ext 125.
I. Application Information
1. Name of Lead Organization:___________________________________________
2. Full Address: ______________________________________________________
3. Website: __________________________________________________________
4. Tax ID Number: ____________________________________________________
5. Organization Contact: _______________________________________________
6. Email/Phone: ______________________________________________________
7. Lead organization budget: ___________________________________________
8. County served by project: ____________________________________________
9. District #s:
U.S. Congressional: ______
PA Senate: _______
PA House: _____
10. Please indicate the name of the individual(s) that attended the H&S workshops:
____________________________________________________________________
II. Proposed Project (1,500 words max)
On a separate sheet of paper, please write a brief narrative answering the following questions:
1. Describe your proposed project. Include information about your goal and how you will
use storytelling to achieve it.
2. Describe your community and its point in civic/social development. Why is your
community ready for this project?
3. Describe your organization or group and the project partners. Why is this collaboration
the ideal mix of partners for the project?
4. Briefly describe the opportunities and challenges your community faces in relation to
community engagement and planning. How might you address them during this
project?
5. Amount of funding request. Include information on how you will provide a one-to-one
match of the requested funds.
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