CHALLENGE AMERICA: Applicant Resources
How to Apply Tutorials
Webinars
All webinars are free to attend. Registration is required. Webinar recordings will be posted shortly after the presentations.
The webinar will cover the basics of the Challenge America program and the application process.
FY26 Challenge America Guidelines Webinar
Thursday, February 27, 2025, 3:00 pm Eastern Time
Register
Applicant Q&A
Join Challenge America Program staff for a question-and-answer session on the FY26 application. These sessions will not be recorded. Please register in advance. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at 2 pm Eastern Time REGISTER
Thursday, April 10, 2025 at 3 pm Eastern Time REGISTER
Friday, May 2, 2025 at 1 pm Eastern Time REGISTER
Automated captions will be available. Should you need other reasonable accommodations, please contact challengeamerica@arts.gov or 202.682.5700 with your request at least two weeks prior to the event.
Tools
Our First-Time Applicant Guide for Organizations covers the basics of registration and provides some links to helpful resources for new applicants.
An outline of the application steps and questions can be found in the Application Checklist: PDF | Word.
Common Application Mistakes covers common mistakes to avoid when submitting your application.
The Online Tutorial: Using the Grant Application Form (GAF) provides a step by step visual guide to entering information into the applicant portal.
You can find summaries of all of our recently funded grants, including a searchable database going back to 1998.
If your project involves directly collecting sensitive data from program participants, such as personally identifiable information or data from vulnerable populations, review Resources on Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement.
Federal Civil Rights and Your Grants Application
In this webinar you can learn about federal Civil Rights compliance requirements when applying for a NEA grant and find guidance on how to accurately communicate your project description and plan.
Accessibility
Projects funded by the NEA must be accessible to people with disabilities.
The Accessibility Requirements for Applicants and Grantees webinar gives a detailed overview, and provides information about the application Assurance of Compliance, post-award accessibility questionnaire, and 504 Self Evaluation requirements. It also provides tips for ensuring access to your programs and facilities.
The Accessibility Checklist is a user-friendly tool to assist you in making your organization and project inclusive and available to everyone. The checklist includes links to a wide variety of Accessibility resources.
The Accessibility Questions for Recommended Applicants form is required for all recommended grantees. You may preview the form to see what kinds of information we will request if you are recommended for a grant.
National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)
Projects supported by the NEA are subject to the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), which is legislation intended to protect historic and archeological sites. You can learn about what kinds of projects require additional review to ensure compliance with NHPA regulations, as well as how our internal review process works in this webinar.