The National Endowment for the Humanities has announced a Challenge Grants Special Initiative to assist public libraries in creating endowments that support humanities programming. Any public library that has not previously held an NEH Challenge Grant is eligible to apply. Special consideration will be given to applicants from libraries without humanities endowments and to libraries whose plans show promise of outreach to new and diverse audiences. Smaller libraries are especially encouraged to apply.

Under this initiative, applicants may request up to a maximum of $150,000; federal funds must be matched by two times the amount in non-federal donations.

The first application deadline is May 1, 1997.

For more information, contact the Office of Challenge Grants at challenge@neh.fed.us or call (202) 606-8309.

Current guidelines are available at http://www.neh.fed.us/html/guidelin/challenge.html.

For a print copy of these guidelines and forms, write to: National Endowment for the Humanities Public Information Office, Room 402, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20506 or e-mail your request to: info@neh.fed.us.