Humanities Grants

Guidelines for Book Discussion Projects 2008

These guidelines should be used in conjunction with the Humanities Program Grant application instructions by organizations seeking support for an original book discussion program. In preparing your grant application, follow all deadlines and instructions for the appropriate grant category, plus the additional criteria and requirements listed below.

Before planning the program, applicants should also consult KHC's most recent Talk About Literature in Kansas (TALK) catalog to ascertain which themes and books are already available through the Council's own book discussion program.

Click here to download these Guidelines for Book Discussion Projects 2008.

GRANT CATEGORIES

Applicants may request support for book discussion programs through either the Minigrant or Major Grant category.

If the program is to take place at a single site, applicants should request a Minigrant (up to $3,500). If the program is to be repeated at multiple sites, or if it is part of a larger series of activities including lectures, exhibits, and other program formats, application should be made in the Major Grant category (over $3,500).

TOP

THE TALK PROGRAM

KHC strongly encourages book discussion applicants to develop series which can be incorporated into our TALK program upon the completion of the original project. Book discussion series which are appropriate for TALK will be considered to be especially competitive in grant review. Applicants who propose such a series will be allowed to budget more funds for the purchase of books (see Budget section below).

Please consult with KHC staff well in advance to determine if your proposed theme is one which will be of interest to other organizations. KHC may wish to survey other TALK users to assess your series' appeal.

TOP

PROGRAM CRITERIA

All book discussion programs should meet these criteria:

1) The series theme and titles should be selected in cooperation with humanities professional(s). Series planned without pofessionals' participation will not be eligible for funding. Including prospective members of the target audience (i.e., the discussion group) in the selection process is also highly recommended.

2) The series should be organized around a theme of interest to the target audience, and the project description should explain why each of the books was selected and how it will serve to generate discussion of the theme. A "series" may include as few as two or as many as six books. TALK program series should include four or five titles.

3) A schedule for the discussion meetings should be included in the application, along with a list of the discussion leaders. Programs should utilize humanities professionals as discussion leaders. The same person may serve as the discussion leader for multiple programs. It is recommended that intervals of two to four weeks be allowed between discussion meetings to allow participants time to read the books.

4) For series intended for the TALK program: Plans for producing a brochure discussing the series theme and each of the books should be included in the application. The brochure should be written by a humanities professional and include a short bibliography for those who wish to do further reading. The brochure need not be elaborate, but should be provided to all reading group participants (and to KHC at the end of the project). KHC can provide samples of model brochures.

TOP

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SELECTION OF TITLES

As you select the book titles, KHC offers the following recommendations:

1) The series should seek to offer varied perspectives on the central theme. A diversity of gender and ethnicity among the authors is encouraged.

2) Depending on the theme, applicants may also wish to include books which represent different eras, time periods, and/or genres in literature. Novels are by far the most popular genre for book discussion series, although successful nonfiction series have been developed. Collections of short stories and poetry have been less successful in a group discussion setting, so we encourage you to list them in the bibliography for further reading.

3) Successful series include books which are enjoyable to read as well as enlightening. Reading group participation tends to drop off if every book is extremely challenging, or if the books all end on a depressing note. Try to put the balance on comedy and uplifting novels, rather than dark, tragic ones, if possible.

4) If you are developing a series for inclusion in the TALK program, please avoid overlap with existing series. A new series may include no more than one title that is part of an existing series.

TOP

BUDGET GUIDELINES

Grant funds are typically requested for the following:

• Honoraria for each of the discussion leaders (consult KHC staff for current TALK honoraria levels)
• Travel costs for the discussion leaders to visit the program site(s)
• Honoraria for the scholar who produces the series brochure (consult KHC staff about typical rates)
• Printing and promotional expenses
• Reproduction of the series brochure
• The purchase of the books for participants and discussion leaders (see below)
• Partial salaries for staff necessary to carry out the project

Book Purchase Guidelines

When estimating book prices, keep in mind that KHC is able to order books at discount rates of 40% or more. Please consult with our staff in advance to ensure that you are receiving the best prices. Paperbacks are preferred over hard cover.

TALK program series: If your series is to be incorporated into TALK, you should request grant funds to purchase 40 copies of each title in the series. At the end of the series, all books must be returned to KHC, except for one set which will be retained by the project director and one set which should be distributed among the respective discussion leaders.

Other series: For series not considered appropriate for the TALK program, you may request grant funds to purchase up to 7 copies of each book. One copy is for the discussion leader and one for the project director; the others should be circulated among participants. If additional copies are needed, they may be purchased by the applicant as part of local cost share, or by the individual participants. At the end of the series, the books are retained by the project sponsor.

FOR ASSISTANCE

KHC staff will work with applicants and provide assistance in the development of book discussion applications. Such consultation is required in cases where the series is intended for inclusion in the TALK program. KHC staff will provide samples of successful grant applications and series brochures which may be used as models. Please call our office at 800/562-8057.

TOP