HSPG Application Review, Approval, & Notification

The HSPG program is a competitive grant process. Each year, there are many more grant dollars requested than the program has available. Successful applications are prepared in a careful and complete manner.

Application Approval Process

• HSPG grant staff reviews each application to ensure eligibility.
• Eligible applications are forwarded to a 10-member review panel.
• Review panel members individually critique and score the applications.
• Review panel members meet together to discuss each application, making recommendations for full, partial, or no funding.
• Review panel recommendations are submitted to the State Historical Society of Iowa’s (SHSI) Board of Trustees.
• The SHSI Board of Trustees makes recommendations to the Historical Society's Administrator.
• The Administrator makes the final determination of grant awards.

Review Criteria

Projects are evaluated on the following, weighted, criteria:

• The historical or cultural significance of the project, and the degree to which the project is of regional, state, or national significance (30 percent);
• The quality of the plans to interpret the historical resource (25 percent);
• The extent to which the project will enhance educational opportunities for a broad and diverse audience (25 percent);
• The degree to which the applicant demonstrates a commitment to the future viability of the resource by planning for the ongoing operation and maintenance of the project (10 percent); and
• The degree to which the budget is reasonable and appropriate to the project (10 percent).

Each criterion is given a score from 1 to 10, which is then multiplied by the weight factor.

In addition to the above criteria, the following items will be considered in the review process:

1. In accordance with the Code of Iowa, Section 303.3C (as amended 2007), the State Historical Society will give additional consideration or additional points in the application of evaluation criteria to projects identified in an Iowa Great Places agreement. This additional consideration will be extended to those projects which were specifically identified by the Iowa Great Places Board for participation in Iowa Great Places on or after September 14, 2004.
   
2. In accordance with stipulations included in the Fiscal Year 2008 Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund Appropriations Bill (House File 911), the State Historical Society will consider the existence and amount of other funds available to an applicant for a project.

Notification

After the Administrator has made the final grant decisions, the Society posts the information on our web page and distributes a press release. Each applicant receives written notification of the outcome of the application.

Appeals Process

Eligible applicants or grantees may appeal a decision of the Society on any of the following bases:

• Action was outside the statutory authority;
• Decision was influenced by a conflict of interest;
• Action violated state law, administrative rule, or written policy;
• Insufficient public notice was given; and
• Alteration of the review process was detrimental to the applicant.

Appeals in writing may be made within 15 days of the incident and shall be directed to the Director, Department of Cultural Affairs, State Historical Building, 600 East Locust, Des Moines, IA 50319-0290. All appeals shall contain facts of the case, argument in favor of the appeal, and remedy sought.

The director shall consider and rule on the appeal after receiving all documentation from the appellant and shall notify the appellant in writing of the decision within 30 days. Decisions by the director may be appealed through the contested case process as set out in Iowa Code sections 17A.10 to 17A.19.

Questions?

Contact kristen.vandermolen@iowa.gov.