RFP for Statehood Centennial of New Mexico Statehood Projects (Expired November 2012)
What Does it Mean to be a New Mexican? A relatively recent addition to the United States of America, the State of New Mexico has its own unique history, religions, philosophies, ideologies and sense of itself as it relates to the nation as a whole. Before becoming a state in 1912, New Mexico had a longstanding history and identity that has changed over time in response to peoples of different languages, ethnicities, and religions who have lived and traveled here. If the landscape gave birth to an American identity, the West reaffirmed that existence. The Board of Directors of the New Mexico Humanities Council (NMHC) has approved a new initiative for the grant program entitled, �What Does it Mean to be a New Mexican?�, a special call for public programs to enhance the teaching and understanding of New Mexico history. This project arises from and is inspired by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) �We the People� initiative which examines the concepts of freedom and democracy. The NEH has provided public programming funds to explore, compare and contrast, and discuss concepts relating to the development and meaning of the New Mexican identity over time to understand who we are today. A wide range of public programming formats is encouraged for applicants applying for funding under this initiative. These may include exhibitions, speaker presentations, and reading and film discussions. Participants will be asked to discuss who New Mexico�s heroes and heroines are and what roles they have played in the state�s development. Other considerations that may be addressed are: 1) what are some of the significant events, values and themes in our state�s history? 2) what are the significant documents that define New Mexico? 3) How are New Mexico and the United States similar and different in terms of our founding documents like the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and civil rights legislation? 4) How are the U.S. and pre-statehood New Mexico the same and different in terms of conflicts and wars, economies, and ownership of land? 5) How does the core of U.S. democracy (individual freedoms, equality, economic opportunity, civic engagement, and justice) compare to the development of democracy in New Mexico? What role does cultural pluralism and diversity play in New Mexico�s identity and are they similar or different in the formation of other state identities? Is New Mexico currently more or less advanced than other states in terms of cultural pluralism? These and other questions are posed for participating organizations and communities to use as a comparative model to examine how we are the same and how we are different in terms of the native and immigrant experience, constitutional checks and balances in government, a shifting U.S. border, the importance of �place� in New Mexican identity, the formation of the state in terms of the influence of community and ethnic groups on local, regional, and national identity. Applicants might elect also to compare these themes to our neighboring states to assist them in determining just how New Mexico is distinct and unique while acknowledging what we share with one another. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The New Mexico State Legislature appropriated funding to the Department of Cultural Affairs in 2008 to support the Centennial of New Mexico�s Statehood projects/statewide activities which occured over the past fiscal year - ending April 30, 2009. To assist communities around the state in applying for funding, the Centennial Statewide Task Force had issued a Request for Proposals for those groups and organizations interested in conducting projects to commemorate the Centennial of Statehood in 2012. Eligible proposals were submitted by non-profit 501(c) 3 organizations. Acceptable proposals included one or more of the following: research into New Mexico�s statehood process and the history of state over the last 100 years; how the many peoples of New Mexico have been impacted by Statehood; and how the project was to be disseminated to the public. Projects addressed or used one or more of the following disciplines or interdisciplinary approaches to New Mexico�s Centennial of Statehood: arts; folkarts and crafts; business; culture; economic development; education; history to include individual communities or the state of New Mexico; humanities to include language and literature; preservation of historic buildings, sites, and/or material culture; and tourism. All project formats relating to New Mexico�s Centennial of Statehood were eligible to receive funding. Funds were available for the planning of then upcoming projects, as well as implementation and programming of projects. The size of the grants was between $3,000 and $5,000. All grants had to be supported by matching funds from the sponsoring organization or individuals. The matching funds, making up no less than 50% of total project costs, were able to come from in-kind work or a combination of in-kind donations, third party cash, and/or sponsor�s cash. Members of the Centennial Statewide Task Force evaluated the proposals, and the New Mexico Humanities Council administered the grants. The grant period ran from July 1, 2008 to April 30, 2009. All funds had to be spent over that fiscal year. The deadline for submission of the grant proposals was August 1, 2008. This request was a competitive process for the $50,000 in state funds available at that time. Grants funds were able to be made available for payment upon receipt of invoices for goods and services provided. For more information, please contact Michelle Quisenberry at the New Mexico Humanities Council, 505-277-4151 or micaela@nmhumanities.org.
