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LOCAL ARTS AGENCIES: Access to Artistic Excellence |
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These application guidelines provide all of the information that you need to submit an application. We urge you to read these instructions in their entirety before you begin the application process. If you wish to print a copy, see "Printing Tips." You also may want to keep these instructions open in a window in your computer as they contain helpful links to information that you will need as you complete your application. In addition to these instructions, you should periodically check the Grants.gov blog or the Grants.gov homepage for tips, updates, and alerts.
There are two application deadlines for the Access to Artistic Excellence category; you must apply to the one that is appropriate for your project (see "Access to Artistic Excellence Application Deadlines").
The Grants.gov system must receive your application no later than 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on the deadline date. If you are unable to submit your application electronically, you may request a waiver. A waiver will be granted for the following reasons only:
Your waiver request must be in writing and must be received (not postmarked) at the Arts Endowment at least three weeks before the application deadline. Click here for more information on waivers. 
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A complete application consists of:
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NOTE: All asterisked (*) items and yellow fields on this form are required and must be completed before you will be able to submit the form. Do not type in all capital letters when completing the form. Enter information directly into the form. Do not copy from an old application package or another document and paste into the form.
1. Name of Federal Agency: Pre-populated.
2. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: Pre-populated.
3. Date Received: This will be filled automatically with the date that you submit your application; leave blank.
4. Funding Opportunity Number: Pre-populated.
5. Applicant Information:
a. Legal Name: The name provided here must be the applicant's legal name as it appears in the current IRS 501(c)(3) status letter or in the official document that identifies the organization as a unit of state or local government, or as a federally recognized tribal community or tribe. (Do not use your organization's popular name, if different.)
If you are a parent organization that is applying on behalf of an eligible component, do not list the name of the component here. You will be asked for that information later.
b. Address:
Use Street 1 for your street address or post office box number, whichever is used for your U.S. Postal Service mailing address. Street 2 is not a required field and should be used only when a Suite or Room Number or other similar information is a necessary part of your address. Do not use Street 2 to give a second address for your organization.
In the Zip/Postal Code box, organizations in the United States should enter the full 9-digit zip code that was assigned by the U.S. Postal Service. If you do not know your full zip code, you may look it up at www.usps.com/zip4/.
d. Type of Applicant: Select the item that best characterizes your organization from the menu in the first drop down box. Additional choices are optional.
e. Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN/TIN): Enter the 9-digit number that was assigned by the Internal Revenue Service; do not use a Social Security Number.
f. Organizational DUNS: All organizational applicants for federal funds must have a DUNS number, which is recognized as the universal standard for identifying organizations worldwide. The number that you enter here must agree with the number (either 9 or 13 digits) that you used with the CCR (Central Contractor Registry) as part of the Grants.gov registration. Otherwise, your application will not be validated by Grants.gov and will be rejected.
g. Congressional District: Enter the number of the Congressional District where the applicant organization is located. Use the following format: 2 character State Abbreviation-3 character District Number. For example, if your organization is located in the 5th Congressional District of California, enter "CA-005." If your state has a single At-Large Representative or your territory has a single Delegate, enter your 2 character state/territory abbreviation and "-000." If you need help determining your district, go to www.house.gov and use the "Find Your Representative" tool.
6. Project Information:
a. Project Title: Provide a brief descriptive title for your proposed project.
b. Project Description: In two or three brief sentences, clearly describe your specific project, not your organization. Begin the first sentence with "To support" and include the name of the project. Follow this with up to two more sentences that describe the type of project, the target population that will be served, and where the project will take place. For examples, see Recent Grants.
c. Proposed Project Start Date/End Date: Enter the beginning and ending dates for your requested period of support, i.e., the span of time necessary to plan, execute, and close out your proposed project. The Arts Endowment's support of a project may start on or after: 1) For applicants under the March 12 deadline, January 1, 2010; or 2) For applicants under the August 13 deadline, June 1, 2010. Generally, a period of support of up to two years is allowed.
7. Project Director:
Provide the requested information for the Project Director. Select a Prefix (e.g., Ms., Mr.) even though this is not a required field.
Provide contact information, including an e-mail address, that will be valid through the announcement date for your category.
8. Primary Contact/Grant Administrator:
Provide the requested information for the individual who should be contacted on all matters involving this application and the administration of any grant that may be awarded. For colleges and universities, this person is often a Sponsored Research, Sponsored Programs, or Contracts and Grants Officer. Select a Prefix even though this is not a required field.
In some organizations, particularly smaller ones, this individual may be the same as the Project Director. If this is the case, you may check the "Same as Project Director" box and not repeat information that you have already provided in Item 7. (If the Primary Contact/Grant Administrator is the same as the Authorizing Official, please complete all items under both 8 and 9 even though there will be some repetition.)
9. Authorized Representative:
Enter the requested information for the AOR (Authorized Organization Representative) who will be submitting this application to Grants.gov. The AOR must have the legal authority to obligate your organization. By clicking the "I Agree" box at the top of Item 9, this individual will be certifying compliance with relevant federal requirements on your organization's behalf. (These requirements can be found in the "Assurance of Compliance" section of these guidelines.) The "Signature of Authorized Representative" and "Date Signed" boxes will be populated by Grants.gov upon submission of the application.
NOTE: All asterisked (*) items and yellow fields on this form are required and must be completed before you will be able to submit the form. Do not type in all capital letters when completing the form. Enter information directly into the form. Do not copy from an old application package or another document and paste into the form.
This form has a new OMB expiration date of 11/30/2010.
1. Applicant
Legal Name: This item has been pre-populated with information that you provided on the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form (SF-424).
Popular Name: If you use a popular name that is different from your legal name, note that in the space below the IRS name.
For this application, the applicant is serving as: If applicable, choose one of the items below from the drop down box. Otherwise, choose "Not Applicable." Refer to the "Application Limits" for definitions.
Lead member of a consortium. Choose the "Lead Member of a Consortium" box and list your one primary consortium partner in the space provided. Do not list more than one partner here; other organizations may participate in the project without being listed. Use the official IRS name of the primary consortium partner. If your primary partner is a component of a parent organization (e.g., an art museum located on a university campus), note the official IRS name and place the component's name in parentheses, e.g., State University (ABC Museum).
Total organizational operating expenses for the most recently completed fiscal year: Unaudited figures are acceptable. If you are the lead applicant for a consortium, provide this information for your own organization. If you are a parent organization, provide this information for the component on whose behalf you are applying.
2. Application Information
Project Field/Discipline: Choose the one discipline that is most relevant to your project. This selection will aid the Arts Endowment's application review. If you have questions, refer to "Agency Contacts."
Choose your field/discipline carefully. In limited cases, Arts Endowment staff may transfer an application to a field/discipline other than the one that was selected by the applicant to ensure appropriate panel review.
Category: Select "Access to Artistic Excellence" from the drop-down box.
Intended Outcome: The Arts Endowment has identified five outcomes that it plans to achieve through Access to Artistic Excellence. Select the one outcome from the first column on the form (i.e., those beginning with an A) that is most relevant to your project. Do NOT select an outcome from the second column (i.e., those beginning with a B).
3. Project Budget Summary
NOTE: In all budget fields, round all figures to the nearest dollar.
Amount Requested: This figure must agree with "Amount requested from the Arts Endowment" in Item 1 of your Project Budget form.
Total Match for this Project: This must agree with Item 2 under Income of your Project Budget form.
Total Project Costs: This figure will autocalculate. Please double check to make certain that it agrees with Item 6 under Expenses of your Project Budget form.
To see definitions of individual items, place your cursor over the relevant radio button. This form is four pages long. To move back and forth among the pages use the Previous and Next buttons at the top of the screen.
This form has a new OMB expiration date of 11/30/2010.
The "Attachments Form" is not a form in the conventional sense. Rather, it is a place to attach documents that you have completed and saved elsewhere on your computer.
Several important points:
Attachments 3, 4, and 7 are fillable forms; you will find links to them. These forms can be filled in, saved to your computer, and attached without the need for special software or conversion to PDF.
Attachments 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, and 11 are documents (e.g., narratives, lists) that you will develop in accordance with the instructions provided. These items must be submitted as PDF (portable document format) files.
These non-form documents can be created using any word processing software. When you have completed the document, save it to your computer and convert it to PDF before attaching. If you don't already have software to convert files to PDF, there are many low-cost and free software packages that can do this. To learn more, go to PDF Conversion Programs.
Please make sure to convert your documents into PDF format in line with the guidance above. Do not create PDFs of your electronic documents by scanning. In the past, some applicants have printed their electronic documents and then scanned them, saving the scan in PDF format. PDFs created this way are much larger, and of lower quality, than PDFs created by the methods we recommend. Do not embed non-printable media files (video and/or sound) in your PDF documents. Static images (e.g., pictures) are acceptable. Please do not enable any document security settings or password protect any PDF file you submit to us.
For non-form documents, label pages clearly with the name of the item (e.g., Organizational Background) and your organization's legal name. Leave a margin of at least one inch at the top, bottom, and sides of all pages. Do not reduce type below 12 point font size. Do not type in all capital letters. Number pages sequentially; place numbers on the bottom right hand corner of each page. Excess pages will be removed and not be reviewed.
When you open the Grants.gov Attachments Form, you will find 15 attachment buttons. By clicking on a button, you will be able to choose the PDF file from your computer that you wish to attach. Please attach the proper file to the proper button as listed below.
ATTACHMENT 1: ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND STATEMENT
To this button, attach a one-page Organizational Background statement. The file name should indicate the name of your organization or a recognizable acronym followed by "OrgBackground.pdf" (e.g., "ABCDanceCoOrgBackground.pdf" or "StateUnivPerfArtsCenterOrgBackground.pdf").
This statement should cover the points below; use the following headings and letters to organize your response. If you are a parent organization that is applying on behalf of a component, this information should refer to the component on whose behalf you are applying.
Date organization was incorporated. If not applicable, omit.
Mission/purpose of your organization: Briefly summarize the mission and purpose of your organization. For organizations whose work extends beyond the cultural sphere (e.g., universities, human service agencies), summarize your mission as it pertains to your public cultural programs or services.
Organization overview: Address the following:
An overview of your organization's activities.
Some specific examples of previous activities that demonstrate your organization's ability to carry out the project for which you are requesting support.
The size and general demographics (e.g., ethnicity, income, age) of the community/region/audience that you serve. If you are a membership organization, indicate the number of individuals or organizations that you serve.
ATTACHMENT 2: DETAILS OF THE PROJECT NARRATIVE
To this button, attach your Details of the Project narrative. The file name should indicate the name of your organization or a recognizable acronym followed by "DetailsofProject.pdf."
Your narrative can be a maximum of three pages, but keep in mind that the Arts Endowment and its panelists prefer succinct descriptions. Organize your response a), b), c), etc., and use the boldfaced language below as headings for each item. For example, "a) Major project activities. The ABC Performing Arts Center plans to..."
The information that you provide will be reviewed in accordance with the "Review Criteria" for the Access to Artistic Excellence category. Your narrative should address each of these "Review Criteria" and include information on the following, as relevant to your project.
Major project activities. Be as specific as possible about the activities that will take place during the project period. Include information on the location(s) of the proposed activity and any special resources that will be used. For projects that will tour, provide a list of venues with dates and indicate the degree of commitment. For projects that involve publication, provide details on items such as projected sales figures, print runs, distribution plans, contributors' fees, payment policies, etc. Where relevant, include information on any educational component or activities of the project.
Your goals in undertaking the project and what you hope to achieve. Address the Arts Endowment outcome that you have identified as most relevant. Identify any additional outcomes of your own that you have established for the project.
Schedule of key project dates.
Key individuals, organizations, and works of art that will be involved in the project. (Bios of key project personnel are requested as a separate item.) Indicate whether the artists, other individuals, and organizations that are cited are committed to or merely proposed for the project. Where relevant, describe their involvement in the development of the project to date. For projects that include multiple partners, discuss each partner's participation. Describe the process and criteria for the selection of artists, organizations, and, where relevant, artworks. Where key individuals or organizations remain to be selected, describe the procedures that you plan to follow and the qualifications that you seek.
The target population (i.e., the intended audience and/or other beneficiaries to whom the project is directed). If actual figures or reasonable estimates can be secured, indicate the number of people the project will serve. Have you worked with this target population before? Has the target population been involved in the planning for and implementation of the project? Describe any underserved groups or areas that will benefit.
Plans for promoting, publicizing, and/or disseminating the project, as relevant.
Plans for monitoring the project and assessing the degree to which you achieve your goals. Include your plans for documentation, evaluation, and dissemination, as appropriate. Describe how you will measure your success in achieving the outcomes identified in b) above. If this is an ongoing project, state the results to date and the rationale for continuing the project.
Plans for making the project accessible to individuals with disabilities. This includes access accommodations for both facilities and programs, such as audio description, sign-language interpretation, closed or open captioning, large-print brochures/labeling, etc. See the Nondiscrimination Statutes in "Assurance of Compliance" for more information. (For technical assistance on how to make your project fully accessible, contact the Arts Endowment's AccessAbility Office at 202/682-5532 or 202/682-5496 Voice/T.T.Y. or the Civil Rights Office at 202/682-5454 or 202/682-5695 Voice/T.T.Y.)
Budget. If this project is being undertaken over and above your normal operations, what resources will be applied to cover these costs? What would you do if you receive less than 50 percent of your requested amount?
ATTACHMENT 3: PROJECT BUDGET FORM, PAGES 1 and 2
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: [FORM] [INSTRUCTIONS]
To this button, attach the Project Budget form, Pages 1 and 2. The file name should indicate the name of your organization or a recognizable acronym followed by "ProjectBudget.pdf." (If you wish to submit a copy of your own project budget for clarification, you may do so; see Attachment 8. Your own project budget may not be submitted in lieu of the required form.)
ATTACHMENT 4: FINANCIAL INFORMATION FORM
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: [FORM] [INSTRUCTIONS]
To this button, attach the Financial Information form. The file name should indicate the name of your organization or a recognizable acronym followed by "FinancialInfo.pdf."
ATTACHMENT 5: BIOGRAPHIES OF KEY PROJECT PERSONNEL
To this button, attach a single file that includes all of the items below that are relevant to your application. The file name should indicate the name of your organization or a recognizable acronym followed by "Bios.pdf." Label clearly each item.
For all applicants: Brief, current biographies of the key project personnel [e.g., the proposed primary artist(s), project director, artistic director, executive director, teachers, curator, editor, folklorist, conductor]. Send no more than two pages of bios; group several on each page.
For projects that involve highly technical professionals (e.g., individuals who work with new technology, art conservators): Resumes (not bios) for those individuals.
For parent organizations applying on behalf of an eligible component: A list of key staff of the component unit. Describe any overlaps in staffing with the parent organization. This documentation is required to demonstrate your eligibility.
ATTACHMENT 6: LIST OF CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS
To this button, attach a single file that includes all of the items below that are relevant to your application. The file name should indicate the name of your organization or a recognizable acronym followed by "BoardList.pdf." Label clearly each item.
For all applicants: A list of current board members including professional affiliations.
For parent organizations applying on behalf of an eligible component: A list of board/advisory group members for the component as well as the parent organization. Note how long each board/advisory group has been in existence. This documentation is required to demonstrate your eligibility.
For lead applicants applying on behalf of a consortium: A list of current board members for the primary consortium partner as well as the lead applicant.
ATTACHMENT 7: CONSORTIUM PARTNER INFORMATION FORM
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: [FORM] [INSTRUCTIONS]
If you are applying for an official Consortium Application, to this button attach the Consortium Partner Information form. This form must include the name of the Authorizing Official for your consortium partner, but no signature is necessary. The file name of your attachment should indicate the name of your organization (not your partner) or a recognizable acronym followed by "ConsortiumPartner.pdf."
ATTACHMENT 8: OPTIONAL PROJECT BUDGET
If you wish to submit a copy of your own project budget, attach it to this button. The file name should indicate the name of your organization or a recognizable acronym followed by "SepBudget.pdf."
ATTACHMENT 9: PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITIES LIST
TTo this button, attach a representative list of your Programmatic Activities for the past three seasons. The file name should indicate the name of your organization or a recognizable acronym followed by "ProgActivities.pdf."
Submit a selective representative list, in chronological order, of your organization's programming or activities for the following years: 2006-07, 2007-08, and 2008-09. For organizations that schedule activities according to a single calendar year, use programming for 2006, 2007, and 2008. You may submit up to three pages.
This list should demonstrate eligibility (i.e., your organization's three-year history of programming) and the artistic excellence and merit of your organization. Where available, include arts or cultural programming that has a relationship to the project for which you are requesting support (e.g., show examples of previous festival programming if your project is for a festival). For most applicants, this list should show selected artists/projects/exhibitions/works that your organization has or will have presented/produced/exhibited/performed. Use the bullets below as a guide to possible column headings for your list; adjust them as appropriate for your organization.
Example:
A performing arts group might fill out its representative list as
follows:
Year |
Title/ |
Key |
Location |
Dates/# |
Attendance/ |
Fees |
2006-07 |
Lecture |
James Miller |
ABC Museum |
February 15, 2007 |
30/75% |
$$ |
2007-08 |
Work A/ |
John Smith, Jane Doe |
Civic Theater |
Jan 27-31, 2008 |
850/71% |
$$ |
2008-09 |
Work B/ |
Richard Jones, |
Civic Theater |
April 17-21, 2009/7 perfs. |
1,050/88% |
$$ |
ATTACHMENT 10: SPECIAL ITEMS
To this button, attach a single file that includes any items specified below that are relevant to your particular project. The file name should indicate the name of your organization or a recognizable acronym followed by "SpecReqs.pdf."
For projects to preserve or conserve an object, site, or structure, a condition report and a treatment proposal.
ATTACHMENT 11: WORK SAMPLE INDEX
To this button, attach your Work Sample Index. The file name should indicate the name of your organization or a recognizable acronym followed by "WorkSampleIndex.pdf."
For each work sample that you are including with your application (see "Prepare and submit material to be mailed directly to the Arts Endowment"), provide the information below as relevant to your particular project:
Leave all remaining Attachment buttons blank.
Follow the detailed instructions under "Submit your electronic application" above.
In addition to the material that you submit through Grants.gov, you must mail the following items to the Arts Endowment. Your application package will not be considered complete without these items.
An identifier so that we can match your mailed material with your electronic application. This may be a copy of the Submission Confirmation or validation e-mail from Grants.gov that includes your Grants.gov Tracking Number (preferred) or your organization's legal name as it appears on your electronic application (not your popular name). Be sure that this is the first item in your mailed material.
Your application package must include work samples that can demonstrate artistic excellence and merit, and enhance the panel's understanding of your application and your organization's ability to carry out the project. Work samples should be recent, concise, of high quality, and relate as directly as possible to your proposed project. For example, if you are proposing:
To create a work, submit an example of work by the proposed artist(s).
To complete a work, submit a sample of the work in progress.
To perform or present a work, submit a composite of unedited performances that are typical of your organization's recent work and relevant to the project. Do not submit promotional material.
To tour a work, submit a sample of touring activities.
A group project or collaboration, submit samples that demonstrate the ability of the proposed artists or organizations to work together.
A residency project, , submit a sample of selected artists' recent work and documentation of the facilities they will use. If the artists are not yet selected, submit samples of work by artists who recently have been in residence.
An educational or outreach activity, submit a sample that demonstrates the experience and skills of the proposed artists/teachers who will be working with the participants. If you have worked with your target population before, provide a sample of your work with that same community, if possible.
An exhibition, submit visual documentation that provides a representative sampling of the works to be shown.
To preserve or conserve an object, site, or structure, submit appropriate visual documentation.
A catalogue or other publication, submit sample text as well as examples of similar publications recently issued by your organization. For catalogues, include visual documentation of a sampling of the objects to be included.
A technology project, submit a sample that best represents the artistic excellence and technology of the project.
Services for artists and/or arts organizations, submit publications, training material, or other documentation that demonstrates your organization's expertise and ability to carry out the project.
Applicants may find it helpful to refer to the work sample instructions for the discipline(s) most relevant to their project for guidance in selecting their sample.
Work Sample Submission:
We will accept samples in the following formats. Submit work in more than one format only if that is required for your project. The Arts Endowment welcomes concise presentations. Be sure to document the samples that you are submitting on your Work Sample Index (see Attachment 11 above).
Audio samples on CD (2 copies)
Place each selection on a separate track. Indicate the track number(s) that you want reviewed, in priority order.
Digital images on CD (2 copies)
Submit two copies of a CD (in MS Windows readable format) that
contains up to 12 electronic images in JPEG. Do not submit
TIFFs, PDFs, Word or Access files, or any other non-JPEG formats.
Image size should be consistent; suggested size is 800 pixels
x 600 pixels. Each image file should not exceed 2 MB. Number
each image and provide the following details, as relevant,
for each image on your Work Sample Index:
PowerPoint or PDF on CD
Up to 12 images may be presented in a PowerPoint or PDF file on a CD in MS Windows readable format. Submit images only, with no text.
Video on DVD-R or DVD-ROM (2 copies)
Presentations are limited to three minutes in length and must
be in one of the following formats: QuickTime (.mov), Real
Player (.rm), Windows Media Player (.wmv), or .mpeg.
Web Sites
Provide no more than two URL listings. Include any necessary information on required plug-ins or the navigation path.
Print material (e.g., catalogues or publications)
Include only if directly related to your project. Submit two copies each of recent material.
Preview your samples before submitting them to ensure that there are no technical problems that might interfere with the panel's review of your work. Panelists generally spend no more than three to five minutes on the work sample(s) for each application.
Clearly label each sample (and where relevant its container) with the name of your organization and the corresponding letter from your Work Sample Index. Please be aware that the entire sample (not just the selected segment) is considered a part of the application package and may be reviewed. The Arts Endowment may copy or digitally convert work samples to facilitate panel review. By submitting a work sample, you are giving the Arts Endowment permission for reproduction and dissemination for this purpose.
Work samples generally are not returned to the applicant, though the Arts Endowment will try to accommodate applicants that specifically request that we do so. Please do not submit a return envelope with your work samples. The Arts Endowment cannot be responsible for any loss or damage.
If you are applying for a subgranting project, two copies of the city/county ordinance, resolution, charter, or contract that assigns your organization the authority to operate on your local government's behalf.
Label your package as noted below. All mailed material must be postmarked (or show other proof of mailing) no later than:
LOCAL ARTS AGENCIES
Room 710
National Endowment for the Arts
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20506-0001
Include a complete return address that includes your organization's legal name as it appears on your electronic application (not your popular name) on your package. If the delivery service that you use requires a telephone number for the recipient on the label, use 202/682-5702.
The National Endowment for the Arts continues to experience delays and damage to support material (e.g., CDs, videos) in the delivery of First-Class and Priority mail. We recommend that you use a commercial delivery service.
If new information that significantly affects your application (including changes in artists or confirmed funding commitments) becomes available after your application is submitted, please send that information immediately to the specialist for the field/discipline of your project. Include your organization's name and application number on any such submission. No changes in or revisions to your application can be made through Grants.gov.
National Endowment for the Arts · an independent federal
agency
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20506
Register or Renew/Verify Registration with Grants.gov
