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Museums
FAQs for Applicants & Awardees in Response to COVID-19 »
The nation's museums face a tall and challenging order, increasingly called upon to be civic anchors, community gathering places, and stewards of our most prized artistic and cultural heritage. Museums are visited by millions of people each year -- more than those that attend all major sporting events and theme parks combined.
The National Endowment for the Arts is committed to supporting museum activity that demonstrates exceptional aesthetic investigation and meaningful community engagement. Specifically, the National Endowment for the Arts assists museums through the support of exhibitions, care of collections, conservation, commissions, public art works, community engagement, education activities, and other museum work. Museum projects funded by the National Endowment for the Arts demonstrate artistic excellence in and across a variety of mediums, movements, eras, and cultures.
The National Endowment for the Arts is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and fostering mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and groups. The Arts Endowment encourages projects that use the arts to unite and heal in response to current events, as well as address any of the following:
- Celebrate America’s creativity and/or cultural heritage.
- Invite a dialogue that fosters a mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all persons and groups.
- Enrich our humanity by broadening our understanding of ourselves as individuals and as a society.
- Originate from or are in collaboration with the following constituencies encouraged by White House Executive Orders:
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities,
- Tribal Colleges and Universities,
- American Indian and Alaska Native tribes,
- African American Serving Institutions,
- Hispanic Serving Institutions,
- Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, and
- Organizations that support the independence and lifelong inclusion of people with disabilities.
Projects may focus on reaching a particular constituency, however, they may not be exclusionary under national laws and policies prohibiting discrimination. This extends to hiring practices and audience engagement.
Applicants may request cost share/matching grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000.
If your project is developed and managed by local government, see the Local Arts Agencies description to help you in your discipline selection (see Program Description and select Local Arts Agencies from the dropdown).
Deadlines
Grants for Arts Projects applications will be accepted at two deadlines. All project types (described below) are accepted at both deadlines. Generally, an organization is limited to one application per year in the Grants for Arts Projects category.
First Grants for Arts Projects Deadline:
IMPORTANT: Finalize your Grants.gov/SAM registrations and submit early to Grants.gov to allow time to resolve any issues you might encounter during the submission process. |
SAM.gov: No later than January 20, 2021 Grants.gov: No later than February 2, 2021 |
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov |
February 11, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens |
|
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal |
February 16-23, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection |
November 2021 |
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project |
January 1, 2022 |
Second Grants for Arts Projects Deadline:
IMPORTANT: Finalize your Grants.gov/SAM registrations and submit early to Grants.gov to allow time to resolve any issues you might encounter during the submission process. |
SAM.gov: No later than June 16, 2021 Grants.gov: No later than June 29, 2021 |
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov |
July 8, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens |
|
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal |
July 13-20, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection |
April 2022 |
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project |
June 1, 2022 |
Project Types include, but are not limited to:
- Exhibitions and related activities.
- Conservation, preservation, and/or restoration.
- Commissions or public art.
- Residencies.
- Provenance research.
- Collections management.
- Reinstallation of collections.
- Public programming such as workshops, lectures and symposia, or other outreach activities.
- Periodicals, publications, or catalogues.
- Education and related activities for youth, adults, intergenerational groups, and schools. (If your project is for youth, see "Choosing the Right Discipline for Youth Projects" to help you in your discipline selection.)
- Innovative uses of technology.
- Services to the field.
For information on how to apply, see “How to Apply” on the left.
National Historic Preservation Act and/or the National Environmental Policy Act Review
If you are recommended for a grant, your project may be subject to the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and/or the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Endowment for the Arts will conduct a review of your project to ensure that it is in compliance with NHPA/NEPA.
Some of the common project types that garner a NHPA review are:
- A project involving or occurring near a district, site, building, landscape, structure or object that is 50 years old and therefore potentially eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (note that in some instances, buildings or structures may be included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places that are less than 50 years old).
- The commissioning and installation of temporary or permanent outdoor furnishings such as benches or market structures, or art such as a sculpture or mural.
- An outdoor arts festival.
- Design planning and services for projects that may involve a historic site, structure, or district.
This review and approval process may take up to several months to complete and may delay your project's start date and our ability to make a grant award/our ability to release grant funds. If you are recommended for an award which may have historic preservation or environmental concerns (NHPA/NEPA), you will be notified and asked to provide additional information. Thorough and complete information for all project activities and locations will expedite the review. The Arts Endowment cannot release an award and/or grant funds until the NHPA/NEPA review is complete.
Learn more about the questions you will need to answer for the review of a project impacted by the National Historic Preservation Act and/or the National Environmental Policy Act.
Accessibility
Federal regulations require that all National Endowment for the Arts-funded projects be accessible to people with disabilities. Funded activities must be held in a physically accessible venue and program access and effective communication must be provided for participants and audience members with disabilities. If your project is recommended for funding, you will be asked to provide detailed information describing how you will make your project physically and programmatically accessible to people with disabilities.
Part 1: Submit to Grants.gov (Museums)
- Before submitting to Grants.gov, your organization must register or renew/verify its current registration with both Grants.gov and the System for Award Management (SAM). Registrations with Grants.gov and SAM must be active for you to be able to submit your application. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in your inability to submit to Grants.gov.
- Go to Grants.gov's Organization Registration to create a new organization registration.
- When registering/renewing your SAM account, be sure to select “Yes” when completing the “Representations & Certifications” section. All awardees are required to have these representations & certifications in order to receive an award.
- Grants.gov Contact Center: Call 1-800-518-4726, email support@grants.gov, or consult the information posted on the Grants.gov website at Support. The Grants.gov Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. NOTE: You must contact Grants.gov for help. Grants.gov is not a National Endowment for the Arts system and is outside of our control.
- SAM Federal Service Desk: Call 1-866-606-8220 or see the information posted on the SAM website at SAM Help. NOTE: You must contact SAM.gov for help. SAM.gov is not a National Endowment for the Arts system and is outside of our control.
- Registration in SAM.gov and Grants.gov can take several weeks. Exceptions to the deadline will be considered only for registration or renewal issues that are the result of failures on the part of DUNS, SAM, or Grants.gov as determined by the National Endowment for the Arts. To be considered for this exception, you must provide documentation of a DUNS, SAM, or Grants.gov failure dating from at least January 20 for the February 11 deadline or June 16 for the July 8 deadline.
- In addition to these instructions, you should periodically check the Grants.gov blog or the Grants.gov homepage for tips, updates, and alerts.
Access the Grant Opportunity Package with the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form on Grants.gov by clicking on the link for your deadline:
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE GRANT OPPORTUNITY PACKAGE ON GRANTS.GOV For applications at the July 8, 2021, deadline: [Funding Opportunity Number 2021NEA01GAP2] |
When you go to Grants.gov through the link above, the Grants.gov “View Grant Opportunity” screen will open. Choose “Apply” in the “Action” area. On the next screen, choose “Apply” again. You will be prompted to enter your Grants.gov Username and Password.
You will apply using a Grants.gov Workspace. To create a Workspace, look for the “Application Filing Name” field above the “Create Workspace” button (you must be logged in as the Authorized Organization Representative or AOR to be able to see this button and create the Workspace). Enter the legal name of your organization, click the “Create Workspace” button, and follow the screens from there. Learn more about using Grants.gov’s Workspace.
See detailed instructions on how to complete and submit the required forms through Workspace.
You will submit the substantial part of your application during Part 2.
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 for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form 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 independent component, do not list the name of the independent component here. You will be asked for that information later.
b. Address: Use Street 1 for your organization’s physical street address. This address should agree with the address that you used with the SAM (System for Award Management). In addition, use Street 2 for your organization’s mailing address if it differs from the physical street address.
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 SAM (System for Award Management) as part of the Grants.gov registration. Otherwise, your application will not be validated by Grants.gov and will be rejected. Confirm your DUNS with SAM.gov before filling out this form.
g. Congressional District: Enter the number of the Congressional District where the applicant organization is located. The Congressional District that you enter here must agree with the Congressional District that you used with the SAM (System for Award Management) as part of the Grants.gov registration. 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: Enter “N/A.” You will provide a project title in the Arts Endowment’s Applicant Portal during Part 2 of the application process, not in Grants.gov. Anything you enter in Grants.gov will not be used in the review of your application.
b. Project Description: Enter “N/A.” You will provide a project description in the Arts Endowment’s Applicant Portal during Part 2 of the application process, not in Grants.gov. Anything you enter in Grants.gov will not be used in the review of your application.
c. Proposed Project Start Date/End Date: Enter the beginning and ending dates for your requested period of performance, i.e., the span of time necessary to plan, execute, and close out your proposed project. The start date should be the first day of the month, and the end date should be the last day of the month. Our support of a project may start on or after: 1) For applicants at the February 11 deadline, January 1, 2022; or 2) For applicants at the July 8 deadline, June 1, 2022. Generally, a period of performance of up to two years is allowed. The two-year period is intended to allow an applicant sufficient time to plan, execute, and close out its project, not to repeat a one-year project for a second year. Your budget should include only the activities and costs incurred during the requested period of performance.
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 email address that will be valid through the announcement date for your category. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
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. For the Telephone number field, use the following format: 000-000-0000. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
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, 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 is authorized to submit this application to Grants.gov. Select a Prefix even though this is not a required field. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
The AOR must have the legal authority to obligate your organization (e. g., be a senior member of the staff such as an Executive Director, Director of Development). See specific requirements for who can serve as an AOR for colleges and universities. Contractors, including grant writers or grant consultants, or administrative support staff cannot serve as an AOR.
NOTE: 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.
-
To begin the submission process, log on to Grants.gov and go to the Forms tab on the Manage Workspace page. Click the “Sign and Submit” button, under the Forms tab.
-
Be certain that you are satisfied with your Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form before you click this button. No revisions to your form are possible through Grants.gov once it is submitted.
-
Once you complete and submit your application, you will see a confirmation screen explaining that your submission is being processed. Take a screenshot and retain the Grants.gov Tracking Number that you receive in the application submission confirmation screen.
-
If you wait until the day of the deadline to submit your application, you are taking a significant risk! We strongly suggest that you submit your application no later than February 2 for the February 11 application deadline; and no later than June 29 for the July 8 application deadline. This should provide ample time to resolve any problems you might encounter.
-
We will not accept late applications. The only exception is for a technological failure on the part of Grants.gov, as determined by the National Endowment for the Arts. To be considered for this exception, you must provide documentation of a Grants.gov technological failure dating from:
- February 2 (for the February 11 deadline) or earlier, or
- June 29 (for the July 8 deadline) or earlier
We will consider and address your situation as appropriate. We will not make exceptions for applications that are the result of user error, including failure to register in SAM.gov or to verify that your application was validated by the Grants.gov system through Track My Application.
- Failure to successfully submit the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form through Grants.gov will make you ineligible to complete Part 2 of the application process.
- Verify that your application was validated by the Grants.gov system. Go to Track My Application to confirm the validation and track the progress of your application submission through Grants.gov. Take a screenshot of your validation confirmation for your records. Do not wait until the day of the deadline to verify your submission in case you encounter any difficulties.
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal (Museums)
- Read the Part 2 instructions (pdf) for Museums. This document will guide you through Part 2 of the application process, including information about how and when to access the Applicant Portal as well as the application questions and requirements. You must refer to the Part 2 instructions to complete your application.
- You will not have access to the Applicant Portal until the Part 2 application window described in the instructions. However, we urge you to use this document to prepare your responses and material well in advance so you will have them ready to upload once the system opens.
Music
FAQs for Applicants & Awardees in Response to COVID-19 »
The National Endowment for the Arts is committed to advancing a wide range of music, from classical and contemporary to jazz. We support projects by performing ensembles and music presenting organizations including but not limited to chamber music ensembles, choruses, early music programs, jazz ensembles, music festivals, and symphony orchestras. In addition, the National Endowment for the Arts accepts applications from professional artist development programs, artist residencies, community engagement projects that involve diverse communities; education activities for people of all ages; and service organizations.
Organizations of all types and sizes may apply for a variety of music production, presentation, professional development, engagement, and service projects. The National Endowment for the Arts is particularly interested in collaborations, innovative presentation strategies, and initiatives that help organizations engage audiences in new and meaningful ways. In addition to projects that focus on the standard repertoire, the National Endowment for the Arts encourages the commissioning and performance of new American works.
The National Endowment for the Arts is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and fostering mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and groups. The Arts Endowment encourages projects that use the arts to unite and heal in response to current events, as well as address any of the following:
- Celebrate America’s creativity and/or cultural heritage.
- Invite a dialogue that fosters a mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all persons and groups.
- Enrich our humanity by broadening our understanding of ourselves as individuals and as a society.
- Originate from or are in collaboration with the following constituencies encouraged by White House Executive Orders:
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities,
- Tribal Colleges and Universities,
- American Indian and Alaska Native tribes,
- African American Serving Institutions,
- Hispanic Serving Institutions,
- Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, and
- Organizations that support the independence and lifelong inclusion of people with disabilities.
Projects may focus on reaching a particular constituency, however, they may not be exclusionary under national laws and policies prohibiting discrimination. This extends to hiring practices and audience engagement.
Applicants may request cost share/matching grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000.
If your project is developed and managed by local government, see the Local Arts Agencies description to help you in your discipline selection (see Program Description and select Local Arts Agencies from the dropdown).
Projects
Grants for Arts Projects applications will be accepted at two deadlines. All project types (described below) are accepted at both deadlines. Generally, an organization is limited to one application per year in the Grants for Arts Projects category.
Applications must be for projects only. A project may consist of one or more specific events or activities. A project should not cover an entire season of programming as we do not fund seasonal or general operating support.
Deadlines
First Grants for Arts Projects Deadline:
IMPORTANT: Finalize your Grants.gov/SAM registrations and submit early to Grants.gov to allow time to resolve any issues you might encounter during the submission process. |
SAM.gov: No later than January 20, 2021 Grants.gov: No later than February 2, 2021 |
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov |
February 11, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens |
|
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal |
February 16-23, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection |
November 2021 |
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project |
January 1, 2022 |
Second Grants for Arts Projects Deadline:
IMPORTANT: Finalize your Grants.gov/SAM registrations and submit early to Grants.gov to allow time to resolve any issues you might encounter during the submission process. |
SAM.gov: No later than June 16, 2021 Grants.gov: No later than June 29, 2021 |
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov |
July 8, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens |
|
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal |
July 13-20, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection |
April 2022 |
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project |
June 1, 2022 |
Project Types
We welcome and encourage applicants to contact the discipline staff to discuss potential proposed project types, many of which are listed below.
Performances, presentations, and commissions
- Public presentations of musical works.
- Commissions and/or co-commissions.
- Development and performances of new musical compositions and innovative works.
- Performances and educational engagements by NEA Jazz Masters that honor their work, history, style, and/or significance to jazz; and broaden public awareness of the art form.
- Domestic touring.
- Festivals and other events (may include performances, lecture-demonstrations, audience talkbacks, master classes, and workshops).
Professional artistic development
- Professional artistic development and training programs for musicians such as conducting skills, mentorship, and career development.
- Residencies and workshops with artists.
Engagement, education, recordings, and technology
- Community engagement projects that involve diverse communities and/or reach new audiences.
- Innovative methods of engaging audiences (may include collaborations with other organizations, new approaches that have the potential to increase the impact on audiences, artists, communities, or the field).
- Recordings of works by American composers.
- Technology projects such as local broadcasts, online resources, and libraries that provide public access to musical works.
- Archival, documentation, and preservation projects.
- Education and related activities for youth, adults, and intergenerational groups. If your project is for youth, see "Choosing the Right Discipline for Youth Projects."
- Projects that advance and/or sustain the creative work of and/or careers for people with disabilities though employment, industry training, technical assistance, organizational capacity-building, and infrastructure.
- Projects that include planning, research, and training that supports an organization’s capacity to respond to current events including the pandemic, economic downturn, and inequality.
Services to the field
- Services that reach a broad constituency of musicians, music educators, administrators, and music organizations (may include workshops, conferences, publications, professional leadership development, technical assistance, or online resources).
For information on how to apply, see “How to Apply” on the left.
National Historic Preservation Act and/or the National Environmental Policy Act Review
If you are recommended for a grant, your project may be subject to the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and/or the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Endowment for the Arts will conduct a review of your project to ensure that it is in compliance with NHPA/NEPA.
Some of the common project types that garner a NHPA review are:
- A project involving or occurring near a district, site, building, landscape, structure or object that is 50 years old and therefore potentially eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (note that in some instances, buildings or structures may be included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places that are less than 50 years old).
- The commissioning and installation of temporary or permanent outdoor furnishings such as benches or market structures, or art such as a sculpture or mural.
- An outdoor arts festival.
- Design planning and services for projects that may involve a historic site, structure, or district.
This review and approval process may take up to several months to complete and may delay your project's start date and our ability to make a grant award/our ability to release grant funds. If you are recommended for an award which may have historic preservation or environmental concerns (NHPA/NEPA), you will be notified and asked to provide additional information. Thorough and complete information for all project activities and locations will expedite the review. The Arts Endowment cannot release an award and/or grant funds until the NHPA/NEPA review is complete.
Learn more about the questions you will need to answer for the review of a project impacted by the National Historic Preservation Act and/or the National Environmental Policy Act.
Accessibility
Federal regulations require that all National Endowment for the Arts-funded projects be accessible to people with disabilities. Funded activities must be held in a physically accessible venue and program access and effective communication must be provided for participants and audience members with disabilities. If your project is recommended for funding, you will be asked to provide detailed information describing how you will make your project physically and programmatically accessible to people with disabilities.
Part 1: Submit to Grants.gov (Music)
Complete Steps 1-5.
- Before submitting to Grants.gov, your organization must register or renew/verify its current registration with both Grants.gov and the System for Award Management (SAM). Registrations with Grants.gov and SAM must be active for you to be able to submit your application. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in your inability to submit to Grants.gov.
- Go to Grants.gov's Organization Registration to create a new organization registration.
- When registering/renewing your SAM account, be sure to select “Yes” when completing the “Representations & Certifications” section. All awardees are required to have these representations & certifications in order to receive an award.
- Grants.gov Contact Center: Call 1-800-518-4726, email support@grants.gov, or consult the information posted on the Grants.gov website at Support. The Grants.gov Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. NOTE: You must contact Grants.gov for help. Grants.gov is not a National Endowment for the Arts system and is outside of our control.
- SAM Federal Service Desk: Call 1-866-606-8220 or see the information posted on the SAM website at SAM Help. NOTE: You must contact SAM.gov for help. SAM.gov is not a National Endowment for the Arts system and is outside of our control.
- Registration in SAM.gov and Grants.gov can take several weeks. Exceptions to the deadline will be considered only for registration or renewal issues that are the result of failures on the part of DUNS, SAM, or Grants.gov as determined by the National Endowment for the Arts. To be considered for this exception, you must provide documentation of a DUNS, SAM, or Grants.gov failure dating from at least January 20 for the February 11 deadline or June 16 for the July 8 deadline.
- In addition to these instructions, you should periodically check the Grants.gov blog or the Grants.gov homepage for tips, updates, and alerts.
Access the Grant Opportunity Package with the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form on Grants.gov by clicking on the link for your deadline:
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE GRANT OPPORTUNITY PACKAGE ON GRANTS.GOV For applications at the July 8, 2021, deadline: [Funding Opportunity Number 2021NEA01GAP2] |
When you go to Grants.gov through the link above, the Grants.gov “View Grant Opportunity” screen will open. Choose “Apply” in the “Action” area. On the next screen, choose “Apply” again. You will be prompted to enter your Grants.gov Username and Password.
You will apply using a Grants.gov Workspace. To create a Workspace, look for the “Application Filing Name” field above the “Create Workspace” button (you must be logged in as the Authorized Organization Representative or AOR to be able to see this button and create the Workspace). Enter the legal name of your organization, click the “Create Workspace” button, and follow the screens from there. Learn more about using Grants.gov’s Workspace.
See detailed instructions on how to complete and submit the required forms through Workspace.
You will submit the substantial part of your application during Part 2.
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 for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form 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 independent component, do not list the name of the independent component here. You will be asked for that information later.
b. Address: Use Street 1 for your organization’s physical street address. This address should agree with the address that you used with the SAM (System for Award Management). In addition, use Street 2 for your organization’s mailing address if it differs from the physical street address.
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 SAM (System for Award Management) as part of the Grants.gov registration. Otherwise, your application will not be validated by Grants.gov and will be rejected. Confirm your DUNS with SAM.gov before filling out this form.
g. Congressional District: Enter the number of the Congressional District where the applicant organization is located. The Congressional District that you enter here must agree with the Congressional District that you used with the SAM (System for Award Management) as part of the Grants.gov registration. 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: Enter “N/A.” You will provide a project title in the Arts Endowment’s Applicant Portal during Part 2 of the application process, not in Grants.gov. Anything you enter in Grants.gov will not be used in the review of your application.
b. Project Description: Enter “N/A.” You will provide a project description in the Arts Endowment’s Applicant Portal during Part 2 of the application process, not in Grants.gov. Anything you enter in Grants.gov will not be used in the review of your application.
c. Proposed Project Start Date/End Date: Enter the beginning and ending dates for your requested period of performance, i.e., the span of time necessary to plan, execute, and close out your proposed project. The start date should be the first day of the month, and the end date should be the last day of the month. Our support of a project may start on or after: 1) For applicants at the February 11 deadline, January 1, 2022; or 2) For applicants at the July 8 deadline, June 1, 2022. Generally, a period of performance of up to two years is allowed. The two-year period is intended to allow an applicant sufficient time to plan, execute, and close out its project, not to repeat a one-year project for a second year. Your budget should include only the activities and costs incurred during the requested period of performance.
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 email address that will be valid through the announcement date for your category. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
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. For the Telephone number field, use the following format: 000-000-0000. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
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, 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 is authorized to submit this application to Grants.gov. Select a Prefix even though this is not a required field. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
The AOR must have the legal authority to obligate your organization (e. g., be a senior member of the staff such as an Executive Director, Director of Development). See specific requirements for who can serve as an AOR for colleges and universities. Contractors, including grant writers or grant consultants, or administrative support staff cannot serve as an AOR.
NOTE: 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.
-
To begin the submission process, log on to Grants.gov and go to the Forms tab on the Manage Workspace page. Click the “Sign and Submit” button, under the Forms tab.
-
Be certain that you are satisfied with your Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form before you click this button. No revisions to your form are possible through Grants.gov once it is submitted.
-
Once you complete and submit your application, you will see a confirmation screen explaining that your submission is being processed. Take a screenshot and retain the Grants.gov Tracking Number that you receive in the application submission confirmation screen.
-
If you wait until the day of the deadline to submit your application, you are taking a significant risk! We strongly suggest that you submit your application no later than February 2 for the February 11 application deadline; and no later than June 29 for the July 8 application deadline. This should provide ample time to resolve any problems you might encounter.
-
We will not accept late applications. The only exception is for a technological failure on the part of Grants.gov, as determined by the National Endowment for the Arts. To be considered for this exception, you must provide documentation of a Grants.gov technological failure dating from:
- February 2 (for the February 11 deadline) or earlier, or
- June 29 (for the July 8 deadline) or earlier
We will consider and address your situation as appropriate. We will not make exceptions for applications that are the result of user error, including failure to register in SAM.gov or to verify that your application was validated by the Grants.gov system through Track My Application.
- Failure to successfully submit the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form through Grants.gov will make you ineligible to complete Part 2 of the application process.
- Verify that your application was validated by the Grants.gov system. Go to Track My Application to confirm the validation and track the progress of your application submission through Grants.gov. Take a screenshot of your validation confirmation for your records. Do not wait until the day of the deadline to verify your submission in case you encounter any difficulties.
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal (Music)
- Read the Part 2 instructions (pdf) for Music. This document will guide you through Part 2 of the application process, including information about how and when to access the Applicant Portal as well as the application questions and requirements. You must refer to the Part 2 instructions to complete your application.
- You will not have access to the Applicant Portal until the Part 2 application window described in the instructions. However, we urge you to use this document to prepare your responses and material well in advance so you will have them ready to upload once the system opens.
Musical Theater
FAQs for Applicants & Awardees in Response to COVID-19 »
The National Endowment for the Arts nurtures the nonprofit musical theater field, as one of America’s unique art forms, by funding the work of established musical theater organizations as well as musical theater projects by companies known primarily for non-musical work. The National Endowment for the Arts awards grants for the production or presentation of traditional repertoire, new musicals, development laboratories, showcases, artist residencies, work for young audiences, experimental work, and community-based work. Projects funded by the National Endowment for the Arts should help to fully realize an organization's mission and may provide support for organizations and artists in the creation and refinement of work, the public presentation of musicals from all cultures and periods, and opportunities for professional development. Supported projects will reflect the breadth of the musical theater genre and its artistic, historical, and cultural significance.
The National Endowment for the Arts is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and fostering mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and groups. The Arts Endowment encourages projects that use the arts to unite and heal in response to current events, as well as address any of the following:
- Celebrate America’s creativity and/or cultural heritage.
- Invite a dialogue that fosters a mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all persons and groups.
- Enrich our humanity by broadening our understanding of ourselves as individuals and as a society.
- Originate from or are in collaboration with the following constituencies encouraged by White House Executive Orders:
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities,
- Tribal Colleges and Universities,
- American Indian and Alaska Native tribes,
- African American Serving Institutions,
- Hispanic Serving Institutions,
- Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, and
- Organizations that support the independence and lifelong inclusion of people with disabilities.
Projects may focus on reaching a particular constituency, however, they may not be exclusionary under national laws and policies prohibiting discrimination. This extends to hiring practices and audience engagement.
Applicants may request cost share/matching grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000.
If your project is developed and managed by local government, see the Local Arts Agencies description to help you in your discipline selection (see Program Description and select Local Arts Agencies from the dropdown).
Projects
Grants for Arts Projects applications will be accepted at two deadlines. All project types (described below) are accepted at both deadlines. Generally, an organization is limited to one application per year in the Grants for Arts Projects category.
Applications must be for projects only. A project may consist of one or more specific events or activities, and should not cover an entire season of programming. We do not fund seasonal or general operating support.
Deadlines
First Grants for Arts Projects Deadline:
IMPORTANT: Finalize your Grants.gov/SAM registrations and submit early to Grants.gov to allow time to resolve any issues you might encounter during the submission process. |
SAM.gov: No later than January 20, 2021 Grants.gov: No later than February 2, 2021 |
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov |
February 11, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens |
|
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal |
February 16-23, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection |
November 2021 |
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project |
January 1, 2022 |
Second Grants for Arts Projects Deadline:
IMPORTANT: Finalize your Grants.gov/SAM registrations and submit early to Grants.gov to allow time to resolve any issues you might encounter during the submission process. |
SAM.gov: No later than June 16, 2021 Grants.gov: No later than June 29, 2021 |
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov |
July 8, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens |
|
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal |
July 13-20, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection |
April 2022 |
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project |
June 1, 2022 |
Project Types include, but are not limited to:
- Musical theater projects that encourage the participation of artists, production staff, and administrators from a wide variety of aesthetic viewpoints, racial and ethnic backgrounds, cultures, disability perspectives, and/or geographic areas.
- Commissioning, development, and production of new musicals.
- Production of existing contemporary musicals or works from the musical theater canon that are re-imagined or speak to today's audiences in new and original ways.
- Development, production, or presentation of musical theater work for young audiences.
- Development programs and labs for new musicals, which may include the hosting of artist residencies, showcase productions of new work, development workshops, and festivals of new works or works in progress. (The National Endowment for the Arts does not fund festivals for which no curatorial judgment has been applied, or development programs in which participants must pay a fee to participate.)
- Local, regional, and national touring of musicals.
- Documentation, preservation, conservation, archiving, and dissemination of America's musical theater heritage.
- Community-based projects that involve the creation and/or production of musical theater with community members.
- Projects and initiatives that explore issues of inequality and extend the reach of the arts to communities that have been historically underserved.
- Services to the musical theater field that assist organizations or artists in administrative, developmental, technical, and related areas.
- Professional training including classes, guest artist residencies, workshops, and mentorship of musical theater artists.
- Projects that advance and/or sustain the creative work of and/or careers for people with disabilities through employment, industry training, technical assistance, organization capacity-building, and infrastructure.
- Musical theater exposure and enrichment projects, including projects for youth, adults, and intergenerational groups. (If your project is for youth, see "Choosing the Right Discipline for Youth Projects" to help you in your discipline selection.)
For information on how to apply, see “How to Apply” on the left.
National Historic Preservation Act and/or the National Environmental Policy Act Review
If you are recommended for a grant, your project may be subject to the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and/or the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Endowment for the Arts will conduct a review of your project to ensure that it is in compliance with NHPA/NEPA.
Some of the common project types that garner a NHPA review are:
- A project involving or occurring near a district, site, building, landscape, structure or object that is 50 years old and therefore potentially eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (note that in some instances, buildings or structures may be included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places that are less than 50 years old).
- The commissioning and installation of temporary or permanent outdoor furnishings such as benches or market structures, or art such as a sculpture or mural.
- An outdoor arts festival.
- Design planning and services for projects that may involve a historic site, structure, or district.
This review and approval process may take up to several months to complete and may delay your project's start date and our ability to make a grant award/our ability to release grant funds. If you are recommended for an award which may have historic preservation or environmental concerns (NHPA/NEPA), you will be notified and asked to provide additional information. Thorough and complete information for all project activities and locations will expedite the review. The Arts Endowment cannot release an award and/or grant funds until the NHPA/NEPA review is complete.
Learn more about the questions you will need to answer for the review of a project impacted by the National Historic Preservation Act and/or the National Environmental Policy Act.
Accessibility
Federal regulations require that all National Endowment for the Arts-funded projects be accessible to people with disabilities. Funded activities must be held in a physically accessible venue and program access and effective communication must be provided for participants and audience members with disabilities. If your project is recommended for funding, you will be asked to provide detailed information describing how you will make your project physically and programmatically accessible to people with disabilities.
Part 1: Submit to Grants.gov (Musical Theater)
Complete Steps 1-5.
- Before submitting to Grants.gov, your organization must register or renew/verify its current registration with both Grants.gov and the System for Award Management (SAM). Registrations with Grants.gov and SAM must be active for you to be able to submit your application. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in your inability to submit to Grants.gov.
- Go to Grants.gov's Organization Registration to create a new organization registration.
- When registering/renewing your SAM account, be sure to select “Yes” when completing the “Representations & Certifications” section. All awardees are required to have these representations & certifications in order to receive an award.
- Grants.gov Contact Center: Call 1-800-518-4726, email support@grants.gov, or consult the information posted on the Grants.gov website at Support. The Grants.gov Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. NOTE: You must contact Grants.gov for help. Grants.gov is not a National Endowment for the Arts system and is outside of our control.
- SAM Federal Service Desk: Call 1-866-606-8220 or see the information posted on the SAM website at SAM Help. NOTE: You must contact SAM.gov for help. SAM.gov is not a National Endowment for the Arts system and is outside of our control.
- Registration in SAM.gov and Grants.gov can take several weeks. Exceptions to the deadline will be considered only for registration or renewal issues that are the result of failures on the part of DUNS, SAM, or Grants.gov as determined by the National Endowment for the Arts. To be considered for this exception, you must provide documentation of a DUNS, SAM, or Grants.gov failure dating from at least January 20 for the February 11 deadline or June 16 for the July 8 deadline.
- In addition to these instructions, you should periodically check the Grants.gov blog or the Grants.gov homepage for tips, updates, and alerts.
Access the Grant Opportunity Package with the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form on Grants.gov by clicking on the link for your deadline:
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE GRANT OPPORTUNITY PACKAGE ON GRANTS.GOV For applications at the July 8, 2021, deadline: [Funding Opportunity Number 2021NEA01GAP2] |
When you go to Grants.gov through the link above, the Grants.gov “View Grant Opportunity” screen will open. Choose “Apply” in the “Action” area. On the next screen, choose “Apply” again. You will be prompted to enter your Grants.gov Username and Password.
You will apply using a Grants.gov Workspace. To create a Workspace, look for the “Application Filing Name” field above the “Create Workspace” button (you must be logged in as the Authorized Organization Representative or AOR to be able to see this button and create the Workspace). Enter the legal name of your organization, click the “Create Workspace” button, and follow the screens from there. Learn more about using Grants.gov’s Workspace.
See detailed instructions on how to complete and submit the required forms through Workspace.
You will submit the substantial part of your application during Part 2.
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 for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form 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 independent component, do not list the name of the independent component here. You will be asked for that information later.
b. Address: Use Street 1 for your organization’s physical street address. This address should agree with the address that you used with the SAM (System for Award Management). In addition, use Street 2 for your organization’s mailing address if it differs from the physical street address.
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 SAM (System for Award Management) as part of the Grants.gov registration. Otherwise, your application will not be validated by Grants.gov and will be rejected. Confirm your DUNS with SAM.gov before filling out this form.
g. Congressional District: Enter the number of the Congressional District where the applicant organization is located. The Congressional District that you enter here must agree with the Congressional District that you used with the SAM (System for Award Management) as part of the Grants.gov registration. 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: Enter “N/A.” You will provide a project title in the Arts Endowment’s Applicant Portal during Part 2 of the application process, not in Grants.gov. Anything you enter in Grants.gov will not be used in the review of your application.
b. Project Description: Enter “N/A.” You will provide a project description in the Arts Endowment’s Applicant Portal during Part 2 of the application process, not in Grants.gov. Anything you enter in Grants.gov will not be used in the review of your application.
c. Proposed Project Start Date/End Date: Enter the beginning and ending dates for your requested period of performance, i.e., the span of time necessary to plan, execute, and close out your proposed project. The start date should be the first day of the month, and the end date should be the last day of the month. Our support of a project may start on or after: 1) For applicants at the February 11 deadline, January 1, 2022; or 2) For applicants at the July 8 deadline, June 1, 2022. Generally, a period of performance of up to two years is allowed. The two-year period is intended to allow an applicant sufficient time to plan, execute, and close out its project, not to repeat a one-year project for a second year. Your budget should include only the activities and costs incurred during the requested period of performance.
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 email address that will be valid through the announcement date for your category. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
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. For the Telephone number field, use the following format: 000-000-0000. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
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, 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 is authorized to submit this application to Grants.gov. Select a Prefix even though this is not a required field. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
The AOR must have the legal authority to obligate your organization (e. g., be a senior member of the staff such as an Executive Director, Director of Development). See specific requirements for who can serve as an AOR for colleges and universities. Contractors, including grant writers or grant consultants, or administrative support staff cannot serve as an AOR.
NOTE: 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.
-
To begin the submission process, log on to Grants.gov and go to the Forms tab on the Manage Workspace page. Click the “Sign and Submit” button, under the Forms tab.
-
Be certain that you are satisfied with your Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form before you click this button. No revisions to your form are possible through Grants.gov once it is submitted.
-
Once you complete and submit your application, you will see a confirmation screen explaining that your submission is being processed. Take a screenshot and retain the Grants.gov Tracking Number that you receive in the application submission confirmation screen.
-
If you wait until the day of the deadline to submit your application, you are taking a significant risk! We strongly suggest that you submit your application no later than February 2 for the February 11 application deadline; and no later than June 29 for the July 8 application deadline. This should provide ample time to resolve any problems you might encounter.
-
We will not accept late applications. The only exception is for a technological failure on the part of Grants.gov, as determined by the National Endowment for the Arts. To be considered for this exception, you must provide documentation of a Grants.gov technological failure dating from:
- February 2 (for the February 11 deadline) or earlier, or
- June 29 (for the July 8 deadline) or earlier
We will consider and address your situation as appropriate. We will not make exceptions for applications that are the result of user error, including failure to register in SAM.gov or to verify that your application was validated by the Grants.gov system through Track My Application.
- Failure to successfully submit the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form through Grants.gov will make you ineligible to complete Part 2 of the application process.
- Verify that your application was validated by the Grants.gov system. Go to Track My Application to confirm the validation and track the progress of your application submission through Grants.gov. Take a screenshot of your validation confirmation for your records. Do not wait until the day of the deadline to verify your submission in case you encounter any difficulties.
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal (Musical Theater)
- Read the Part 2 instructions (pdf) for Musical Theater. This document will guide you through Part 2 of the application process, including information about how and when to access the Applicant Portal as well as the application questions and requirements. You must refer to the Part 2 instructions to complete your application.
- You will not have access to the Applicant Portal until the Part 2 application window described in the instructions. However, we urge you to use this document to prepare your responses and material well in advance so you will have them ready to upload once the system opens.
Opera
FAQs for Applicants & Awardees in Response to COVID-19 »
The National Endowment for the Arts is committed to nurturing and advancing operatic artistry to enrich communities large and small across the nation. Opera is a multifaceted art form that can involve singing, acting, orchestral playing, scenic artistry, costume design, lighting, and dance to convey a story or dramatic concept.
Organizations of all types and sizes are welcome to apply, including professional opera companies, opera festivals, music festivals, presenting organizations, professional artist development programs, and other organizations that commission, develop, or produce fully-staged operatic works and/or concert opera.
The National Endowment for the Arts supports the commissioning, development, presentation, and professional recordings of new or existing operatic works; professional artist development programs and artist residencies; community engagement projects that involve diverse communities; education activities for people of all ages; and projects by service organizations. Applications for collaborations and innovative projects that engage audiences in new and meaningful ways are encouraged.
The National Endowment for the Arts is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and fostering mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and groups. The Arts Endowment encourages projects that use the arts to unite and heal in response to current events, as well as address any of the following:
- Celebrate America’s creativity and/or cultural heritage.
- Invite a dialogue that fosters a mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all persons and groups.
- Enrich our humanity by broadening our understanding of ourselves as individuals and as a society.
- Originate from or are in collaboration with the following constituencies encouraged by White House Executive Orders:
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities,
- Tribal Colleges and Universities,
- American Indian and Alaska Native tribes,
- African American Serving Institutions,
- Hispanic Serving Institutions,
- Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, and
- Organizations that support the independence and lifelong inclusion of people with disabilities.
Projects may focus on reaching a particular constituency, however, they may not be exclusionary under national laws and policies prohibiting discrimination. This extends to hiring practices and audience engagement.
Applicants may request cost share/matching grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000.
If your project is developed and managed by local government, see the Local Arts Agencies description to help you in your discipline selection (see Program Description and select Local Arts Agencies from the dropdown).
Projects
Grants for Arts Projects applications will be accepted at two deadlines. All project types (described below) are accepted at both deadlines. Generally, an organization is limited to one application per year in the Grants for Arts Projects category.
Applications must be for projects only. A project may consist of one or more specific events or activities. A project should not cover an entire season of programming as we do not fund seasonal or general operating support.
Deadlines
First Grants for Arts Projects Deadline:
IMPORTANT: Finalize your Grants.gov/SAM registrations and submit early to Grants.gov to allow time to resolve any issues you might encounter during the submission process. |
SAM.gov: No later than January 20, 2021 Grants.gov: No later than February 2, 2021 |
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov |
February 11, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens |
|
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal |
February 16-23, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection |
November 2021 |
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project |
January 1, 2022 |
Second Grants for Arts Projects Deadline:
IMPORTANT: Finalize your Grants.gov/SAM registrations and submit early to Grants.gov to allow time to resolve any issues you might encounter during the submission process. |
SAM.gov: No later than June 16, 2021 Grants.gov: No later than June 29, 2021 |
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov |
July 8, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens |
|
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal |
July 13-20, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection |
April 2022 |
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project |
June 1, 2022 |
Project Types
We welcome and encourage applicants to contact the discipline staff to discuss potential proposed project types, many of which are listed below.
Performances, presentations, and commissions
- Creation of new operatic works, especially those that are innovative or that cross genres (including commissions, residencies, and workshops with artists).
- Premieres.
- Repeat productions of previously-premiered 21st century works.
- New productions of traditional and contemporary operas.
- Remounting of existing productions.
- Concert opera (performances that are not fully staged). Contact the Opera staff before preparing a concert opera application.
- Domestic touring.
- Opera festivals and other events (may include performances, lecture-demonstrations, audience talk-backs, master classes, and workshops).
Professional artistic development
- Artist residencies.
- Post-conservatory professional development programs for artists including coaching, conducting, acting, stage movement, diction, language, mentorship, and career development.
- Projects that advance and/or sustain the creative work of and/or careers for people with disabilities through employment, industry training, technical assistance, organization capacity-building, and infrastructure.
Engagement, education, recordings, and technology
- Community engagement projects that involve diverse communities and/or reach new audiences.
- Education and related activities for youth, adults, and intergenerational groups.
- Projects that include planning, research, and training that supports an organization’s capacity to respond to current events including the pandemic, economic downturn, and inequality.
- Audience engagement initiatives (including collaborations with other organizations).
- Opera performances and activities in public spaces intended to foster community interaction and/or enhance the unique characteristics of a community.
- Recordings of opera works (by international or American composers).
- Technology projects (including simulcast performances and online resources that provide public access to opera).
- Archival, documentation, and preservation projects.
Services to the opera field
- Services to the opera field (for organizations, singers, composers, librettists, administrators, and/or volunteers).
For information on how to apply, see “How to Apply” on the left.
National Historic Preservation Act and/or the National Environmental Policy Act Review
If you are recommended for a grant, your project may be subject to the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and/or the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Endowment for the Arts will conduct a review of your project to ensure that it is in compliance with NHPA/NEPA.
Some of the common project types that garner a NHPA review are:
- A project involving or occurring near a district, site, building, landscape, structure or object that is 50 years old and therefore potentially eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (note that in some instances, buildings or structures may be included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places that are less than 50 years old).
- The commissioning and installation of temporary or permanent outdoor furnishings such as benches or market structures, or art such as a sculpture or mural.
- An outdoor arts festival.
- Design planning and services for projects that may involve a historic site, structure, or district.
This review and approval process may take up to several months to complete and may delay your project's start date and our ability to make a grant award/our ability to release grant funds. If you are recommended for an award which may have historic preservation or environmental concerns (NHPA/NEPA), you will be notified and asked to provide additional information. Thorough and complete information for all project activities and locations will expedite the review. The Arts Endowment cannot release an award and/or grant funds until the NHPA/NEPA review is complete.
Learn more about the questions you will need to answer for the review of a project impacted by the National Historic Preservation Act and/or the National Environmental Policy Act.
Accessibility
Federal regulations require that all National Endowment for the Arts-funded projects be accessible to people with disabilities. Funded activities must be held in a physically accessible venue and program access and effective communication must be provided for participants and audience members with disabilities. If your project is recommended for funding, you will be asked to provide detailed information describing how you will make your project physically and programmatically accessible to people with disabilities.
Part 1: Submit to Grants.gov (Opera)
Complete Steps 1-5.
- Before submitting to Grants.gov, your organization must register or renew/verify its current registration with both Grants.gov and the System for Award Management (SAM). Registrations with Grants.gov and SAM must be active for you to be able to submit your application. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in your inability to submit to Grants.gov.
- Go to Grants.gov's Organization Registration to create a new organization registration.
- When registering/renewing your SAM account, be sure to select “Yes” when completing the “Representations & Certifications” section. All awardees are required to have these representations & certifications in order to receive an award.
- Grants.gov Contact Center: Call 1-800-518-4726, email support@grants.gov, or consult the information posted on the Grants.gov website at Support. The Grants.gov Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. NOTE: You must contact Grants.gov for help. Grants.gov is not a National Endowment for the Arts system and is outside of our control.
- SAM Federal Service Desk: Call 1-866-606-8220 or see the information posted on the SAM website at SAM Help. NOTE: You must contact SAM.gov for help. SAM.gov is not a National Endowment for the Arts system and is outside of our control.
- Registration in SAM.gov and Grants.gov can take several weeks. Exceptions to the deadline will be considered only for registration or renewal issues that are the result of failures on the part of DUNS, SAM, or Grants.gov as determined by the National Endowment for the Arts. To be considered for this exception, you must provide documentation of a DUNS, SAM, or Grants.gov failure dating from at least January 20 for the February 11 deadline or June 16 for the July 8 deadline.
- In addition to these instructions, you should periodically check the Grants.gov blog or the Grants.gov homepage for tips, updates, and alerts.
Access the Grant Opportunity Package with the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form on Grants.gov by clicking on the link for your deadline:
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE GRANT OPPORTUNITY PACKAGE ON GRANTS.GOV For applications at the July 8, 2021, deadline: [Funding Opportunity Number 2021NEA01GAP2] |
When you go to Grants.gov through the link above, the Grants.gov “View Grant Opportunity” screen will open. Choose “Apply” in the “Action” area. On the next screen, choose “Apply” again. You will be prompted to enter your Grants.gov Username and Password.
You will apply using a Grants.gov Workspace. To create a Workspace, look for the “Application Filing Name” field above the “Create Workspace” button (you must be logged in as the Authorized Organization Representative or AOR to be able to see this button and create the Workspace). Enter the legal name of your organization, click the “Create Workspace” button, and follow the screens from there. Learn more about using Grants.gov’s Workspace.
See detailed instructions on how to complete and submit the required forms through Workspace.
You will submit the substantial part of your application during Part 2.
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 for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form 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 independent component, do not list the name of the independent component here. You will be asked for that information later.
b. Address: Use Street 1 for your organization’s physical street address. This address should agree with the address that you used with the SAM (System for Award Management). In addition, use Street 2 for your organization’s mailing address if it differs from the physical street address.
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 SAM (System for Award Management) as part of the Grants.gov registration. Otherwise, your application will not be validated by Grants.gov and will be rejected. Confirm your DUNS with SAM.gov before filling out this form.
g. Congressional District: Enter the number of the Congressional District where the applicant organization is located. The Congressional District that you enter here must agree with the Congressional District that you used with the SAM (System for Award Management) as part of the Grants.gov registration. 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: Enter “N/A.” You will provide a project title in the Arts Endowment’s Applicant Portal during Part 2 of the application process, not in Grants.gov. Anything you enter in Grants.gov will not be used in the review of your application.
b. Project Description: Enter “N/A.” You will provide a project description in the Arts Endowment’s Applicant Portal during Part 2 of the application process, not in Grants.gov. Anything you enter in Grants.gov will not be used in the review of your application.
c. Proposed Project Start Date/End Date: Enter the beginning and ending dates for your requested period of performance, i.e., the span of time necessary to plan, execute, and close out your proposed project. The start date should be the first day of the month, and the end date should be the last day of the month. Our support of a project may start on or after: 1) For applicants at the February 11 deadline, January 1, 2022; or 2) For applicants at the July 8 deadline, June 1, 2022. Generally, a period of performance of up to two years is allowed. The two-year period is intended to allow an applicant sufficient time to plan, execute, and close out its project, not to repeat a one-year project for a second year. Your budget should include only the activities and costs incurred during the requested period of performance.
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 email address that will be valid through the announcement date for your category. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
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. For the Telephone number field, use the following format: 000-000-0000. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
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, 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 is authorized to submit this application to Grants.gov. Select a Prefix even though this is not a required field. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
The AOR must have the legal authority to obligate your organization (e. g., be a senior member of the staff such as an Executive Director, Director of Development). See specific requirements for who can serve as an AOR for colleges and universities. Contractors, including grant writers or grant consultants, or administrative support staff cannot serve as an AOR.
NOTE: 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.
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To begin the submission process, log on to Grants.gov and go to the Forms tab on the Manage Workspace page. Click the “Sign and Submit” button, under the Forms tab.
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Be certain that you are satisfied with your Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form before you click this button. No revisions to your form are possible through Grants.gov once it is submitted.
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Once you complete and submit your application, you will see a confirmation screen explaining that your submission is being processed. Take a screenshot and retain the Grants.gov Tracking Number that you receive in the application submission confirmation screen.
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If you wait until the day of the deadline to submit your application, you are taking a significant risk! We strongly suggest that you submit your application no later than February 2 for the February 11 application deadline; and no later than June 29 for the July 8 application deadline. This should provide ample time to resolve any problems you might encounter.
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We will not accept late applications. The only exception is for a technological failure on the part of Grants.gov, as determined by the National Endowment for the Arts. To be considered for this exception, you must provide documentation of a Grants.gov technological failure dating from:
- February 2 (for the February 11 deadline) or earlier, or
- June 29 (for the July 8 deadline) or earlier
We will consider and address your situation as appropriate. We will not make exceptions for applications that are the result of user error, including failure to register in SAM.gov or to verify that your application was validated by the Grants.gov system through Track My Application.
- Failure to successfully submit the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form through Grants.gov will make you ineligible to complete Part 2 of the application process.
- Verify that your application was validated by the Grants.gov system. Go to Track My Application to confirm the validation and track the progress of your application submission through Grants.gov. Take a screenshot of your validation confirmation for your records. Do not wait until the day of the deadline to verify your submission in case you encounter any difficulties.
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal (Opera)
- Read the Part 2 instructions (pdf) for Opera. This document will guide you through Part 2 of the application process, including information about how and when to access the Applicant Portal as well as the application questions and requirements. You must refer to the Part 2 instructions to complete your application.
- You will not have access to the Applicant Portal until the Part 2 application window described in the instructions. However, we urge you to use this document to prepare your responses and material well in advance so you will have them ready to upload once the system opens.
Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works
FAQs for Applicants & Awardees in Response to COVID-19 »
Through this funding area, the National Endowment for the Arts supports artistic works and events that present multiple artistic disciplines, combine and/or integrate art forms, explore boundaries between art disciplines, fuse or transcend disciplines, and look to new forms of expression.
The Arts Endowment encourages applications from a variety of eligible organizations, e.g., with small, medium, or large budgets, and from rural to urban communities.
Projects should be multi- or cross-disciplinary in nature and may include work from the performing, visual, media, design, and literary arts. These projects can be for any stage of the artistic process including creation, commissioning, presentations, touring, training, residencies, and access to the arts. In addition, we also fund projects that provide services to artists and arts organizations. Projects that present or otherwise feature a single artistic discipline (including but not limited to dance, literary arts, media arts, music, musical theater, theater, visual arts) should apply through that discipline.
The National Endowment for the Arts is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and fostering mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and groups. The Arts Endowment encourages projects that use the arts to unite and heal in response to current events, as well as address any of the following:
- Celebrate America’s creativity and/or cultural heritage.
- Invite a dialogue that fosters a mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all persons and groups.
- Enrich our humanity by broadening our understanding of ourselves as individuals and as a society.
- Originate from or are in collaboration with the following constituencies encouraged by White House Executive Orders:
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities,
- Tribal Colleges and Universities,
- American Indian and Alaska Native tribes,
- African American Serving Institutions,
- Hispanic Serving Institutions,
- Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, and
- Organizations that support the independence and lifelong inclusion of people with disabilities.
Projects may focus on reaching a particular constituency, however, they may not be exclusionary under national laws and policies prohibiting discrimination. This extends to hiring practices and audience engagement.
Applicants may request cost share/matching grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000.
If your project is developed and managed by local government, see the Local Arts Agencies description to help you in your discipline selection (see Program Description and select Local Arts Agencies from the dropdown).
Projects
Grants for Arts Projects applications will be accepted at two deadlines. All project types (described below) are accepted at both deadlines. Generally, an organization is limited to one application per year in the Grants for Arts Projects category.
If you are unsure whether Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works is the right discipline for your project, or if you have never applied before, we encourage you to contact staff prior to submitting your application.
Deadlines
First Grants for Arts Projects Deadline:
IMPORTANT: Finalize your Grants.gov/SAM registrations and submit early to Grants.gov to allow ti me to resolve any issues you might encounter during the submission process. |
SAM.gov: No later than January 20, 2021 Grants.gov: No later than February 2, 2021 |
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov |
February 11, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens |
|
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal |
February 16-23, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection |
November 2021 |
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project |
January 1, 2022 |
Second Grants for Arts Projects Deadline:
IMPORTANT: Finalize your Grants.gov/SAM registrations and submit early to Grants.gov to allow time to resolve any issues you might encounter during the submission process. |
SAM.gov: No later than June 16, 2021 Grants.gov: No later than June 29, 2021 |
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov |
July 8, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens |
|
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal |
July 13-20, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection |
April 2022 |
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project |
June 1, 2022 |
Project Types
Applications must be for projects only. A project may consist of one or more specific events or activities, and should not cover an entire season of programming. We do not fund seasonal or general operating support.
Projects include, but are not limited to:
- The presentation and/or touring of new or existing works. This may include, but is not limited to, performances, exhibitions, festivals, and guest artist residencies.
- The commissioning, development, and creation of new works, including creative artist residency programs.
- Participatory art works, community-based work, and projects with a distinct focus on community engagement.
- Projects that utilize artistically excellent art in civic and social practice, conflict transformation, and collaborative work with community partners in ways that are mutually beneficial.
- Festivals and other activities in public spaces that are intended to foster community interaction and/or enhance the unique characteristics of a community.
- Circus arts, site-specific work, and outdoor spectacles.
- Exposure and enrichment projects for youth, adults, and intergenerational groups. (If your project is for youth, see "Choosing the Right Discipline for Youth Projects" to help you in your discipline selection.)
- Services to artists and arts organizations. (Service projects that focus on a single discipline should apply through that discipline.) This may include, but is not limited to:
- Arts and arts-related conferences and convenings.
- Leadership training and other professional development opportunities for artists and arts administrators.
- Projects that include planning, capacity building performance measurements, and training that supports an organization’s ability to respond to current events, such as the pandemic, economic downturn, and inequality.
- Archiving, preservation, and documentation projects.
For information on how to apply, see “How to Apply” on the left.
National Historic Preservation Act and/or the National Environmental Policy Act Review
If you are recommended for a grant, your project may be subject to the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and/or the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Endowment for the Arts will conduct a review of your project to ensure that it is in compliance with NHPA/NEPA.
Some of the common project types that garner a NHPA review are:
- A project involving or occurring near a district, site, building, landscape, structure or object that is 50 years old and therefore potentially eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (note that in some instances, buildings or structures may be included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places that are less than 50 years old).
- The commissioning and installation of temporary or permanent outdoor furnishings such as benches or market structures, or art such as a sculpture or mural.
- An outdoor arts festival.
- Design planning and services for projects that may involve a historic site, structure, or district.
This review and approval process may take up to several months to complete and may delay your project's start date and our ability to make a grant award/our ability to release grant funds. If you are recommended for an award which may have historic preservation or environmental concerns (NHPA/NEPA), you will be notified and asked to provide additional information. Thorough and complete information for all project activities and locations will expedite the review. The Arts Endowment cannot release an award and/or grant funds until the NHPA/NEPA review is complete.
Learn more about the questions you will need to answer for the review of a project impacted by the National Historic Preservation Act and/or the National Environmental Policy Act.
Accessibility
Federal regulations require that all National Endowment for the Arts-funded projects be accessible to people with disabilities. Funded activities must be held in a physically accessible venue and program access and effective communication must be provided for participants and audience members with disabilities. If your project is recommended for funding, you will be asked to provide detailed information describing how you will make your project physically and programmatically accessible to people with disabilities.
Part 1: Submit to Grants.gov (Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works)
Complete Steps 1-5.
- Before submitting to Grants.gov, your organization must register or renew/verify its current registration with both Grants.gov and the System for Award Management (SAM). Registrations with Grants.gov and SAM must be active for you to be able to submit your application. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in your inability to submit to Grants.gov.
- Go to Grants.gov's Organization Registration to create a new organization registration.
- When registering/renewing your SAM account, be sure to select “Yes” when completing the “Representations & Certifications” section. All awardees are required to have these representations & certifications in order to receive an award.
- Grants.gov Contact Center: Call 1-800-518-4726, email support@grants.gov, or consult the information posted on the Grants.gov website at Support. The Grants.gov Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. NOTE: You must contact Grants.gov for help. Grants.gov is not a National Endowment for the Arts system and is outside of our control.
- SAM Federal Service Desk: Call 1-866-606-8220 or see the information posted on the SAM website at SAM Help. NOTE: You must contact SAM.gov for help. SAM.gov is not a National Endowment for the Arts system and is outside of our control.
- Registration in SAM.gov and Grants.gov can take several weeks. Exceptions to the deadline will be considered only for registration or renewal issues that are the result of failures on the part of DUNS, SAM, or Grants.gov as determined by the National Endowment for the Arts. To be considered for this exception, you must provide documentation of a DUNS, SAM, or Grants.gov failure dating from at least January 20 for the February 11 deadline or June 16 for the July 8 deadline.
- In addition to these instructions, you should periodically check the Grants.gov blog or the Grants.gov homepage for tips, updates, and alerts.
Access the Grant Opportunity Package with the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form on Grants.gov by clicking on the link for your deadline:
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE GRANT OPPORTUNITY PACKAGE ON GRANTS.GOV For applications at the July 8, 2021, deadline: [Funding Opportunity Number 2021NEA01GAP2] |
When you go to Grants.gov through the link above, the Grants.gov “View Grant Opportunity” screen will open. Choose “Apply” in the “Action” area. On the next screen, choose “Apply” again. You will be prompted to enter your Grants.gov Username and Password.
You will apply using a Grants.gov Workspace. To create a Workspace, look for the “Application Filing Name” field above the “Create Workspace” button (you must be logged in as the Authorized Organization Representative or AOR to be able to see this button and create the Workspace). Enter the legal name of your organization, click the “Create Workspace” button, and follow the screens from there. Learn more about using Grants.gov’s Workspace.
See detailed instructions on how to complete and submit the required forms through Workspace.
You will submit the substantial part of your application during Part 2.
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 for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form 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 independent component, do not list the name of the independent component here. You will be asked for that information later.
b. Address: Use Street 1 for your organization’s physical street address. This address should agree with the address that you used with the SAM (System for Award Management). In addition, use Street 2 for your organization’s mailing address if it differs from the physical street address.
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 SAM (System for Award Management) as part of the Grants.gov registration. Otherwise, your application will not be validated by Grants.gov and will be rejected. Confirm your DUNS with SAM.gov before filling out this form.
g. Congressional District: Enter the number of the Congressional District where the applicant organization is located. The Congressional District that you enter here must agree with the Congressional District that you used with the SAM (System for Award Management) as part of the Grants.gov registration. 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: Enter “N/A.” You will provide a project title in the Arts Endowment’s Applicant Portal during Part 2 of the application process, not in Grants.gov. Anything you enter in Grants.gov will not be used in the review of your application.
b. Project Description: Enter “N/A.” You will provide a project description in the Arts Endowment’s Applicant Portal during Part 2 of the application process, not in Grants.gov. Anything you enter in Grants.gov will not be used in the review of your application.
c. Proposed Project Start Date/End Date: Enter the beginning and ending dates for your requested period of performance, i.e., the span of time necessary to plan, execute, and close out your proposed project. The start date should be the first day of the month, and the end date should be the last day of the month. Our support of a project may start on or after: 1) For applicants at the February 11 deadline, January 1, 2022; or 2) For applicants at the July 8 deadline, June 1, 2022. Generally, a period of performance of up to two years is allowed. The two-year period is intended to allow an applicant sufficient time to plan, execute, and close out its project, not to repeat a one-year project for a second year. Your budget should include only the activities and costs incurred during the requested period of performance.
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 email address that will be valid through the announcement date for your category. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
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. For the Telephone number field, use the following format: 000-000-0000. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
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, 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 is authorized to submit this application to Grants.gov. Select a Prefix even though this is not a required field. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
The AOR must have the legal authority to obligate your organization (e. g., be a senior member of the staff such as an Executive Director, Director of Development). See specific requirements for who can serve as an AOR for colleges and universities. Contractors, including grant writers or grant consultants, or administrative support staff cannot serve as an AOR.
NOTE: 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.
-
To begin the submission process, log on to Grants.gov and go to the Forms tab on the Manage Workspace page. Click the “Sign and Submit” button, under the Forms tab.
-
Be certain that you are satisfied with your Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form before you click this button. No revisions to your form are possible through Grants.gov once it is submitted.
-
Once you complete and submit your application, you will see a confirmation screen explaining that your submission is being processed. Take a screenshot and retain the Grants.gov Tracking Number that you receive in the application submission confirmation screen.
-
If you wait until the day of the deadline to submit your application, you are taking a significant risk! We strongly suggest that you submit your application no later than February 2 for the February 11 application deadline; and no later than June 29 for the July 8 application deadline. This should provide ample time to resolve any problems you might encounter.
-
We will not accept late applications. The only exception is for a technological failure on the part of Grants.gov, as determined by the National Endowment for the Arts. To be considered for this exception, you must provide documentation of a Grants.gov technological failure dating from:
- February 2 (for the February 11 deadline) or earlier, or
- June 29 (for the July 8 deadline) or earlier
We will consider and address your situation as appropriate. We will not make exceptions for applications that are the result of user error, including failure to register in SAM.gov or to verify that your application was validated by the Grants.gov system through Track My Application.
- Failure to successfully submit the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form through Grants.gov will make you ineligible to complete Part 2 of the application process.
- Verify that your application was validated by the Grants.gov system. Go to Track My Application to confirm the validation and track the progress of your application submission through Grants.gov. Take a screenshot of your validation confirmation for your records. Do not wait until the day of the deadline to verify your submission in case you encounter any difficulties.
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal (Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works)
- Read the Part 2 instructions (pdf) for Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works. This document will guide you through Part 2 of the application process, including information about how and when to access the Applicant Portal as well as the application questions and requirements. You must refer to the Part 2 instructions to complete your application.
- You will not have access to the Applicant Portal until the Part 2 application window described in the instructions. However, we urge you to use this document to prepare your responses and material well in advance so you will have them ready to upload once the system opens.
Theater
FAQs for Applicants & Awardees in Response to COVID-19 »
The National Endowment for the Arts awards grants to the nonprofit theater field for the production or presentation of traditional or classical repertoire, new plays, development laboratories, showcases, artist residencies, work for young audiences, experimental work, community-based work, outdoor historical dramas, and puppetry. Projects funded by the National Endowment for the Arts should help to fully realize an organization's mission and may provide support for organizations and artists in the creation and refinement of work, the public presentation of plays from all cultures and periods, and opportunities for professional development.
The National Endowment for the Arts is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and fostering mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and groups. The Arts Endowment encourages projects that use the arts to unite and heal in response to current events, as well as address any of the following:
- Celebrate America’s creativity and/or cultural heritage.
- Invite a dialogue that fosters a mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all persons and groups.
- Enrich our humanity by broadening our understanding of ourselves as individuals and as a society.
- Originate from or are in collaboration with the following constituencies encouraged by White House Executive Orders:
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities,
- Tribal Colleges and Universities,
- American Indian and Alaska Native tribes,
- African American Serving Institutions,
- Hispanic Serving Institutions,
- Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, and
- Organizations that support the independence and lifelong inclusion of people with disabilities.
Projects may focus on reaching a particular constituency, however, they may not be exclusionary under national laws and policies prohibiting discrimination. This extends to hiring practices and audience engagement.
Applicants may request cost share/matching grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000.
If your project is developed and managed by local government, see the Local Arts Agencies description to help you in your discipline selection (see Program Description and select Local Arts Agencies from the dropdown).
Projects
Grants for Arts Projects applications will be accepted at two deadlines. All project types (described below) are accepted at both deadlines. Generally, an organization is limited to one application per year in the Grants for Arts Projects category.
Applications must be for projects only. A project may consist of one or more specific events or activities, and should not cover an entire season of programming. We do not fund seasonal or general operating support.
Deadlines
First Grants for Arts Projects Deadline:
IMPORTANT: Finalize your Grants.gov/SAM registrations and submit early to Grants.gov to allow time to resolve any issues you might encounter during the submission process. |
SAM.gov: No later than January 20, 2021 Grants.gov: No later than February 2, 2021 |
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov |
February 11, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens |
|
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal |
February 16-23, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection |
November 2021 |
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project |
January 1, 2022 |
Second Grants for Arts Projects Deadline:
IMPORTANT: Finalize your Grants.gov/SAM registrations and submit early to Grants.gov to allow time to resolve any issues you might encounter during the submission process. |
SAM.gov: No later than June 16, 2021 Grants.gov: No later than June 29, 2021 |
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov |
July 8, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens |
|
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal |
July 13-20, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection |
April 2022 |
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project |
June 1, 2022 |
Project Types include, but are not limited to
- Theater projects that encourage the participation of artists, production staff, and administrators from a wide variety of aesthetic viewpoints, racial and ethnic backgrounds, cultures, disability perspectives, and/or geographic areas.
- Commissioning, development, and production of new work, translations, and adaptations.
- Production or presentation of existing contemporary or classical work.
- Development, production, or presentation of theater work for young audiences.
- Development programs and labs for new work, which may include the hosting of artist residencies, showcase productions of new work, development workshops, and festivals of new works or works in progress. (The National Endowment for the Arts does not fund festivals for which no curatorial judgment has been applied, or development programs in which participants must pay a fee to participate).
- Local, regional, and national touring of theater productions.
- Documentation, preservation, conservation, archiving, and dissemination of America's theater heritage.
- Community-based projects that involve the creation and/or production of theater with community members.
- Projects and initiatives that explore issues of inequality and extend the reach of the arts to communities that have been historically underserved.
- Services to the field that assist organizations or artists in administrative, developmental, technical, and related areas.
- Professional training including classes, guest artist residencies, workshops, and mentorship of theater artists.
- Projects that advance and/or sustain the creative work of and/or careers for people with disabilities through employment, industry training, technical assistance, organization capacity-building, and infrastructure.
- Exposure and enrichment projects, including arts/science/technology projects, for youth, adults, and intergenerational groups. (If your project is for youth, see "Choosing the Right Discipline for Youth Projects" to help you in your discipline selection.)
For information on how to apply, see “How to Apply” on the left.
National Historic Preservation Act and/or the National Environmental Policy Act Review
If you are recommended for a grant, your project may be subject to the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and/or the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Endowment for the Arts will conduct a review of your project to ensure that it is in compliance with NHPA/NEPA.
Some of the common project types that garner a NHPA review are:
- A project involving or occurring near a district, site, building, landscape, structure or object that is 50 years old and therefore potentially eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (note that in some instances, buildings or structures may be included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places that are less than 50 years old).
- The commissioning and installation of temporary or permanent outdoor furnishings such as benches or market structures, or art such as a sculpture or mural.
- An outdoor arts festival.
- Design planning and services for projects that may involve a historic site, structure, or district.
This review and approval process may take up to several months to complete and may delay your project's start date and our ability to make a grant award/our ability to release grant funds. If you are recommended for an award which may have historic preservation or environmental concerns (NHPA/NEPA), you will be notified and asked to provide additional information. Thorough and complete information for all project activities and locations will expedite the review. The Arts Endowment cannot release an award and/or grant funds until the NHPA/NEPA review is complete.
Learn more about the questions you will need to answer for the review of a project impacted by the National Historic Preservation Act and/or the National Environmental Policy Act.
Accessibility
Federal regulations require that all National Endowment for the Arts-funded projects be accessible to people with disabilities. Funded activities must be held in a physically accessible venue and program access and effective communication must be provided for participants and audience members with disabilities. If your project is recommended for funding, you will be asked to provide detailed information describing how you will make your project physically and programmatically accessible to people with disabilities.
Part 1: Submit to Grants.gov (Theater)
Complete Steps 1-5.
- Before submitting to Grants.gov, your organization must register or renew/verify its current registration with both Grants.gov and the System for Award Management (SAM). Registrations with Grants.gov and SAM must be active for you to be able to submit your application. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in your inability to submit to Grants.gov.
- Go to Grants.gov's Organization Registration to create a new organization registration.
- When registering/renewing your SAM account, be sure to select “Yes” when completing the “Representations & Certifications” section. All awardees are required to have these representations & certifications in order to receive an award.
- Grants.gov Contact Center: Call 1-800-518-4726, email support@grants.gov, or consult the information posted on the Grants.gov website at Support. The Grants.gov Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. NOTE: You must contact Grants.gov for help. Grants.gov is not a National Endowment for the Arts system and is outside of our control.
- SAM Federal Service Desk: Call 1-866-606-8220 or see the information posted on the SAM website at SAM Help. NOTE: You must contact SAM.gov for help. SAM.gov is not a National Endowment for the Arts system and is outside of our control.
- Registration in SAM.gov and Grants.gov can take several weeks. Exceptions to the deadline will be considered only for registration or renewal issues that are the result of failures on the part of DUNS, SAM, or Grants.gov as determined by the National Endowment for the Arts. To be considered for this exception, you must provide documentation of a DUNS, SAM, or Grants.gov failure dating from at least January 20 for the February 11 deadline or June 16 for the July 8 deadline.
- In addition to these instructions, you should periodically check the Grants.gov blog or the Grants.gov homepage for tips, updates, and alerts.
Access the Grant Opportunity Package with the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form on Grants.gov by clicking on the link for your deadline:
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE GRANT OPPORTUNITY PACKAGE ON GRANTS.GOV For applications at the July 8, 2021, deadline: [Funding Opportunity Number 2021NEA01GAP2] |
When you go to Grants.gov through the link above, the Grants.gov “View Grant Opportunity” screen will open. Choose “Apply” in the “Action” area. On the next screen, choose “Apply” again. You will be prompted to enter your Grants.gov Username and Password.
You will apply using a Grants.gov Workspace. To create a Workspace, look for the “Application Filing Name” field above the “Create Workspace” button (you must be logged in as the Authorized Organization Representative or AOR to be able to see this button and create the Workspace). Enter the legal name of your organization, click the “Create Workspace” button, and follow the screens from there. Learn more about using Grants.gov’s Workspace.
See detailed instructions on how to complete and submit the required forms through Workspace.
You will submit the substantial part of your application during Part 2.
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 for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form 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 independent component, do not list the name of the independent component here. You will be asked for that information later.
b. Address: Use Street 1 for your organization’s physical street address. This address should agree with the address that you used with the SAM (System for Award Management). In addition, use Street 2 for your organization’s mailing address if it differs from the physical street address.
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 SAM (System for Award Management) as part of the Grants.gov registration. Otherwise, your application will not be validated by Grants.gov and will be rejected. Confirm your DUNS with SAM.gov before filling out this form.
g. Congressional District: Enter the number of the Congressional District where the applicant organization is located. The Congressional District that you enter here must agree with the Congressional District that you used with the SAM (System for Award Management) as part of the Grants.gov registration. 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: Enter “N/A.” You will provide a project title in the Arts Endowment’s Applicant Portal during Part 2 of the application process, not in Grants.gov. Anything you enter in Grants.gov will not be used in the review of your application.
b. Project Description: Enter “N/A.” You will provide a project description in the Arts Endowment’s Applicant Portal during Part 2 of the application process, not in Grants.gov. Anything you enter in Grants.gov will not be used in the review of your application.
c. Proposed Project Start Date/End Date: Enter the beginning and ending dates for your requested period of performance, i.e., the span of time necessary to plan, execute, and close out your proposed project. The start date should be the first day of the month, and the end date should be the last day of the month. Our support of a project may start on or after: 1) For applicants at the February 11 deadline, January 1, 2022; or 2) For applicants at the July 8 deadline, June 1, 2022. Generally, a period of performance of up to two years is allowed. The two-year period is intended to allow an applicant sufficient time to plan, execute, and close out its project, not to repeat a one-year project for a second year. Your budget should include only the activities and costs incurred during the requested period of performance.
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 email address that will be valid through the announcement date for your category. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
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. For the Telephone number field, use the following format: 000-000-0000. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
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, 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 is authorized to submit this application to Grants.gov. Select a Prefix even though this is not a required field. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
The AOR must have the legal authority to obligate your organization (e. g., be a senior member of the staff such as an Executive Director, Director of Development). See specific requirements for who can serve as an AOR for colleges and universities. Contractors, including grant writers or grant consultants, or administrative support staff cannot serve as an AOR.
NOTE: 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.
-
To begin the submission process, log on to Grants.gov and go to the Forms tab on the Manage Workspace page. Click the “Sign and Submit” button, under the Forms tab.
-
Be certain that you are satisfied with your Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form before you click this button. No revisions to your form are possible through Grants.gov once it is submitted.
-
Once you complete and submit your application, you will see a confirmation screen explaining that your submission is being processed. Take a screenshot and retain the Grants.gov Tracking Number that you receive in the application submission confirmation screen.
-
If you wait until the day of the deadline to submit your application, you are taking a significant risk! We strongly suggest that you submit your application no later than February 2 for the February 11 application deadline; and no later than June 29 for the July 8 application deadline. This should provide ample time to resolve any problems you might encounter.
-
We will not accept late applications. The only exception is for a technological failure on the part of Grants.gov, as determined by the National Endowment for the Arts. To be considered for this exception, you must provide documentation of a Grants.gov technological failure dating from:
- February 2 (for the February 11 deadline) or earlier, or
- June 29 (for the July 8 deadline) or earlier
We will consider and address your situation as appropriate. We will not make exceptions for applications that are the result of user error, including failure to register in SAM.gov or to verify that your application was validated by the Grants.gov system through Track My Application.
- Failure to successfully submit the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form through Grants.gov will make you ineligible to complete Part 2 of the application process.
- Verify that your application was validated by the Grants.gov system. Go to Track My Application to confirm the validation and track the progress of your application submission through Grants.gov. Take a screenshot of your validation confirmation for your records. Do not wait until the day of the deadline to verify your submission in case you encounter any difficulties.
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal (Theater)
- Read the Part 2 instructions (pdf) for Theater. This document will guide you through Part 2 of the application process, including information about how and when to access the Applicant Portal as well as the application questions and requirements. You must refer to the Part 2 instructions to complete your application.
- You will not have access to the Applicant Portal until the Part 2 application window described in the instructions. However, we urge you to use this document to prepare your responses and material well in advance so you will have them ready to upload once the system opens.
Visual Arts
FAQs for Applicants & Awardees in Response to COVID-19 »
Visual Arts activity in the nation is undertaken by a variety of organizations and institutions—including large and small, rural and urban, emerging and established, public or private non-profit—many of which have solely artistic missions. Others are community-based organizations whose portfolios may, on occasion, include the visual arts.
The National Endowment for the Arts is committed to supporting visual arts activity—painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, drawing, craft, and public art—that demonstrates exceptional aesthetic investigation and meaningful community engagement.
Specifically, the National Endowment for the Arts is interested in supporting contemporary artists and the projects they undertake, such as exhibitions, residencies, publications, commissions, public art works, conservation, documentation, services to the field, and public programs. The National Endowment for the Arts is committed to encouraging individual artistic development, experimentation, and dialogue between artists and the public.
The National Endowment for the Arts is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and fostering mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and groups. The Arts Endowment encourages projects that use the arts to unite and heal in response to current events, as well as address any of the following:
- Celebrate America’s creativity and/or cultural heritage.
- Invite a dialogue that fosters a mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all persons and groups.
- Enrich our humanity by broadening our understanding of ourselves as individuals and as a society.
- Originate from or are in collaboration with the following constituencies encouraged by White House Executive Orders:
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities,
- Tribal Colleges and Universities,
- American Indian and Alaska Native tribes,
- African American Serving Institutions,
- Hispanic Serving Institutions,
- Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, and
- Organizations that support the independence and lifelong inclusion of people with disabilities.
Projects may focus on reaching a particular constituency, however, they may not be exclusionary under national laws and policies prohibiting discrimination. This extends to hiring practices and audience engagement.
Applicants may request cost share/matching grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000.
If your project is developed and managed by local government, see the Local Arts Agencies description to help you in your discipline selection (see Program Description and select Local Arts Agencies from the dropdown).
Deadlines:
First Grants for Arts Projects Deadline:
IMPORTANT: Finalize your Grants.gov/SAM registrations and submit early to Grants.gov to allow time to resolve any issues you might encounter during the submission process. |
SAM.gov: No later than January 20, 2021 Grants.gov: No later than February 2, 2021 |
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov |
February 11, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens |
|
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal |
February 16-23, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection |
November 2021 |
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project |
January 1, 2022 |
Second Grants for Arts Projects Deadline:
IMPORTANT: Finalize your Grants.gov/SAM registrations and submit early to Grants.gov to allow time to resolve any issues you might encounter during the submission process. |
SAM.gov: No later than June 16, 2021 Grants.gov: No later than June 29, 2021 |
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov |
July 8, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens |
|
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal |
July 13-20, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time |
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection |
April 2022 |
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project |
June 1, 2022 |
Project Types include, but are not limited to:
- Exhibitions and related activities.
- Conservation, preservation, and/or restoration.
- Commissions or public art.
- Residencies.
- Periodicals, publications, or catalogues.
- Public programming such as workshops, lectures and symposia, or other outreach activities.
- Education and related activities for youth, adults, intergenerational groups, and schools. (If your project is for youth, see "Choosing the Right Discipline for Youth Projects" to help you in your discipline selection.)
- Innovative uses of technology.
- Services to the field.
For information on how to apply, see “How to Apply” on the left.
National Historic Preservation Act and/or the National Environmental Policy Act Review
If you are recommended for a grant, your project may be subject to the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and/or the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Endowment for the Arts will conduct a review of your project to ensure that it is in compliance with NHPA/NEPA.
Some of the common project types that garner a NHPA review are:
- A project involving or occurring near a district, site, building, landscape, structure or object that is 50 years old and therefore potentially eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (note that in some instances, buildings or structures may be included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places that are less than 50 years old).
- The commissioning and installation of temporary or permanent outdoor furnishings such as benches or market structures, or art such as a sculpture or mural.
- An outdoor arts festival.
- Design planning and services for projects that may involve a historic site, structure, or district.
This review and approval process may take up to several months to complete and may delay your project's start date and our ability to make a grant award/our ability to release grant funds. If you are recommended for an award which may have historic preservation or environmental concerns (NHPA/NEPA), you will be notified and asked to provide additional information. Thorough and complete information for all project activities and locations will expedite the review. The Arts Endowment cannot release an award and/or grant funds until the NHPA/NEPA review is complete.
Learn more about the questions you will need to answer for the review of a project impacted by the National Historic Preservation Act and/or the National Environmental Policy Act.
Accessibility
Federal regulations require that all National Endowment for the Arts-funded projects be accessible to people with disabilities. Funded activities must be held in a physically accessible venue and program access and effective communication must be provided for participants and audience members with disabilities. If your project is recommended for funding, you will be asked to provide detailed information describing how you will make your project physically and programmatically accessible to people with disabilities.
Part 1: Submit to Grants.gov (Visual Arts)
Complete Steps 1-5.
- Before submitting to Grants.gov, your organization must register or renew/verify its current registration with both Grants.gov and the System for Award Management (SAM). Registrations with Grants.gov and SAM must be active for you to be able to submit your application. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in your inability to submit to Grants.gov.
- Go to Grants.gov's Organization Registration to create a new organization registration.
- When registering/renewing your SAM account, be sure to select “Yes” when completing the “Representations & Certifications” section. All awardees are required to have these representations & certifications in order to receive an award.
- Grants.gov Contact Center: Call 1-800-518-4726, email support@grants.gov, or consult the information posted on the Grants.gov website at Support. The Grants.gov Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. NOTE: You must contact Grants.gov for help. Grants.gov is not a National Endowment for the Arts system and is outside of our control.
- SAM Federal Service Desk: Call 1-866-606-8220 or see the information posted on the SAM website at SAM Help. NOTE: You must contact SAM.gov for help. SAM.gov is not a National Endowment for the Arts system and is outside of our control.
- Registration in SAM.gov and Grants.gov can take several weeks. Exceptions to the deadline will be considered only for registration or renewal issues that are the result of failures on the part of DUNS, SAM, or Grants.gov as determined by the National Endowment for the Arts. To be considered for this exception, you must provide documentation of a DUNS, SAM, or Grants.gov failure dating from at least January 20 for the February 11 deadline or June 16 for the July 8 deadline.
- In addition to these instructions, you should periodically check the Grants.gov blog or the Grants.gov homepage for tips, updates, and alerts.
Access the Grant Opportunity Package with the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form on Grants.gov by clicking on the link for your deadline:
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE GRANT OPPORTUNITY PACKAGE ON GRANTS.GOV For applications at the July 8, 2021, deadline: [Funding Opportunity Number 2021NEA01GAP2] |
When you go to Grants.gov through the link above, the Grants.gov “View Grant Opportunity” screen will open. Choose “Apply” in the “Action” area. On the next screen, choose “Apply” again. You will be prompted to enter your Grants.gov Username and Password.
You will apply using a Grants.gov Workspace. To create a Workspace, look for the “Application Filing Name” field above the “Create Workspace” button (you must be logged in as the Authorized Organization Representative or AOR to be able to see this button and create the Workspace). Enter the legal name of your organization, click the “Create Workspace” button, and follow the screens from there. Learn more about using Grants.gov’s Workspace.
See detailed instructions on how to complete and submit the required forms through Workspace.
You will submit the substantial part of your application during Part 2.
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 for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form 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 independent component, do not list the name of the independent component here. You will be asked for that information later.
b. Address: Use Street 1 for your organization’s physical street address. This address should agree with the address that you used with the SAM (System for Award Management). In addition, use Street 2 for your organization’s mailing address if it differs from the physical street address.
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 SAM (System for Award Management) as part of the Grants.gov registration. Otherwise, your application will not be validated by Grants.gov and will be rejected. Confirm your DUNS with SAM.gov before filling out this form.
g. Congressional District: Enter the number of the Congressional District where the applicant organization is located. The Congressional District that you enter here must agree with the Congressional District that you used with the SAM (System for Award Management) as part of the Grants.gov registration. 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: Enter “N/A.” You will provide a project title in the Arts Endowment’s Applicant Portal during Part 2 of the application process, not in Grants.gov. Anything you enter in Grants.gov will not be used in the review of your application.
b. Project Description: Enter “N/A.” You will provide a project description in the Arts Endowment’s Applicant Portal during Part 2 of the application process, not in Grants.gov. Anything you enter in Grants.gov will not be used in the review of your application.
c. Proposed Project Start Date/End Date: Enter the beginning and ending dates for your requested period of performance, i.e., the span of time necessary to plan, execute, and close out your proposed project. The start date should be the first day of the month, and the end date should be the last day of the month. Our support of a project may start on or after: 1) For applicants at the February 11 deadline, January 1, 2022; or 2) For applicants at the July 8 deadline, June 1, 2022. Generally, a period of performance of up to two years is allowed. The two-year period is intended to allow an applicant sufficient time to plan, execute, and close out its project, not to repeat a one-year project for a second year. Your budget should include only the activities and costs incurred during the requested period of performance.
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 email address that will be valid through the announcement date for your category. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
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. For the Telephone number field, use the following format: 000-000-0000. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
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, 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 is authorized to submit this application to Grants.gov. Select a Prefix even though this is not a required field. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address.
The AOR must have the legal authority to obligate your organization (e. g., be a senior member of the staff such as an Executive Director, Director of Development). See specific requirements for who can serve as an AOR for colleges and universities. Contractors, including grant writers or grant consultants, or administrative support staff cannot serve as an AOR.
NOTE: 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.
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To begin the submission process, log on to Grants.gov and go to the Forms tab on the Manage Workspace page. Click the “Sign and Submit” button, under the Forms tab.
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Be certain that you are satisfied with your Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form before you click this button. No revisions to your form are possible through Grants.gov once it is submitted.
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Once you complete and submit your application, you will see a confirmation screen explaining that your submission is being processed. Take a screenshot and retain the Grants.gov Tracking Number that you receive in the application submission confirmation screen.
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If you wait until the day of the deadline to submit your application, you are taking a significant risk! We strongly suggest that you submit your application no later than February 2 for the February 11 application deadline; and no later than June 29 for the July 8 application deadline. This should provide ample time to resolve any problems you might encounter.
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We will not accept late applications. The only exception is for a technological failure on the part of Grants.gov, as determined by the National Endowment for the Arts. To be considered for this exception, you must provide documentation of a Grants.gov technological failure dating from:
- February 2 (for the February 11 deadline) or earlier, or
- June 29 (for the July 8 deadline) or earlier
We will consider and address your situation as appropriate. We will not make exceptions for applications that are the result of user error, including failure to register in SAM.gov or to verify that your application was validated by the Grants.gov system through Track My Application.
- Failure to successfully submit the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form through Grants.gov will make you ineligible to complete Part 2 of the application process.
- Verify that your application was validated by the Grants.gov system. Go to Track My Application to confirm the validation and track the progress of your application submission through Grants.gov. Take a screenshot of your validation confirmation for your records. Do not wait until the day of the deadline to verify your submission in case you encounter any difficulties.
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal (Visual Arts)
- Read the Part 2 instructions (pdf) for Visual Arts. This document will guide you through Part 2 of the application process, including information about how and when to access the Applicant Portal as well as the application questions and requirements. You must refer to the Part 2 instructions to complete your application.
- You will not have access to the Applicant Portal until the Part 2 application window described in the instructions. However, we urge you to use this document to prepare your responses and material well in advance so you will have them ready to upload once the system opens.