HARTFORD COMMUNITY ACCESS GRANTS GUIDELINES

Transcription

1 ABOUT THE HARTFORD COMMUNITY ACCESS GRANTS PROGRAM HARTFORD COMMUNITY ACCESS GRANTS GUIDELINES The Greater Hartford Art s Council s Hartford Community Access Grants program, made possible by support from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, is designed for 501(c)3 organizations with operating budgets of $100,000 and funds small, community-based events. While the definition of an event can be broad, this program funds projects such as local concerts; public celebrations with clear arts connections such as music, spoken word, or visual arts; and similar projects with high artistic quality and focus. Organizations may apply for $500 to $1,000 in funding for events with budgets up to $2,500. Matching funds are not required, meaning the grant can cover up to 100% of the total budget if it is $1,000 or less. Approved applications receive full funding. Projects funded must be open to the general public and have a clear connection to the Arts Council s Community Impact Goals which can be found at Priority is given to organizations representing marginalized, disadvantaged, or underrepresented communities including, but not limited to: low income communities; immigrant and refugee communities; women; LGBTQ+ communities; veterans; the disabled; the ethnically diverse including people of color. Organizations looking to work on larger projects requiring more funding should explore the Hartford Event Grant guidelines and contact Arts Council staff at grants@letsgoarts.org to discuss other funding options. DEADLINES AND NOTIFICATION DATES Hartford Community Access Grant Schedule Events taking place in the Spring/Summer Events taking place in the Fall/Winter Application Deadline January 11, 2018 July 12, 2018 Award Notification Late February Late August Event Dates April 1, 2018 September 30, 2018 October 1, 2018 March 31, 2019 ELIGIBILITY OF EVENTS Hartford Community Access Grants Guidelines rev. October 2017 [Page 1 of 7]

2 Funded activities must be open to the general public and not be restricted to a certain group (for example, students of a particular school or members of a club). Check with Arts Council staff if you are unsure if your activity is eligible for funding. Examples of eligible activities include, but are not limited to: Dance, theater, music, visual arts, literature, combination or multiple art form performances. Concerts, parades, festivals, performances, celebrations of local artists, ethnic identity, social, or culturally specific traditions Ineligible Activities include: College or university-sponsored projects not open to participation by the community outside the university setting; Activities that are part of ongoing school-based educational programming Member only events Virtual events or static exhibitions Touring or the production of tours Conferences, symposia, etc. Projects that replace school curriculums or funds for contracted school faculty Events that are considered social or fundraising benefits or are for events that use the proceeds for scholarships Individual fellowships, graduate education, or university-based projects that require participants to register for academic credit ELIGIBILITY OF ORGANIZATIONS To be eligible for consideration, applicant organizations must: Be a non-profit corporation registered in the State of Connecticut with 501(c)3 tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service with a budget of $100,000 or less; Have its primary physical address the 34-town region served by the Greater Hartford Arts Council (see map on pg. 5); Submit an application following the proper format as outlined in the grant guidelines and application, including required attachments; Apply for an event occurring between the project dates specified in the Deadlines and Notification Dates section above; Apply for an event physically occurring within the City of Hartford (including the University of Hartford grounds & Elizabeth Park); The following organizations are not eligible for support: Organizations with a primary focus of school day programs for pre-k through 12th grade students that are not primarily arts based; Organizations whose primary programming focus is after school programs or summer camps that are not primarily arts based; Public broadcasting media, radio and television stations; Churches or church-affiliated organizations receiving a significant portion of their base support from a church or religious organization; Hartford Community Access Grants Guidelines rev. October 2017 [Page 2 of 7]

3 Governmental institutions and agencies, e.g. park and recreational facilities, schools, etc.(excluding public libraries); Organizations that have been awarded Hartford Events Grant or Hartford Community Access funding in the same calendar year; Organizations that have not fulfilled grantee obligations from prior Arts Council grants, including filing of final reports. No exceptions. ELIGIBILITY OF EXPENSES Eligible expenses directly related to the project include: Artist fees Art/production materials Event space rental fees Equipment rental and purchase Marketing/promotion fees Printing, photography, videography, and event supplies The following are not eligible for Arts Council funding (but can be part of your project budget): Travel/mileage Food or beverages Lobbying activities Undocumented expenses Retroactive funding (activities completed before the start of the proposed grant period) Salaries for staff positions Contracted services of an organization's staff or board member Regularly contracted services such as a grant writer, accountant, attorney, advertising firm, or district curriculum supervisor Re-granting Grant administration, overhead or processing fees taken by an umbrella/parent organization as a percentage of the total award All funded project expenses must be incurred within the grant period, which cannot exceed 6 months. A special permit is required from the City of Hartford for any event held on City property, City buildings and/or private property that requires a specific City or State permit or authorization, as well as the use of City services and assets. Please contact Marian Andoh, Special Events Coordinator for the City of Hartford at Marian.Andoh@hartford.gov. COMMUNITY IMPACT The Arts Council invests in organizations that demonstrate significant impact among five core areas. 1. Increase Greater Hartford s ability to attract and retain talent by leveraging the value of extraordinary arts experiences as an integral part of the region s quality of life. Hartford Community Access Grants Guidelines rev. October 2017 [Page 3 of 7]

4 2. Promote intercultural understanding by supporting arts experiences that include, represent, and engage all populations regardless of their ethnic, cultural, social, economic, and ability backgrounds. 3. Utilize the arts to cultivate the creative talents of school-aged (pre-k through grade 12) youth in the region, especially those whose social or economic conditions present a barrier to access. 4. Enhance the vibrancy of communities that have been historically unserved or underserved by increasing members access to arts experiences and institutions. 5. Engage members of diverse communities to explore social issues of broad public concern through the arts together. Applicants are required to demonstrate strong alignment with at least one of these goals in order to receive funding. Refer to the Community Impact Goals and Indicators found at for further details on the impact goals and examples of ways to demonstrate impact. SERVICE AREA MAP Hartford Community Access Grants Guidelines rev. October 2017 [Page 4 of 7]

5 REVIEW CRITERIA All eligible applications are reviewed by a volunteer panel from the Greater Hartford community. Staff does not make granting decisions. Evaluations for funding are based on an analysis of the project s potential to achieve local impact through the Arts Council s Community Impact Goals, quality and creativity of the project s design, qualifications of key personnel, and clarity/feasibility of budget, timeline and evaluation plans are also evaluated. The panel presents its recommendations to the Greater Hartford Arts Council s Board of Directors for final review and ratification. GRANT CONDITIONS The Grantee receives 100% of the grant award upon receipt of the executed contract. The signed contract is due within a total of 30 days of the contract date. A scan of the original contract is acceptable and must be sent to Grants@LetsGoArts.org. A final report is due 30 days after the grant end date. Late submissions of contracts may result in the forfeiture of any remaining grant award balance. Late submissions of final reports may result in the forfeiture of obtaining future grant funds. Hartford Community Access Grants Guidelines rev. October 2017 [Page 5 of 7]

6 The Grantee is required to acknowledge the support of the Greater Hartford Arts Council in all promotional materials (brochures, posters, programs, flyers, banners, newsletters, media releases, etc.) with the Greater Hartford Arts Council logo (download from and use of the phrase Supported in part by the Greater Hartford Arts Council s United Arts Campaign with major support from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. For promotion on online platforms (including websites, s/e-newsletters, etc.), the Grantee will display the Arts Council logo with a link to LetsGoArts.org. Promotion on social media will include the use of #LetsGoArts and by tagging the Arts Council as appropriate: Facebook: Greater Hartford Arts Council, and Where appropriate, The Grantee may be asked to participate in the Greater Hartford Arts Council s United Arts Campaign, such as providing a free demonstration, exhibition, performance, and/or provide incentives such as guest passes or tickets which can be used at United Arts Campaign events or participate in the Let s GO Arts! program. Outside of required reporting, The Grantee must report significant changes in their project s scope, timeline, key personnel or budget to Arts Council staff (grants@letsgoarts.org) in a timely manner or face the possibility of forfeiture of grant funds. Print or is acceptable but all submitted changes must be approved in writing APPLICATION PROCESS AND REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS PLEASE REFER TO THE DEADLINES AND NOTIFICATION DATES ON PAGE 1. Applications are due no later than 11:59 PM on the deadline date. Late materials are not accepted. There are no exceptions. The Application and budget forms are available at The following materials are required in addition to the completed application form: Attachment A Budget Form Download at Attachment B Attachment C Attachment D Letters confirming school collaboration *only for events with school collaborators Board List Most recent IRS 990-tax form Letters from school collaborator(s) stating the commitment to the project and reason for supporting it. If you are collaborating with a school you must have a letter of collaboration from the school or school district administrator. Please plan accordingly. Provide names, contact information, professional affiliations and board roles. Organizations that submit a 990-N ( epostcard ) must also submit most recent Board-approved financial statements/year-end statements. Attachment E Copy of 501(c)(3) Letter Only for applicants who have not applied for an Arts Hartford Community Access Grants Guidelines rev. October 2017 [Page 6 of 7]

7 of Determination. Council grant in the past two calendar years. CONTACT INFORMATION Questions should be directed to: Rebecca Kroll, x224 The Hartford Community Access Grants program is funded by the Greater Hartford Arts Council with major support from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. Hartford Community Access Grants Guidelines rev. October 2017 [Page 7 of 7]