Creative Arts Industries Commission 1000 S.W. Jackson St., Suite 100 Topeka, KS 66612-1354 Pat George, Secretary Phone: (785) 296-2178 Fax: (785) 296-3490 TTY: 711 pjasso@kansascommerce.com KansasCommerce.com/CreativeArtsIndustries Sam Brownback, Governor Creative Arts Industry Incentives Purpose The Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission offers a diverse portfolio of financial incentives for creative professionals and creative businesses that are looking to locate or expand in Kansas. These investments can be used for: Expansion of workforce to include additional FTEs in creative occupations Capital investment in the construction of a new facility or significant expansion or alteration to an existing facility. Purchase of equipment and materials to expand or improve an applicant s business or organization. Training of existing employees on new technologies that will allow for increased revenue and an expanded client base or the training of new employees on existing technologies that allow for the hiring of current Kansas citizens. Review Process Applications for the following programs will be accepted on an ongoing basis and will be reviewed and approved monthly by the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission. The effective start date for these incentive programs is Jan. 1, 2013. Any activity occurring on or after this date shall be considered new activity for the purposes of qualification in all categories. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit all materials via email to: pjasso@kansascommerce.com WORKFORCE EXPANSION The program requires a qualified company or organization to commit to creating at least one new FTE (1 new full-time position or 2 part-time positions) over a one-year period. Eligibility Qualified applicants include for-profit companies and not-for-profit organizations in the creative arts sector. The creative sector includes companies, organizations, institutions, and professionals engaged in design, film/media, literary/publishing, performing arts, visual arts/crafts, and cultural heritage. Eligible applicants:
Must be creating new jobs in Kansas resulting from relocating, locating, expanding or retaining a business function(s) Must be a company or organization in the creative sector, or Must be hiring a creative arts professional Shall not be delinquent in the payment of taxes to any federal, state and/or local taxing entities. Shall not be under the protection of the federal bankruptcy code or publicly announced filing for protection Must create a minimum of one FTE job (1 full time or 2 part time positions) within one year of application to receive program benefits. Must be approved by the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission to participate in the program. Applications are accepted throughout the year and should be received prior to hiring eligible jobs/employees in Kansas and within 180 days of announcing to Commerce their decision to relocate, newly locate, expand or retain jobs in Kansas. For FY 13, any new employment activity in the first quarter of CY 13 (which began Jan. 1, 2013), will be considered eligible for program benefits. Qualified applicants approved by the KCAIC to participate must: Enter into an agreement with the Department of Commerce (Commerce) to obtain incentive benefits for eligible jobs in the creative arts industry sector Provide required documentation to support eligibility in the program and timely file an annual report. Agree to provide Commerce and the Kansas Department of Revenue (Revenue) access to records for inspection concerning employment and employee wages of eligible jobs Award Amounts Applicants may request up to 10% of the employees wage up to a maximum of $5,000/eligible job. How to Apply 1. A company or organization submits an application with required supporting documents preferably prior to relocating or hiring in Kansas new employees of eligible jobs. The Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission reviews the application and supporting documents and, if approved, drafts an agreement for the company s review and signature. The company returns a signed agreement to KCAIC for full execution by Commerce. The company has one year from the Agreement Date to relocate or hire the minimum required jobs in Kansas. 2. Commerce returns one fully executed agreement to the newly qualified company or organization and verifies: that the company or organization is eligible to receive program benefits the number of eligible jobs to be hired the amount of wages to be paid employees of eligible jobs 3. The company is required to provide documentation of employment within 30 days of the proposed hiring date for each eligible job listed in the application. Companies will also
submit to Commerce an annual report due within 30 days of the end of the granting period. Application Materials: I. Grant Application Form: Parts 1 & 2 II. Tax Clearance from state of origin or Kansas A Kansas Tax Clearance certificate may be obtained from Revenue by completing an online request at www.kdor.org/taxclearance/self/default.aspx. CAPITAL INVESTMENT ASSISTANCE This program recognizes the need for Kansas companies and organizations to remain competitive and encourages capital investment in facilities and technology. Benefits of this program are awarded to investments that will result in increased revenue, workforce, and/or client base. Capital Investment Assistance funds can be used to: Expand or significantly alter an new or existing facility Purchase equipment and materials to expand or improve an applicant s business or organization. ELIGIBILITY At the time an application is submitted, an applicant must be: A creative sector business or organization, commercial or nonprofit, registered or incorporated in Kansas and in good standing with the Secretary of State. The creative sector includes design, film/media, literary/publishing, performing arts, visual arts/crafts, and cultural heritage. Individual, self-employed creatives may also apply for equipment assistance or technology upgrades. Applicants in this category should check for-profit and list Other: self employed under legal structure on the application form. SIZE OF AWARD AND MATCH Applicants may request up to fifty percent of the cost of facility enhancements with a maximum award of $10,000. Applicants may request a maximum of $5,000 for equipment purchases or technology upgrades. All requests require a one-to-one match, preferably in cash. In-kind donations may also be counted as match. Funded applicants will be required to document all in-kind donations needed for their match at the conclusion of the granting period. For example, if an applicant requests $5,000, the total costs for the proposed activity must be at least $10,000 and the applicant must provide evidence of a personal or donated contribution of at least $5,000 in cash or in-kind. Applicants may apply for only one award within a single year, and the Kansas Creative Industries Commission may limit the number of awards granted to an individual or business over the course of multiple years. Applicants may not apply for assistance if they have outstanding final reports from previous Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission programs. Current employees of the State of Kansas are ineligible. Not all applications will be funded. The following criteria and weights are used by reviewers to evaluate and rank proposals:
Quality and merit of the creative business or organization s products or services Clear and specific business goals and measurable benefits for the business or organization Innovative approaches to business or product development Statewide/regional impact APPLICATION PROCESS Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. If a grant is awarded, KCAIC will notify the applicant within two weeks, but funded activities may begin no sooner than 15 days after the application due date. Payment will be made upon submission of expense receipt(s) and evidence of cash match, and acceptance of a final report. Applications must be submitted online. Application Materials I. Grant Application Form: Parts 1,3, & 5 II. Project/Activity Plan In no more than three pages, provide a plan for the project or activity that includes a detailed description, strategy & timeline, and proposed goals & benefits. Your plan should be in 12 point type, single spaced, with 1 inch margins. Use this structure: A. Description Provide a brief description of the facility enhancement you wish to undertake or the equipment/technology upgrades you wish to purchase. B. Project Strategy & Timeline Provide a detailed strategy and timeline of how the proposed activity will be implemented. Address the following 1. Strategic Impact How does the proposed activity fit into existing organizational or professional strategies? How will it impact staff, operations, and goals? How will it enhance existing products and services? 2. Innovative Development Why is the proposed activity an innovative approach to business, management or product development? How will it better position your company or organization in the market place? 3. Quality & Merit Describe your commitment to creativity, artistic quality, and high aesthetic standards. Include any special recognition or awards previously received. 4. Timeline For facility enhancements, provide a detailed timeline of the proposed activity, including both the start and end dates of the project and expected dates for key achievements. For equipment/technology purchases, provide dates of purchase and when the equipment/technology will become operational. If applicable, include staff training time. C. Proposed Goals & Benefits Describe your goals for the activity and specify the projected measurable benefits for your business or organization. 1. Organizational Impact
Specify the projected measurable benefits for your business or organization. Examples include projected increase in new revenue, number of new clients or leads, number of additional employees. 2. Community impact Specify how the proposed activity will benefit your community on a local, regional, and/or statewide level. How will the proposed activity enhance the national reputation of the state? Include any projected impact on rural and underserved populations. 3. Cultural impact Specify how the proposed activity better positions your business or organization to contribute to the expansion and diversification of the state s cultural portfolio. III. IV. Financial information Activity Budget - Include the following information List of detailed expenses for proposed activity Total amount requested from KCAIC Source(s) and amounts of matching funding for your activity Attachments Professional resumes for those managing the proposed activity Links to work samples that illustrate the quality and merit of your product or service (use Grant Application Form Part 5) If applying for facility enhancements, include applicable plans and blueprints (use Grant Application Form Part 5) If applying for equipment/technology purchases, include applicable product literature (use Grant Application Form Part 5) Final Report You will be required to submit expense receipts, evidence of cash match, and a final report form within 30 days of the completion of your activities. You will also be asked to provide documentation of your activities such as photographs, sample curriculum, or media clippings. WORKFORCE TRAINING ASSISTANCE The Workforce Training Assistance program may be used to assist companies and organizations involved in pre-employment and on-the-job training of new employees, the training of existing employees on new technologies that will result in increased revenue and an expanded client base, the training and education of future employees using creative arts integrated programs to address emerging technologies, areas of skills shortages, and STEM curricula resulting in opportunities for increased student success and workforce readiness. Eligibility Requirements Qualified applicants include for-profit companies and not-for-profit organizations in the creative arts sector.
Entities with similar training needs may submit a joint application. A qualified training provider, such as a technical school, community college, university or other training entity, must be chosen as the fund administrator for projects involving several firms. If training future employees, an accredited K-12 institution must be identified as the primary applicant and fund administrator for the program. Programs must align with state academic standards and school or district educational goals and practices. Eligible applicants must demonstrate one of the following: Applicants must show they are creating at least one net new job in the State of Kansas. For new companies, any job that is created in Kansas is a net new job. For expanding companies, a net new job is any job that is created over and above the employee base, which is determined by calculating the average number of permanent full- and part-time employees over the preceding 12 months. Applicants must show they are restructuring their business operations or retraining their workforce due to one or more of the following: - Incorporation of existing technology (unable to pay for training associated with upgrades to existing technology) - Development and incorporation of new technology (unable to pay for training associated with upgrades to existing technology) - Diversification of production - Development and implementation of new production Applicants must show their training/education program will utilize innovative integrated creative arts learning to: - Foster innovative and creative thinking - Increase student success and graduation rates - Enhance performance in STEM and other core curriculum - Develop vital skills in communication and team building that increase job performance and hirability - Contribute to the development of a highly skilled, versatile, creative workforce that integrates applied creative skills with technical expertise Eligible applicants must also demonstrate: A compelling economic and cultural benefit to the state and/or the project has an impact on occupations involved in businesses and organizations that play a supporting role in economic and cultural development efforts If training new or existing employees, the training will result in increased revenue and an expanded client base for the applicant business or organization If training future employees, the training will result in increased success in core/stem curricula and/or emerging technology and other areas of demonstrated skills shortages. The program must also align with state academic standards and school or district educational goals and practices Adequate financial strength to accomplish the goals of the project Good standing with state and federal tax obligations and, if applicable, with other KCAIC programs Eligible Expenditures Examples of eligible expenditures include
instructor salaries curriculum planning and development travel, materials supplies textbooks minor training equipment Certain training facility costs This program does not fund programs that are focused solely on artistic skill building. Programs must be tied to current or future employment as well as demonstrated success in STEM and core curricula and future workforce readiness. Award Amounts An application must be submitted prior to or concurrent with the beginning of the training. The maximum amount of funding per trainee is $500 with a maximum award of $5,000 per applicant. All requests require a one-to-one match, preferably in cash. In-kind donations may also be counted as match. Funded applicants will be required to documents all in-kind donations needed for match at the conclusion of the granting period. Training contracts are usually 12 to 18 months in length. Applicants may apply for only one award within a single year, and the Kansas Creative Industries Commission may limit the number of awards granted to a business over the course of multiple years. Applicants may not apply for assistance if they have outstanding final reports from previous Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission programs. How to Apply Application Materials: I. Grant Application Form: Part 1, 4, & 5 II. Application Narrative A. Brief Description of the Organization s Business Operation 1. Provide a brief history of the organization: Be sure to include information regarding the project facility or facilities and the location of the organization s markets and/or audience, as well as describe the organization s product or service. 2. Calculate the average employment and/or enrollment level for the preceding 12 month period 3. If training new employees, provide date(s) for hiring the positions listed in the application B. Description of the Training Project 1. Provide a summary of the company s proposed project: If training new employees, explain the need for additional hiring If training exiting employees, describe how your company is restructuring its operation through one or more of the following: - incorporation of existing technology (unable to pay for training associated with upgrades to existing technology); - development and incorporation of new technology (unable to pay for training associated with upgrades to existing technology);
- diversification of production; or - development and implementation of new production. If training future employees, explain how the proposed program will: - Foster innovative and creative thinking - Increase student success and graduation rates - Enhance performance in STEM and other core curriculum - Develop vital skills in communication and team building that increase job performance and hirability - Contribute to the development of a highly skilled, versatile, creative workforce that integrates applied creative skills with technical expertise - Align with the state academic standards and school or district educational goals and practices 2. Explain the company s training plan as it relates to this project, highlighting any unique features within your industry discipline. Include specific roles or responsibilities of the training providers. If there is on-the-job training, please describe the processes used and how it contributes to the training objectives of the company. In addition, describe the new skills acquired by the employees/trainees. C. Project Strategy & Timeline Provide a detailed strategy and timeline of how the proposed training will be implemented. Address the following 1. Strategic Impact How does the proposed training fit into existing organizational or professional strategies? How will it impact staff, operations, and goals? How will it enhance existing products and services? 2. Innovative Development Why is the proposed training an innovative approach to workforce development? How will it better position your company or organization in the market place? 3. Quality & Merit Describe your commitment to creativity, artistic quality, and high aesthetic standards. Include any special recognition or awards previously received. 4. Timeline Provide a detailed timeline of the proposed training, including both the start and end dates of the project and expected dates for key achievements. D. Proposed Goals & Benefits Describe your goals for the activity and specify the projected measurable benefits for your business or organization. 1. Organizational Impact Specify the projected measurable benefits for your business or organization. Examples include projected increase in new revenue, number of new clients or leads, number of additional employees, number of trainees effected and evidenced of enhanced success in targeted skill areas. 2. Community impact Specify how the proposed training will benefit your community on a local, regional, and/or statewide level. How will the proposed training enhance
the national reputation of the state? If training future employees, how will the proposed training increase and enhance the state s future workforce. Include any projected impact on rural and underserved populations. 3. Cultural impact Specify how the proposed training better positions your business or organization to contribute to the expansion and diversification of the state s cultural portfolio. V. Budget Detail Please provide the name and description of each training class, type of training, the number of hours for each training class, source of instructor, and associated costs. Costs should not include salaries of the positions to be trained. Also include the following: costs relevant to customizing and/or developing the training classes including Travel expenses Materials and supplies Training aids Minor training equipment Facilities temporary training facility rental and related costs Total amount requested from KCAIC Source(s) and amounts of matching funding for your activity VI. Attachments Professional resumes for those managing the proposed training including instructors Program literature and letter of commitment from the institution delivering the training (use Grant Application Form Part 5) Secretary of State Certificate of Good Standing if applying as a commercial business or nonprofit organization Links to work samples that illustrate the quality and merit of your product or service (use Grant Application Form Part 5) Final Report You will be required to submit expense receipts, evidence of cash match, and a final report form within 30 days of the completion of your activities. You will also be asked to provide documentation of your activities such as photographs, sample curriculum, or media clippings.