RACC Arts Equity Grant Guidelines Fiscal Year 2017-2018 What will this grant fund? When is funding available? Projects and programs which provide arts experiences for underserved communities. For more information see page 2. Funding is available for activities from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018. Who can apply? Non-profit organizations based in Multnomah County or the city limits of the City of Portland. For more information see page 3. How much money? Applicants may request any amount up to $7,000. When do I apply? Letters of Interest must be submitted by 5pm on February 22, 2017. For more information about the application process and timeline, see page 4. How do I apply? Apply online at racc.culturegrants.org. Who can I call with questions? RACC Staff are happy to answer questions and provide assistance: Helen Daltoso, Grants Officer 503.823.5402 hdaltoso@racc.org Ingrid Carlson, Grants Officer 503.823.5417 icarlson@racc.org Jack MacNichol, Grants Associate 503.823.2829 jmacnichol@racc.org Do you need materials in another language or format? We are happy to create and provide materials in other languages or formats. Please contact Jack MacNichol at 503-823-2928 or jmacnichol@racc.org for assistance, or see page 7 for more information.
RACC ARTS EQUITY GRANT INTRODUCTION The Arts Equity Grant program of the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) provides financial support to organizations in Multnomah County and the City of Portland conducting arts and culture projects and programming for communities of color, immigrants, refugees, underserved neighborhoods, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ communities, and other underrepresented communities. The goal of this grant program is to further RACC s commitment to ensuring that everyone in our region has equal access to arts and the fundamental right to express their culture through the arts. The types of activities this grant seeks to fund include, but are not limited to: Events or programs that give underserved artists increased outlets to promote and market their work. Technical assistance/learning/training programs for artists in underserved cultural communities. Programming that serves the communities listed above. Community events that highlight and promote the art and culture of a particular community. Organizations may submit one application each year and can request any amount up to $7,000. Arts Equity Grants will fund projects or programs from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018. All grant activities must occur and be completed within this time-frame. 2
WHO CAN APPLY? To be eligible for an Arts Equity Grant, an applicant must: 1. Be a not-for-profit organization. However, IRS 501(c)3 status is not required. RACC would like this program to be widely available to all organizations throughout Multnomah County. Organizations wishing to apply need not be incorporated, formally recognized by the IRS as a public charity (i.e., under 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code), or otherwise officially established as a taxexempt institution. It must, however, be not-for-profit in that the organization s net earnings are not distributed to those who control it. 2. Provide RACC with a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN). (If you have questions about FEIN s, contact RACC staff.) 3. Be headquartered within Multnomah County and/or the City of Portland city limits, and be applying for a project that will take place within this area. If awarded a grant, the grantee must continue to be headquartered within this area for the duration of the grant. Otherwise, the grant will be forfeited. Legal address, as shown on tax return, must be within the stated area. WHO CAN NOT APPLY? 1. Individual Artists. 2. Organizations receiving RACC General Operating Support Grants. 3. Schools, school districts, or school fundraising organizations (such as PTAs or Booster Clubs). Other organizations may, however, apply for activities that take place in schools. 4. Applicants with past due Final Report on previous RACC grants. WHAT CAN NOT BE FUNDED? The following types of proposals are not eligible for the Arts Equity Grant Program: 1. Proposals which are not scheduled to take place in the funding year (July 2017 June 2018). 2. Proposals which raise funds for an entity other than the applicant. 3. Proposals for projects that have already received funding through other RACC grants or programs including but not limited to the Public Art Murals Program, the Right Brian Initiative, and RACC Project Grant support. 4. Projects that will take place in venues that are not ADA accessible. 5. Arts Equity Grant funds may not be used to purchase food, equipment, general operating support, or capital improvements. 3
APPLICATION PROCESS Preparing to apply: All application materials must be submitted online. Applicants should create an account, or log into their organization s existing account, in RACC s GrantsOnline system at racc.culturegrants.org to apply. RACC will host information sessions for potential applicants. Visit racc.org/grants for dates, times and registration. Letter of Interest: All applicants must submit their Letter of Interest form online by February 22, 2017 by 5:00pm. Late Letter of Interest forms will not be accepted. Please make sure to click the submit button on the final page of the form. Applicants will receive a confirmation email from noreply@culturegrants.org when their Letter of Interest has been successfully submitted. Letter of Interest Review:. All eligible Letters of Interest will be reviewed by a panel of RACC Staff and Board Members, who will invite those with the strongest proposals to submit a Full Application. RACC will respond to Letters of Interest by March 20, 2017 indicating whether their proposal has been selected for further review or if they have been declined for funding. Full Application: Applicants selected for further review will be asked to complete a Full Application which will include additional questions, a budget, and the option to upload supplemental materials (see page 5). All Full Applications must be submitted online by April 19, 2017 by 5:00pm. Late applications will not be accepted. Please make sure to click the submit button on the final page of the application. Applicants will receive a confirmation email from noreply@culturegrants.org when their Application has been successfully submitted. Full Application Review: A panel made up of arts and cultural community representatives will review and rate proposals according to review criteria listed on page 5 of the guidelines. Panelists with a Conflict of Interest will not be permitted to offer an opinion or score on the applicant in question. Panel reviews will not be open to the public. However, applicants may contact the grants staff to schedule a one-on-one feedback session after funding decisions have been announced. 4
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS FOR FULL APPLICATIONS If invited to submit a Full Application, applicants may choose to upload additional materials to support their proposal. These must be electronically uploaded through the GrantsOnline system as part of the application. Applicants may submit up to three of the following supporting documents: Letters of support Artist resumes or biographies Artist work samples (images, videos, audio, etc) Additional financial or budget information Photos, video, or other documentation of past programming/events Press or publicity material for past events or the proposed project GrantsOnline allows each applicant up to 500 MB of storage for their supplemental materials upload, so please plan accordingly when choosing your files. Accepted formats include.jpg,.tif,.mp3,.mp4,.mov,.doc,.xls, and.pdf. IMPORTANT: RACC Grants Staff is available to provide technical support for applicants. Please contact us as soon as possible if you need access to a computer or assistance submitting your application in the GrantsOnline system. For assistance contact Jack MacNichol at 503-823-2928 or jmacnichol@racc.org HOW WILL PROPOSALS BE EVALUATED? All proposals will be evaluated based on the Arts Equity Grant criteria below. When writing your Letter of Interest and Full Application, be sure to keep these Review Criteria in mind: Proposal supports access to arts and/or culture to a clearly identified, underrepresented community. Proposal demonstrates the impact of the activity on the community for which it is intended. Proposal demonstrates ability/capacity of the organization to meet the proposal s objectives. Budget clearly supports the grant proposal. Proposal clearly supports or advances RACC s Equity Statement including: 1. We believe that the arts have the power to change hearts and minds, and to inspire social change. 2. We are seeking out and listening to voices that have not been heard, and fully engaging under-represented populations in dialogue that will help us improve. 3. RACC strives to be an organization that values and celebrates everyone s life experiences, their voices and their histories. 5
GRANT AWARDS & ADMINISTRATION The number and size of grant amounts will be based on funds available and panel rankings. Grant award recommendations will be presented to the RACC Board s Grants Review Committee, and then on to the RACC Board of Directors for final approval. Grant applicants can anticipate notification of grant award status via email by May 30, 2017. The total award will not be less than 75% of the total grant amount requested for each grantee. The RACC Board may, at its discretion, place limits on the amount it will award to any one grant applicant. Grant recipients must acknowledge support by RACC in all printed materials such as programs, newsletters and press releases. The RACC logo shall be used when space and format permit. Materials shall credit RACC with, This event was funded in part by the Regional Arts & Culture Council. Examples of ways in which RACC support has been acknowledged will be required with all grant final report materials. Grantees can receive up to half of their grant award by submitting their Initial Invoice. The remaining balance of the grant will be paid upon completion of the Final Report and submission of documentation. Documentation includes materials that are a result of the grant and show acknowledgement of RACC through credit or use of the logo such as copies of brochures, programs, press or publicity, photos or video of the final project public component, and copies of receipts that show eligible expenses and total at least the RACC grant award. Grants staff will provide additional instructions about how to submit these materials to all funded applicants. Final reports for Arts Equity Grants will be due August 15, 2018. RACC GRANT COMPLIANCE 1. Applicants awarded an Arts Equity Grant must complete the grant between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018. 2. Applicants must notify RACC of the actual dates of proposed activities, once they have been finalized. 3. It is the responsibility of the grant applicant to notify RACC staff by email and in advance of any major changes in the project. 4. If final reporting requirements are not met within 45 days after the grant cycle has ended (August 15, 2018), the recipient may be required to relinquish their grant award. 5. History of non-compliance with previous grant requirements will affect future grant awards. 6. Awardees must uphold RACC s commitment to making the arts accessible for all. Grantees are required to make all reasonable efforts to accommodate individuals with disabilities in the activities funded by this grant, including ensuring that events occur in ADA accessible venues. 6
APPLICATION ASSISTANCE The RACC grants staff is available to support applicants throughout the grant process. Technical Assistance with GrantsOnline If you have any difficulty logging into or submitting your application through the GrantsOnline system, please contact Jack MacNichol at 503-823-2928 or jmacnichol@racc.org. Translations Services and Language Support We are happy to provide translation services for applicants would like to receive information about this grant or submit an application in a language other than English. Please contact Jack MacNichol at 503-823-2928 or jmacnichol@racc.org to request translation or other language assistance. Accessibility We are happy to provide documents or information in alternate formats to make this process as accessible as possible. Please contact Jack MacNichol at 503-823-2928 or jmacnichol@racc.org to request accommodations or information in alternate formats. Grant Information Sessions RACC will host information sessions for potential applicants. Visit racc.org/grants for dates and times. If you would like to attend an information session, please let us know you are coming by registering at racc.org/grants. Grant Draft Review RACC Grants Officers are happy to read draft Letters of Interest and Full Applications and provide feedback. This service is provided on a first come-first serve basis. Please complete and save your draft in the GrantsOnline system and notify Helen Daltoso (hdaltoso@racc.org) or Ingrid Carlson (icarlson@racc.org) when it is ready for review. We will review the draft you have saved in the system and schedule a time to provide feedback over the phone. In order to accommodate as many applicants as possible, please have your draft ready no less than one week prior to the deadline for submission February 15 for Letters of Interest, and April 12 for Full Applications. If you have other questions during the application process, please contact the following staff: Helen Daltoso, Grants Officer 503.823.5402 hdaltoso@racc.org Ingrid Carlson, Grants Officer 503.823.5417 icarlson@racc.org Jack MacNichol, Grants Associate 503.823.2829 jmacnichol@racc.org 7
REGIONAL ARTS & CULTURE COUNCIL RACC MISSION STATEMENT To enrich our communities through arts and culture. RACC VISION STATEMENT An environment in which arts and culture flourish and prosper. STATEMENT OF NON-DISCRIMINATION OF BOARD MEMBERSHIP, EMPLOYEES & CLIENT SERVICES The Regional Arts & Culture Council is committed to building a community in which everyone has equitable access to arts and culture. RACC values diversity, equity and inclusion, and strives to cultivate Board members and employees, as well as provide client services that reflect and represent our region. RACC maintains a policy of electing individuals to the Board of Directors who reflect the diverse makeup of our communities in terms of professional expertise as well as personal dimensions such as, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual identity, disability and socioeconomic background. The Regional Arts & Culture Council is committed to providing services and making resources available to every member of the tri-county, Portland-metropolitan area. We prohibit discrimination against our constituents, employees and applicants for funding or employment on the basis of real or perceived national origin, race, color, age, marital or familial status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, educational background, disability, religion, political opinion, physical appearance or veteran status. AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT CERTIFICATION/STATEMENT OF NON- DISCRIMINATION By submitting an application, the applicant agrees to comply in every way with all applicable entity or individual receiving grant provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 USC Sec. 12101, et seq. and agrees not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, religion, color, sex, marital status, political opinion, familial status, national origin, age, gender, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, military status, gender identity and source of income or disability status. 8
RACC EQUITY STATEMENT We believe that the arts have the power to change hearts and minds, and to inspire social change. Prejudice and privilege have created barriers that RACC must dismantle, systematically and strategically, until everyone in our community has equitable access to arts and culture. We acknowledge that there is no one perfect way to achieve equity, but we are willing to take risks because there is much work to do. We are thoughtfully researching and implementing new methods of thinking within our organizational culture, starting with an in-depth assessment of our services, policies and procedures. We are seeking out and listening to voices that have not been heard, and fully engaging under-represented populations in dialogue that will help us improve. We are committed to the full scope of this work and will hold ourselves accountable along the way anything less would prove a disservice to ourselves and the communities we serve. RACC strives to be an organization that values and celebrates everyone s life experiences, their voices and their histories. By consistently bringing new perspectives to our decision-making table, forming new relationships and alliances, and finding new ways to support creativity, RACC will be a strong, equitable and relevant organization. Throughout this process, we commit to humility, optimism and respect. Adopted by the Board of Directors February 2015 9
LETTER OF INTEREST QUESTIONS 1. Please describe the activity you would like RACC to support. 2. Which of these options best describes the primary community you plan to engage? You can provide additional information below, if needed. o Community or Communities of Color o Immigrants and/or Refugees o Underserved Neighborhoods o People with Disabilities o LGBTQ Communities o Other underserved or underrepresented Community (please specify below) o If needed, please describe the community you plan to serve in more detail. 3. Describe how you will engage this specific community and what the impact of the activity will be. 4. How is your organization uniquely qualified to provide services to this community or communities? 5. When and where will your proposed activity take place? 6. What is the Total Budget for the proposed activity? 7. What amount of funding would you like to request from RACC? (Cannot exceed $7,000) Demographic Questions Please provide demographic information for your organization's leadership, including your Board of Directors, all paid staff, and key volunteers. Please enter actual numbers in each row rather than percentages. If individuals identify with multiples races/ethnicities, please include them in each relevant category. If there is other demographic information you would like RACC to know about the leadership, membership, or audience of your organization, please provide it here. 10
FULL APPLICATION QUESTIONS Narrative Questions 1-5 are repeated from the LOI and can be updated with any additional information. 6. Will you have partners or collaborators? If so, please describe their involvement in your proposed activity. 7. How would your proposed activity support RACC's Equity Statement? 8. Please provide a closing statement incorporating any additional information to make the case for your proposal. Budget Please list all cash expenses and cash contributions related to your proposal. Please describe an other goods, services, or time that will be donated to the project (for example, donated supplies, volunteer time, in-kind donations, etc.) Supplemental Materials Applicants are encouraged to upload any supplemental materials you feel would support your application. Applicants may submit up to three of the following documents: Letters of support Artist resumes or biographies Artist work samples (images, videos, audio, etc) Additional financial or budget information Photos, video, or other documentation of past programming/events Press or publicity material for past events or the proposed project 11