MISSION SUPPORT GRANTS FY 2018 GUIDELINES Application Deadline: April 17, 2017 5:00 P.M. Support Period: July 1, 2017 June 30, 2018 Questions: Phone: 336-373-7523 x 243 Email: cberry@artsgreensboro.org ArtsGreensboro 200 N. Davie Street, Suite 201, Greensboro, NC 27401 Voice: 336-373-7523, Fax: 336-373-7553, Email: cberry@artsgreensboro.org Office Hours: Monday Friday, 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
ArtsGreensboro Overview Thanks to businesses, foundations, and thousands of arts enthusiasts, ArtsGreensboro financially supports more than 50 arts organizations and projects each year, connects the public to arts and entertainment, and financially supports the area arts scene through grants, marketing support, advocacy for state and local funding, and other important initiatives and services. ArtsGreensboro advocates for the arts in a variety of ways on both local and state levels. In partnership with the High Point Area Arts Council, we advocate for arts in education, and support from city, county and state support for the arts in our community. Founded in 1960 by community leaders as Greensboro s arts council, ArtsGreensboro has invested nearly $22 million as direct financial support into Greensboro s arts economy through grants. But the organization has always contributed much more than grants alone. Through the years, the arts council saved the historic Carolina Theatre, created Center City s Cultural Arts Center, produced the exciting City Stage Festival, and as it has for more than 40 years, operates the Sternberger Artist Center with 16 studios on Summit Avenue in the historic Sternberger House. With an annual budget of approximately $3 million, ArtsGreensboro is a catalyst for innovation to build recognition and support for the arts. Through its ArtsFund-supported grant programs, 17DAYS Arts & Culture Festival, the new Van Dyke Performance Space and other opportunities including the National Folk Festival, ArtsGreensboro is driving the health and vitality of our community by supporting arts education, celebrating the diversity of Greensboro, and driving economic impact through excellence in arts programming. Mission Statement The purpose of ArtsGreensboro is to lead and serve our creative community both as a financial resource and catalyst toward innovation, excellence, and sustainability in order to harness the transformative power of the arts to educate and inspire, connect people across all cultures to build a stronger community, and make Greensboro a vibrant and healthy place to live and work. Strategic Priorities 1. ACCESS: Increase community access to the arts to touch the lives of everyone in the community, and ensure rich diversity, sustainability, and growth of arts resources. 2. ECONOMIC VITALITY: Support economic vitality and promote Greensboro as a cultural destination through innovative programming with artistic merit. 3. ARTS EDUCATION: Educational experiences for all ages that result in increased knowledge and skills in the arts. Funding Goals ArtsGreensboro invests, through competitive grant programs, in high-quality arts experiences that further ARTSGREENSBORO s strategic priorities. The creation and/or presentation of programming with high artistic merit including visual arts, music, dance, theatre, and other performance, instructional and/or creative arts programs or art forms. Priority is given to the arts experience itself (typically we do not fund expenses associated with endowment-building, capital projects, fundraising, debt reduction, the acquisition of equipment, or training programs). Programs with high artistic merit that demonstrate defined and measureable outcomes, including impact on the community. ArtsGreensboro Mission Support Grant Guidelines FY 2018 Page 2 of 7
Programs that increase access to the arts, engage the community, and enrich the varied cultural vitality of Greater Greensboro. Arts education experiences that inspire and engage students (including life-long learning), enhance curriculum, and result in increased knowledge and skills in the arts. As stakeholders in the outcome of ArtsGreensboro s community-wide ArtsFund campaign, grant recipients are expected to actively support the campaign in the spirit of partnership. ArtsGreensboro Mission Support Grant Guidelines FY 2018 Page 3 of 7
Mission Support Grants Overview Mission Support is competitive single-year program for mature arts organizations with unrestricted operating revenue exceeding $500,000 annually for the past three (3) consecutive years. Applicants must have a demonstrated record of success in creating or presenting programs of the highest artistic merit and regional significance and further all three of ArtsGreensboro s strategic priorities. Mission Support Grant program is funded by foundations, corporations, and individual donors. Eligibility Organizations must confirm eligibility to apply with staff prior to submitting an application. Organizations must produce or present the arts to the public through ongoing arts programming Have 501(c)3 tax exempt status from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and have a current charitable solicitation license from the State of North Carolina. Have operated as an arts organization with unrestricted operating revenue exceeding $500,000 annually for the past three (3) consecutive years. Organizations must be based in and produce or present their arts activities in the Greater Greensboro region. Must be governed by a board of directors in compliance with Chapter 55A, Article 8 of the North Carolina Non Profit Corporation Act. Grant-making organizations, and entities that receive a majority of their operating budget from a unit of government, or college/university programs are NOT eligible to apply for Mission Support and Project Grants. Organizations receiving or applying for a Mission Support Grant may not apply for Project Support Grants. Review Criteria The review of all Mission Support Grant applications is based on the following three criteria: Artistic Merit Define as the demonstrated ability to deliver programming of high artistic merit within context of organization s mission, purpose, and environment. Organizational Effectiveness Defined as the ability of an organization to develop and organize the operational means necessary to support current and planned activities, as measured by the organization s prior record and soundness of plans of action. Service to the Community Demonstrated record of success in creating or presenting programs of the high artistic merit with regional significance, engaging diverse participants, and providing high-quality and/or innovative arts in education programming (ArtsGreensboro s Strategic Priorities). 1. Access: Presents programming which increase access to the arts and engage the broader community including racially and culturally diverse artists and participants. 2. Economic Vitality: Programming supports economic vitality and promotes Greensboro as a cultural destination by recognizing innovation and excellence in creativity. 3. Arts Education: Arts education experiences that inspire and engage students (including life-long learning), enhance curriculum, and result in increased knowledge and skills in the arts. Makes ArtsGreensboro Mission Support Grant Guidelines FY 2018 Page 4 of 7
programs accessible to those who have limited arts opportunities due to educational, geographic, ethnic, or economic barriers. Application Process Application Deadline: April 17, 2017 at 5:00 P.M. Please refer to the Review Criteria as you prepare your narrative and other required documents. All materials should tell the same story and represent your organization at its best. Grant review panels look for evidence of your commitment to your mission and artistic merit, as well as sound governance, management and operations, based on your strategic planning. The panels also look for evidence of your organization s understanding of, and responsiveness to, its community. During the panel meeting, panelists discuss and rate your application based on how your organization demonstrates that it meets the Review Criteria. Support Period FY 2018 Mission Support Grants support arts activities taking place between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018. Financials and Governance Financial information is an essential part of your application. You must submit the following documents: Projected FY 2018 Organizational Budget Current Balance Sheet (as of the end of the most recent period available) Current Income Statement / Statement of Activities (for the most recent period available) Organizational audit performed by a formal independent CPA 1 st Page (ONLY) of IRS Form 990 (most recently filed) IRS tax-exempt determination letter (if already on file at ArtsGreensboro, no need to resubmit) List of your current Board of Directors with their affiliations, contact information, and email addresses. Support Materials Some of the panelists may not be familiar with your work. This is why good supporting materials that showcase your organization are an essential part of the application. Applicants must provide evidence to demonstrate their ability to deliver a high-quality artistic product. Samples should represent your best work. Formats may include: PowerPoint presentations or PDFs: Up to 3 files Photographic materials: Up to 30 photographs in JPG format Video and/or audio materials: Up to 10 minutes total Samples must be provided in digital format. See Application Submission section for instructions. Application Submission Applicants are required to complete and submit all contents of their application by electronic means. Applicants must also print a hard copy of their application form and submit it with original signatures by all required parties of the organization. All electronic and hard copy application forms and materials must be submitted by the application deadline of April 17, 2017 by 5:00 P.M. Electronic Submission ArtsGreensboro will create a unique Dropbox folder online for each Mission Support applicant organization. Each organization must upload into its designated Dropbox folder the completed application form in Word format (PDF or other formats will not be accepted), all required Financials and Governance attachments, and all Support Materials. Please be sure to title and identify your documents according to its type. For example: Projected FY 2018 Budget_ Organization Name ; or Audio Sample _Organization Name.mp4. ArtsGreensboro Mission Support Grant Guidelines FY 2018 Page 5 of 7
If support materials are available online, such as a YouTube video, applicants may provide links to those materials in a Word document that is uploaded into Dropbox. Applicants must provide a direct link to the support material, not to a webpage on which grant review panelists will have to look for the appropriate link or support material. Applicants are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of link addresses provided as support material Applicants must upload all application materials into the designated Dropbox folder by 5:00 P.M. on April 17, 2017. Access to the designated Dropbox folder will be closed immediately after the deadline passes. Hard Copy Submission Applicants are required to print a hard copy of the completed application form ONLY and obtain signatures from the required personnel of the organization. The signed, completed hard copy application form must be submitted to the ArtsGreensboro office by 5:00 PM on April 17, 2017. Applications arriving after the deadline will not be accepted. Application Review Staff Review Staff will review applications for completeness and adherence to these Guidelines. Receipt of grant application will be acknowledged in writing. Applicants will be notified if their application is incomplete and if additional information or corrections are necessary, and they ll be given a specific deadline in writing to provide any revisions and or other necessary information. Applicants must meet all of these specified deadlines for completing/providing revisions and information or the application will be considered withdrawn. Panel Review ArtsGreensboro utilizes a peer Grants Review Panel to aid in its decision-making. Grant review panels meet formally as a group and are instructed to evaluate applications according to the Review Criteria. Applicants will be required to attend a 15-minute interview with the Grant review panel on deliberation day Wednesday, May 3, 2017. Grant Recommendations and Approval After the staff and panel reviews are completed, recommendations are presented to ArtsGreensboro s Grants Committee. Following this review, the Grants Committee presents the funding recommendations to the full ArtsGreensboro Board of Directors. The Board meets in mid-june to review the recommendations and reach funding decisions. Notification All applicants will receive notification by mail or email of their grant award or denial in June 2017. Reporting Requirements If awarded a Mission Support Grant, recipient organizations must file monthly financial statements, along with a final report by deadlines specified by ArtsGreensboro staff. The final report requires narrative and financial information on arts activities conducted during the Support Period. Failure to submit reports by the specified deadlines may jeopardize current and/or future ArtsGreensboro grants being received by the organization and may result in requiring repayment of grant funds. Applicants must effectively track data needed by the ArtsGreensboro to fulfill reporting requirements of ArtsGreensboro funders. Information includes ethnicity of participants, number of seniors, veterans, women, ArtsGreensboro Mission Support Grant Guidelines FY 2018 Page 6 of 7
disabled, and students on free and reduced lunch programs. This information will be requested on the final report. Payments Grant contracts are prepared and mailed in June or July 2017 to those who have been awarded funding. The contracts must be signed and the grant recipient must meet all reporting requirements before grant funds are disbursed. Funds are distributed in four parts. All grants are conditional upon ArtsGreensboro meeting annual funding targets. Funding Amounts Funds granted annually will generally not exceed 8% of organizational unrestricted operating budget, or $100,000, whichever is less. Mission Support Grants generally range between $20,000 and $100,000, depending on available funding. Support is contingent on ArtsGreensboro meeting annual funding targets, and is subject to change based on annual review. ArtsGreensboro reserves the right to make a final decision on an organization s funding. Matching Requirements Funding must be matched dollar-for-dollar in cash by the applicant. Public funds, restricted funds, or in-kind gifts may not be used to match a Mission Support Grant. Grant Funds May Not be used for Funds may not be used for private functions, fundraising events, receptions, food or beverages. ArtsGreensboro Mission Support Grant Guidelines FY 2018 Page 7 of 7