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Arts Organizations
Two-Year Operating Grant
Deadline: April 9, 2009
Grant Coordinator: Cassandra Erickson
cassandra.erickson@dcr.nh.gov
(603) 271-7926
These Grant Guidelines are valid for the grant period July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2011.
This general support grant category is designed to recognize excellence and build the capacity of New Hampshire arts organizations to produce, present and support high quality arts for New Hampshire citizens. Awards may be granted for one or two years at a time.
Maximum Grant Request & Required Match
Operating Grant requests may be made for up to $16,000 per year over two years, but the request for the first year of the grant period may not exceed 10% of income in the organization's last fiscal year prior to application. Applicants also must be able to project a cash match, excluding federal and state funds, of at least $10 for each $1 requested from the State Arts Council.
NEW! The Operating Grant panel may elect to recommend a one-year, capacity building support grant that is renewable or a two-year general support grant. For either variation, an in-person meeting will be scheduled to review the grantee’s Interim Report after the first funding year has ended.
Important Note: All grant categories and amounts are subject to change, depending upon availability of state and federal funds for any fiscal year.
Who May Apply?
Nonprofit organizations with incorporation in New Hampshire and a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service, whose primary mission is to produce, present or serve the arts.
In addition, applicant organizations must:
- Have been in continuous operation as a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization for at least five years prior to application for an Operating Grant;
- Have an independent board of directors that meets at least quarterly;
- Have a paid, full-time arts administrator*;
- Have a long-range plan in place that covers the two-year grant period;
- Be fully in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements;
- Have submitted all required reports on past State Arts Council grants;
- Be in good standing with the State Arts Council and NH Attorney General’s Office.
*Note: The Arts Council will waive the requirement that requires applicant organizations to have a full-time administrator if the grant application requests funds to make a part-time administrator full time.
Restrictions
- Applicant organizations must be physically located in New Hampshire, not just incorporated in the state.
- In general, a college, university, library, or school is not eligible for operating grants unless its primary mission is the arts and the majority of its arts activities are open to the general public. Independent arts units within an educational institution with separate administrative and program budgets and independent advisory councils, such as some college art galleries, are eligible if the majority of their programming is for the general public.
- Grant awards may not be used for previously incurred debts or deficits.
- Operating Grant awards may not be used for endowments or capital projects (see Cultural Facilities Grants).
- Operating Grant recipients are ineligible to receive additional Organizational Support Project or Mini Grants during their Operating Grant period.
Application Review Process
A panel with expertise in the field meets to review and rate applications according to the funding criteria listed. A State Arts Councilor facilitates the meeting. Funding recommendations are then passed along to the State Arts Council for review and approval. If a grant of $5,000 or more is recommended, or the applicant's cumulative total of grants received from the State Arts Council for that fiscal year (July 1 - June 30) is $5,000 or more, the grant recommendation also must be submitted to the Governor and Executive Council for final approval.
Funding Criteria
The following criteria are used by the panelists to rate Operating Grant applications:
Quality of Arts Programming or Services
- Artistic quality of programs for the general public and/or quality of service to New Hampshire artists and/or arts organizations.
- Outreach to and/or inclusion of New Hampshire artists.
- Range and scope of arts programming over time.
Response to Community and Audience Needs
- Evidence of community need and support;
- Evidence of Americans with Disabilities Act compliance;
- Evidence of inclusive programming policies, e.g., affordable admissions, culturally diverse programming;
- Evidence of audience development planning;
- Evidence of efforts to educate audiences and broaden their appreciation for the arts;
- Degree of public benefit to New Hampshire citizens.
Administrative Capacity
- Stable organizational history;
- Quality of long-range plan;
- Board composition and staff qualifications;
- Variety and balance in income sources;
- Realistic budgetary projections;
- Sound marketing and fundraising plans;
- Administration of past Council grants and all reports.
- Clarity of proposal
How to Apply
Before Submission: Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend one of the State Arts Council’s grants information sessions and to discuss their proposals with the appropriate grant coordinator noted above before writing their applications. Applicants also should review the legal and reporting requirements relevant to State Arts Council grants.
Draft applications may be reviewed if submitted at least two weeks in advance of the application deadline. First time applicants are especially encouraged to submit draft applications.
When sending in a draft, please clearly indicate DRAFT FOR REVIEW in BOLD letters on your submission.
Submitting the application:
Errors and omissions may affect a panel's evaluation of your application, so please prepare your application carefully and follow instructions.
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Narrative Questions
The total narrative portion of the application should not exceed 7 typed pages. Margins (not less than 1”), fonts (not smaller than 12 point), and spacing should provide easy reading for the panelists. Please respond to the following questions in the order in which they appear.
Background
1. Give a thumbnail sketch of your organization, including its mission. Include those unique characteristics that help define your organization's role in the arts in New Hampshire. (Keep in mind that some of the panelists may be from out of state and/or not familiar with your organization or its importance to the arts in New Hampshire.)
2. Describe any key changes in the area your organization serves (demographic, economic, etc.) that affect your organization's planning and how your organization is responding to these changes. (Note: You may refer the panel to relevant sections of your long range plan.)
Artistic Quality
3. Identify the criteria and process your organization uses to select the artists or art works that your programs feature. Explain how your organization’s work benefits New Hampshire artists.
4. Summarize the highlights of your past two years of arts programming and your plans for the future. Reference your support materials in your response.
Response to Community and Audience Needs
5. Audience Development. Describe specific strategies you used to develop audiences over the last two years. Summarize what marketing surveys or studies you have conducted to identify your current and potential audience. Based on the data collected, describe your goals for audience development in the next two years.
6. Accessibility. Describe specific ways your organization involves or plans to involve individuals who have limited access to the arts due to disabilities, low income, distance from arts centers, or other barriers. Include information on scholarships and discounted admissions that make your programs accessible to more people. Note the ways have you worked with other cultural organizations in your area to coordinate scheduling and types of programming to avoid conflicts and maximize potential audiences for all area arts activities.
7. Public Education. Explain how your organization contributes to the general public's understanding and appreciation of the arts. Briefly describe your program, if any, for reaching K-12 students. Reference your support materials to answer this question.
Management & Financial Practices
8. Organizational structure. For your governing board, give method of selection, terms of office, frequency of meetings, committee responsibilities. For your staff, explain any policies and budget commitments relating to continuing professional development. Attach brief biographies of your key administrative and artistic staff and a staff chart showing areas of responsibility.
9. Describe the process your organization used to develop its long-range plan. Note the ways you involved New Hampshire citizens beyond your staff and board members. Attach your organization’s current long-range plan.
10. What are your organization's goals for board activity, staffing, and financing your operations for the future? NOTE: You may summarize the key points with cross references to your long range plan.
11. Identify and evaluate the fundraising strategies you have used in the past two years, indicating what you will continue or change in the future.
12. Identify the marketing strategies you used during your last fiscal year, indicating what has worked well enough to continue and what you might change in the future.
13. Explain line items in your 3-year financial statement/budget that reflect a change of 25% or more from the previous year. If your financial statement shows a deficit, explain your plans for reducing it. If the statement shows a surplus, explain your plans for using it.
Evaluation & Measurable Outcomes
14. How will you evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies your organization has identified to meet the goals outlined in your long-range plan? Identify any measurable outcomes you will employ in making your evaluation, such as increasing audience numbers, bringing your arts programs to more schools or communities, decreasing administrative costs, or employing more New Hampshire artists.
15. Define the key benefit(s) your organization delivers to the citizens of New Hampshire.
Required Support Materials
8 copies of
- Completed Application Form & Narrative
- Operating Grant Budget Form
- Brief biographies of key staff
- Organizational staffing chart
- List of current board with addresses and occupations
- Current long-range plan that covers the Operating Grant period
3 copies or sets of
- Board-approved financial statement or audit for most recently completed fiscal year (for organizations with an annual budget of $500,000 or more per year);
- Balance sheet and profit and loss statement (for organizations with an annual budget of less than $500,000).
- Arts Organizations embedded within institutions should submit an income statement for the past two years and other financial documents, approved by a financial officer of the supervisory institution. This income statement should detail how much support the arts organization has been receiving from internal and external sources, as well as where those funds have been going. These organizations should submit a balance sheet, if available. DO NOT submit financial statements or audits for your parent institution.
- Two samples of public education materials and selected program materials such as reviews, performance schedules, exhibition catalogues, etc., of last year's programming
- Work Samples: Audio-visual materials that best demonstrate the quality of your organization's artistic activity (include an identification sheet with each audio-visual item)
One copy of
NOTE: The State of New Hampshire requires registration of IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofits every five years (years ending in 0 or 5). This registration may be done on-line at www.sos.nh.gov.
How to Prepare the Application Package
1. Fill out and sign the original application form and the three year Operating Grant Budget form and make 7 copies.
2. Make 8 copies of the answers to the narrative questions.
3. Collate the original signed application form and copies with the answer to the narrative questions, completed three-year Operating Grant budget form, brief biographies, list of board members, and current long-range plan, resulting in 8 sets.
4. Collate 3 copies of the audit or financial statement, 3 copies of the selected program materials, 3 copies of work samples (audio-visual materials), and add the resulting 3 sets of support materials to the original plus 2 copies of the collated application materials above.
5. The original application and one set of collated support materials are for State Arts Council files. Add to this set, the single copy of IRS letter, the Letter of Good Standing and the New Hampshire Non-Profit Checklist, if applicable.
6. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want your audio-visual materials returned.
7. Do not use binders or folders for the 8 separate sets of materials. Staples and clips are acceptable. Three separate, large envelopes may be used to contain the collated support materials. It is helpful if you use post-it notes or label the application cover sheets to indicate original, set 1, 2, 3, etc.
8. Make one copy of everything for your files!
9. Put everything together in one package, putting the set with the application form with original signature on top. Cover letters are unnecessary. Mail or hand-deliver to: NH State Council on the Arts, 2 ½ Beacon Street Suite 225, Concord, NH 03301.
Why all these copies?
The originals are for the State Arts Council files. The 2 sets of the collated copies and support materials are for the 2 panelist(s) who will be assigned to do an in-depth review of your application. The remaining copies of materials are for the other panelists who will read your application prior to discussion at the panel meeting. The Council’s set of Support Materials will also be available for the panelists to review at the panel meeting. Don't forget to make a copy for your own files, too.
Deadline
Applications must be postmarked or hand delivered to the NH State Council on the Arts office at 2 ½ Beacon St, Suite 225, Concord, NH 03301 by 4:15 p.m. on the deadline date noted above. Office hours are Monday - Friday, 8:15 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. The office is closed all state and most federal holidays. Late applications will not be accepted. The State Arts Council cannot accept applications transmitted by facsimile (FAX) or email. It is not responsible for applications lost in transit.
Notification
Applicants will be notified of their application status within approximately 10 weeks of the application deadline.
NEW! Based on the Operating Grant panel’s evaluation of the application, your organization may be recommended for a one-year renewable grant instead of a two-year grant. If so, the grant coordinator will use the panel’s comments to identify specific organizational goals to be achieved prior to the disbursement of the second year of funding. If your organization receives this type of targeted support, you will also receive information on technical assistance resources. Your organization’s progress will be assessed as part of the new Interim Report Review process. Second year funding is not guaranteed.
NEW! At the beginning of the two-year grant period, the person responsible for administering this grant will be asked to attend a congratulatory orientation session to become familiar with your organization’s role and responsibilities as an Operating Grant recipient. It is particularly important that you understand the importance of crediting the State Arts Council’s support throughout the grant period. You will be asked to submit a plan for promoting the Arts Council grant as part of that orientation. The FY10 orientation will be scheduled after July 1, 2009.
Payment
The State Arts Council disburses funds appropriated from public sources, both federal and state. Checks are issued by Administrative Services of the State of NH, not the Department of Cultural Resources or the State Arts Council. Upon receipt of properly executed grant forms, the State of New Hampshire generally pays grants under $5,000 to grantees within 4 to 6 weeks. If a grantee is awarded $5,000 or more or has received other State Arts Council funds which brings the cumulative total received with the state’s fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) to $5,000 or above, grants need to be approved by Governor and Council; consequently, payment can take up to 10 weeks. All awards are subject to availability of state and federal funds. Therefore, we ask grantees to plan cash flow accordingly.
NEW! Annual payments of operating grants will be made in two installments, 90% and 10%. The first payment will be processed as soon as all required documentation is filed and approved. The remaining 10% payment will be made at the end of the State of New Hampshire’s fiscal year, by no later than June 30.
IMPORTANT: All grant agreements must be returned by January 15th of the fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) in which they are awarded. Failure to return the grant agreement by that date could result in cancellation of the grant and reallocation of funds.
Payment of a grant will be withheld if final reports for previous grants are not in compliance with policy below.
Grant Period & Reporting Requirements
The grant period for this Operating Grant covers two fiscal years, but payments will be made one year at a time. You will be required to submit an Interim Report after the first year of funding and a Final Report after the second year of funding.
NEW! After the first year of Operating Grant period--July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010, an Interim Report for the first year of funding will be due by July 31, 2010. The State Arts Council will schedule a meeting to review your Interim Report in person. Your organization’s Executive Director, one other staff member of your choice, and at least one board member, will be invited to update representatives of the State Arts Council (including the Director, a State Arts Councilor, and a member of the original panel) on the long range plan submitted with the original application. It will also be an opportunity to update the State Arts Council on the successes of the past year and the challenges you see for the coming year of the grant period.
Report Deadlines
The Interim Report is due July 31, 2010. The Final Report is due July 31, 2011. Both deadlines are postmark deadlines. If unexpected problems prevent you meeting the deadline for either report, extensions of up to 90 days may be requested, but the request must be made in writing before the deadline for filing has passed.
Failure to file required reports by the original or extended deadline will result in penalties. Failure to file a timely interim report will result in loss of second year funding. Failure to file a final report will result in being ineligible to submit any application for any type of State Arts Council funding for the two years following the date the report was due.
Click here for the Final Report Download Center.
Last updated:
April 8, 2009
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