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Project Grants
Traditional Arts
Deadline: May 7, 2010
Grant period is July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011
Grant Coordinator: Lynn Martin Graton
lynn.j.graton@dcr.nh.gov
(603) 271-8418
These FY2011 Grant Guidelines are valid for fiscal year July 1, 2010 - June 30, 2011
Traditional Arts Project Grants support both ongoing and new projects that focus on presenting, nurturing, and documenting traditional arts in New Hampshire. These time-honored artistic activities are vital to cultural heritage. The goals of this funding category are to:
- Promote a deeper appreciation for and a better understanding of traditional arts so that they continue to be a meaningful and visible part of our community life;
- Support and nurture traditional artists so that they can continue to preserve these living traditions; and
- Document the variety of traditional arts so that future generations may continue to benefit from them.
We encourage applicants to develop a multi-faceted approach to traditional arts programming. Projects funded under this category can include festivals, workshops, conferences, lecture/performance series, radio programming, exhibits and ancillary publications, and video/film documentaries. All projects, including exhibits and documentaries, should include presentations by traditional artists.
Projects funded in this grant category should:
- Have a clear focus on artistic excellence and authenticity of traditions being featured and tradition bearers presenting them
- Feature New Hampshire traditional artists and compensate them appropriately for performing and/or demonstrating and/or teaching
- Include interpretive materials such as program notes, signage, and stage presenters who can explain the history and cultural context of traditional arts
- Benefit the public and involve them in participatory activities such as hands-on workshops, community dances, etc.
- Benefit and enrich traditional artists such as artist receptions, master’s workshops, special tours, etc.
- Have the involvement of a cultural specialist and/or folklorist who can assist in researching community resources, planning the project, and developing educational materials for the project
In FY2011, organizations seeking funding in this category are encouraged to develop projects around the following themes:
- the relationship between natural resources and traditional arts
- traditional art forms representing underserved populations in New Hampshire, including Native American culture indigenous to New England, and recent immigrant and refugee populations
- the New Hampshire Folklife website’s newest educational activities – Heritage Arts-Build-A-Picture Activities
What are traditional arts?
Traditional arts are artistic activities that are passed down from one generation to the next within families and communities and are regarded by the community as part of their heritage. These activities can include music, dance, storytelling, crafts, skills, celebrations, and architecture. Communities can be defined in many ways, such as groups that share the same ethnic heritage, language, geographic area, religion, occupation, or way of life.
For a traditional artist, being true to the past is usually more important than change or innovation. Therefore, the techniques and forms of traditional arts tend to change very slowly. Though each generation adds their special gift to the tradition, the sense of what is beautiful and well done is defined more by the community than by an individual artist's personal creative vision. Because of this, traditional arts often become symbols of identity and pride for a community.
Traditional arts encompass folk arts. These are local "grass roots" artistic activities that are usually taught informally. A fiddle player may learn by playing along with older musicians at local community dances, a quilter may learn by helping her mother, a woodcarver may learn by helping out a neighbor, and a storyteller usually draws upon real life experiences growing up in a particular region or neighborhood. Folklife embraces a much wider range of cultural activities including food traditions, occupational skills, ways of speaking, and celebrating.
The State Arts Council’s Traditional Arts Program seeks to be responsive to how communities define themselves and their traditions. Because of limited resources, we place emphasis on supporting tradition bearers that have a direct connection to the community or group from which a tradition emerged.
Here are just a few of the traditional art forms that can be found in New Hampshire:
New England social dance and music (including contra and square dancing); French-Canadian fiddling and song; Scottish Highland piping, drumming and dance; Irish ceili dancing; Jewish Klezmer music; African-American gospel music; African drumming and dance; Western Abenaki ash and sweet grass basket making; quilting; rug braiding; rug hooking; spinning; lace-making; dried wreath making; decorative painting; Scandinavian knitting; Chinese knot tying; Russian iconography; musical instrument making; furniture making; sign carving; fly tying; Polish paper cutting; wood carving; barrel making (cooperage); canoe building; boat building; dog sled making; snowshoe making; fish net making; bow and arrow making; harness making; stone wall building; timber framing; ox yoke making; and harness making.
For more information on traditional arts and folklife in New Hampshire, visit: New Hampshire Folklife. This online educational resource includes an interactive Learning Center and a searchable database of traditional music recordings.
Maximum Grant Request
Requests may be for $1,000 - $4,500.
Funding Disclaimer: All grant categories and amounts are subject to change, depending upon availability of state and federal funds for any fiscal year.
Required Match
At a minimum, grants must be matched on a one-to-one basis. NEW! FOR FY2011 only: In-kind contributions may comprise one half of the required match and will also be considered by the reviewers as evidence of support and commitment by the community and/or partner organization. State Arts Council funds may not be matched by other State Arts Council or National Endowment for the Arts funds.
Who May Apply?
Any state, federal, county, municipal, or government agency, school, or organization with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the IRS and not-for-profit incorporation in the State of New Hampshire that:
- Makes its programs accessible to people with disabilities;
- Has submitted all required reports on past State Arts Council grants; and
- Is in good standing with the N.H. Secretary of State’s Office and the N.H. Attorney General’s Office.
Note: Operating Grant recipients may apply for Traditional Arts project grants. However, if the project was mentioned within the original Operating grant application, additional funds may not be sought. If the project is new, funds may be requested for direct program costs only, not for administrative costs.
Restrictions
This grant does not support:
- Projects/activities that are not open to the public.
- Commercially viable "for-profit" publications, recordings, or films.
- Projects involving traditional healing arts such as massage or acupuncture or traditional decorative body arts such as tattoo and body piercing.
- General operating expenses not directly related to the project or fundraising costs.
- More than one grant in this grant category per applicant during the State fiscal year (July 1 - June 30).
- Projects already receiving funds from another State Arts Council grant category for the same project.
- Any cost item listed in the glossary under “ineligible expenses."
Sample Projects
- An exhibit exploring the natural resources used in traditional ash and sweet grass basketry. Basket makers are invited to submit entries. A contracted natural resources specialist researches the ecosystem, history, and current practices of harvesting the natural materials. Oral history interviews are conducted with a few of the featured basket makers. The cultural specialist works with an exhibit curator or group of community members to develop themes for the exhibit, jury the general submissions, and write interpretive text panels for the exhibit. The project team works with the local schools to arrange for outdoor excursions to see the habitat where the basketry materials grow. Artists are invited to demonstrate during the exhibit installation.
- A festival organized around the theme of “diversity in the arts.” A contracted cultural specialist researches new immigrant and refugee communities in New Hampshire and identifies music traditions that can be performed and crafts that can be demonstrated. (Note: project costs can include translators to facilitate communication with non-native English language speakers.) The cultural specialist prepares notes for a stage presenter and for signage for the crafts. Photographs are taken and audio recordings made during the event. All artists are asked to sign a release form allowing the recordings and photos to be used for research and non-profit purposes. After the photos and audio have been labeled, they are donated to the local historical society.
Note: Many small organizations do not have staff with an academic or professional background in cultural programming. We encourage organizations to refer to the Traditional Arts & Folklife Listing for information on cultural specialists and folklorists who may be available on a contract basis. Organizations may also contact the Traditional Arts Coordinator listed above for suggestions. Applicants can include a request for funds to contract a cultural specialist or folklorist as part of the project budget.
Application Review Process
A panel with expertise in the focus area of the grant category meets to review and rank applications according to the funding criteria listed. Whenever possible, a State Arts Councilor facilitates the meeting. After discussion and review of work samples submitted, applications are ranked by the panel. Funding recommendations are forwarded to the State Arts Council for review and approval. If the organization’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 must also be submitted to the Governor and Executive Council for approval.
Funding Criteria
The following criteria are used by reviewers to rank applications for this grant category:
Goals
- Clearly stated project goal(s) and desired outcomes.
- Connection to organization’s mission and/or long range plan.
- Addresses the particular goals of this funding category: Promotes a deeper appreciation for and understanding of traditional arts and artists and supports and nurtures traditional artists so that they can continue to preserve living traditions.
Quality of Arts Programming
- Traditions and tradition bearers have high degree of authenticity and artistic excellence.
- Quality of project plan.
- Clear plan to develop and provide educational information such as program notes, signage, introductions, etc.
Administrative Capacity
- Feasible project plan with realistic timetable.
- Appropriate qualifications of project staff, including plan to involve a cultural specialist and/or traditional artist to advise the project.
- Sound publicity plan to attract audience/participants.
- Realistic budgetary projections. Please see the glossary for a list of ineligible costs.
- Ability to meet cash match.
- If an arts organization, has at least a one-year history of arts programming prior to application deadline.
- Evidence of effort to make project activities fully accessible to persons with disabilities and to underserved populations.
Public Value/Community Support
- Evidence of public benefit and community support (letters may be submitted with Support Materials; in-kind donations may be indicated in budget).
Evaluation & Documentation
- Clear method of evaluating the effectiveness and/or success of the project.
- A plan for documenting the project/activities.
How to Apply
Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend one of the Council’s grant information sessions and to discuss a proposal with the appropriate grant coordinator noted above before writing an application. Applicants should also 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 copies. Please submit drafts at least two weeks prior to the application deadline.
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
Please answer the following narrative questions on no more than four typed pages. Margins (not less than 1 inch), fonts (not smaller than 12 point), and spacing should provide easy reading for the panelists. Please number and respond to the following questions in the order in which they appear, noting the section titles in bold.
INTRODUCTION: Tell us about your organization
- Provide a profile of your organization including its mission and goals. Please keep in mind that some panelists may not be familiar with your organization or its importance to the arts in New Hampshire.
1. Why do you want to undertake this project?
- Explain the goal(s) and intended outcome(s) of the project/activities.
- Explain how your project relates to your organization’s long-range plan.
- Explain how your project or activity fills a need in the community. Provide statistics if relevant. Evidence of community support should be provided by the two support letters required.
2. What are you planning to do?
- What are the activities, programs or services you are planning?
- When will the project/activities occur?
- Where will the project/activities occur?
- Who are the participating artists* and cultural advisors you will be involving? (Note: If you have not fully identified them, name as many as you can.)
- Who is/are your targeted audience(s) and or participants?
- Describe the educational or interpretive materials you plan to develop and how these will help people better understand the cultural context, historical background, and artistry of the tradition being presented. For example: program notes, brochures, text panels, photo murals, displays, inclusion of a community scholar/folklorist in the program, etc.
* Note: Resumes and Work Samples must be included for artists not listed on the N.H. Artist Roster, the Traditional Arts & Folklife Listing, or the Arts in Health Care Directory. Work Samples are not necessary for artists who have received an Artist Fellowship or are Governors Arts Awards recipients, or have served as N.H. Artist or Poet Laureate.
3. How are you going to accomplish your project?
- What is the timeline for the planning and implementation of the project?
- Include name and qualifications of the Project Director who will be involved with this project/activity and attach his/her biography or resume.
- Describe your marketing/promotion plan or other methods you will use to attract participants or audiences. Include a plan for crediting the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts for supporting projects that are funded.
- Describe how you plan to meet the cash match. (Note: For FY2011, half of the 1:1 match may be in-kind goods or services.) Helpful hint: Make sure that the project costs outlined on the budget forms correspond with the activities you have described.
- Identify the ways you will provide access to people with disabilities and senior citizens so they may benefit from this project (i.e., physical access, programmatic access via large print programs and signage, sign language interpretation, assistive listening devices, transportation, etc.).
4. What community support do you have and how will it/they benefit?
- How will this project benefit the public and/or your community?
- Please tell us what organizations, businesses, and leaders are in support of this/these project/activities.
- Will volunteers be used for this project? If so, how? Is there a Volunteer Coordinator?
5. How will you Evaluate and Document your project?
- How will the outcome of the goals listed for the project/activities be measured? Please include copy of evaluation form in Support Materials, if available.
- How do you plan to document the project/activity (i.e., photography, video, web site)?
Required Support Materials
Six sets (original plus five copies)
- One page resume or biography of project director.
- Selected written materials on outside contractors (e.g., artists not on N.H. Artist Roster or Traditional Arts & Folklife Listing or consultants).
- Letters of support by community members and/or participating partners.
- Evaluation form for the project/activities, if available.
- Selected relevant program materials such as reviews, season's performance schedule, exhibition catalogues, etc. of previous programming.
One copy of :
- List of current board or arts advisory committee members with addresses and occupations.
- Board-approved financial statement for most recently completed fiscal year.
- An arts organization embedded within an institution (a university art gallery for example) 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.
- Work samples for artists who are not already juried by the State Arts Council (e.g., CDs, DVDs, audio or videotape(s), slides, manuscript pages).
- First-time applicants only: Tax exempt status letter from the IRS and a copy of the Letter of Good Standing that was received upon registering with the Attorney General's office.
- A completed New Hampshire Nonprofit Checklist found at this link: http://www.nhcf.org/page16898.cfm. This checklist conveniently lists all the legal requirements for NH Nonprofit Organizations.
NOTE: Registration of IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofits is required every five years, for the years ending in 0 or 5. This registration may be done on-line at http://www.sos.nh.gov/.
How to Prepare the Application Package
1. Fill out and sign the original application & budget form and make 5 copies.
2. Complete and make 5 copies of the answers to the narrative questions.
3. Collate the original signed application form and copies to result in 6 sets. Each set should contain the following items arranged in the order in which they are listed
1) the signed application form (the original application should be with the first set)
2) narrative questions
3) project director biography or resume
4) written materials on outside contractors (e.g., artists not on NH Artist Roster or Traditional Arts & Folklife Listing or consultants)
5) letters of support (optional)
6) sample evaluation form(s), if available
7) sample program materials
4. Include work samples of artists if not on NH Artist Roster, Traditional Arts & Folklife Listing, or Arts in Health Care Directory. See Preparation of Work Samples for instructions on preparing work samples/support materials.
5. Include with your first set (original signed application):
A) List of current board or arts advisory committee members with addresses and occupations.
B) Board-approved financial statement for most recently completed fiscal year.
C) The completed New Hampshire Nonprofit Checklist.
First-time non-profit organization applicants only (municipalities and schools are exempt from this requirement):
D) Include one copy of IRS letter certifying 501(c)(3) status.
E) Include one copy of the Letter of Good Standing that was received upon registering with the NH State Attorney General’s office.
IMPORTANT: If applying for more than one project grant, include only one IRS letter and one Letter of Good Standing and make a note in your packet that you have submitted these with another application.
6. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for any materials that need to be returned.
7. Please do not use binders, folders, protector sheets for the six separate sets of materials. Staples or clips are acceptable. Separate large envelopes may be used to contain the collated 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 1 copy of everything for your files!
9. Put everything together in one package, putting the set with the application with the original signature on top. Mail or hand-deliver to: NH State Council on the Arts, 2 1/2 Beacon Street, Suite 225, Concord, NH 03301.
Why all these copies?
The original is for the State Arts Council files. Additional copies are for the panelists who will review your application prior to discussion at the panel meeting.
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, 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 Council cannot accept applications transmitted by facsimile (FAX) or email and is not responsible for applications lost in transit. Errors and omissions may affect a panel's evaluation of your application, so please prepare your application carefully and follow instructions.
Notification
Applicants will be notified of their application status within approximately ten weeks of the application deadline.
Payment
The NHSCA disburses funds appropriated from public sources, both federal and state. Checks are issued by Administrative Services of 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 an organization is awarded $5,000 or more or has received other State Arts Council funds which brings the cumulative total received for that fiscal year (July 1 - June 30) to $5,000 or above, grants need to be approved by Governor and Executive Council; consequently, payment can take up to ten weeks. All awards are subject to availability of state and federal funds. Therefore, we ask grantees to plan cash flow accordingly.
IMPORTANT:
- All grant agreements must be returned by January 15 of the fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) they are awarded. Failure to return the grant agreement by that date could result in the cancellation of the grant and reallocation of funds.
- Payment of a grant will be withheld if the final reports for previous grants are not in compliance with policy below.
Grant Period and Reporting Requirements
The grant period is July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011. A final report is due 30 days after the completion of your project, but no later than July 31, 2011. An extension of up to two months may be requested. The request for extension must be made in writing, before the deadline for filing has passed to the grant coordinator responsible for administering the grant and should briefly note why the extension is necessary and the date the report will be submitted.
Failure to submit the final report by the required date will result in the organization becoming ineligible to apply for NHSCA funding for two years. Additionally, failure to submit the final report may result in a withholding of funds from any currently awarded NHSCA grant.
Click here for the Final Report Download Center.
Last updated:
February 5, 2010
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