Minnesota State Arts Board

2015 Arts AccessInformation session

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Program officer: Connie skildumConstance.skildum@arts.state.mn.us

(651) 215-1617 (800) 866-2787

Arts Tour Minnesota purpose

Arts Access is a pilot grant program designed to broaden opportunities for Minnesotans to participate in high quality arts experiences. Grant funds may be used by arts organizations for strategic, organic engagement with an identified target group(s) or community(ies) that is underserved by the applicant organization.

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Purpose

Program Outcomes

The goal of the Arts Access program is that Minnesotans of all ages, abilities, economic backgrounds, cultural heritages, and geographic areas are able to participate in the arts. Proposed projects must address at least one of the following program outcomes:

• Arts organizations build relationships with members of, and/or organizations that serve, groups that have traditionally been underserved by the arts or by the applicant organization.

• Real or perceived barriers to participation are identified and addressed.

• More Minnesotans are able to participate in the arts.

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Grant amountMinimum - $5,000Maximum - $150,000

Match requirement - 90% Arts Board / regional arts council 10% applicant match

Expense– Total project cash expenses $80,000

Revenue– Combined RAC/Arts Board 72,000 (90%) – Other cash required 8,000 (10%)– Total project cash $80,000 (100%)

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Use of grant fundsAllowed (partial list)1. To facilitate the target group’s participation in the applicant organization’s arts

programs or activities

2. To provide tickets to arts events presented by the applicant

3. To cover expenses for transportation, daycare, or other expenses that are perceived to be a barrier to participating in the arts experience

4. To develop, increase, and sustain long-term partnerships in the arts

5. To cover the costs associated with relationship building in the targeted communities including marketing expenses, planning time, or hiring contractors (such as community liaisons or translators) for project-related work

Use of grant funds

Not allowed (partial list)1. To support salaries or overhead of public or private schools, colleges, or

universities

2. To support academic credit producing activities or events which are primarily oriented to postsecondary students and the academic community

3. For activities that take place outside of the project period

4. To support more than 90 percent of the project’s total cash expenses

5. To solely purchase or create new work

Who can apply?

Eligible organizational applicants must be one of the following: • A Minnesota 501(c)(3) tax-exempt arts producing, arts presenting, or artist service

organization dedicated solely to the arts • An affiliated arts presenting or producing organization hosted within a Minnesota

501(c)(3) tax-exempt institution or public institution that meets all requirements of an arts affiliate (see arts affiliate definition on pages 23 - 24)

• A Minnesota arts producing or presenting group that has a formal written agreement with a Minnesota 501(c)(3) tax-exempt fiscal agent

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Who can’t apply?

• For-profit organizations or groups that use a business structure that must report and pay taxes on taxable income

• An applicant that is not in compliance with any active contract with the Arts Board

• An applicant that has a report specified in a previous contract with the Arts Board that is overdue as of the application deadline

• Radio and television stations, and broadcast media producers

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Review criteria

1.Quality of the arts experience

2.Commitment to and from the community

3.Project administration

4.Evaluation and assessment

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New for FY 2015

• Match requirement• Financial records and reconciliation

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WebGrants

grants management system

• All applicants are required to use the WebGrants system to apply: www.arts.state.mn.us.

• Registration is required of all applicants before beginning an application.

• A form called the Eligibility Questionnaire is part of the application. It should be completed first, and will indicate whether an applicant meets the basic requirements of this program. If eligible, the applicant may then go on to complete the full application. 11

Application components

• Fiscal year 2015 application forms – Fill out in WebGrants

• Financial documentation – Attach to WebGrants application

• Artist qualification materials – Attach to WebGrants application and upload videos to Vimeo

• Fiscal agent information– If using a fiscal agent, attach these materials in WebGrants

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How to start an application

• Log into WebGrants

• Select: Funding opportunities

• Select: FY 2015 Arts Access

• Select: Start a new application

General information form

• Primary contact

• Additional contacts

• Project title

• Organization (official applicant name)

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Project outcomes form

• Organizational information

• Project dates

• Contact hours

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Project outcomes form (continued)

• Publicity statement

• Applicant project outcomes

• Outcome evaluation

• Arts Board program outcomes

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Artist and participant estimate form• Artists, audience, broadcast, and

electronic audience

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Narrative form

• Applicant background

• Project description

• Review criteria

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Addressing the review criteria

1.Quality of the arts experience

2.Commitment to and from the community

3.Project administration

4.Evaluation and assessment

Financial information formProject revenue

• Request from $5,000 - $100,000• Applicant cash or other income• Round expenses up to the next $100• Income must equal expenses• All in-kind revenue needs to be assigned a

dollar value

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Financial information form Project expenses

• Artist compensation• Promotion and marketing• Planning and evaluation• Equipment (must be less than $5,000 in total)• Administration

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Financial support materials formAll applicants must submit one of the following based on the organization’s total revenue. If

the applicant is an arts affiliate, attach a change in net assets (income and expense

statement) for the affiliate only. If an affiliate does not have a statement of financial position

(balance sheet), attach the host or parent organizations statement of financial position

(balance sheet).

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Applicant FY 2012 annual revenue FY 2012 Financial document to submit

$750,000 and above Certified audit for fiscal year 2012

$50,000 – $749,999 IRS form 990 or 990-EZ for fiscal year 2012 or certified audit if available

Less than $50,000 Board approved financial statements or the equivalent for fiscal year 2012

Organizations that did not exist or had no financial activity in fiscal year 2012. (These organizations may only request the minimum grant amount of $5,000.)

Board approved financial statements or the equivalent for the next available completed fiscal year.

Collaborator list form

• Collaborators - List individuals, organizations, or venues

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Artist qualification form(s)

Every applicant must provide a complete set of materials for the first one - five artists involved in the project.

Materials required for each artist (up to 5 artists) include:•artist resume•work samples•work sample description

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Work samples

• Submit a separate artist qualification form for each artist or arts group (up to five).

• All work samples will be submitted electronically only. Work samples will not be accepted by mail or in person delivery.

• Videos must be uploaded to www.vimeo.com. Vimeo is a professional video sharing Web site that allows users to upload videos for private or public viewing.

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Project information form

• Artistic discipline(s)

• Project characteristics

• Project descriptors

• Educational activities

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Fiscal agent information form

• Fiscal agent - Informal groups that do not have 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status must apply with a fiscal agent

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Certifications and signatures

• Certification statements• Electronic signature

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FY 2015 Arts Access

Application deadline June 27, 2014

Panel review September 15-16, 2014 September 22-23, 2014 September 29-30, 2014 October 6-7, 2014

Board approval November 3, 2014

Project dates January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2015

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Tips

• Review proposals previously submitted. • Read instructions thoroughly; contact the program officer

with questions. • Relate your answers to the review criteria. • Prepare work samples early and test them for

functionality.• Ask someone unfamiliar with your project to read the

proposal for clarity and understanding.

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For questions or help

For questions about the content of the application forms or narrative, please contact:

Connie Skildum, program officer

Constance.skildum@arts.state.mn.us .....................................(651) 215-1617

For questions about financial forms or required financial documents, please contact:

Dave White, director, finance and grants administration

david.white@arts.state.mn.us.................................................(651) 215-1622

For questions about the technical aspects of the application forms, or questions about

electronic submission, please e-mail the Arts Board at: apply@arts.state.mn.us

Tom Miller, project manager ......................................................... (651) 215-1611

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