Grassroots Arts Program (GAP)
Grant Application Guidelines
Fiscal Year 2009
The intent of the Grassroots Arts Program is to fund community-based arts events and activities. The
Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) has delineated certain guidelines for the use of Grassroots Arts
Program (GAP) funds. It is their intent to be as flexible as possible, yet guarantee quality and fiscal
accountability. Funds are for regranting to eligible organizations for programs and services designed to
meet grassroots needs, and which are approved by the GAP Advisory Committee.
The GCA further specifies that certain conditions apply to re-granting:
A. As the intent of GAP is to distribute funds, programs, and services as broadly as possiblethroughout the region, it is expected that individual sub-grants would not exceed $2,000.
B. GAP's fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30th. For Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2009 the amounts allocated for each county in the eleven-county region are:
Appling $3,115.21 Brantley $3,038.32 Bryan $3,280.51 Camden $3,838.49 Charlton $2,918.52 Glynn $4,497.26 Liberty $4,333.06 Long $2,919.12 McIntosh $2,934.09 Pierce $3,066.07 Wayne $3,367.26 TOTALS $37,307.91 C. Funds must support arts activities only. (See page 2- Project Examples & page entitled “What Kinds of Arts projects are Eligible for Funding)
D. Funded activities must be accessible and available to the general public and to the culturally-diverse population of the region and to people with disabilities. There should be some assurance that various segments of the population are reached, but not
necessarily all segments.
E. Local support and partnerships should be identified in the application and considered in making funding decisions.
F. Funded activities must demonstrate need and benefit to the community (level of local support and partnerships should be identified).
G. Although funds may be used to expand existing programs to reach new audiences, they should not be used to replace funds being spent in support of the arts.
H. While the quality of arts experiences must always be a major consideration in making funding decisions, the evaluation process must take into consideration the artistic standards and resources of the community.
I. Although funds may be awarded to current Council grantees, those funds may not support activities currently funded through any other Council grants and programs (i.e., General Operating or Project Support Grants or AIE residencies or folk-life projects).
FUNDING RESTRICTIONS
Grassroots funds MAY NOT be spent on the following:
1. To fund the same project for more than two years.
2. To fund individual artists directly.
3. To fund a project of the GAP Regional Partner, however the GAP Regional Partner may act as afiscal agent.
4. To support activities currently funded through any other Georgia Council for the Arts grant or program, such as GOS/ CAPS, Project Grant, Community Partners, Arts in Education Residencies or Folk Life Projects.
5. To fund organizations receiving General Operating Support (GOS) or Community Arts Programs and Services (CAPS) funding from GCA, unless the Regional Partner directly contracts with a member of the GCA Touring Artists Roster, GCA Traditional Artists Roster, or the GCA Georgia-based Touring Program to deliver arts programming into a county.
6. To fund programs, projects or in-school programs and performances that solely benefitselementary, high school or college students.
7. To replace other funds currently being spent on arts programs or services.
8. To provide food, beverages or other entertainments.
9. To purchase buildings or other real estate.
10. To renovate, make structural changes or any other capital improvements.
11. To reduce existing deficits.
12. To provide prizes or scholarships.
13. For expenses incurred for fundraising events.
14. To provide or add to endowment funds.
15. To support the applicant’s out-of-state activities.
16. To fund a program of a religious nature.
CASH MATCHING REQUIREMENTS
Fifty percent (50%) of each region's allocation must be matched with cash. The cash may come from any number of sources, e.g., private foundations, local governments, the applicant's own funds, individuals or businesses, etc.
GRANTEE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
GCA requires that GAP Sub-grantees be incorporated in Georgia and a not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization certified as such by the IRS, having operated in Georgia for at least one year, or be a unit of government. Organizations that have not incorporated as a not-for-profit may ask Golden Isles Arts &
Humanities Association or an organization or unit of government that meets the requirements above to serve as its fiscal agent.
Examples of organizations eligible for GAP, in addition to arts organizations and institutions of higher learning, include senior citizen centers, chapters of the Red Cross or Salvation Army, Family Connections, Boys’ and Girls’ clubs, graduate chapters of sororities/fraternities, civic and social welfare organizations, social and recreational clubs, fraternal societies, churches, and veterans organizations.
PROJECT EXAMPLES: Visual arts exhibitions, concerts, theatrical and dance performances, readings, film programs, story-telling, folk art projects, workshops, community-based or audience development projects, educational programs, arts festivals, public art programs, technical assistance programs, and other arts programs and services. Organizations are encouraged to contract with individual artists to commission new works for local performing groups, to create public art projects such as murals and sculptures, or to implement other community-based projects.
REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS
The Grassroots Advisory Committee, composed of representatives from the eleven counties in this region, will review all applications and make funding decisions based on applications and any other information received. The GIAHA Board of Directors has final authority for approval, but it could be a rare instance that the Board would vary from the GAP Advisory committee=s decision. Applicants may anticipate receiving notification of grant awards within three to four weeks after the submission deadline.
Applicants may attend the GAP Advisory Committee Meeting on Saturday, October 11, 2008 to discuss their project in more detail. Attending this meeting will not decrease the acceptance or rejection of your project for funding; however, it can be useful in clarifying your application for the Advisory Committee if
they have any questions. You must call GIAHA at 912-262-6934, no later than Friday, October 10, 2008 to schedule an appointment for this review meeting.
DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS TO GRANTEES
Successful grant applicants may submit a request for funds when their projects begin. At that time, up to
90% of the grant amount may be disbursed if documentation is furnished to justify the request. Ten
percent of the grant amount will be withheld until the project is successfully completed and evidence is
submitted to GIAHA that it has been accomplished. The final report form must be submitted to GIAHA
before the remaining 10% will be disbursed. All final report forms are due on or before July 31st of the
current fiscal year.
CONTRACTS
A standard contract will be executed between grantees and GIAHA containing provisions as outlined in GIAHA's contract with Georgia Council for the Arts. Each grantee is required to conduct operations in compliance with applicable federal statutes on nondiscrimination, fair labor standards, and the provision
of a drug-free work place. They must comply with provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the American Disabilities Act of 1990,
which state that no person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color, creed, national origin,
or disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to
discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Grantees must not
discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. The contract will require that all funds be properly
accounted for and that final reporting documents be filed in GIAHA's office by July 31st of the current
fiscal year.
GCA CREDIT REQUIREMENTS
The Georgia Council for the Arts must be credited in all publicity related to the Grassroots Arts Program.
Grantees must use a camera-ready logo provided by GCA in every publication where the printing process
allows. The following credit should be presented orally at events where no printed program is used:
"This Grassroots Arts Program is supported in part by the Georgia Council
for the Arts through appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly
as administered by Golden Isles Arts and Humanities Association,
the GCA designated Grassroots agency."
Applications must be submitted on original forms provided, with all required supporting documents.
Materials must be received by September 19, 2008.
Questions may be directed to:
Your county's GAP Advisory Committee Member
or
Heather Heath, Executive Director
Golden Isles Arts and Humanities Association
1530 Newcastle Street, Brunswick, GA 31520
Office (912) 262-6934 Fax (912) 262-1029
or
Email: gap@goldenislesarts.org
Application and guidelines are available online at: www.goldenislesarts.org