Grassroots Arts Program
Up to $2000 Available (per organization) for Art Program Funding through the Grassroots Arts Program
The FY 2009 Grassroots Arts Program (GAP) is funded by the Georgia Council for the Arts through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly and administered by Arts Clayton for Butts, Clayton, Coweta, Fayette, Henry, Jasper, Lamar, Newton, Rockdale and Spalding counties.
Sponsored By
Program Goals
The Grassroots Arts Program (GAP), now in its 15th year, provides an opportunity for every county in the state to be served with state arts dollars through a decentralized decision-making process involving local citizens. Supported in part by Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) which is a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and through appropriations by the Georgia General Assembly, GAP is administered by Arts Clayton, the GCA-designated agency. The program goals are:
- To provide every county some arts funding; especially small, traditionally under-served, isolated communities.
- To decentralize decision making about how the money is to be spent.
- To encourage multi-county programming.
- To build partnerships between arts and non-arts agencies to address broad community needs with arts programs.
- To diversify and expand arts audiences.
GAP is designed to encourage regional collaborative efforts that maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery of arts programs and services. Decision-making at the local or regional level ensures that decisions are made by individuals who are most informed and concerned. It further ensures that tax dollars are spent for programs and services that are truly desired, needed, and designed to meet the specific needs and interests of communities throughout Georgia.
GAP was developed to ensure that every county has access to state-supported arts programs and funding. Central to the philosophy of GAP is the element of local control, allowing citizens to have a voice in how arts funding is distributed in the state, to support emerging art organizations, to diversify and expand arts audiences and to encourage regional and multi-county arts programming. All 159 counties in Georgia are provided a local allocation of funds determined by a formula. Sixty-five percent of the allocation is a flat rate, shared equally among all counties. The remaining 35% is determined on a per capita basis.
Eligibility
The intent of GAP is to support community-based rather than school-based programs. Funded programs should create opportunities for community-wide involvement in the arts, and should not duplicate other GCA programs (e.g., Arts-In-Education residencies). GAP funding to educational institutions should be considered only when an institution is developing a program to serve as a foundation for more broad-based community-wide involvement.
The program is not intended to provide grants to individual artists. Eligible organizations are encouraged to collaborate with artists to develop projects that respond to local interests, needs, and values. Applicants can contract with artists for services that support GAP project implementation. GAP funds should be spread widely to encourage and develop new projects that help emerging groups serve their communities. Therefore, the same project will not be funded for more than two years.
Eligible organizations receiving GAP funds will be incorporated in Georgia as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit tax-exempt organization or units of government, with at least one full year of operation. Institutions of higher education with access to significant funding from other state sources will be eligible for funding only if projects have a strong outreach to the non-student/faculty community. Examples of eligible 501 (c)(3) organizations will also include senior citizens centers, parent-teacher associations, schools, boys clubs, churches, civic leagues, etc. These "non-art" organizations are eligible, however, only if they apply for funding for arts projects.
Guidelines for use of funds
Guidelines for the use of GAP funds are designed to be as flexible as possible and yet guarantee quality and fiscal accountability. The following guidelines apply:
- As the intent of GAP is to distribute funds, programs, and services as broadly as possible to reach under served populations, grants should not exceed $2,000 per grantee.
- Funds must support arts programs only.
- Activities funded must be accessible and available to the general public or designed as outreach to target populations. These activities must demonstrate need and benefit to the community.
- Although funds may be used to expand existing programs to reach new audiences, they should not be used to replace funds currently being spent in support of the arts.
- The level of local support and partnership should be identified in the application and considered in make funding decisions.
- 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 resource of the community.
Project Examples
Eligible projects may include but are not limited to:
- Arts festivals
- Public art programs
- Readings
- Story-telling
- Theatrical performances
- Visual art exhibitions
- Concerts
- Dance performances
- Film programs
Organizations are encouraged to involve local artists in the planning and implementation of community-based activities.
Funding Restrictions
GAP funds may NOT be used to:
- To reduce existing deficits.
- To purchase or improve buildings or other real estate, make structural changes, renovations or any other capital improvements.
- To provide prizes or scholarships or to provide endowment funds.
- To provide for food, beverages, or other entertainment costs or to fund expenses incurred for fundraising events.
- To support an applicants out-of-state activities.
- To replace other funds currently being spent on arts program/services.
- To fund or support individual artists.
- To fund in-school projects, programs, exhibitions or performances held during the regular school day, solely benefiting elementary, middle, high school or college students.
- To support programs of a religious nature.
- To fund or support the same project for more than two years.
- To support activities currently funded through other Georgia Council for the Arts grant programs such as Project Grant, Community Partners, Arts in Education Residencies or Folk Life Projects, General Operating Support (GOS), Community Arts Programs & Services (CAPS), etc...
Matching Requirements
GAP grants are awarded up to a maximum of $2,000. Fifty percent of all funds awarded must be matched with a cash match from the grantee. (Each grant dollar must be matched with .50 cents local money; in-kind donations are not acceptable.) For example, if the GAP grant was awarded for $500, the grantee would match this amount with $250.
GCA Credit Requirements
GCA must be credited in all publicity related to GAP. Grantees must use a camera-ready logo provided by GCA in every publication where the printing process allows. The following credit line may be used with the logo and should be presented verbally at events at which no printed program is used:
The Grassroots Arts Program is supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts through an appropriation of the Georgia General Assembly and administered by Arts Clayton.
Funding Priorities
If the grant requests for fiscal year 2009 again exceed the funds available, the panel will make clear, consistent judgment calls regarding the applicants who will "make the best use of Grassroots funding."
- The GAP Advisory Committee has declined to prioritize in advance the types of projects it will fund, preferring to trust the applicants to determine how best to meet their communities' needs with arts programming.
- Applicants who seek out new audiences, new partners, and better ways to involve local community members in the arts will take precedence over projects which represent "business as usual."
- Projects with the potential for lasting Impact and positive change in the community will take precedence over projects with limited impact. "Impact" will be defined as projects which target traditionally underserved populations.
- Applicants who address the Grassroots Arts Program criteria effectively in the narrative will take precedence over those projects which fail to adequately address the criteria or those which are vague.
- Primary consideration will be given to applications reflecting art projects with a commitment to EXCELLENCE, ACCESSIBILITY, EDUCATION, COLLABORATION and SUPPORT FOR LOCAL ARTISTS.
Application Process
Grant applications will be reviewed by a regional review committee composed of representatives from each county in the Region. Grant applicants will be notified by mid November 2008, if their applications have or have not been accepted and the amount of the grant. Funded activities should take place between July 1, 2008, and June 30, 2009. Grants monies awarded may be retroactive for projects completed after July 1, 2008.
Application Deadline
The application deadline is 4 PM on Friday, October 3, 2008.
Fund Distribution
A request for fund distribution should be made to Arts Clayton at least 30 days before the monies are needed. Initial distribution cannot exceed 70% of the allocated amount. The final 30% will be remitted when the Final Report has been submitted and approved, which is to be no later than 30 days after the project's completion.
Grant Writing Workshops
Four GAP grant writing workshops will be held at the Arts Clayton Gallery, located at 136 S. Main Street in Downtown Jonesboro. The purpose of the workshops is to demystify the grant-writing process for potential applicants. These workshops are free of charge - however, pre-registration is required and all applicants (especially new and first-time applicants) are strongly encouraged to attend. Workshop times are: Tuesday, September 9 at 10 AM; Thursday, September 11 at 1 PM; Monday, September 15 at 6 PM; and Saturday, September 20 at 10 AM. Please email artline@artsclayton.org with your name, organization, contact information and which workshop session you wish to reserve and attend or call Sara Cookson at 770-473-5775. Applicants should obtain the application forms and funding guidelines prior to attending, and should bring their rough draft applications with them.
For More Information
Please contact Sara Cookson, Program/Event Coordinator:
Arts Clayton
136 S. Main Street
P.O. Box 669
Jonesboro, GA 30237
PHONE: 770-473-5775 / FAX: 770-473-5422
E-MAIL: artline@artsclayton.org.