3135-0112 Our Town Grant Application Form and Instructions (Part 2

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Table of Contents
How to Use This Document .................................................................................................... 2
Applicant Portal Tips ............................................................................................................. 3
Tab 1: View Application Data ................................................................................................. 4
Tab 2: Organizational Info ...................................................................................................... 4
Subtab 1: Organization Information............................................................................................ 4
Subtab 2: Organization Budget ................................................................................................... 7
Subtab 3: Primary Partner Information..................................................................................... 10
Tab 3: Project Info ............................................................................................................... 11
Subtab 1: Project Information ................................................................................................... 11
Subtab 2: Project Objectives ..................................................................................................... 14
Subtab 3: Project Locations ....................................................................................................... 16
Subtab 4: Works of Art .............................................................................................................. 17
Tab 4: Project Budget .......................................................................................................... 17
Subtab 1: Project Expenses ....................................................................................................... 18
Subtab 2: Project Income ........................................................................................................... 23
Tab 5: Project Participants .................................................................................................... 25
Subtab 1: Project Participants - Individuals ............................................................................... 25
Subtab 2: Project Participants – Additional Partners .................................................................25
Tab 6: Programmatic Activities ............................................................................................. 27
Tab 7: Items to Upload ........................................................................................................ 27
Submit Your Application ....................................................................................................... 33

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How to Use This Document
These instructions are for the Our Town application. For more information, see here.
Applications are reviewed on the basis of artistic excellence and artistic merit. For more
detailed information on how artistic excellence and artistic merit will be evaluated, see the
"Review Criteria." Make sure you demonstrate how your project meets the review criteria in
your application material.
NOTE: You will only be able to complete this part of the application process if you have
submitted to Grants.gov by the appropriate deadline. Please see the Part 1 instructions for
more information.
This document will guide you through completing Part 2 of the Our Town application process; it
contains detailed instructions for completing the Grant Application Form (GAF) in the NEA’s
Applicant Portal. Please review all sections of this document to view the required fields needed
to complete the application, along with detailed instructions on what you should include in
each section. This document will also include any specifications about your material (e.g.,
character limits for narrative responses, acceptable work sample formats, etc.). For your
application to be considered complete, every required item MUST be included in your
application. Required items are denoted with a red * in the GAF.
You will not have access to enter information into the online Grant Application Form until the
NEA’s Applicant Portal is available. However, you should prepare your responses and material
well in advance of the Part 2 deadline and have them fully ready to upload once the NEA’s
Applicant Portal opens.
See here for information on accessing the Applicant Portal and your log on credentials.
Our Town Deadlines:
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov
August 8, 2019 by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal

August 13, 2019 at 9:00 a.m., Eastern Time,
to August 20, 2019 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern
Time

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Applicant Portal Tips:
o This site is best viewed in Chrome 58+, Firefox 54+, or Microsoft Internet Explorer
Version 11+.
o Most problems can be solved by changing your browser. If that doesn’t work, go to
IE and do the following:
 Press Alt Key.
 Select Tools from the menu bar.
 Select Compatibility View Setting.
 Type in ‘arts.gov’ and uncheck all the check marks and close.
o You might need to enable both Cookies and JavaScript on your Internet Browser to
successfully view this site.
o Be sure to first copy and paste any text into Notepad (if you’re using a PC) or
TextEdit (if you are using a Mac) before copying it into Applicant Portal text fields.
This will strip away any HTML: coding that may add additional characters to text.
o Make sure to hit “SAVE” and log off if you plan to leave the Applicant Portal with
work in progress. Your session will deactivate after a period of time and you could
lose content. You should only open the Applicant Portal in one browser at a time
to enter information.

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Tab 1: View Application Data
This section is the first screen you will see when you open the GAF. It cannot be edited; it is
auto-populated with the information entered on the Application for Federal Domestic
Assistance/Short Organizational Form that was submitted to grants.gov. If you find any
incorrect information on this page, please contact the Our Town team at: [email protected].

Tab 2: Organization Info
Eligible applications must have partnerships that involve two primary partners: a nonprofit
501(c)(3) organization and a local governmental entity (local government is defined below in
'further guidance'). Additionally, one of the two primary partners must be a cultural (arts or
design) organization. The lead applicant to the NEA may be either the nonprofit (with
documented three-year history of programming) or the local government entity. Note that a
statement of support from the highest ranking official for the local government participating in
the project is an application requirement. See “Items to Upload” for more information.
Subtab 1: Organization Information.
The lead applicant will be asked to provide the following information in this section (Primary
Partner information will be completed in Subtab 3 of Tab2):
Legal Name (should match Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational
Form)
Popular Name (if different)
For this application, are you serving as the Parent of an Independent Component (before
choosing, see the definition of official Independent Component status): Y/N
Date Organization Was Incorporated (if applicable)
Applicant Organization Status (choose one)
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Nonprofit Organization
Municipal Government
State Government
County Government
Tribal Government
None of the Above

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Applicant Organization Description: This section asks for the description that most accurately
describes your organization. You will choose one from the following:
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Artists' Community, Arts Institute, or Camp
Arts Center
Arts Council / Agency
Arts Service Organization
College / University
Community Service Organization
Fair / Festival
Foundation
Gallery / Exhibition Space
Government
Historical Society / Commission
Humanities Council / Agency
Independent Press
Library
Literary Magazine
Media-Film
Media-Internet
Media-Radio
Media-Television
Museum-Art
Museum-Other
Performance Facility
Performing Group
Presenter / Cultural Series Organization
Religious Organization
School District
School of the Arts
Social Service Organization
Tribal Community
Union / Professional Association
None of the Above

You will also have the option of selecting two additional descriptions for your organization,
though this is not required.

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Applicant Organization Discipline: Select the primary discipline that is most relevant to your
organization. This refers to the primary artistic emphasis of your organization. You will choose
one from the following:
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Artist Community
Arts Education Organization
Dance
Design
Folk & Traditional
Literature
Local Arts Agency
Media Arts
Museums
Music
Musical Theater
Opera
Presenting & Multidisciplinary Work Organization
Theater
Visual Arts
None of the Above

You will also have the option of selecting two additional disciplines for your organization,
though this is not required.
Mission/Purpose of Your Organization: Briefly summarize the mission and purpose of your
organization. For non-arts organizations (e.g., universities, human service agencies), summarize
your mission as it pertains to your creative placemaking activities. (750 Character Limit,
including spaces)
Preparedness Plans: Does your organization have a disaster preparedness plan (i.e., plans to handle
disasters and emergencies such as floods, hurricanes, and man-made disasters)? You will choose one
from the following:
• Yes
• No

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Further Guidance on Organization Information:
The lead applicant must meet the eligibility requirements, submit the application, and assume full
responsibility for the grant. Eligible lead applicants are:
Local governments. For the purposes of these guidelines, local governments are defined as
counties, parishes, cities, towns, villages, or federally recognized tribal governments. Local arts
agencies or other departments, agencies, or entities within an eligible local government may
submit the application on behalf of that local government. The following do not qualify as local
governments: state level government agencies, other state-designated entities, state higher
education institutions, regional governments and entities, quasi-government organizations,
regional planning organizations, and business improvement districts.
U.S. territories. If no local government exists, the territory government can serve as the local
government.
Nonprofit tax-exempt 501(c)(3). U.S. organizations with a documented three-year history of
programming.
To be eligible, the lead applicant organization must:
• Have a three-year history of programming prior to the application deadline.
• Meet the NEA’s "Legal Requirements," including nonprofit, tax-exempt status, at the
time of application.
• Have submitted acceptable Final Report packages by the due date(s) for all NEA
award(s) previously received.
• Have a commitment to the project from the local government, as demonstrated by the
required formal statement of support for the project from the highest ranking official of
the local government participating in the project.

Subtab 2: Organization Budget
Budget Form: Complete this section using figures from completed fiscal years. In the case of a
local government, limit this information to the department or office that will oversee the
proposed project.

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Sample View:

When completing this form you’ll use the line items below for each fiscal year. Unaudited
figures are acceptable. And figures that amount to $0 are acceptable in cases where
organizations do not have a budget line for that particular figure.
Income
• Earned: Revenues that are received through the sale of goods, services performed, or
from investments. Examples: ticket sales, subscription revenue, contractual fees,
interest income.
• Contributed: Gifts that are received which are available to support operations.
Examples: annual fund donations, grants for general operating or project support, inkind contributions.

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Expenses
• Artistic Salaries: Costs that are directly related to the creation, production, and
presentation of art work. Examples: fees for dancers, choreographers, actors, curators,
artistic directors, contributors to literary publications. Include arts personnel that are on
your staff as well as those that are paid on a contract or fee basis.
• Production/exhibition/service expenses: All program or service delivery costs,
excluding artistic salaries and fees that are listed above. Examples: research
expenditures; presentation costs; costs of sets, costumes, and lighting; publication costs
of catalogues or literary magazines.
• Administrative expenses: All other costs that are incurred during the normal course of
business. Examples: outside professional non-artistic services, space rental, travel,
marketing, administrative salaries, utilities, insurance, postage.
NOTE: The figures are subject to verification by the National Endowment for the Arts.
If you are a parent organization, provide this information for the independent component on
whose behalf you are applying. If your organization is a smaller entity that exists within a larger
organization (such as a museum or a literary organization housed at a college or university),
submit information for the smaller entity and follow the instructions for parent organizations
and independent components. Please note that academic departments within universities and
colleges are not considered independent components.
This is intended to show your organization's fiscal activity as it relates to operations. Do not
include activity related to a capital campaign (such as raising money for a new facility, an
endowment fund, or a cash reserve fund). You will be given an opportunity to explain and
discuss the fiscal health of your organization, including identifying the source of the activities,
as needed. We may request additional information to clarify an organization's financial
position.
Fiscal Health: Discuss the fiscal health of your organization. In addition, you must explain: 1)
any changes of 15% or more in either your income or expenses from one year to the next, and
2) plans for reducing any deficit (include the factors that contributed to the deficit and its
amount). For independent components, you may use the space to discuss the fiscal health of
your organization and to explain the relationship that the independent component has with the
larger entity (e.g., "museum guards and utilities paid for by university"). (750 Character Limit,
including spaces)

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Subtab 3: Primary Partner Information
A key to the success of creative placemaking is involving the arts in robust, committed
partnerships. All applications must demonstrate a partnership between a local government
entity and nonprofit that will provide leadership for the project. Additionally, one of the two
primary partners must be a cultural (arts or design) organization.
You will be asked to provide the following information on the primary partner in this section:
Primary Partner Legal Name
Primary Partner Popular Name (if different)
Primary Partner's Taxpayer ID Number (9-digit number)
Primary Partner Date Organization Was Incorporated: (if applicable)

Primary Partner Organization Status: (choose one)
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Nonprofit Organization
Municipal Government
State Government
County Government
Tribal Government
None of the Above

Mission/Purpose of the Partner Organization: Briefly summarize the mission and purpose of
your primary partner's organization. If your partner is a non-arts organizations (e.g.,
universities, human service agencies), summarize its mission as it pertains to creative
placemaking activities. (750 Character Limit, including spaces)
Primary Partner Proposed Role: Briefly describe your primary partner organization’s
involvement in planning and executing the project including programming, management,
finances, and any responsibilities for matching the National Endowment for the Arts grant. Be
specific; do not provide a general statement of support for the project. (1000 Character Limit,
including spaces)

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Primary Partner Organization Discipline: Select the primary discipline that is most relevant to
your primary partner's organization. This refers to the primary artistic emphasis of your primary
partner's organization. You will choose one from the same list of options as "Applicant
Organization Discipline" (see above). You will also have the option of selecting three additional
descriptions for your primary partner's discipline, though this is not required.
Primary Partner Organization Description: This section asks for the description that most
accurately describes your primary partner's organization. You will choose one from the same
list of options as "Applicant Organization Description" (see above). You will also have the option
of selecting three additional descriptions for your primary partner's organization, though this is
not required.

Tab 3: Project Info
Subtab 1: Project Information
Our Town Project Type: Select the option that best describes your proposed project's category:
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Artist residency

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Arts festivals
Community co-creation of art

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Performances
Public art

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Temporary public art
Cultural planning

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Cultural district planning
Creative asset mapping

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Public art planning
Artist/designer-facilitated community planning

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Design of artist space

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Design of cultural facilities
Public space design

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Creative business development
Professional artist development

Our Town Additional Project Types. Optionally, choose up to two additional types from the above

list.

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Project Activity Type. Select the option that best describes the type of project you are
proposing:
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Apprenticeship/Mentorship

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Arts & Health Includes projects that support the delivery of creative arts therapies in
healthcare and non-healthcare settings. Also includes projects that place arts activities
in healthcare settings, and/or that seek to improve service delivery by healthcare
professionals.
Arts Instruction

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Artwork Creation
Audience Services

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Broadcasting
Building Public Awareness

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Building International Understanding
Concert/Performance/Reading

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Curriculum Development/Implementation

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Distribution of Art
Exhibition

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Fair/Festival
Identification/Documentation

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Marketing
Presenting/Touring

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Professional Development/Training
Professional Support: Administrative

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Professional Support: Artistic
Publication

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Recording/Filming/Taping

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Repair/Restoration/Conservation
Research/Planning
Residency - School

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Residency - Other

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Seminar/Conference

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Student Assessment

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Technical Assistance

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Web Site/Internet Development

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Writing About Art/Criticism

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None of the above

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Additional Project Activity Type: Optionally, choose up to two additional types from the above
list.
Project Title: Provide a brief descriptive title for your proposed project. For example: To
support an exhibition of the works of Georgia O'Keeffe. (200 Character Limit, including spaces)
Project Description: In two or three brief sentences, clearly describe your specific project, not
your organization. Begin the first sentence with "To support" and include the name of the
project. Follow this with up to two more sentences that describe the type of project, the target
population that will be served, and where the project will take place during the requested
period of performance. For examples, see Recent Grants. (750 Character Limit, including
spaces)
Project Background and Context: Use this section to describe why this project should take
place now. How does it relate to community needs and vision for the future of the place? This
section should make it clear to panelists why this is the right project, at the right time, in the
right place. (2000 Character Limit, including spaces)
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Describe broader information about the place (town, city, county, tribal land) and
genesis of the proposed project. If this project builds upon a previous Our Town
grant, provide the grant number and a brief status report on the project to date.

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Describe the local community needs, as they relate to the proposed project
activities. If available, provide evidence of community demand for the project.

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Address how this project fits into the larger civic vision for the community, including
any formal community plans or processes that the proposed project compliments or
supports.

Major Project Activities: This is the project narrative. The information that you provide will be
evaluated against the "Review Criteria" by panelists, so make sure your narrative addresses the
"Review Criteria." Describe the activities that will take place during the requested period of
performance, being as specific as possible. You may present information about a broader
initiative and long term goals for the project. However, be very specific about the phase(s) of
your project that are included in your request for funding (e.g., “funding is being requested for
‘B’ of ‘ABC’ activity). Your narrative should address each of these "Review Criteria" and include
information on the following, as relevant to your project. Do not describe organizational
programming unrelated to the proposed project. (3500 Character Limit, including spaces)
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Discuss your action plan and the creative placemaking strategies that will be
implemented.

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Explain how proposed creative placemaking activities are expected to yield desired
economic, physical, social outcomes in the targeted community. If this is the
continuation of an existing initiative, describe outcomes achieved for the community so
far.

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Include contextual information on the location(s) of the proposed activity.

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If your project will involve physical objects, spaces, or facilities, provide information
about how they will be managed and maintained during the project's development and
after the project is complete.

Describe the significant dates in the project: List any key project dates that occur during the
allowable project period, being as specific as possible. Costs incurred prior to the earliest
allowable start date (July 1, 2020) cannot be included in the project budget. If you include
activities that occur before the earliest allowable start date, make sure you note that those
activities and costs are not included in the Project Budget. (1500 Character Limit, including
spaces)
Subtab 2: Project Objectives
Strengthening Communities Objective Narrative: Briefly discuss how your project will address
the Strengthening Communities objective, specifying what economic, physical, social, and/or
systems change outcomes are anticipated. These may include: (750 Character Limit, including
spaces)
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Economic improvements of individuals, institutions, or the community including: local
business growth, job creation/labor force participation, professional development/training,
prevention of displacement, in-migration, tourism.

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Physical improvements that occur to the built and natural environment including:
beautification and/or enhancement of physical environment, new construction, and
redevelopment (including arts, culture, and public space).

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Improvements to social relationships, civic engagement and community empowerment,
and/or amplifying community identity including: civic engagement, collective efficacy, social
capital, social cohesion, community attachment.

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Improvements to community capacity to sustain the integration of arts, culture, and design
into strategies for advancing local economic, physical, and/or social outcomes including:
cross-sector partnerships, civic and institutional leadership, replication or scaling of
innovative projects, long term funding, training programs, permanent staff positions.

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Performance Measurement: Briefly describe the performance measurements you will use. If
applicable, include the metrics or indicators that you will use to identify and evaluate the
project's short-term and long-term impact. (1000 Character Limit, including spaces)
Intended Beneficiaries (Audience/Participants/Community): Briefly describe the target
community to whom the project is directed. In your response, address the expected benefit.
(1000 Character Limit, including spaces)
Community Engagement: Describe substantive and meaningful engagement with the target
community (e.g., residents and other stakeholders) in the development of the shared vision for
your project and its implementation. If you have worked with the target community in the past,
discuss your previous engagement. Also, discuss your planned process to engage the target
community going forward. For example, describe what community leaders you will work with,
community meeting formats, and outreach techniques (digital and in person, translation), etc.
Be sure to address, if appropriate, how you will engage communities traditionally marginalized
from such processes, while accommodating limited English speakers, persons with disabilities,
and the elderly. (1000 Character Limit, including spaces)
Demographics
Select all groups of people that your project intends to serve directly.
Race/Ethnicity: (Choose all that apply) U.S. federal government agencies must adhere to
standards issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in October 1997, which
specify that race and Hispanic origin (also known as ethnicity) are two separate and distinct
concepts. These standards generally reflect a social definition of race and ethnicity recognized
in this country, and they do not conform to any biological, anthropological, or genetic criteria.
Origin can be viewed as the heritage, nationality group, lineage, or country of birth of the
person or the person’s ancestors before their arrival in the United States.
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American Indian or Alaskan Native - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of
North and South America (including Central America) and who maintains tribal affiliation or
community attachment.
Asian - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia,
or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea,
Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Black or African American - A person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of
Africa.
Hispanic or Latino - People who identify their origin as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish may be
of any race.

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Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander - A person having origins in any of the original
peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
White - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or
North Africa.
Other racial/ethnic group
No specific racial/ethnic group

Age Ranges. (Choose all that apply).
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Children/Youth (0-18 years)
Young Adults (19-24 years)

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Adults (25-64 years)

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Older Adults (65+ years)

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No specific age group

Underserved/Distinct Groups. (Choose all that apply)
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Individuals with Disabilities

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Individuals in Institutions (include people living in hospitals, hospices, nursing homes,
assisted care facilities, correctional facilities, and homeless shelters)

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Individuals below the Poverty Line

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Individuals with Limited English Proficiency

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Military Veterans/Active Duty Personnel

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Youth at Risk
Other underserved/distinct group

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No specific underserved/distinct group

Population of Your Town/City/Tribal Land. Please list the population of the Town/City/Tribal
Land where project activities will be taking place.
If appropriate, describe how the project will benefit the underserved community. (1000
Character Limit, including spaces)
Subtab 3: Part 2c: Project Locations
Add Project Location: Provide the city, state, and five-digit zip code in which project activities
are expected to occur. You may submit up to 100 locations.

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Alternatively, you will have the option to upload multiple locations at once using a
downloadable spreadsheet that can be filled out with your specific locations.

Further Guidance on Project Locations:
To be eligible, applications must include a commitment to the project from the local
government, as demonstrated by the required formal statement of support for the project
from the highest ranking official of the local government participating in the project.
If this project happens in more than one location, letters of support from the highest
ranking officials in each project location is an application requirement.
For more information, see here.

Subtab 4: Works of Art
Description of Key Project Deliverables and/or Works of Art: Briefly describe any key works of
art (e.g., public art, festivals and performances, and notable public spaces) that will be involved
in the project. Indicate the process and criteria for the selection of these works of art and,
where relevant, describe the role these works of art played in the development of the project
to date. Where key works of art remain to be selected, describe the selection procedures that
you plan to follow and the qualifications that you seek. For design projects, the works of art can
include the final designs or documentation of the community design/visioning process. For
cultural planning, the works of art can include a plan or other community documentation.
(1000 Character Limit, including spaces)

Tab 4: Project Budget
NOTE: Organizations cannot receive more than one National Endowment for the Arts grant for
the same expenses. This budget cannot include project costs that are supported by any other
federal funds or their match, including costs that may be included in applications submitted, or
grants received, by partner organizations or presenters.

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Your Project Budget should reflect only those activities and associated costs that will be
incurred during the "Period of Performance" that you have indicated for your project. Any costs
incurred before or after those dates will be removed. REMINDER: The earliest allowable project
start date is July 1, 2020.
We need to know how you plan to spend both the requested NEA funds, as well as your cost
share/matching funds. All items in your budget, whether supported by NEA funds or your cost
share/matching funds, must be reasonable, necessary to accomplish project objectives,
allowable in terms of the NEA General Terms and Conditions and adequately documented. Your
"Total project income" must equal the "Total project costs/expenses."
Applicants whose projects are recommended for grants will be asked to update the project
budget.
Amount Requested from the National Endowment for the Arts: State the amount that you are
requesting. You must request a grant amount at one of the following levels: $25,000, $50,000,
$75,000, $100,000, $150,000, or $200,000. We will award very few grants at the $200,000
level; these will be only for projects of significant scale and impact. If you are recommended for
less than the amount that you request you will be asked to revise your project budget. The NEA
reserves the right to limit its support of a project to a particular portion(s) or cost(s). Any
requests below $25,000 will be deemed ineligible and will not be reviewed.

Subtab 1: Project Expenses
DIRECT COSTS are those that are identified specifically with the project during the period of
performance, and are allowable. Be as specific as possible. Review We Do Not Fund to ensure
your Project Budget does not include unallowable costs. Projects with less than $50,000 in
costs (i.e., not showing the minimum NEA requested amount of $25,000 and the required
organization 1:1 match of $25,000) will be deemed ineligible and will not be reviewed.
DIRECT COSTS: Salaries and wages cover compensation for personnel, administrative and
artistic, who are paid on a salary basis. (Funds for contractual personnel and compensation
for artists who are paid on a fee basis should be included in "DIRECT COSTS: Other" on the
Project Budget form, and not here.) Indicate the title and/or type of personnel (40
characters maximum), the number of personnel (30 characters maximum), the annual or
average salary range (40 characters maximum), and the percentage of time that will be
devoted to the project annually (30 characters maximum). List key staff positions, and
combine similar functions. Where appropriate, use ranges. If the costs for evaluation and
assessment are part of staff salary and/or time, separately identify those costs.

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Salaries and wages for performers and related or supporting personnel must be estimated
at rates no less than the prevailing minimum compensation as required by the Department
of Labor Regulations. (See "Legal Requirements" for details.)
NOTE: Salaries/wages/fringe benefits incurred in connection with fundraising specifically for
the project are allowed. These costs must be incurred during the NEA project period of
performance, and be approved as allowable project expenses by the agency.
Sample View:

Fringe benefits are those costs other than wages or salary that are attributable to an
employee, as in the form of pension, insurance, vacation and sick leave, etc. They may be
included here only if they are not included as indirect costs.
Sample View:

DIRECT COSTS: Travel must be estimated according to the applicant's established travel
practice, providing that the travel cost is reasonable and does not exceed the cost of air
coach accommodations. Limit your descriptions to these character maximums: # of
Travelers = 20 characters; From = 50 characters; To = 50 characters. Include subsistence
costs (e.g., hotels, meals) as part of the "Amount" listed for each trip, as appropriate.
Foreign travel, if any is intended, must be specified by country of origin or destination and
relate to activity outlined in your narrative. Foreign travel also must conform with
government regulations, including those of the U.S. Treasury Department Office of Foreign
Asset Control. If National Endowment for the Arts funds are used for foreign travel, such

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travel must be booked on a U.S. air-carrier when this service is available. List all trips -- both
domestic and foreign -- individually.
Sample View:

DIRECT COSTS: Other include consultant and artist fees, contractual services, promotion,
acquisition fees, rights, evaluation and assessment fees, access accommodations (e.g.,
audio description, sign-language interpretation, closed or open captioning, large-print
brochures/labeling), telephone, photocopying, postage, supplies and materials, publication,
distribution, translation, transportation of items other than personnel, rental of space or
equipment, and other project-specific costs. List artist compensation here if artists are paid
on a fee basis. For procurement requirements related to contracts and consultants, please
review 2 CFR Part 200.317-.326. Limit your descriptions to 100 characters maximum.
Television broadcast projects and educational/interpretive videos must be closed or open
captioned. Applicants should check with captioning organizations for an estimate.
Clearly identify the rental of equipment versus the purchase of equipment. If you intend to
purchase any equipment that costs $5,000 or more per item and that has an estimated
useful life of more than one year, you must identify that item here. Provide a justification
for this expenditure either in this section of the Project Budget form or in your narrative.
Digital computers, mobile devices, or other new technologies are considered supplies if less
than $5,000 per item regardless of the length of useful life.
If you engage in contracts of more than $15,000, identify the item or service and its relation
to the project.
Group similar items together on a single line, with only one total cost. List consultant and
artist fees or contracts for professional services on consecutive lines; do not scatter them
throughout the list. Specify the number of persons, the service being provided, and the

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applicable fee, rate, or amount of each. For other types of line items, provide details of
what is included in each item.

Sample View:

TOTAL DIRECT COSTS is the total of all direct cost items listed in "Salaries and wages,"
"Travel," and "Other expenses." This field will auto calculate.

21

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INDIRECT COSTS are overhead or administrative expenses that are not readily identifiable
with a specific project. (The costs of operating and maintaining facilities and equipment,
depreciation or use allowances, and administrative salaries and supplies are typical
examples of indirect costs.) Indirect costs are prorated or charged to a project through a
rate agreement negotiated with the National Endowment for the Arts or another federal
agency (limit your description of Federal Agency to 50 characters). You are not required to
have an indirect cost/facilities and administration rate to apply for or receive a grant. You
may claim administrative costs or overhead as direct costs under "Other expenses."
Alternatively, a non-federal entity that has never received a negotiated indirect cost rate
may elect to charge a de minimis rate of up to 10% of modified total direct costs (MTDC).
For more information see 2 CFR Part 200.414.f. However, you cannot claim both Indirect
Costs and Administrative/overhead costs; you must choose one method or the other. If you
have a negotiated rate and would like to include indirect costs, complete the information
requested in this section. If you do not have or intend to negotiate an indirect cost rate, or
do not plan to charge a de minimis rate leave this section blank. Applicants may only apply a
Research ICR for applications to the Research: Artworks program. For additional
information, see "Indirect Cost Guide for NEA Grantees."

Sample View:

TOTAL PROJECT COSTS/EXPENSES is the total of "Total direct costs," and, if applicable,
"Indirect costs." This field will auto calculate. NOTE: "Total project income" must equal the
"Total project costs/expenses." Your project budget should not equal your organization's
entire operating budget.

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Subtab 2: Project Income
Amount Requested from the NEA: You must request a grant amount at one of the following
levels: $25,000, $50,000, $75,000, $100,000, $150,000, or $200,000. Any requests below
$25,000 will be deemed ineligible and will not be reviewed. Be realistic in your request.
Sample View:

TOTAL COST SHARE/MATCH FOR THIS PROJECT: Because the National Endowment for the Arts
cannot support more than 50% of a project’s costs, we require each applicant to obtain at least
half the total cost of each project from nonfederal sources. For example, if you receive a
$50,000 grant, your total project costs must be at least $25,000 and you must provide at least
$25,000 toward the project from nonfederal sources. These matching funds may be all cash or a
combination of cash and in-kind contributions as detailed below. Be as specific as possible. For
projects that include additional partners, indicate on the form the portion of the match that is
being contributed by each participant. Asterisk (*) those funds that are committed or secured.
Applicant CASH match refers to the cash donations (including items or services that are
provided by the applicant organization), grants, and revenues that are expected or
received for this project. Limit your descriptions to 100 characters maximum. Do not
include any National Endowment for the Arts or other federal grants -- including grants
from the National Endowment for the Humanities, U.S. Department of Education, the
National Park Service, etc. -- that are anticipated or received. If you include grants from
your state arts agency or regional arts organization as part of your match, you must
ensure that the funds do not include subgranted federal funds. Identify sources. The
National Endowment for the Arts allows the use of unrecovered indirect costs as part of
the cash match or cost sharing. Your organization must have a federal negotiated
indirect cost rate agreement to include unrecovered indirect costs.
Third-Party IN-KIND Contributions: Donated space, supplies, volunteer services are
goods and services that are donated by individuals or organizations other than the
applicant (third-party). Limit your descriptions to 100 characters maximum. To qualify as
matching resources, these same items also must be identified in the project budget as
direct costs to ensure their allowability. In-kind items not reflected as direct costs will be
removed from your budget. The dollar value of these non-cash donations should be
calculated at their verifiable fair-market value. Identify sources. Reminder: Proper
documentation must be maintained for all items noted as "in-kind."

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Sample View:

TOTAL PROJECT INCOME is the total of "Amount requested from the National Endowment
for the Arts" and "Total cost share/match for this project." This field will auto calculate.
NOTE: "Total project income" must equal the "Total project costs/expenses." Your project
budget should not equal your organization's entire operating budget.
Note: The amounts below will automatically populate from what you have entered in
the budget tables.

Additional Budget Notes (Optional) In the space below, provide information to clarity any line
item included in the project budget. (750 character limit, including spaces.)

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Tab 5: Project Participants
Subtab 1: Project Participants – Individuals
Selection of Key Individuals Briefly describe the process and criteria for the selection of key
staff, consultants, advisors, artists, designers – anyone who will be a key contributor to the
success of your proposed project, regardless of their organizational affiliation–that will be
involved in this project. Where relevant, describe their involvement in the development of the
project to date. If you are applying for a project for which the key individuals are not yet
identified, describe the process for selecting them, i.e., open submissions, reading committee,
selection by the artistic director, etc., and the qualifications you seek. (750 Character Limit,
including spaces)
Bios of Key Individuals. Include brief, current biographies of the key individuals. You may
include up to 10.
• Last Name. (Use this field for artistic group names or single names)
• First Name.
•

Proposed or committed? Select answer from drop-down.

•

Project Role.

•

Title.

•

Bio. (500 Character Limit, including spaces)

Subtab 2: Project Participants – Additional Partners
Additional Partners
An additional partner is any outside entity that will provide resources (other than money) to
support the project. Because all NEA projects require matching resources from non-federal
sources, organizations that only provide money are not considered partners. Funders are not
excluded from being partners, but they must also supply human resources or information
capital, or actively participate in another way. If applicable, briefly describe the process and
criteria for the selection of key additional partners that will be involved in the project. Where
relevant, describe their involvement in the development of the project to date. Where they
remain to be selected, describe the selection procedures that you plan to follow and the
qualifications that you seek. (750 Character Limit, including spaces)

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Description of Additional Partners: Include brief, current descriptions of the key additional
partners and their proposed role in the project. You may include up to 10.
•

Organization Name.

•

Proposed or Committed?

•

Organization Type. Select one of the following:
o Nonprofit arts organization
o Nonprofit community organization
o School
o School District
o Local government agency
o State government agency
o Federal government agency
o College/University
o Religious Organization
o For-profit commercial organization
o Other

Further Guidance on Additional Partners:
Additional partners are encouraged and may include an appropriate variety of entities such as
arts organizations and artists, design professionals and design centers, state level government
agencies, foundations, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, real estate developers,
business leaders, community organizations, council of governments, rural planning
organizations, transportation agencies, special districts, educational organizations, as well as
public and governmental entities; and should engage in partnership with other sectors (such as
agriculture and food, economic development, education and youth, environment and energy,
health, housing, public safety, transportation, and workforce development).
Other Additional Partners do not need to be registered 501(c)(3) or government entities,
though they certainly can be.

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Tab 6: Programmatic Activities
Lead Applicant Programmatic Activity. Submit representative examples of your programmatic
activities for the past three years/seasons (e.g., 2016 or 2016-17; 2017 or 2017-18; 2018 or
2018-19).
These examples should demonstrate eligibility (i.e., your organization's three-year history of
programming) and the artistic excellence and merit of your organization. This section must
show the eligibility of the Lead Applicant; however, if applicable you may also show activities
undertaken by the Primary Partner as well. (1,000 character limit per year/season, including
spaces.)

Tab 7: Items to Upload
There are two types of required items to upload:
•
•

Statements of Support
Work Samples

Preparation
You should prepare your items well in advance of the deadline and have them fully ready to
upload once the applicant portal becomes available to you. Please arrange the items in the
following order when uploading to the Applicant Portal:
•
•
•
•
•

Statements of Support
Image Work Samples
Audio Work Samples
Video Work Samples
Documents

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Below are the preparation instructions for required items to upload to the applicant portal.
These are a critical part of your application and are considered carefully during application
review. Submit items in the format and within the space limitations described. Only upload
materials that we request. Other items that you include will not be reviewed.

Statements of Support (PDF format only)
All Statements of Support must be combined in to one single PDF document. Please do not
submit a separate PDF file for each individual letter. You may submit up to 10 statements
including, but not limited to the below.
REQUIRED: Statement of support from the highest ranking official for the local government
(one-page limit, PDF format only) This statement must be the first page in your file. The
document should be a one-page formal statement of support, on appropriate letterhead, from
the highest ranking official for the local government (e.g., mayor, county executive, or tribal
leader). This statement of support should reflect the official’s familiarity with and support for
the project, and must designate your project as one of the up to two applications being
submitted for the local government.
Many organization systems for local government exist. Please provide in your statement of
support a sentence explaining why this official is the leader of the local government. For
example, “In the Village of XYZ, our city manager is the highest ranking government official.”
PLEASE NOTE: Applications without a statement of support from the highest ranking official for
the local government will be marked ineligible and will not continue to panel review.
REQUIRED: Statements of support from primary partners (one-page limit per statement, PDF
format only).
If the lead applicant is a local government:
You must include a one-page statement from the nonprofit organization serving as the required
primary partner reflecting its support for and involvement in the project. For verification
purposes, include the name, phone number, and email of a contact person with the nonprofit
organization.
If the lead applicant is a public entity or a nonprofit tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization:
You must include a one-page statement from the relevant local government agency or
department serving as the required primary partner, reflecting its support for and involvement
in the project. For verification purposes, include the name, phone number, and email of a
contact person with the local government. This is required in addition to a letter of support
from the highest ranking official.

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If you list an organization or individual as an additional partner in your application, you may
include a one-page statement of commitment describing their support for and involvement in
the project. We encourage you to be selective in listing only the partners that are critical to the
project’s success. Do not provide general statements of support for your organization. Each
statement should be in PDF format only and include the name, affiliation, phone number, and
email address of the individual who provided it.
Statements from leaders and members of the community in which you are working, and/or
from community based organizations, are also encouraged.

Work Samples
Work samples are a critical component of your application and will be considered carefully
during the review process. The work samples are your primary way to show the level of design
or artistic excellence that you and your partners are capable of achieving. It is up to you to
determine the images or audio/video clips that are most relevant to and best support your
proposed project.
Please select the format most appropriate to the artistic medium or discipline represented in
your project. Audio and video clips are intended to accommodate theater, dance, music, film,
and new media work samples (not slide shows of still images).
The work can be from any individual or partner involved in the project. Samples should be
recent, of high quality, and as relevant to the project as possible. Please see the following pages
for acceptable formats.
As review time is limited, please be selective in what you chose to submit. We highly
recommend limiting your selections to three to four substantive work samples relevant to the
project. There is a limit of 250 MB for all of your work samples combined.

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Work Sample Limits:
Note: Panelists will review no more than 20 minutes of combined work samples.
Type
Max. #
Allowed

Images
20 images

Documents
3 PDF
documents

Max. Time
Each Sample
Max. Size
Each Sample *
File Types

Videos
3 video
selections
3 minutes
each

5 MB/20
pages if
combined in a
single PDF
jpeg or PDF
with images

5 MB/12
pages each

250 MB

PDF

PDF with links
or avi, mov,
mp4, mpeg,
wmv

* The combined storage for all work sample files is 250 MB.

Information About Uploaded Files
There can be a slight delay between the upload of your work samples and seeing them in the
Applicant Portal. This is particularly true for videos. For videos, the usual upload time runs five
to ten minutes. However, close to the deadline, this time may extend to as much as an hour.
Videos are placed in a queue to be converted for upload, and the more people uploading, the
longer the queue. Do not immediately assume that your upload failed; wait and try accessing
the material again.
Your file names must not:
•
•
•

Exceed 100 characters.
Begin with a space, period, hyphen, or underline.
Contain these characters: #%&{}\<>*?/$!‘“:+`=|"@.

For each item that you upload, you will find a descriptive field into which you will enter the
following information, as appropriate:

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Title box: Title each item with a unique name.
•
•

For your statements of support simply state the type of item.
For digital image/document/video work samples, state the title of the work or
organization represented by the work sample.

Description box (500 Character Limit, including spaces):
For your statements of support simply state the type of item.
For digital image/document/video work samples:
•
•
•

Designer(s) name, if relevant.
Date of work/activity.
Up to two sentences describing the work sample and how it relates to the project for
which you are requesting support.

Applicants submitting multiple images in a PDF should include the relevant information from
above with each image within the PDF. The descriptive field for the file should provide a brief
overview of the group of images as a whole.
Guidance for Digital images
Digital images should be combined in a single PDF file (up to 20 images) or may be uploaded as
individual JPEG files if necessary.
• Image size should be consistent. Medium to high resolution is recommended (e.g., 300
dpi).
• Please include brief descriptive captions with the images on each page of the PDF
(PowerPoint can be a useful application to set up images and captions together), or
together on a single captions page at the beginning of the PDF.
• Do not submit PowerPoint or Word documents; save these files as PDFs.
• Please name the PDF “Image Work Samples.”
Guidance for Documents
You may submit up to three PDF documents, each with no more than 12 pages.
Excess pages will not be reviewed by panelists.

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If you scan material, please follow the guidance below:
•
•
•

Scan pages at a resolution of 300 dpi. Resolutions over 300 dpi will result in
unnecessarily large files.
When you have scanned the pages, combine them into a single PDF file. Do not submit a
separate file for each scan.
Please name the PDF “Document Work Samples,” or something more descriptive if you
are submitting more than one document.

Guidance for Video Samples
There are two options to upload your video work samples.
Option One (recommended): Upload a single PDF with links to your video work samples on an
external hosting site (e.g. Vimeo, YouTube, or a custom URL).
• Include each video link as a hyperlink on the page. You may provide titles and short
descriptions as context for the work sample for panelists. Include any necessary
information on required plug-ins, passwords, or navigation paths in order to view the
work samples. If applicable, include cue information to indicate the start of each
selection.
• Please name the PDF “Video Work Samples.”
• Do not submit links to sites that require work samples to be downloaded (e.g.,
Dropbox).
Option Two: Individually upload each video work sample. File size restrictions may prohibit you
from using this option, see details below. To upload each video file:
• Upload the file directly into the Applicant Portal.
• You may provide titles and short descriptions to provide context for panelists using the
text box provided during the upload process.
• If applicable, include any cue information to indicate the start of each selection.
• If your files exceed the file size limitations, please follow the instructions outlined in
Option One described above.

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Submit Your Application
Be sure to click Save before clicking Submit. See “Help” on the menu bar at the top of the
Applicant Portal for information on how the validation function works.
You must click Submit to finalize your application for NEA review. The Submit button is only
visible when you are on the “Items to Upload” tab. If you do not hit the "Submit" button, your
application will not be received.
Once you have submitted your application, you will NOT receive an email confirmation. You can
confirm that your application was received when you log in to the Applicant Portal. On the
screen it will say “Submitted” if your application has been received. If your application has not
yet been received, it will say “In Progress.” You can maintain documentation of your successful
submission by taking a screenshot.
You can continue to edit your application after you hit Submit up until the Application Portal
closes.