NEA Rescue Plan Grants to Organizations & Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting NOFOs and Instructions

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American Rescue Plan (Rescue Plan) Act Grants to Organizations

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(ARTS.GOV GRANTS LANDING PAGE BLURB)
American Rescue Plan
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“Rescue Plan”) is designed to fuel the nation’s
recovery from the devastating economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Funds allocated to the National Endowment for the Arts (“Arts Endowment”) in this
historic legislation represent a significant commitment to the arts and a recognition of
the value of the arts and culture sector to the nation’s economy and recovery.
The Arts Endowment will competitively award Rescue Plan funds to eligible
organizations nationwide. These funds are intended to help support jobs in the arts
sector, keep the doors open to arts organizations nationwide, and assist the field in its
response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unlike other Arts Endowment funding programs that offer project-based support,
Rescue Plan funds are intended to support specific operating costs only. Cost
share/matching funds are not required.
The Arts Endowment intends to make awards that will impact a broad constituency. We
encourage applications from a variety of eligible organizations including: organizations
that serve populations that are underserved such as those whose opportunities to
experience the arts are limited by ethnicity, economics, geography, or disability;
organizations with small and medium-sized budgets; organizations from rural to urban
communities; and organizations that may be applying for federal support through the
Arts Endowment for the first time.
Rescue Plan funding is available through two separate competitive opportunities:
•
•

Grants to Organizations LINK
Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting LINK

NOTE: Eligible local arts agencies may apply to the Grants to Organizations program
for general operating support OR to the Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting
program.
Rescue Plan funds will also be awarded by the Arts Endowment to the nation’s
designated state and jurisdictional arts agencies (SAAs) and their regional arts
organizations (RAOs) to distribute around the country. Contact your SAA or RAO for
more information.
We understand that applying for federal funding and managing a grant can be a
significant undertaking. Our staff strives to ensure that all applicants receive the support
they need to understand every step of the process. We welcome the opportunity to
speak with you about this program. Contact us LINK with your questions.

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Grants to Organizations Left Sidebar Links:
Program Description
Application Calendar
Award Information
Eligibility
How to Apply
Application Review
Award Administration
Contact Us
American Rescue Plan
Grants to Organizations
Program Description
The Rescue Plan’s Grants to Organizations program will be carried out through onetime grants to eligible organizations including, but not limited to, nonprofit arts
organizations, local arts agencies, arts service organizations, units of state or local
government, federally recognized tribal communities or tribes, and a wide range of
other organizations that can help advance the goals of this program. See Eligibility LINK
for more information.
Grants will be made to eligible organizations to support their own operations. Unlike
other Arts Endowment funding programs that offer project-based support, Rescue Plan
funds are intended to support day-to-day business expenses/operating costs, and not
specific programmatic activities. Cost share/matching funds are not required.
Support is limited to any or all of the following:
•

Salary support, full or partial, for one or more staff positions. Staff positions
funded may not conduct work independent of the organization receiving funds.

•

Fees/stipends for artists and/or contractual personnel to support the services
they provide for specific activities as part of organizational operations.
‒ Artist fees/stipends should be related to work with a tangible outcome, such
as performances, presentations, workshops, and/or the creation of artwork.
This is considered a stipend to the artist for the work undertaken during the
period of performance. Such work must not be performed independently of
the organization receiving funds.

•

Facilities costs such as mortgage principal, rent, and utilities.

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•

Costs associated with health and safety supplies for staff and/or
visitors/audiences (e.g., personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies, hand
sanitizer, etc.).

•

Marketing and promotion costs.

Rescue Plan funds may be used to support existing jobs, new jobs, or to restore jobs
that were furloughed or eliminated due to the pandemic.
The Arts Endowment does not fund direct grants to individuals.
Applicants may request a fixed grant amount for: $50,000, $100,000 or $150,000. Cost
share/matching funds are not required. We encourage applicants to select a grant
amount that is reflective of their overall organization size and internal capacity. See
Award Information LINK for more details. A grant period of up to two years is allowed.
The Arts Endowment intends to make awards that will impact a broad constituency. We
encourage applications from a variety of eligible organizations including:
•
•
•
•

Organizations that serve populations that are underserved such as those whose
opportunities to experience the arts are limited by ethnicity, economics,
geography, or disability.
Organizations with small and medium-sized budgets.
Organizations from rural to urban communities.
Organizations that may be applying for federal support through the Arts
Endowment for the first time.

The Arts Endowment is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and fostering mutual
respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and groups, including:
•

Historically Black Colleges and Universities,

•

Tribal Colleges and Universities,

•

American Indian and Alaska Native tribes,

•

African American Serving Institutions,

•

Hispanic Serving Institutions,

•

Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, and

•

Organizations that support the independence and lifelong inclusion of people
with disabilities.

Proposals may focus on reaching a particular constituency; however, they may not be
exclusionary under national civil rights laws and policies prohibiting discrimination. This
extends to hiring practices and audience engagement activities.

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Grantees will be required to report on funding received through this program. See
Award Administration LINK for more information.
We recognize that the financial needs of the field far outweigh the available funds that
will be awarded through this program. We anticipate making approximately 800 awards.
There is no pre-determined number of awards per grant amount, so please choose the
amount that makes the most sense for your organization's capacity and budget. Grants
will NOT be awarded on a “first come, first served” basis.
We understand that applying for federal funding and managing a grant can be a
significant undertaking. Our staff strives to ensure that every applicant receives the
support they need to understand every step of the process. We welcome the
opportunity to speak with you about this program. Contact us LINK with your questions.

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Application Calendar
Because we anticipate a large number of applications for this funding opportunity,
applications will be submitted in two separate groups: one for organizations with
legal names beginning with A-L versus one for organizations with legal names
beginning with M-Z. The different submission windows will not affect the timing of grant
review, or your organization’s ability to receive a grant.
To determine which group applies to you, use your organization’s legal name as it
appears in the current IRS 501(c)(3) status letter or in the official document that
identifies your organization as a unit of state or local government, or as a federally
recognized tribal community. (Do not use your organization’s popular name, if different.)
If you are a parent organization (LINK to Parent and Related Organizations) that is
applying on behalf of an eligible independent component, do not use the name of the
independent component here.
Both the A-L group and the M-Z group will have the same Part 1 Grants.gov
deadline.
Part 2 deadlines for the A-L group and the M-Z group will be different (see below).
GROUP A-L:
GROUP A-L

TBD

Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal
opens
GROUP A-L

TBD

Part 2 - Submit to the Applicant Portal
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection

TBD

Earliest Start Date for Proposed Period of Performance

TBD

GROUP M-Z:
GROUP M-Z

TBD

Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal
opens

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GROUP M-Z

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TBD

Part 2 - Submit to the Applicant Portal
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection

TBD

Earliest Start Date for Proposed Period of Performance

TBD

Tips:
•

If your organization’s legal name begins with “The…” use the first letter of the
main word to determine your group. For example: “The ABC Theater” would be
in Group A-L, and “The XYZ Theater” would be in Group M-Z.

Select Group A-L if:
•
•
•

Your organization’s legal name begins with “Friends of…”
You are applying on behalf of a city, as the application will be categorized under
“City of…”
Your organization’s legal name begins with a digit, such as “987 Arts…”

Select Group M-Z if:
•

Your organization is a college or university applying under “Trustees of…” or
“Regents of…”

Contact us LINK if you are unsure which group to select.
Before submitting to Grants.gov, your organization must register or renew/verify its
registration with both Grants.gov and the System for Award Management (SAM). These
registrations can take several weeks.
NOTE: To help reduce burden, there will be a 180-day extension for existing SAM
registrations that have expiration dates ranging between April 1, 2021, and September
30, 2021. This effort is intended as relief for those otherwise required to re-register
during that timeframe. This does not impact entities registering with SAM for the first
time. All organizations approved for funding must have an active SAM registration in
order to receive an award.
If your organization does not have a SAM registration and you are thinking of applying
for Rescue Plan funds, start the SAM registration process as soon as possible.
See “How to Apply” for more information on SAM and Grants.gov requirements.

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Award Information
Grant Amounts and Matching Funds
Applicants may request a fixed grant amount for: $50,000, $100,000 or $150,000. Cost
share/matching funds are not required.
Applications will be reviewed and considered for recommendation at the requested
amount only. Applicants may not request a grant amount other than $50,000, $100,000,
or $150,000.
A grant period of up to two years is allowed.
We encourage applicants to select a grant amount that is reflective of their overall
organization size and internal capacity.
Because Congress envisioned this aid to support the arts community, grant funds must
be allocated to the arts program/departments/section/office or arts-related activities of
the grant recipient.
If you are a parent organization (LINK to Parent and Related Organizations) applying on
behalf of separately identifiable and independent components, grant funds can only
support eligible costs incurred by the smaller entity/independent component. When
selecting a grant amount, base your decision on the overall size and capacity of the
independent component.
If your organization is a smaller entity that exists within a larger organization (such as
an academic department, a literary organization housed at a college or university, or an
office, facility, or department of local government), base your selection on the overall
size and capacity of the smaller entity, not the size of the larger organization.
Period of Performance
The Arts Endowment’s grant support may start no earlier than TBD. A grant period of
up to two years is allowed.
Costs that are included as part of your proposal must be incurred during the grant’s
established period of performance. No pre-award costs are allowable in the proposal
budget. Costs that are incurred before the “Earliest Start Date for Proposed Period of
Performance” will be removed from the budget.
A grantee may receive more than one federal grant during overlapping periods of
performance, HOWEVER those grants must cover different costs and/or activities. If
multiple grants are awarded, grantees will be required to keep documentation to show

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which employees are being paid from each funding source so that the federal
government isn't paying more than 100 percent of a salary.

8

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Eligibility
Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organizations; units of state or local government;
or federally recognized tribal communities or tribes may apply. Applicants may be arts
organizations, local arts agencies, arts service organizations, local education agencies
(school districts), and other organizations that can help advance the goals of the Arts
Endowment.
To be eligible, the applicant organization must:
•

Meet the Arts Endowment’s Legal Requirements, including nonprofit, tax-exempt
status at the time of application. (All organizations must apply directly on their
own behalf. Applications through a fiscal sponsor/agent are not allowed. See
more information on fiscal sponsors/agents.)

•

Have completed a three-year history of arts programming prior to the application
deadline. For the purpose of defining eligibility, "three-year history" refers to
when an organization began its programming and not when it incorporated or
received nonprofit, tax-exempt status. Programming is not required to have taken
place during consecutive years.

•

Have submitted acceptable Final Report packages by the due date(s) for all Arts
Endowment grant(s) previously received.

An organization whose primary purpose is to channel resources (financial, human, or
other) to an affiliated organization is not eligible to apply if the affiliated organization
submits its own application. This prohibition applies even if each organization has its
own 501(c)(3) status. For example, the "Friends of ABC Museum" may not apply if the
ABC Museum applies.
All applicants must have a DUNS number (www.dnb.com) and be registered with the
System for Award Management (SAM, www.sam.gov) at the time of application. The
SAM registration must be current at the time a grant is made and throughout the life of
the award. See Changes Coming for Federal Organizational Applicants and Awardees
for important information.
IMPORTANT: To help reduce burden, there will be a 180-day extension for existing
SAM registrations that have expiration dates ranging between April 1, 2021, and
September 30, 2021. This effort is intended as relief for those otherwise required to reregister during that timeframe. This does not impact entities registering with SAM for the
first time. If your organization does not have a SAM registration and you are thinking of
applying for Rescue Plan funds, start the SAM registration process as soon as possible.
All organizations approved for funding must have an active SAM registration in order to
receive an award.
Registration with Grants.gov and SAM is always free.

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The designated state and jurisdictional arts agencies (SAAs) and their regional arts
organizations (RAOs) are not eligible to apply under these guidelines.
This program does not support sub granting or regranting of funds. See the Rescue
Plan’s Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting Programs for more information.
Late, ineligible, and incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Applications
with budgets that do not have costs at least equal to the requested grant amount
will be deemed ineligible and will not be reviewed. Budget costs must be
allowable in order to receive support.

Application Limits
An organization is limited to one application under the Rescue Plan’s Grants to
Organizations guidelines.
Eligible organizations that received CARES Act funding from the Arts Endowment may
apply to the Rescue Plan’s Grants to Organizations program as long as there are no
overlapping costs.
Eligible local arts agencies may either apply to the Rescue Plan’s Grants to Locals Arts
Agencies for Subgranting program OR to the Rescue Plan’s Grants to Organizations
program for general operating support.
You may apply to other Arts Endowment funding opportunities for which your
organization is eligible, including Grants for Arts Projects. In each case, the applications
cannot have any overlap in costs during the same period of performance. For example,
an orchestra could request support for an arts education coordinator through the
Rescue Plan’s Grants to Organizations program. That same arts education coordinator
could work on programs related to another Arts Endowment grant, as long as the same
time and costs are not charged to both awards.
Exceptions to the one-application rule are made only for parent organizations applying
on behalf of one or more separately identifiable and independent components.
Parent (and Related) Organizations
A parent organization that comprises separately identifiable and independent
components (e.g., a university campus that has a presenting organization and a radio
station) may apply for each such component. In addition, a parent organization also
may submit one application on its own behalf as long as the proposal is different from
the proposal(s) submitted by its independent component(s).

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An eligible independent component must be a unit that is both programmatically and
administratively distinct from the parent organization. This independent status is
demonstrated by the component’s:
•
•
•
•
•

Unique mission, separate and distinct from the parent entity;
Separate, dedicated staff, with duties specific to the mission of the component;
Independent board, mostly consisting of members not associated with the parent
entity and generally functioning with substantial oversight and management of
the component;
Separate budget, maintained by the component; and
Three-year history of arts programming undertaken by the component.

To qualify as an eligible independent component, it should be equivalent to a standalone institution.
A parent organization should consult with our staff to verify the eligibility of its
component before preparing an application. If an application is submitted by a parent
organization on behalf of a component that is determined by the Arts Endowment not to
be independent and separate from the parent organization, then that application may
be allowed as the parent’s single application.
The following do not qualify as eligible independent components:
•
•
•

Academic departments of colleges and universities.
Programs, initiatives, and projects of organizations.
Collaboratives or consortiums of multiple organizations.

For example:
•

•

An art museum on a university campus serves the general public and does not
grant degrees. The museum board, not the university trustees, manages the
museum's budget, staff, and programming. In this example, the art museum
essentially is a stand-alone organization and qualifies as an independent
component.
A symphony association sponsors a youth orchestra in addition to its
professional orchestra. Some symphony musicians serve as faculty for the youth
orchestra; there is some overlap of membership between the symphony trustees
and the youth orchestra's advisory board; and the executive director for the
symphony association serves as CEO for both the professional and youth
orchestras. In this case, while the youth orchestra may be an important program
of the symphony association, it is not equivalent to a separate institution and
therefore does not qualify as an independent component.

The application for the eligible independent component must be for a proposal from the
component. For example, if a university campus submits an application for its art
museum as an independent component, the proposal must be for the art museum. The

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art museum cannot be used as a passthrough entity for projects from other areas of the
university.
The parent organization must meet the eligibility requirements for all applicants. A
related organization that performs grant administration duties for a parent organization
(e.g., a college foundation that administers grants awarded to a college and its
components) may submit applications for components and the parent organization in
lieu of such applications being submitted by the parent. The related organization must
meet the eligibility requirements for all applicants.

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Application Review
The following criteria are considered during the review of applications:
The artistic excellence and artistic merit of the proposal, which includes the:
•
•
•
•

Significance to the mission and core work of the organization.
Ability to carry out an award as shown by the alignment of the budget and other
resources with the goals and requirements of this funding opportunity.
As appropriate, potential to have an immediate impact on the arts workforce.
As appropriate, the potential to serve and/or reach individuals whose
opportunities to experience the arts are limited by ethnicity, economics,
geography, or disability.

All eligible applications are reviewed by an advisory panel. Panel recommendations are
forwarded to the National Council on the Arts, which then makes recommendations to
the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. The Chairman reviews the
Council’s recommendations and makes the final decision on all grant awards. Pending
the availability of funding, it is anticipated that applicants will be notified of
recommendation or rejection in TBD.

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Award Administration
Crediting Requirement
Grantees must clearly acknowledge support from the National Endowment for the Arts
in their programs and related promotional material including publications and websites.
Such acknowledgement should clearly indicate that funds were provided for general
operating support and should not be used to indicate support for a project that the
agency has not funded. Additional acknowledgment requirements may be provided
later.
Administrative Requirements
Before submitting an application, organizations should review the Administrative
Requirements section of the Grants for Arts Projects guidelines (this Rescue Plan
funding opportunity has the same Administrative Requirements as the Arts
Endowment’s Grants for Arts Projects program) and the General Terms & Conditions
for detailed information on legal requirements, financial reviews and audits, and other
administrative matters that pertain to this funding opportunity.
In addition to the requirements described above, grantees will be required to report on
funding received through this program.
Proper documentation must be maintained for all salaries charged, in whole or in part,
to this award per 2 CFR §200.302, .333, .430(I). This includes:
•

Personnel activity (“Time & Effort”) information, which may be established
electronically and made available for review, for any employee whose salary is
charged, in whole or in part, to the award. OMB Uniform Guidance 2 CFR
200.430 (i)(1) Standards for Documentation of Personnel Expenses requires
salary and wage expenses to be based on records that accurately reflect the
work performed. The records must be supported by a system of internal controls
which provide reasonable assurance that the charges are accurate, allowable,
properly allocated and reflect the total activity for which the employee is
compensated.

•

For grants that engage artists and/or contractual personnel to whom fees will be
paid, maintain written contracts that outline the employment terms.

National Historic Preservation Act and/or the National Environmental Policy Act
Review
The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, applies to any Federal
funds that support activities that have the potential to impact any structure eligible for or

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on the National Register of Historic Places, adjacent to a structure that is eligible for or
on the National Register of Historic Places, or located in a historic district, in
accordance with Section 106. This also applies to planning activities that may affect
historic properties or districts.
If you are recommended for a grant, your proposal may be subject to the National
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and/or the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
and the Arts Endowment will conduct a review of your proposal to ensure that it is in
compliance with NHPA/NEPA.
For this funding opportunity, NHPA/NEPA review may be necessary if grants support
artist fees related to public artwork. The Arts Endowment will identify these items to the
extent possible during the pre-award review stage. However, grantees should contact
the Office of Grants Management prior to incurring any costs that they believe might
require a review for compliance. You may be asked to provide additional information on
your project to ensure compliance with the Act at any time during your award period (16
USC 470).
Accessibility
Federal regulations require that all Arts Endowment-funded projects be accessible to
people with disabilities. Funded activities must be held in a physically accessible venue
and program access and effective communication must be provided for participants and
audience members with disabilities. If your application is recommended for funding, you
will be asked to provide detailed information describing how you will make your project
physically and programmatically accessible to people with disabilities.
Project Reporting and Evaluation
Rescue Plan grantees will be required to report out on activities supported through this
program. See here LINK for detailed information.

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Contact Us
Contact us if you have questions. LINK
If you have a question about access for individuals with disabilities:
202-682-5082 Voice/T.T.Y. (Text-Telephone, a device for individuals who are deaf
or hard-of-hearing)
Call or email the Office of Accessibility at 202-682-5532 / [email protected] to
request an accommodation or an alternate format of the guidelines.
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement
The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated at an average
of 8 hours per response. This includes the time for reviewing instructions, searching
existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and
reviewing the collection of information. We welcome any suggestions that you might
have on improving the guidelines and making them as easy to use as possible. Send
comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of
information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: [email protected],
attention: Reporting Burden. Note: Applicants are not required to respond to the
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid U.S. Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) control number.
June 2021
OMB No. 3135-TBD Expires TBD
Privacy Act
The following notice is furnished in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a:
This information is solicited under the authority of the National Foundation on the Arts and the
Humanities Act, 20 U.S.C. 951 et seq. and is used for the purpose of application review. Personal
data including home address and home telephone number will not be released and is exempt from
disclosure under FOIA exemption (b)(6). Failure to provide the requested information could result
in rejection of your application.

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How to Apply
Read these instructions in their entirety before you begin the application process.
Contact us LINK with any questions that you may have.
Submitting an application is a multi-step process:
•

Part 1: Submit to Grants.gov the “Application for Federal Domestic
Assistance/Short Organization Form.” Refer to the Part 1 instructions below for
important information and deadlines. This is a brief form that will collect very
basic information about your organization.

•

Part 2: Complete the “Grant Application Form (GAF)” through the Arts
Endowment’s Applicant Portal. This web form is where you will enter the majority
of your application material (e.g., project description, timelines, budget
information). Refer to the Part 2 instructions below to learn more about how and
when to access the Applicant Portal.

Grants.gov (Part 1) and the Arts Endowment’s Applicant Portal (Part 2) are two
separate online systems.
Because we anticipate a large number of applications for this funding opportunity,
applications will be submitted in two separate groups: one for organizations with
legal names beginning with A-L versus one for organizations with legal names
beginning with M-Z. The different submission windows will not affect the timing of grant
review, or your organization’s ability to receive a grant.
To determine which group applies to you, use your organization’s legal name as it
appears in the current IRS 501(c)(3) status letter or in the official document that
identifies your organization as a unit of state or local government, or as a federally
recognized tribal community. (Do not use your organization’s popular name, if different.)
If you are a parent organization (LINK to Parent and Related Organizations) that is
applying on behalf of an eligible independent component, do not use the name of the
independent component here.
Both the A-L group and the M-Z group will have the same Part 1 Grants.gov
deadline.
Part 2 deadlines for the A-L group and the M-Z group will be different (see below).
GROUP A-L:
GROUP A-L

TBD

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Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal
opens
Part 2 - Submit to the Applicant Portal

TBD

GROUP M-Z:
GROUP M-Z

TBD

Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal
opens
Part 2 - Submit to the Applicant Portal

TBD

Tips:
•

If your organization’s legal name begins with “The…” use the first letter of the
main word to determine your group. For example: “The ABC Theater” would be
in Group A-L, and “The XYZ Theater” would be in Group M-Z.

Select Group A-L if:
•
•
•

Your organization’s legal name begins with “Friends of…”
You are applying on behalf of a city, as the application will be categorized under
“City of…”
Your organization’s legal name begins with a digit, such as “987 Arts…”

Select Group M-Z if:
•

Your organization is a college or university applying under “Trustees of…” or
“Regents of…”

Contact us LINK if you are unsure which group to select.
Before submitting to Grants.gov, your organization must register or renew/verify its
registration with both Grants.gov and the System for Award Management (SAM). These
registrations can take several weeks.

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IMPORTANT: To help reduce burden, there will be a 180-day extension for existing
SAM registrations that have expiration dates ranging between April 1, 2021, and
September 30, 2021. This effort is intended as relief for those otherwise required to reregister during that timeframe. This does not impact entities registering with SAM for the
first time.

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Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov
Complete and submit the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short
Organizational Form to Grants.gov.
Step 1: Grants.gov and SAM.gov registrations
•

All applicants must have a DUNS number (www.dnb.com) and be registered with
the System for Award Management (SAM, www.sam.gov) at the time of
application. The SAM registration must be current at the time a grant is made
and throughout the life of the award. See Changes Coming for Federal
Organizational Applicants and Awardees for important information.

•

Registration/renewal with SAM.gov and Grants.gov are completely free.

•

To help reduce burden, there will be a 180-day extension for existing SAM
registrations that have expiration dates ranging between April 1, 2021, and
September 30, 2021. This effort is intended as relief for those otherwise required
to re-register during that timeframe. This does not impact entities registering with
SAM for the first time.

•

If your organization is currently registered with SAM, but that registration is not
currently active, you may still apply. Grants.gov will not validate your registration
to confirm that it is current at the time of application. In the meantime, renew
your registration as soon as possible because we still check your SAM and
DUNS registrations before making a grant award.

•

When registering/renewing your SAM account, be sure to select “Yes” when
completing the “Representations & Certifications” section. All awardees are
required to have these representations & certifications in order to receive an
award.

•

Go to Grants.gov's Organization Registration to create a new organization
registration.

•

Grants.gov Contact Center: Call 1-800-518-4726, email [email protected],
or consult the information posted on the Grants.gov website at Support. The
Grants.gov Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. NOTE:
You must contact Grants.gov for help. Grants.gov is not an Arts Endowment
system and is outside of our control.

•

SAM Federal Service Desk: Call 1-866-606-8220 or see the information posted
on the SAM website at SAM Help. NOTE: You must contact SAM.gov for help.
SAM.gov is not an Arts Endowment system and is outside of our control.

•

Registration in SAM.gov and Grants.gov can take several weeks. Exceptions to
the deadline will be considered only for registration or renewal issues that are the
result of failures on the part of DUNS, SAM, or Grants.gov as determined by the
Arts Endowment.

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Step 2: Go to the Grant Opportunity Package
Access the Grant Opportunity Package with the Application for Federal Domestic
Assistance/Short Organizational Form on Grants.gov by clicking on the link below:
IMPORTANT: To access the correct Grant Opportunity Package, select the funding
opportunity number link that corresponds with the first letter of your organization’s legal
name.
See How to Apply LINK or contact us LINK if you are not sure which link to select.
GROUP A-L (AS DETERMINED BY THE FIRST LETTER OF YOUR
ORGANIZATION’S LEGAL NAME)
Click Here: Funding Opportunity Number 2021NEA01ARP60AL LINK
Part 1 Submit to Grants.gov
TBD
Part 2 Submit to the Applicant Portal
TBD
OR
GROUP M-Z (AS DETERMINED BY THE FIRST LETTER OF YOUR
ORGANIZATION’S LEGAL NAME)
Click Here: Funding Opportunity Number 2021NEA01ARP60MZ LINK
Part 1 Submit to Grants.gov
TBD
Part 2 Submit to the Applicant Portal
TBD
When you go to Grants.gov through the link above, the Grants.gov “View Grant
Opportunity” screen will open. Choose “Apply” in the “Action” area. On the next screen,
choose “Apply” again. You will be prompted to enter your Grants.gov Username and
Password.
You will apply using a Grants.gov Workspace. To create a Workspace, look for the
“Application Filing Name” field above the “Create Workspace” button (you must be
logged in as the Authorized Organization Representative or AOR to be able to see this
button and create the Workspace). Enter the legal name of your organization, click the
“Create Workspace” button, and follow the screens from there. Learn more about using
Grants.gov’s Workspace.
See detailed instructions on how to complete and submit the required forms through
Workspace.

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You will submit the substantial part of your application during Part 2. Please
remember, the dates when the Applicant Portal will be available for you to
complete Part 2 are different for Group A-L versus Group M-Z.
Step 3: Fill out the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short
Organizational Form
All asterisked (*) items and yellow fields on this form are required and must be
completed before you will be able to submit the form. Do not type in all capital letters
when completing the form. Enter information directly into the form. Do not copy from an
old Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organizational Form or another
document and paste into the form.
Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send
emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type
of email address in this form.
1. Name of Federal Agency: Pre-populated.
2. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: Pre-populated.
3. Date Received: This will be filled automatically with the date that you submit your
application; leave blank.
4. Funding Opportunity Number: Pre-populated.
5. Applicant Information:
a. Legal Name: The name provided here must be the applicant's legal name as it
appears in the current IRS 501(c)(3) status letter or in the official document that
identifies the organization as a unit of state or local government, or as a federally
recognized tribal community or tribe. (Do not use your organization's popular name, if
different.)
If you are a parent organization that is applying on behalf of an eligible independent
component, do not list the name of the independent component here. You will be asked
for that information later.
b. Address: Use Street 1 for your organization’s physical street address. This address
should agree with the address that you used with the SAM (System for Award
Management). In addition, use Street 2 for your organization’s mailing address if it
differs from the physical street address. In the Zip/Postal Code box, organizations in the
United States should enter the full 9-digit zip code that was assigned by the U.S.
Postal Service. If you do not know your full zip code, you may look it up
at www.usps.com/zip4/
d. Type of Applicant: Select the item that best characterizes your organization from the
menu in the first drop down box. Additional choices are optional.

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e. Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN/TIN): Enter the 9-digit number that
was assigned by the Internal Revenue Service; do not use a Social Security Number.
f. Organizational DUNS: All organizational applicants for federal funds must have a
DUNS number, which is recognized as the universal standard for identifying
organizations worldwide. The number that you enter here must agree with the
number (either 9 or 13 digits) that you used with the SAM (System for Award
Management) as part of the Grants.gov registration. Confirm your DUNS with
SAM.gov before filling out this form.
g. Congressional District: Enter the number of the Congressional District where the
applicant organization is located. The Congressional District that you enter here must
agree with the Congressional District that you used with the SAM (System for Award
Management) as part of the Grants.gov registration. Use the following format: 2
character State Abbreviation-3 character District Number. For example, if your
organization is located in the 5th Congressional District of California, enter "CA-005." If
your state has a single At-Large Representative or your territory has a single Delegate,
enter your 2-character state/territory abbreviation and "-000." If you need help
determining your district, go to www.house.gov and use the "Find Your
Representative" tool.
6. Project Information:
a. Project Title: Enter “N/A.” Anything you enter here in Grants.gov will not be used in
the review of your application.
b. Project Description: Enter “N/A.” Anything you enter here in Grants.gov will not be
used in the review of your application.
c. Proposed Project Start Date/End Date: Enter the beginning and ending dates for your
requested period of performance, i.e., the span of time necessary to plan, execute, and
close out your proposal. The start date should be the first day of the month, and the
end date should be the last day of the month. Our support of a project may start on or
after TBD. Generally, a grant period of up to two years is allowed. Your budget should
include only the costs incurred during the requested period of performance.
7. Project Director:
Provide the requested information for the Project Director.
Provide contact information, including an email address, that will be valid through the
announcement date for your category.
8. Primary Contact/Grant Administrator:

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Provide the requested information for the individual who should be contacted on all
matters involving this application and the administration of any grant that may be
awarded. For colleges and universities, this person is often a Sponsored Research,
Sponsored Programs, or Contracts and Grants Officer. For the Telephone number field,
use the following format: 000-000-0000.
In some organizations, particularly smaller ones, this individual may be the same as the
Project Director. If this is the case, you may check the "Same as Project Director" box
and not repeat information that you have already provided in Item 7. (If the Primary
Contact/Grant Administrator is the same as the Authorizing Official, complete all items
under both 8 and 9 even though there will be some repetition.)
9. Authorized Representative:
Enter the requested information for the AOR (Authorized Organization Representative)
who is authorized to submit this application to Grants.gov. The AOR must have the
legal authority to obligate your organization (e. g., be a senior member of the staff such
as an Executive Director, Director of Development). See specific requirements for who
can serve as an AOR for colleges and universities. Contractors, including grant writers
or grant consultants, or administrative support staff cannot serve as an AOR.
NOTE: By clicking the "I Agree" box at the top of Item 9, this individual will be certifying
compliance with relevant federal requirements on your organization's behalf. (These
requirements can be found in the "Assurance of Compliance" section of the Grants for
Arts Projects guidelines.) The "Signature of Authorized Representative" and "Date
Signed" boxes will be populated by Grants.gov upon submission of the application.
Step 4: Submit your application to Grants.gov
•

•

•

•

To begin the submission process, log on to Grants.gov and go to the Forms tab
on the Manage Workspace page. Click the “Sign and Submit” button, under the
Forms tab.
Be certain that you are satisfied with your Application for Federal Domestic
Assistance/Short Organizational Form before you click this button. No revisions
to your form can be made in Grants.gov once it is submitted.
Once you complete and submit your application, you will see a confirmation
screen explaining that your submission is being processed. Take a screenshot
and retain the Grants.gov Tracking Number that you receive in the application
submission confirmation screen.
If you wait until the day of the deadline to submit your application, you are
taking a significant risk! Give yourself ample time to resolve any problems you
might encounter.

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We will not accept late applications. The only exceptions are for a technological
failure on the part of Grants.gov or in the event of a major emergency (e.g.,
hurricane, natural disaster, etc.), as determined by the Arts Endowment. If a
deadline is extended for any reason, an announcement will be posted on our
website.
You must provide documentation of a Grants.gov technological failure to be
considered for an exception. We will consider and address your situation as
appropriate. We will not make exceptions for applications that are the result of
user error, including failure to verify that your application was validated by the
Grants.gov system through Track My Application.

•

Failure to successfully submit the Application for Federal Domestic
Assistance/Short Organizational Form through Grants.gov will make you
ineligible to complete Part 2 of the application process.

Step 5: Track Your Application
•

Verify that your application was validated by the Grants.gov system. Go to Track
My Application to confirm the validation and track the progress of your
application submission through Grants.gov. Take a screenshot of your validation
confirmation for your records. Do not wait until the day of the deadline to verify
your submission in case you encounter any difficulties.

Part 2: Submit to Applicant Portal
Prepare to Complete Part 2
•

•

•

Read the Part 2 instructions LINK (PDF). This document will guide you through
Part 2 of the application process, including information about how and when to
access the Applicant Portal as well as the application questions and
requirements. You must refer to the Part 2 instructions (PDF)
You will not have access to the Applicant Portal until the Part 2 application
windows listed below. Use the Part 2 instructions (PDF) to prepare your
responses well in advance so you will have them ready to upload once the
system opens.
We recommend that you begin working in the Applicant Portal early in the
application window to give yourself ample time to complete the process. Please
note that these grants are NOT awarded on a “first come, first served” basis, so
you should feel comfortable taking your time.
GROUP A-L (AS DETERMINED BY THE FIRST LETTER OF YOUR
ORGANIZATION’S LEGAL NAME)
Funding Opportunity Number: 2021NEA01ARP60AL

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Part 1 Submit to Grants.gov
Part 2 Submit to the Applicant Portal

TBD
TBD
OR

GROUP M-Z (AS DETERMINED BY THE FIRST LETTER OF YOUR
ORGANIZATION’S LEGAL NAME)
Funding Opportunity Number: 2021NEA01ARP60MZ
Part 1 Submit to Grants.gov
TBD
Part 2 Submit to the Applicant Portal
TBD

26