3135-0098 NEA Rescue Plan Grants to Locals Form & Instructions

American Rescue Plan Act
Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal

Table of Contents
How to Use This Document.......................................................................................................................... 2
Access the Applicant Portal ......................................................................................................................... 2
Fill out the Grant Application Form ............................................................................................................. 4
Tab 1: View Application Data....................................................................................................................... 4
Tab 2: Organization Info............................................................................................................................... 4
Subtab 1: Organization Information ........................................................................................................ 4
Subtab 2: Organization Budget ................................................................................................................ 5
Tab 3: Arts Programmatic History ............................................................................................................... 5
Tab 4: Proposal Info ..................................................................................................................................... 6
Subtab 1: Activities................................................................................................................................... 6
Subtab 2: Other Details ............................................................................................................................ 9
Tab 5: Proposal Budget ................................................................................................................................ 9
Expenses ................................................................................................................................................. 10
Tab 6: Items to Upload ............................................................................................................................... 14
Tab 7: Organization & Project Data ........................................................................................................... 16
Submit the Grant Application Form........................................................................................................... 19

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American Rescue Plan Act
Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal

How to Use This Document
This document will guide you through Part 2 of the Grants to Local Arts Agencies for
Subgranting application process.
You will only be able to complete Part 2 of the Rescue Plan application process if you have
successfully submitted Part 1 of the application to Grants.gov by the appropriate deadline.
You will not have access to the Applicant Portal until the Part 2 application window opens as
described below. However, we urge you to use this document to prepare your responses and
material 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 will NOT be
awarded on a “first come, first served” basis, so you should feel comfortable taking your time.
All complete, eligible applications will proceed through the review process.

Part 1 - Submit to
Grants.gov

TBD, 2021 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

TBD at 9:00 a.m., Eastern Time, to TBD, 2021
by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time

Access the Applicant Portal
Log on to the Applicant Portal at: https://applicantportal.arts.gov
Login credentials:
•

User Name = Grants.gov Tracking Number (Example: "GRANT12345678")
o Your Grants.gov tracking number is assigned to you by Grants.gov when you submit
Part 1 of your application.
o A confirmation screen will appear once your submission is complete.
o Your Grants.gov tracking number will be provided at the bottom of this screen.
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American Rescue Plan Act
Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal

•

Password = Agency Tracking Number/NEA Application Number (Example: "3479012")
Note: This will be a different number than your Grants.gov Tracking Number, which
starts with the word GRANT.
o The National Endowment for the Arts assigns the number to your application 1-2
business days after you submit Part 1 of your application.
o Log on to Grants.gov with your Grants.gov Username and Password.
o Under Grant Applications, select Check Application Status.
o Once in the Check Application Status feature, look for your Grants.gov Tracking
Number and select Details under the Actions column.
o You’ll be taken to the Submission Details screen to find your Agency Tracking#/NEA
Application Number.
o NOTE: Check Application Status is a separate feature from Track My Application at
Grants.gov.

The User Name and Password can only be used by one person at a time in the Applicant Portal.
Data will be lost if multiple people use the User Name and Password at the same time.
Technical Notes:
•

•

•

•
•

The Applicant Portal is best viewed in the following browsers: Chrome 58+, Firefox 54+,
Internet Explorer 11+, or Microsoft Edge 44+. You should only open the Applicant Portal
in one browser at a time to enter information. Cookies and JavaScript may need to be
enabled for you to successfully view the site. You might also need to disable AdBlocker
and/or similar software.
Most problems can be solved by changing your browser. In Internet Explorer, you may
need to do the following:
o Press the Alt key.
o Select Tools from the menu bar.
o Select Compatibility View Setting.
o Type in “arts.gov” and uncheck all check marks and close.
Be sure to first copy and paste any text into Notepad (if you’re using a PC) or TextEdit (if
you’re using a Mac) before copying it into the Applicant Portal. This will strip away any
HTML Coding that may add unwanted additional characters to text (however, any
formatting you had will be deleted). These additional characters can be added due to
some special characters such as ampersands, quotation marks, apostrophes, and angle
brackets.
Limit character counts by using a solution other than special characters (e.g., instead of
using quotation marks for titles of works, put them in italics), using only one space at
the end of sentences, and limiting the use of tabs.
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.

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American Rescue Plan Act
Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal

Fill out the Grant Application Form
For your application to be considered complete, you MUST include every required item in your
application. Required items are denoted with a red * in the GAF.
When filling out the Grant Application, you must adhere to the character count limit in each
section. Do not include hyperlinks. They will not be reviewed.

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
autopopulated with information you entered for Part 1 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, contact us.

Tab 2: Organization Info
Subtab 1: Organization Information
Provide the following information:
Legal/IRS 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)
If yes, enter the component’s name.
Mission and History of Your Organization: Describe your organization’s mission as well as a
description of its founding, purpose, and significant milestones. (1,000 Character Limit,
including spaces)
Background of Your Organization: Relevant details may include, but are not limited to, your
organization’s size, geographic location, and demographics served. Include information about
any efforts to deepen or increase the participation and inclusion of underrepresented
individuals within your organization and in the broader arts field. Describe the effect COVID-19
has had on your organization’s operations, and how your organization has adapted during the
pandemic. As appropriate, you may also describe the role of your organization in your
community’s COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts. (2,000 Character Limit, including spaces)
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Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal

Note: 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.

Subtab 2: Organization Budget
Budget Form: List your operating budget figures from the most recently completed fiscal year,
the previous fiscal year, and the fiscal year prior to that.
In the budget form, fill in the line items only for Total Income and Total Expenses for each year.
Leave the Operating Surplus/Deficit line items blank; they will autocalculate for you. It is
mandatory to provide this information. 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 department of local government), submit information for the smaller
entity.
Grantmaking Budget: List your organization’s grantmaking budget for the three years noted
above. These numbers should include only the funds allocated through grants provided to the
field. Do not include administrative program or staffing costs related to grantmaking.
For each year, provide the year, grantmaking budget figure, and name or brief description of
the grantmaking program. For example: “2019, $50,000, Grants to ABC Organizations
program.” (500 Character Limit, including spaces)
If your organization has not undertaken grantmaking in any or all of these three years, please
make note of that in this text field.
Fiscal Health: Discuss the fiscal health of your organization. Use this space to discuss how the
COVID-19 pandemic has affected your organization’s budget. (750 Character Limit, including
spaces)

Tab 3: Arts Programmatic History
Submit one representative example of arts programming per year for three recent
years/seasons prior to the application deadline. The examples do not have to be from
consecutive years/seasons.

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Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal

Select examples that emphasize how your previous work is connected to the review criteria.
Examples may include subgranting or other grantmaking activities. In Tab 6: Items to Upload,
you will be asked to provide specific information about your previous grantmaking activities.
This list should demonstrate eligibility (i.e., your organization's three-year history of arts
programming).
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.
NOTE FOR 2020 OR 2021 ARTS PROGRAMMING: If your arts programming was affected or
suspended due to COVID-19, you may list 2020 or 2021 arts programming that was cancelled or
reimagined due to the pandemic. Virtual programming, planning, and COVID-19 recovery
activities are considered to be arts programming. You may also choose to list arts programming
from a recent year other than 2020 or 2021.
For each example include:
•
•
•
•
•
•

Date/Year
Title/Work/Event/Program
Venue and City/State, if applicable
Key Artists/Personnel, if applicable
# of Classes, Performances, Exhibitions, Residencies, etc., if applicable
# of Participants or Audience, if applicable

Providing information in bulleted or list form is acceptable. (3 fields, 1,000 Character Limit each)

Tab 4: Proposal Info
Subtab 1: Activities
Proposal Description: (3,000 Character Limit, including spaces)
This question provides an opportunity for you to describe your organization’s grantmaking
priorities for this program. Subgranting programs may be existing or new, as long as they are
consistent with the goals and requirements of the Rescue Plan’s Grants to Local Arts Agencies
for Subgranting program. Rescue Plan funds may be used by an organization to support existing
jobs, new jobs, or to restore jobs that were furloughed or eliminated due to the pandemic.
a) Describe the proposed subgranting program that your organization will use to distribute
Rescue Plan funds.
Discuss:
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Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal

‒ How the subgranting program reflects the Rescue Plan’s overall goals as they relate
to your constituency. Describe the relevance of your program’s design to your
community, including potential applicants, grantees, and audiences. Provide an
estimated timeline for the subgranting program.
‒ Your proposed applicant pool and its relevance to your community. Describe the
geographic range and the number of applications that you anticipate. Discuss the
characteristics of your anticipated applicant pool, such as: organizational budget
size, staff size, and artistic disciplines and/or communities represented.
‒ Your plans for making the applicant pool aware of the funding opportunity.
Describe your plans to present clear and accessible funding guidelines. Describe the
format and scale of any community engagement activities or technical assistance
that will be provided to applicants and/or grantees.
‒ Where appropriate, address efforts to reach organizations that serve populations
that are underserved (e.g., those whose opportunities to experience the arts are
limited by ethnicity, economics, geography, and disability). Note: 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.
‒ Your plans for receiving and reviewing applications. Describe the review criteria
that you will use as well as the panelist selection, application review, and award
selection process. See the Subgranting Terms & Conditions for more information
about subgranting review criteria and other requirements.
‒ The potential impact of grant support on your community’s response to and
recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. As appropriate, discuss related goals around
topics such as economic impact, community engagement, field building, and your
community’s cultural infrastructure.
b) The relevance of this project to the mission and core work of your own organization.
NOTE: Allowable costs in subgranting awards by local arts agencies are limited to any or all
of the following:
Subgrants to Organizations:
•
•
•
•
•

Salary support, full or partial, for one or more staff positions.
Fees/stipends for artists and/or contractual personnel only in support of services they
provide for specific activities in support of your organization’s day to day operations.
Facilities costs such as mortgage principal, rent, and utilities.
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.
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Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal

Subgrants to Individual Artists:
If your local arts agency (or organization) is allowed to make direct awards to individuals,
subgrants may be awarded to individuals for artist fees/stipends to support the services
they provide for specific programs and activities. Such awards to individuals may include
providing presentations, workshops, research, and/or the creation of artwork with tangible
outcomes required by the subaward. This is a considered a stipend to the artist for the work
undertaken and completed consistent with the programmatic objectives of the subgranting
agency. (See the Subgranting Terms & Conditions for more information).
Support to individuals may not include honorifics or fellowships, or other forms of funding
for financial hardship, including but not limited to rent or food assistance or the general
operating expenses of individual artists.
As part of your proposal, is your organization requesting funds (up to $50,000 from the NEA
grant amount) to support your organization’s administration of the subgranting program?
Select one: Y/N
If you answered Yes, respond to the following:
Administration of Subgranting Program: (2,000 Character Limit, including spaces)
Address any of the following, as relevant to your request:
a) Describe any costs that are requested to support your organization’s administration of
the subgranting program.
b) Staff positions: Note the job position(s) for which you are seeking full or partial support.
For each position, provide the job title, brief position description, and salary range.
Discuss the significance of this position to the subgranting program. Describe the impact
on your organization if the position has been or will be furloughed or eliminated.
c) Contractual personnel: Describe any contractual personnel to whom you propose to
pay fees. Describe the position(s) and fees for these individuals. Discuss the significance
of their work to the subgranting program. Describe the effect on your organization if
this position has been or will be furloughed or eliminated.
NOTE: Allowable costs to support the administration of subgranting programs are limited to any
or all of the following:
•
•
•

Salary support, full or partial, for one or more staff positions.
Fees/stipends for contractual personnel to support the services they provide for specific
activities in support of your organization’s day to day activities.
Facilities costs such as mortgage principal, rent, and utilities.
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Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal

•
•

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

Subtab 2: Other Details
Proposed Period of Performance 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 may start on or after TBD. Generally, a grant
period of up to two years is allowed. Your budget should include only the activities and costs
incurred during the requested period of performance. The dates you enter here will be used in
the review of your application.
Start Date: (MM-DD-YYYY)
End Date: (MM-DD-YYYY)
Audience/Participants/Community: Describe your organization’s audience, participants, and
community served, as well as any plans to reach these beneficiaries. Be as specific as possible
when describing the communities you plan to engage, and clearly explain how you plan to
reach these communities. Where appropriate, describe how participants from underserved
communities will be engaged or impacted. Include demographic information. You may also
describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on your audience, participants, and community
served. (2,000 Character Limit, including spaces)
Note: 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.

Tab 5: Proposal Budget
Tell us how you plan to spend the requested Arts Endowment funds. All items in your budget
must be reasonable, necessary to accomplish objectives, allowable in terms of the Arts
Endowment’s General Terms and Conditions, and adequately documented.
Your Budget should reflect only those activities and associated costs that will be incurred
during the "Period of Performance," i.e., the span of time necessary to plan, execute, and close
out your proposed project. REMINDER: The earliest allowable project start date is TBD.
NOTE: Organizations cannot receive more than one Arts Endowment grant for the same
expenses. While your organization may apply for other federal funding opportunities in
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Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal

general, the specific items in this budget cannot include costs that are supported by any other
federal funds or their cost share/match, including costs that may be included in applications
submitted, or grants received, by partner organizations or presenters.
Amount Requested from the NEA: Enter either $150,000, $250,000, or $500,000.
Do not request a different grant amount.
Out of the Amount Requested from NEA (e.g., $150,000, $250,000, or $500,000) you may
include in the project budget up to $50,000 to support eligible operating costs associated with
administering the subgrant program.
Rescue Plan grants are non-matching, no Income will be required.

Expenses
IMPORTANT: Your total project expenses should add up to the exact grant amount you have
selected. 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.
Your budget items must be limited to:
•

Fees for subgrants and the subgranting program.

In addition, for organizations requesting up to $50,000 to support eligible operating costs
associated with administering the subgrant program:
•
•
•
•
•
•

Salaries, wages, and fringe benefits for personnel, administrative and artistic, who are paid
on a salary basis. List each staff position separately.
Fees/stipends for contractual personnel to support the services they provide forspecific
activities in support of your organization’s day to day activities. List each position
separately, combine similar positions if needed.
Facilities costs such as rent and utilities.
Costs associated with health and safety supplies for staff and/or visitors/audiences (e.g.,
personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, etc.)
Costs associated with marketing, promotion, and applicant/grantee technical assistance.
Indirect costs, if applicable.

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
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American Rescue Plan Act
Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal

range (40 characters maximum), and the percentage of time that will be charged to the award
(30 characters maximum). List staff positions, and combine similar functions if necessary.
Where appropriate, use salary ranges. Additional lines cannot be added in the portal.
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 or contracted services expenses for
fundraising/development work are unallowable except for time spent managing this Rescue
Plan grant. Costs associated with general fundraising for your organization are unallowable.
Charges to the award for salaries and wages and/or contracted services must be based on
records that accurately reflect the work performed. These costs must be incurred during the
National Endowment for the Arts project period of performance and must be approved as
allowable project expenses by the agency.
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 These costs are not allowed. Do not enter any costs in this section.
DIRECT COSTS: Other Include consultant and artist fees, contractual services, facilities costs,
and for eligible local arts agencies, fees for subgrants and the subgranting program.
List positions separately, if space allows. For procurement requirements related to contracts
and consultants, review 2 CFR Part 200.317-.326.
Facilities costs include items such as rental of space and utilities. Provide details of what is
included in each line item.
Limit your descriptions to 100 characters maximum.
Additional lines cannot be added in the portal.
Sample View:
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American Rescue Plan Act
Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal

TOTAL DIRECT COSTS is the total of all direct cost items listed in "Salaries and wages" and
"Other expenses." This field will autocalculate.
INDIRECT COSTS
Arts Endowment applicants have the option to include Indirect Costs in their budgets. The
inclusion of Indirect Costs is allowable, but not required.
Indirect Costs are overhead, administrative, or general operating expenses that are not readily
identifiable with, or are difficult to assign to, a specific activity. Nevertheless, these costs are
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American Rescue Plan Act
Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal

still necessary to the operation of the organization, the performance of its activities, and the
execution of its general operations. Examples of Indirect Costs include the expenses associated
with operating and maintaining facilities and equipment, rent, utilities, supplies, and
administrative salaries.
To include indirect costs in a budget, an applicant may choose to do ONE of the following (for
help in determining which option to choose, see the Indirect Cost Guide for Arts Endowment
Grantees):
•

•

•

Include a reasonable figure for “Overhead and Administrative Costs” as a line item
under the “Direct Costs: Other” section, and leave the “Indirect Costs (if applicable)”
section blank.
Use a de minimis rate of up to 10% (.10) of Modified Total Direct Costs, and enter this
figure in the “Indirect Costs (if applicable)” section. The 10% de minimis indirect cost
rate is a federally-recognized rate that non-federal entities may use to recover
allowable indirect costs on grants or cooperative agreements. Modified Total Direct
Costs include salaries and wages, fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, and
travel. Modified Total Direct Costs excludes equipment, capital expenditures, rental
costs, scholarships and fellowships, among others. Additional information on calculating
Modified Total Direct Costs can be found at 2 CFR Part 200.414.f.
Use a negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (ICRA). In this case, Indirect Costs are
prorated or charged to a grant through a rate negotiated with the National Endowment
for the Arts or another federal agency. You are not required to have an Indirect Cost
Rate Agreement to apply for or to receive a grant. In fact, only a small number of
applicants and grantees to the Arts Endowment have or choose to use an ICRA. This
option most commonly applies to colleges and universities. If you have an ICRA and
would like to include Indirect Costs in your project budget, complete the information
requested in the “Indirect Costs (if applicable)” section accordingly. When entering the
name of the federal agency with which the ICRA has been negotiated, limit your
description to 50 characters. Enter the percentage of the ICRA as decimals. Note that
applicants may only use a Research Indirect Cost Rate Agreement for applications to the
Arts Endowment’s Office of Research and Analysis.

Sample View of the de minimis rate:

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American Rescue Plan Act
Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting
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IMPORTANT: If you are including INDIRECT COSTS in your budget, YOU MUST ensure that
your total project costs equal $150,000, $250,000, or $500,000.
TOTAL COSTS/EXPENSES is the total of "Total direct costs," and, if applicable, "Indirect costs."
This field will autocalculate. This should total $150,000, $250,000, or $500,000, depending on
your grant request.

Tab 6: Items to Upload
Upload the two required items described below. This information will be used to establish your
eligibility to apply for this program. Only upload items that we request. Other materials that
you might include will not be reviewed.
Required Items
1. Current Ordinance, Resolution, Charter, or Contract
This information will be used to establish your eligibility to apply for this funding
opportunity.
Submit the following item as a single PDF file:
A copy of the current local government ordinance, resolution, charter, or contract that
assigns its organization the authority to operate on your local government's behalf at
the time of application. This document must be valid and current at the time of
application as well as at the time that a grant is awarded. The document must originate
from local government and may not be from a state arts agency. For organizations with
a multi-city or multi-county service area, designation documentation does not need to
be provided for every governmental entity in your service area. Letters or emails from a
government official do not qualify for the purpose of establishing eligibility.
2. Grantmaking History
This information will be used to establish your eligibility to apply for this funding
opportunity. Your organization must have a history of grantmaking that took place
anytime within the ten years immediately preceding this program’s application deadline
(TBD to present). The grantmaking history is not required to have been supported by the
Arts Endowment.
Submit the following item as a single, one-page PDF file:
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Paragraph 1: Briefly describe your organization’s grantmaking history, including dates
for the grantmaking activities. This information should demonstrate the eligibility
requirement that your organization has a history of grantmaking that took place
anytime within the ten years immediately preceding this program’s application deadline
(TBD to present).
Paragraph 2: Briefly describe the selection process for your most recent grantmaking
activities, including review criteria definitions, review process and panelist selection,
and grant program priorities.
Paragraph 3: Briefly describe the applicant pool for your most recent grantmaking
activities, including number of applicants, the artistic disciplines and/or communities
represented, and the range of organizational budget sizes.
Paragraph 4: Briefly describe the grantees awarded during your most recent
grantmaking activities, including number of grantees, the artistic disciplines and/or
communities represented, and the range of organizational budget sizes.
Leave a margin of at least one inch at the top, bottom, and sides of the page. Use only
a 8.5 x 11-inch size page. Do not reduce type below 12-point font size. Excess pages
will be removed and will not be reviewed.
Information About Uploaded Files
There can be a slight delay between the upload of your files and seeing them in the Applicant
Portal. 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:
Title box: Title each item with a unique name (e.g., Charter, Grantmaking History, etc.).
Description box (500 character limit, including spaces): Simply state the name of the item (e.g.,
Charter, Grantmaking History, etc.)
Do not submit Word, PowerPoint, or Excel documents.
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Tab 7: Organization & Project Data
The National Endowment for the Arts collects basic descriptive information about all applicants
and their projects. The information that follows will help the National Endowment for the Arts
to comply with government reporting requirements, and will be used to develop statistical
information about the organizations and projects it funds to report to Congress and the public.
NOTICE: Your responses will not be a factor in the review of your application.
How many people will be paid (in whole or in part) through this grant? Include all salaried
and hourly positions, as well as the number of contractual personnel who will receive
support: (5 Character Limit, including spaces)
NOTE: The number of jobs you list here should relate only to your organization’s administration
of the subgranting program, if applicable to your grant request. Do not include jobs that may be
supported through the subgrants.
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:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Artist Community
Arts Education Organization
Dance
Design
Folk & Traditional
Literary Arts
Local Arts Agency
Media Arts
Museums
Music
Opera
Presenting & Multidisciplinary Work Organization
Theater & Musical 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.
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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American Rescue Plan Act
Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal

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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.
Preparedness Plans: Does your organization have a disaster preparedness plan (i.e., plans to
handle emergencies such as floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters, or public health
emergencies or man-made disasters)? You will choose one from the following:
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Yes
No

NOTE: A preparedness plan is not required to receive grant funding.
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American Rescue Plan Act
Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal

Proposed Beneficiaries of Project
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.
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 (0-17 years)
Young Adults (18-24 years)
Adults (25-64 years)
Older Adults (65+ years)
No specific age group

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

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American Rescue Plan Act
Grants to Local Arts Agencies for Subgranting
Part 2: Submit Materials to the Applicant Portal

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Individuals in Institutions (include people living in hospitals, hospices, nursing homes,
assisted care facilities, correctional facilities, and homeless shelters)
Individuals below the Poverty Line
Individuals with Limited English Proficiency
Military Veterans/Active Duty Personnel
Youth at Risk
Other underserved/distinct group
No specific underserved/distinct group

Submit the Grant Application Form
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We strongly urge you to complete and submit the Grant Application Form and upload
materials outside of the hours of heaviest usage, which is generally 8:00 p.m. to 11:59
p.m., Eastern Time, on the day of the deadline. Staff will not be available to help you after
5:30 p.m., Eastern Time.
Submit your materials to the Applicant Portal prior to the deadline to give yourself ample
time to resolve any problems that you might encounter. You take a significant risk by
waiting until the day of the deadline to submit.
When the Validate button is clicked, the application will go through a validation process to
search for errors. This feature does not check to be sure that your application is complete.
Carefully review the application guidelines to be sure you have submitted each required
item.
You must click “Save” and then “Submit.” If you do not hit the "Submit" button, your
application will not be received. The “Submit” button is only visible when you are on Tab 7:
Organization & Project Data.
See “Help” on the menu bar at the top of the Applicant Portal for information on how the
validation function works.
Ensure that your application was received by logging in to the Applicant Portal. On the first
screen it will say “Submitted” if your application has been received. If your application has
not yet been received, it will say “In Progress.” Maintain documentation of your successful
submission by taking a screenshot.
You may print a copy of your application at any time, whether in draft or final form, for your
records. Copy and paste the text into another file to save it as an electronic copy.
After submitting your application, you may log back into the Applicant Portal and make
changes to your submission as many times as you like up until the system closes at 11:59
p.m., Eastern Time, on the day of the deadline. You must click “Save” and “Submit” when
you are finished.
When in doubt, contact us. LINK

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