Blanket Justification for Arts Endowment Funding Application Guidelines and Requirements for Nonprofit Organizations

FY2024

Our Town
GUIDELINES
CFDA No. 45.025
OMB No. 3135-0112 Expires TBD

Our Town
(Landing Page Text)
Our Town is the NEA’s creative placemaking grants program. Through project-based funding,
the program supports activities that integrate arts, culture, and design into local efforts that
strengthen communities. Our Town projects advance local economic, physical, or social
outcomes in communities, ultimately laying the groundwork for systems change and centering
equity. These projects require a partnership between a nonprofit organization and a local
government entity, with one of the partners being a cultural organization. Grants range from
$25,000 to $150,000, with a minimum cost share/match equal to the grant amount.
Upcoming deadlines:
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov

August 4, 2024 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 9-16, 2023 by 11:59 p.m.,
Eastern Time

Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or
Rejection

April 2024

Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project

July 1, 2024

Sidebars for Website
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Program Description
Required Partnerships
Strengthening Communities
Unallowable Activities/Costs
Application Calendar
Award Information
Eligibility
How to Apply
Application Review
Award Administration
FAQs
Applicant Resources
Contacts

(THE FOLLOWING ITEMS APPEAR UNDER APPLICANT RESOURCES:)
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Webinar Registration Information (TBD)
Creative Placemaking Resources
Our Town Theory of Change
Recent Our Town Grantees (LINK TBD to PDF of FY 19, 20, 21 grantees)
Responsible Conduct of Performance Measurement, Program Evaluation, and Research
Online Tutorial: Using the Grant Application Form (GAF)
Grants.gov Support
SAM.gov Help
Historic Preservation Review Process
Things to Know Before You Apply: Federal Civil Rights and Your Grants Application
Accessibility Checklist

OUR TOWN: Program Description
Our Town is the NEA’s creative placemaking grants program. Through project-based funding,
the program supports activities that integrate arts, culture, and design into local efforts that
strengthen communities. Our Town projects advance local economic, physical, or social
outcomes in communities, ultimately laying the groundwork for systems change and centering
equity.
These projects require a partnership between a local government entity and nonprofit
organization, one of which must be a cultural organization; and should engage in partnership
with other sectors (e.g., agriculture and food, economic development, education and youth,
environment and energy, health, housing, public safety, transportation, workforce
development). Grants range from $25,000 to $150,000, with a minimum cost share/match
equal to the grant amount.

Projects
We encourage applications for projects that integrate arts, culture and design into strategies
for strengthening communities (LINK to objective definition below). Arts, culture, and design
may uniquely:
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Bring new attention to or elevate key community assets and issues, voices of residents, local
history, or cultural infrastructure.

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Inject new or additional energy, resources, activity, people, or enthusiasm into a place,
community issue, or local economy.

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Envision new possibilities for a community or place—a new future, a way of overcoming a
challenge, or approaching problem-solving.

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Connect communities, people, places, and economic opportunity via physical spaces or new
relationships.

The NEA is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and fostering mutual
respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and groups. Our Town supports a
variety of projects across the country in urban, suburban, rural, and tribal communities of all
sizes.

Project Types
Our Town projects must demonstrate a specific role for arts, culture, and design as a part of
strategies that strengthen communities (LINK to objective information below) by advancing
local economic, physical, and/or social outcomes. Competitive projects often pilot new
proposed activities and establish new or deepen existing cross-sector partnerships, while also

demonstrating how they strive to lay the groundwork for long-term systems change. Projects
may include activities such as:
Arts Engagement:
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Artist residency: A program designed to strategically connect artists with the opportunity to
bring their creative skill sets to non-arts institutions, including residencies in government
offices, businesses, or other institutions.
Arts festivals: Public events that safely gather people, often in public space or otherwise
unexpected places, to showcase talent and exchange culture.
Community co-creation of art: The process of engaging stakeholders to participate or
collaborate alongside artists/designers in conceiving, designing, or fabricating a work or
works of art.
Performances: Presentations of a live art work (e.g., music, theater, dance, media).
Public art: A work of art that is conceived for a particular place or community, with the
intention of being broadly accessible, and often involving community members in the
process of developing, selecting, or executing the work. Temporary public art may be
included. These are works that are meant for display over a finite period of time using
easily-removed materials, and are often used to prototype an idea, product, or process.

Cultural Planning:
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Cultural planning: The process of identifying and leveraging a community's cultural
resources to inform decision-making (e.g., creating a cultural plan, or integrating plans and
policies around arts and culture as part of a city master planning process).
Cultural district planning: The process of identifying a specific geography with unique
potential for community and/or economic development based on cultural assets (e.g.,
through designation, branding, policy, plans, or other means).
Creative asset mapping: The process of identifying the people, places, physical
infrastructure, institutions, and customs that hold meaningful aesthetics, historical, social
and/or economic value that make a place unique.
Public art planning: The process of developing community-wide strategies and/or policies
that guide and support commissioning, installing, and maintaining works of public art
and/or temporary public art.

Design:
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Artist/designer-facilitated community planning: Artists/designers leading or partnering in
the creative processes of visioning and developing solutions to community issues.
Design of artist space: Design processes to support the creation of dedicated spaces for
artists to live and/or to produce, exhibit, or sell their work.
Design of cultural facilities: Design processes to support the creation of a dedicated
building or space for creating and/or showcasing arts and culture.

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Public space design: The process of designing elements of public infrastructure, or spaces
where people congregate (e.g., parks, plazas, landscapes, neighborhoods, districts,
infrastructure, and artist-produced elements of streetscapes).

Artist and Creative Industry Support:
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Creative business development: Programs or services that support entrepreneurs and
businesses in the creative industries, or help cultivate strong infrastructure for establishing
and developing creative businesses.
Professional artist development: Programs or services that support artists professionally,
such as through skill development or accessing markets and capital.

For more information, review the list of recently funded Our Town grants (LINK TO LIST OF
RECENT OT GRANTEES—FYs 19, 20, 21).

Required Partnerships
A key to the success of creative placemaking is involving the arts in partnership with committed
governmental, nonprofit, and private sector leadership. All applications must demonstrate a
partnership that will provide leadership for the project. These partnerships must involve two
primary partners, as defined by these guidelines:
1. Nonprofit organization
2. Local government entity
One of these two primary partners must be a cultural (arts or design) organization. The highest
ranking official of the local government is required to submit a formal statement of support.
See "How to Apply" (LINK) for more information.
Additional partners are encouraged and may include an appropriate variety of entities such as
arts organizations and artists, design professionals and design centers, as well as cross-sector
partnerships with state level government agencies, councils of government, rural or regional
planning organizations, foundations, nonprofit and community organizations, educational
institutions, real estate developers, business leaders, and special districts that advance
community investments in agriculture and food, economic development, education and youth,
environment and energy, health, housing, public safety, transportation, and workforce
development. Partnerships that leverage infrastructure investments are welcome and
encouraged.

Strengthening Communities

Through Our Town projects, the NEA intends to achieve the following objective: Strengthening
Communities: Embed the arts in system-wide initiatives that strengthen or heal communities.
Our Town projects integrate arts, culture, and design into strategies that strengthen
communities and center equity in advancing economic, physical, or social change.
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Evidence of Economic Change might include: 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,
and tourism.
Evidence of Physical Change might include: Design of physical improvements to the built
and natural environment, and delivery of public services including beautification or
enhancement of physical environment (including arts, culture, and public space).
Evidence of Social Change might include: Improvements to social relationships, civic
engagement and community empowerment, amplifying community identity including
collective efficacy, social capital, social cohesion, and community attachment.

Successful Our Town projects lay the groundwork for systems change that sustains the
integration of arts, culture, and design into strategies for strengthening communities over the
long term.
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Evidence of Systems Change might include: Improvements to community capacity to
sustain the integration of arts, culture, and design into strategies for advancing local
outcomes; for example: establishment of new or sustained cross-sector partnerships; shifts
in institutional structure, new practices or policies; replication or scaling of innovative
project models; or establishment of training programs.

An Our Town project may work to advance a specific economic, physical, or social change, with
the intention of laying the groundwork for systems change. Or, a project may aim to address
systems change directly.
NOTE TO OPA: EMBED LOGIC MODEL GRAPHIC
For more about the strengthening communities objective, see A Framework for Measuring and
Understanding the Our Town Program.

OUR TOWN: Award Information
Grant Amounts, Cost Share, and Matching Funds
We anticipate awarding a limited number of grants, subject to the availability of funding.
You must request a grant amount at one of the following levels: $25,000, $50,000, $75,000,
$100,000, or $150,000. We will award very few grants at the $150,000 level; these will be only
for projects of significant scale and impact.
Our grants cannot exceed 50% of the total cost of the project. All grants require a nonfederal
cost share/match of at least 1 to 1. These cost share/matching funds may be all cash or a
combination of cash and in-kind contributions. You may include in your Project Budget cost
share/matching funds that are proposed but not yet committed at the time of the application
deadline.
We reserve the right to limit our support of a project to a particular phase(s) or cost(s). All costs
included in your Project Budget must be expended during your period of performance. Costs
associated with other federal funds, whether direct or indirect (e.g., flow down through a state
arts agency), cannot be included in your Project Budget. Costs incurred before the earliest
project start date of July 1, 2024, cannot be included in your budget or cost share/match.

Period of Performance
Our support of a project may start on July 1, 2024, or any time thereafter. A grant period of up
to two years is allowed. The two-year period is intended to allow an applicant sufficient time
to plan, execute, and close out its project, not to repeat a one-year project for a second year.
Any planning costs that are included as part of the project must be incurred during your
established period of performance.

OUR TOWN: Eligibility
All applications require partnerships that involve at least two primary partners as defined by
these guidelines: a nonprofit organization and a local governmental entity. One of the two
primary partners must be a cultural (arts or design) organization. Additional partners are
encouraged.
One of the two primary partners must act as the official applicant (lead applicant). This lead
applicant must meet the eligibility requirements, submit the application, and assume full
responsibility for the grant.
Eligible lead applicants are:
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Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) U.S. organizations with a documented completed threeyear history of 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. Programming is not required to have taken place
during consecutive years. Organizations that previously operated as a program of another
institution may include programming it carried out while part of that institution for its
three-year history.
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 statedesignated entities, state higher education institutions, regional governments and entities,
quasi-government organizations, regional planning organizations, city council or aldermen
offices, and business improvement districts.

For U.S. territories, if no local government exists, the territory government can serve as the
local government.
To be eligible, the lead applicant organization must:
Meet the NEA’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 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.
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Eligible organizations that received American Rescue Plan (ARP) or CARES Act funding may
apply to this program as long as there are no overlapping costs during the same grant period.

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. Federal agencies cannot be monetary partners.
The designated state and jurisdictional arts agencies (SAAs) and their regional arts organizations
(RAOs) may serve as partners, but not primary partners, in projects. NEA funds cannot support
any SAA or RAO costs. There is an exception for U.S. territories. The territory's SAA may serve as
the local government primary partner. However, all grant funds must be passed on to the other
partners.
All applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) assigned by the System for Award
Management (SAM, www.sam.gov), be registered with SAM, and maintain an active SAM
registration until the application process is complete, and should a grant be made,
throughout the life of the award. Partner organizations are not required to have a SAM
registration or UEI.
Native American, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian Applicants or Projects
We provide support for projects featuring Native American, Alaskan Native, and Native
Hawaiian arts across all NEA disciplines. (See more information here.)
Late, ineligible, and incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Application Restrictions
An organization may submit as a lead applicant two applications to Our Town.
A partnering organization may serve as a partner on as many applications as they like.
If more than one application is submitted from a single lead applicant, local government, or
within the same geographic area, the capacity of the lead applicant, local government, or
geographic area to carry out and sustain multiple Our Town projects will be considered in the
review of applications.
Other NEA Funding Opportunities
You may apply to other NEA Fiscal Year 2024 funding opportunities, including Grants for Arts
Projects in addition to Our Town. If you submit applications to other opportunities, each
request must be for a distinctly different project, or a distinctly different phase of a project.
If you have other NEA awards with activities and/or periods of performance that will overlap
with you proposed Our Town project, contact Our Town staff for guidance to ensure that the
projects are different or for a distinctly different phase of a project

If you have applied to the NEA in the past and were not recommended for funding, you may
apply again to any funding opportunity, including Our Town.

OUR TOWN: Application Calendar
Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov

August 4, 2023 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 9-16, 2023 by 11:59 p.m.,
Eastern Time

Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or
Rejection

April 2024

Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project

July 1, 2024

Before applying, your organization must create and maintain up-to-date registrations with
both the System for Award Management (SAM) at SAM.gov and Grants.gov. Registering and
maintaining accounts with SAM and Grants.gov is always FREE. See How to Apply LINK for more
information.
Registration in SAM.gov and Grants.gov can take several weeks. Give yourself plenty of time to
get registered. Similarly, submit your application to Grants.gov well in advance of the deadline
in case you encounter any difficulties.
Late, ineligible, and incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Exceptions to the deadline will be considered only for registration or renewal issues or technical
malfunctions that are the result of failures on the part of DUNS, SAM, Grants.gov, or NEA
systems, as determined by the NEA. To be considered for this exception, you must provide
documentation of a DUNS, SAM, Grants.gov, or NEA systems failure that prevented your
submission by the deadline.
In the event of a major emergency (e.g., a hurricane or Grants.gov technological failure), the
NEA Chair may adjust application deadlines for affected applicants. If a deadline is extended for
any reason, an announcement will be posted on our website.
If you have questions: Email: [email protected]

Contact the Office of Accessibility at 202-682-5532 / [email protected] or the Office of
Civil Rights at [email protected] to request an accommodation or an alternate format of the
guidelines.

OMB No. 3135-0112 Expires 10/31/2023
CFDA No. 45.024
May 2023

OUR TOWN: Unallowable Activities/Costs
Under these guidelines, funding is not available for:
Activities
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Costs

General operating or seasonal support.
Direct grants to individuals.
Individual elementary or secondary schools -- charter, private, or public -- directly.
Schools may participate as partners in projects for which another eligible organization
applies. Local education agencies, school districts, and state and regional education
agencies are eligible. If a single school also is a local education agency, as is the case
with some charter schools, the school may apply with documentation that supports its
status as a local education agency.
Projects that replace arts instruction provided by an arts specialist.
Generally, courses in degree-granting institutions.
Literary publishing that does not focus on contemporary literature and/or writers.
Generally, publication of books, exhibition of works, or other projects by the applicant
organization's board members, faculty, or trustees.
Generally, exhibitions of, and other projects that primarily involve, single, individuallyowned, private collections.
Projects for which the selection of artists or art works is based upon criteria other than
artistic excellence and artistic merit. Examples include festivals, exhibitions, or
publications for which no jury/editorial/curatorial judgment has been applied.
Social activities such as receptions, parties, galas, community dinners, and
potlucks/picnics.
Awards to individuals or organizations to honor or recognize achievement.
Commercial (for-profit) enterprises or activities, including concessions, food, T-shirts,
artwork, or other items for resale. This includes online or virtual sales/shops.
Lobbying, including activities intended to influence the outcome of elections or
influence government officials regarding pending legislation, either directly or through
specific lobbying appeals to the public.
Voter registration drives and related activities.
Construction, purchase, or renovation of facilities. (Design fees, preparing space for an
exhibit, installation or de-installation of art, and community planning are eligible.
However, no NEA or cost share/matching funds may be directed to the costs of physical
construction or renovation or toward the purchase costs of facilities or land.)
Subgranting or regranting, except for state arts agencies, regional arts organizations, or
local arts agencies that are designated to operate on behalf of their local governments
or are operating units of city or county government. (See more information on
subgranting.)

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Cash reserves and endowments.
Costs for the creation of new organizations.
Costs to bring a project into compliance with federal grant requirements. This includes
environmental or historical assessments or reviews and the hiring of individuals to write
assessments or reviews or to otherwise comply with the National Environmental Policy
Act and/or the National Historic Preservation Act.
Expenditures related to compensation to foreign nationals and/or travel to or from
foreign countries when those expenditures are not in compliance with regulations
issued by the U.S. Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control. For further
information, see https://www.treasury.gov/about/organizationalstructure/offices/pages/office-of-foreign-assets-control.aspx or contact our Office of
Grants Management at [email protected].
Project costs supported by any other federal funding. This includes federal funding
received either directly from a federal agency (e.g., National Endowment for the
Humanities, Housing and Urban Development, National Science Foundation, or an entity
that receives federal appropriations such as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting or
Amtrak); or indirectly from a pass-through organization such as a state arts agency,
regional arts organization, or a grant made to another entity.
Alcoholic beverages.
Gifts and prizes, including cash prizes as well as other items (e.g., electronic devices, gift
certificates) with monetary value.
Contributions and donations to other entities.
General miscellaneous or contingency costs.
Fines and penalties, bad debt costs, deficit reduction.
Marketing expenses that are not directly related to the project.
Audit costs that are not directly related to a single audit (formerly known as an A-133
audit).
Rental costs for home office workspace owned by individuals or entities affiliated with
the applicant organization.
The purchase of vehicles.
Visa costs paid to the U.S. government.
Costs incurred before the beginning or after the completion of the official period of
performance.

All applicants should carefully review the Assurance of Compliance and Appendix A of our
General Terms and Conditions (GTC) which detail other requirements that govern awards.

OUR TOWN: How to Apply
Submitting an application is a multi-step process:
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Register with SAM and Grants.gov or renew/verify these registrations.
Part 1: Submit to Grants.gov the “Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short
Organization Form” This is a brief form that will collect very basic information about
your organization.
Part 2: Complete the “Grant Application Form (GAF)” and upload items through the
NEA’s Applicant Portal. This web form is where you will enter the majority of your
application material (e.g., project description, timelines, budget information).

SAM, Grants.gov (Part 1), and the NEA’s Applicant Portal (Part 2) are separate online systems.
Instructions for Part 1 and Part 2, including application deadlines and a list of all the application
questions, can be found at the bottom of this page.
If you have questions, contact us at [email protected].
All Applicants: Getting Registered
Applying for a federal grant for the first time? See here.
Register with SAM and Grants.gov or renew/verify these registrations
Before applying, your organization must create and maintain up-to-date registrations with both
the System for Award Management (SAM) at SAM.gov and Grants.gov. Registering and
maintaining accounts with SAM and Grants.gov is always FREE.
These registrations can take several weeks to finalize, so begin this process early! Registrations
with SAM and Grants.gov must be active for you to submit your application. Finalize your
registrations well before the application deadline. This should allow you time to resolve any
issues that may arise.
Your organization must be registered with SAM before registering with Grants.gov.
On April 4, 2023, the federal government switched from using the DUNS number to a new
Unique Entity Identifier, also known as a “UEI.” The UEI is a 12-character alpha numeric value
that will be assigned by SAM for free. You must have a UEI in order to submit your application.
SAM
Organizations without a SAM registration:

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You will be assigned a UEI by SAM as part of SAM’s registration process. You will no
longer need a DUNS number to register with SAM.
Go SAM to get started.

Organizations already registered with SAM:
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A UEI will automatically be assigned to your organization by SAM. The UEI will be visible
in your organization’s SAM record.
If you have difficulty locating the UEI, contact SAM at 1-866-606-8221 or see the help
section of SAM’s website.

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. Your SAM registration must be
current at the time a grant is made, and throughout the life of the award.
SAM registrations, once activated, can take a day or more to be visible in Grants.gov. Verify
your SAM registration well ahead of the application deadline.
Grants.gov Registration
If your organization is not yet registered with Grants.gov, go to Organization Registration.
If your organization already has registered with Grants.gov, renew your registration with SAM
and verify that your registration with Grants.gov is current.
You must complete the Grants.gov registration process to access the Part 1 application package
(see below). You will need the Grants.gov Username and Password that you obtain during the
registration process to submit your application, and you won’t be able to submit your
application unless your SAM registration is active and up-to-date.
SAM and Grants.gov Help
The NEA does not have access to your SAM or Grants.gov accounts. If you have any questions
about or need assistance with these sites contact them directly:
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SAM Federal Service Desk: Call 1-866-606-8221 or see the information posted on the
SAM website at SAM Help.
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.

All Applicants: Go to the Grant Opportunity Package
Access the Grant Opportunity Package with the Application for Federal Domestic
Assistance/Short Organization Form on Grants.gov by clicking on the link below:
CLICK HERE
Funding Opportunity Number: 2023NEA01OT

1. Clicking the link above will take you directly to the pre-populated application package in
Grants.gov.
2. The Grants.gov “View Grant Opportunity” screen will open, click the red “Apply” button.
3. You will be prompted to enter your Grants.gov Username and Password. In order to
create the Workspace application, you must be logged into Grants.gov with a participant
role of either Workspace Manager or Authorized Organization Representative (AOR).
More information on participant roles can be found here.
4. After logging in, to create a Workspace application:
a. Fill in the Application Filing Name field, then
b. Click the Create Workspace button.
5. After creating a Workspace, you will be directed to the Manage Workspace page, where
you can begin working on the application.
Learn more about using Grants.gov’s Workspace here.

Application Instructions:
For instructions on completing Part 1 and Part 2, download the application instructions PDF
(LINK).

OUR TOWN: Application Review
Review Criteria
Applications are reviewed on the basis of the following criteria:
The artistic excellence of the project, which includes the following:
• Quality of the artists, culture bearers, design professionals, organizations, works of art,
activities, and/or services that the project will involve; and their relevance to the
community in which the project takes place.
• Potential of the project to center artists, culture bearers, and designers in the proposed
project activities, and ultimately to center them in long term systems change work.
The artistic merit of the project, which includes the following:
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Potential of the project activities to advance local economic, physical, or social outcomes
desired by the community.

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Potential for the project activities to ultimately lay the groundwork for systems changes
that sustain the integration of arts, culture, and design into strategies for strengthening
communities over the long term. (Systems changes can include, for example: establishment
of new and sustained cross-sector partnerships; shifts in institutional structure, practices or
policies; replication or scaling of innovative project models; or establishment of training
programs).

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Strength and depth of the proposed partnership between the required local and nonprofit
partners, as well as engagement across other sectors (such as agriculture and food,
economic development, education and youth, environment and energy, health, housing,
public safety, transportation, and workforce development).

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Evidence of deep and authentic community engagement in planning for and participating in
the project.

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Potential to serve and/or reach individuals or communities whose opportunities to
experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability, as
applicable.

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Appropriateness of the proposed performance measurements and their ability to
demonstrate that project activities are advancing local physical, economic, or social
outcomes, including, as appropriate, plans for documentation and evaluation of the overall
project results.

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Ability to carry out the project based on factors such as the appropriateness of the budget,
the quality and clarity of the project goals and design, the resources involved, and the
qualifications of the project’s personnel.

NOTE: We fund arts, culture, and design projects, and make grants only for specific, definable
activities. Your application may be rejected if it does not sufficiently describe the project
activities.

If more than one application is submitted from a single lead applicant, local government, or
within the same geographic area, the capacity of the lead applicant, local government, or
geographic area to carry out and sustain multiple Our Town projects will be considered in the
review of applications.
What Happens to Your Application
All applications are reviewed according to the review criteria by an advisory panel comprised of
qualified peer experts, including at least one knowledgeable layperson, representing a range of
multidisciplinary art, design, and economic and community development fields. Panel
recommendations are forwarded to the National Council on the Arts, which then makes
recommendations to the Chair of the NEA. The Chair 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 award or rejection in April 2024.
Risk Assessment: All recommended applications undergo a review to evaluate risk posed by the
applicant prior to making a federal award. This may include past performance on grants,
meeting reporting deadlines, compliance with terms and conditions, audit findings, etc.

OUR TOWN: Award Administration
Award Notices
Grant decisions for the Our Town category are expected to be announced in April 2024.
Note that the "announcement" is likely to take the form of a preliminary congratulatory note, a
request for project/budget revisions, or a rejection notification. The official grant award
notification (i.e., a notice of action authorized by the NEA Office of Grants Management) is the
only legal and valid confirmation of award. Receipt of your official award notification can take
several months depending on a number of factors such as reviewing changes to the project
budget, the number of awards to be processed, whether the agency has its appropriation from
Congress, etc.
Final Reporting
Before a grant is awarded, organizations must have submitted acceptable Final Report packages
by the due date(s) for all NEA grant(s) previously received.
National Historic Preservation Act and/or the National Environmental Policy Act Review
If you are recommended for a grant, your project may be subject to the National Historic
Preservation Act (NHPA) and/or the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the NEA will
conduct a review of your project to ensure that it is in compliance with NHPA/NEPA.
Some of the common project types that garner a NHPA review are:
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A project involving or occurring at or near a place that is 50 years old or older, and
therefore potentially eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. This
includes a property, such as a historic house museum or a historic plaza; or a historic
district with multiple historic properties. Historic places may also be structures, such as
bridges, or objects, such as sculptures, or a landscape that is historically significant.
The commissioning and installation of temporary or permanent outdoor installations,
including sculptures, statuary, banners, mixed media, painting or murals.
An outdoor arts festival.
Permanent wayfinding signs and other similar artistic directional installations,
Maintenance or rehabilitation of landscapes and gardens.
In-kind replacement or repairs at a facility that is older than 50 years of age.
Design services and planning for projects that may affect historic properties.

This review and approval process take time to complete and may delay your project's start date
and our ability to make a grant award/our ability to release grant funds. If you are
recommended for an award which may have historic preservation or environmental concerns
(NHPA/NEPA), you will be notified and asked to provide additional information.

To expedite the review, ensure that you include thorough and complete information for all
project activities and locations. The NEA cannot release an award and/or grant funds until the
NHPA/NEPA review is complete. If asked for additional information for a review, please
indicate the timeline for determining grant activities and locations, if they are not yet finalized.
In some cases, such as for permanent art installations at historic properties or advanced design
(more advanced than early design development) affecting historic properties, you may be
instructed to continue the review with the appropriate State Historic Preservation Office
(SHPO).
See here to learn more about the questions you will need to answer for the review of a project
impacted by the National Historic Preservation Act and/or the National Environmental Policy
Act.
Accessibility
Federal regulations require that all NEA-funded projects be accessible to people with
disabilities, including audiences, visitors, artists, performers, teaching artists, students, staff,
and volunteers. 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, including people who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing, people who are blind, and
people with physical, cognitive, sensory, and/or psychological disabilities.
If your project 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:
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Buildings and facilities (including projects held in historic facilities) should be physically
accessible. This includes, but is not limited to:
o Ground-level/no-step entry, ramped access, and/or elevators to project facilities and
outdoor spaces;
o Integrated and dispersed wheelchair seating in assembly areas;
o Wheelchair-accessible box office, stage/backstage, meeting, and dressing rooms;
o Wheelchair-accessible display cases, exhibit areas, and counters;
o Accessible studio, classroom, and work spaces;
o Accessible artist residency studios and living spaces, to include dining facilities and
restrooms;
o Wheelchair-accessible restrooms and water fountains; and
o Directional signage for accessible entrances, restrooms, and other facilities; and
o Accessible workspaces for employees.

•

The programmatic offering should be accessible either as part of the funded activity or
upon request, where relevant. This can include, but is not limited to providing:
o Designation of an accessibility coordinator and publicly-available contact information
(on website and promotional materials) for requesting accommodations;
o Accessible and screen reader-compatible electronic materials, documents, websites,
virtual platforms, and inclusion of alternative text for images;

o Accessible on-line application and grant systems (where relevant);
o Print materials in alternative formats, such as large-print brochures/labels/programs,
braille, and electronic/digital formats;
o Accommodations for performances, tours, virtual streamed events, conferences,
and lectures, such as sign language interpretation, real-time captioning, and audio
description;
o Tactile art, signage, sculpture, and representations of two-dimensional artwork;
o Closed/open captioning and audio/visual description for video, film, television
broadcasts;
o Transcripts of radio programs and podcasts;
o Auxiliary aids and devices such as assistive listening devices;
o Sensory-friendly programming, spaces, and approaches for people with sensoryprocessing issues and other neurological conditions;
o Accommodations for live and archived virtual events, including captioning, sign
language interpreting, and audio/visual description; and
o Accommodations to integrate students with disabilities in arts learning programs.
See the Nondiscrimination Statutes in our "Assurance of Compliance" for additional
information.
For technical assistance on how to make your project accessible, contact the Accessibility Office
at [email protected], 202-682-5532 Voice; or the Civil Rights Office at [email protected],
202-682-5454 Voice; or see our online Accessibility Resources.
Civil Rights
Nondiscrimination Policies
Projects may focus on reaching a particular group or demographic (such as race, color or
national origin, including limited English proficiency); however, they may not be exclusionary
under Federal civil rights laws and policies prohibiting discrimination. This extends to hiring
practices, artist selection processes, and audience engagement. For additional information,
refer to this archived webinar: Things to Know Before You Apply: Federal Civil Rights and Your
Grants Application.
The Office of Civil Rights at 202-682-5454 or [email protected] investigates complaints about
compliance with accessibility standards as well as other federal civil rights statutes. For
inquiries about limited English proficiency, go to http://www.lep.gov, the FOIA Reading Room,
or contact the Office of Civil Rights at 202-682-5454 or [email protected].
Changes in Projects
Applicants must notify the NEA immediately of any significant changes in their project that
occur after they have submitted their application. If the project or the organization's capacity

changes significantly before an award is made, the NEA may revise or withdraw the funding
recommendation.
Grantees are expected to carry out a project that is consistent with the proposal that was
approved for NEA funding. If changes in the project are required, the grantee must submit a
request with justification for the change(s) through a proper REACH account for the award for
review by the Office of Grants Management. Approval is not guaranteed. Detailed information
is included in the NEA General Terms & Conditions.
Project Reporting and Evaluation
We ask all applicants to define what they would like to achieve, how they will evaluate the
degree to which it is achieved, and, upon completion of the project, what they have learned
from their experiences. Such feedback need not entail large-scale or expensive evaluation
efforts. You should do what is feasible and appropriate for your organization and project. When
a grant is completed, you must submit a final report and answer questions detailing your
accomplishments, who benefited, and the resulting impact of your project as well as list the
involvement of key partners, funders, and artists. We recognize that some projects involve risk,
and we want to hear about both your successes and failures. Failures can provide valuable
learning experiences, and reporting them will have no effect on your ability to receive NEA
funds in the future.
All Our Town grantees will be assigned the agency's strengthening communities’ objective.
Before applying, review the reporting requirements for the agency's strengthening
communities’ objective. Given the nature of Our Town projects, benefits are likely to emerge
over time and may not be fully measurable during the period of a grant. You will need to
provide evidence of progress toward achieving improved strengthening of the community(ies)
as appropriate to the project.
Crediting Requirement
Grantees must clearly acknowledge support from the NEA in their programs and related
promotional material including publications and websites. Additional acknowledgment
requirements may be provided later.
Administrative Requirements
Beyond the reporting requirements for all grantees, selected Our Town grantees may be asked
to assist in the collection of additional information that can help the NEA determine the degree
to which agency objectives were achieved. For example, Our Town grantees may be asked to
participate in surveys or interviews, and/or may be asked to assist in publicizing and promoting
these data collection efforts. You may be contacted to provide evidence of project
accomplishments including, but not limited to, work samples, community action plans, cultural
asset studies, programs, reviews, relevant news clippings, and playbills. Remember that you are
required to maintain project documentation for three years following submission of your final
report.

We may publish grantees' reports and products on our website. Note that all federal
grantmaking agencies retain a royalty-free right to use all or a portion of grantees' reports and
products for federal purposes.
Implementation of Title 2 CFR Part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards
This guidance from the federal government's Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
establishes clarity and consistency of the pre- and post-award requirements applicable to
federal grantees. Under the authority listed above, the NEA adopts the OMB Guidance in 2 CFR
part 200 under §3255.1 Adoption of 2 CFR Part 200. This part gives regulatory effect to the
OMB guidance and supplements the guidance as needed for the NEA.
General Terms & Conditions
Federal and agency requirements that relate to grants awarded by the NEA are highlighted in
our General Terms & Conditions (GTC). The GTC incorporates the adoption of 2 CFR Part 200 by
reference. The document also explicitly identifies where the NEA has selected options offered
in the regulation, such as budget waivers and requirements for use of program income. It also
includes agency requirements for cost share/matching funds, reporting requirements,
amendment processes, and termination actions. Grantees must review, understand, and
comply with these requirements. Failure to do so may result in having a grant terminated
and/or returning funds to the National Endowment for the Arts, among other things.
Legal Requirements:
NOTE: This list highlights some of the significant legal requirements that may apply to an
applicant or grantee, however, it is not exhaustive. More information regarding these and
other legal requirements may be found at Appendix A of our General Terms & Conditions
which sets forth the National Policy and Other Legal Requirements, Statutes, and Regulations
that Govern Your Award. There may be other applicable legal requirements that are not
listed here.
1. By law, the National Endowment for the Arts may support only those organizations that:
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Are tax-exempt. Organizations qualifying for this status must meet the following
criteria:
1. No part of net earnings may benefit a private stockholder or individual.
2. Donations to the organization must be allowable as a charitable contribution under
Section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended.
For further information, go to the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) website.

•

Organizations who have had their IRS status revoked are not eligible for National
Endowment for the Arts support. It is your responsibility to ensure that your status is
current at the time of the application and throughout the life of your award.

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Compensate all professional performers and related or supporting professional
personnel on National Endowment for the Arts-supported projects at no less than the
prevailing minimum compensation. (This requirement is in accordance with regulations
that have been issued by the Secretary of Labor in 29 CFR Part 505. This part does not
provide information on specific compensation levels.)

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Ensure that no part of any National Endowment for the Arts-supported project will be
performed or engaged in under working conditions which are unsanitary or hazardous
or dangerous to the health and safety of the employees involved.

2. Some legal requirements apply to every applicant, for example:
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Compliance with the federal requirements that are outlined in the Assurance of
Compliance below.

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Debarment and Suspension procedures. The applicant must comply with requirements
set forth in Subpart C of 2 CFR 180, as adopted by the National Endowment for the Arts
in 2 CFR Part 3254. Failure to comply may result in the debarment or suspension of the
grantee and the National Endowment for the Arts suspending, terminating and/or
recovering funds.

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Federal Debt Status (OMB Circular A-129). Processing of applications will be suspended
when applicants are delinquent on federal tax or non-tax debts, including judgment
liens against property for a debt to the federal government. An organization's debt
status is displayed in the System for Award Management (SAM). New awards will not be
made if an applicant is still in debt status as of September 1.

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Labor Standards (29 CFR Part 505). If a grant is awarded, the grantee must comply with
the standards set out in Labor Standards on Projects or Productions Assisted by Grants
from the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities.

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The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 (41 U.S.C. 8101 et seq. and 2 CFR Part 3256). The
grantee is required to publish a statement regarding its drug-free workplace program as
well as comply with other requirements.

3. Some legal requirements apply depending upon what the grant is funding, for example:
• If your project activities have the potential to impact any structure that is eligible for or
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 an historic district, you will be
asked to provide additional information about your project or take additional action so
that the agency can review and comply with the National Historic Preservation Act
(NHPA). NHPA also applies to any planning activities that may affect historic properties
or districts. The additional agency review must be completed prior to any agency funds
being released.

•

If your project activities have the potential to impact the environment or
environmentally sensitive resources, you will be required to provide information in
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The additional agency
review must be completed prior to any agency funds being released.

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If your contract is over $2,000 and involves the construction, alteration, or repair of
public buildings or public works, it must contain a clause setting forth the minimum
wages to be paid to laborers and mechanics employed under the contract in accordance
with The Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA).

4. Some legal requirements apply depending upon who the Applicant is, for example:
The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (25 U.S.C. 3001 et
seq.) applies to any organization that controls or possesses Native American cultural items,
such as human remains or associated funerary objects and receives Federal funding, even
for a purpose unrelated to the Act (25 USC 3001 et seq.).
Assurance of Compliance
By signing and submitting its application form on Grants.gov, the Applicant certifies that it is
in compliance with the statutes outlined below and all related National Endowment for the
Arts regulations and will maintain records and submit the reports that are necessary to
determine compliance.
We may conduct a review of your organization to ensure that it is in compliance with these
statutes. If the NEA determines that a grantee has failed to comply with these statutes, it may
suspend or terminate the award, and/or recover funds. This assurance is subject to judicial
enforcement.
The Applicant certifies that it does not discriminate:
• On the grounds of race, color, or national origin, in accordance with Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.), implemented by the
National Endowment for the Arts at 45 CFR 1110.
• Solely on the grounds of disability, in accordance with Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794), implemented by the National
Endowment for the Arts at 45 CFR 1151, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990 ("ADA"), as amended, (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.).
• On the basis of age, in accordance with the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42
U.S.C. 6101 et seq.) implemented by the National Endowment for the Arts at 45 CFR
1156.
• On the basis of sex, in any education program or activity, in accordance with Title IX
of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.).
Applicant will inform the public that persons who believe they have been discriminated against
on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, sex, or age may file a complaint with the
Director of Civil Rights at the National Endowment for the Arts.

Applicant will forward all complaints for investigation and any finding issued by a Federal or
state court or by a Federal or state administrative agency to:
Director, Office of Civil Rights
National Endowment for the Arts
400 7th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20506
Applicant shall maintain records of its compliance and submission for three (3) years. The
Applicant will compile, maintain and permit access to records as required by applicable
regulations, guidelines or other directives.
The Applicant must also certify that it will obtain assurances of compliance from all
subrecipients and will require all subrecipients of National Endowment for the Arts funds to
comply with these requirements.
The United States has the right to seek judicial or administrative enforcement of this assurance.
For further information and copies of the nondiscrimination regulations identified above,
contact the Office of Civil Rights at 202-682-5454 or [email protected]. For inquiries about
limited English proficiency, go to http://www.lep.gov, the FOIA Reading Room, or contact the
Office of Civil Rights at [email protected] or 202-682-5454.
Regulations Relating to Lobbying
For organizations applying for more than $100,000 (31 U.S.C. 1352)
The Applicant certifies that:
a) It has not and will not use federal appropriated funds to pay any person for influencing
or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a member of a
National Endowment for the Arts advisory panel or the National Council on the Arts, a
Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member
of Congress in connection with the awarding of or modification to any federal grant or
contract.
b) If it has used or will use any funds other than federal appropriated funds to pay any
person for influencing or attempting to influence any of the individuals specified above,
the Applicant:
c) Is not required to disclose that activity if that person is regularly employed by the
Applicant. (Regularly employed means working for at least 130 days within the year
immediately preceding the submission of this application.)
d) Will complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, "Disclosure of Lobbying Activities," if that
person is not regularly employed by the Applicant.
It will require that the language of this certification be included in the award documents for all
subawards of more than $100,000 and that all subrecipients shall certify and disclose
accordingly.

Standards for Service
The NEA has set the following standards for serving applicants. We pledge to:
• Treat you with courtesy and efficiency.
• Respond to inquiries and correspondence promptly.
• Provide clear and accurate information about our policies and procedures.
• Provide timely information about funding opportunities and make guidelines available
promptly.
• Promptly acknowledge the receipt of your application.
• Ensure that all eligible applications are reviewed thoughtfully and fairly.
We welcome your comments on how we're meeting these standards. Email [email protected],
attention: Standards for Service.
For questions about these guidelines or your application, contact [email protected].
In addition, applicants may receive an invitation to participate in a voluntary survey to provide
feedback on the grant application guidelines on our website and any experiences consulting
with our staff.
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement
The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated at an average of 26
hours per response including 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.

OUR TOWN: Contacts
If you have questions about how to complete your application, contact the staff
at [email protected] with your question or to set up a time to speak to staff. Due to the high volume
of interest in Our Town, allow 24 to 48 hours for staff to return your inquiry.
If you have questions about SAM or Grants.gov:



SAM Federal Service Desk: Call 1-866-606-8220 or see the information posted on the
SAM website at SAM User Help.
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.

OUR TOWN: FAQs
Basics | Review Process | Other NEA Grants | Budget and Cost Share/Matching
Funds | Eligible Partners | Local Government Entity | Letters of Endorsement/Statements of
Support | Other
FAQs for Applicants & Awardees in Response to COVID-19 »
BASICS
Q: What is "creative placemaking?"
A: Creative placemaking integrates arts, culture, and design activities into efforts that
strengthen communities. Creative placemaking requires partnership across sectors, deeply
engages the community, involves artists, designers and culture bearers, and helps to advance
local economic, physical, and/or social change, ultimately laying the groundwork for systems
change. This definition is intentionally open and broad because creative placemaking draws on
all artistic disciplines, and can be deployed as a strategy to address a wide range of community
issues or challenges from public health to safety, economic development to housing. For
additional information on NEA’s definition of creative placemaking, as well as the Our Town
Program’s Theory of Change and other resources, visit www.arts.gov/impact/creativeplacemaking.
Q: What is the success rate for applicants?
A: Based on numbers from previous years, Our Town applications have a success rate of roughly
20%.
Q: If we received an Our Town grant last year, can we apply again this year?
A: Yes, you may apply to the Our Town category for FY 2024 for a distinctly different project, or
a distinctly different phase of the project, from that which was funded.
Q: How long can my grant period be?
A: Your grant period may be up to two years in length, and may start on July 1, 2024, or any
time thereafter. If your project is part of a multi-year initiative, you may describe the broader
vision but your application, including the budget, should reflect only the activities or phases of
work that will occur within the grant period.
Q: Will projects in small towns and rural areas be competitive?
A: Yes. We are seeking a diverse range of applicants and encourage communities of all sizes to
apply.
Q: Can we apply for a project that addresses impacts of COVID-19?
A: Yes. The Our Town program seeks to leverage creative placemaking and innovative
partnerships in responding to evolving and emerging local community needs. These may

include efforts to support artists and cultural organizations in addressing impacts of the COVID19 pandemic, artist unemployment, racial inequity, and other needs that may not be clear at
this specific time.
REVIEW PROCESS
Q: How will the projects be evaluated?
A: Congress specified in our authorizing legislation that "artistic excellence and artistic merit"
are the criteria by which all applications must be evaluated. For more detailed information
about how artistic excellence and artistic merit apply to Our Town projects, see the "Review
Criteria" (LINK) in the guidelines.
Q: How can I demonstrate artistic excellence for my proposed project?
A: Artistic excellence is evaluated based on the material and work samples submitted with the
application. This includes the quality of the artists, culture bearers, design professionals,
organizations, works of art, activities, and/or services that the project will involve; and their
relevance to the community in which the project takes place. If artists are not yet selected, a
description of the process and criteria for selection will enable panelists to assess artistic
excellence.
Q: Who reviews and selects grantees?
A: All applications will be reviewed according to the review criteria of artistic excellence and
artistic merit by an advisory panel composed of qualified peer experts, including at least one
knowledgeable layperson, representing a range of multidisciplinary art, design, and economic
and community development fields. Panel recommendations are forwarded to the National
Council on the Arts, which then makes recommendations to the Chair of the NEA. The Chair
reviews the Council's recommendations and makes the final decision on all grant awards. A list
of past Our Town panelists is available on the website (see the Design discipline).
Q: Can staff help me with my application?
A: Members of Design and Creative Placemaking staff are available to answer specific questions
about the application materials and forms. However, we do not review full proposals or provide
edits to text or budgets in advance of the application deadline. Email [email protected] with any
questions.
OTHER NEA GRANTS
Q: Can my organization apply to receive funding from both the Our Town and Grants for Arts
Projects or Challenge America categories?
A: Yes. You may apply to other NEA funding opportunities, including Grants for Arts Projects or
Challenge America, in addition to Our Town. In each case, the request must be for a distinctly
different project or a distinctly different phase of the same project, with a different period of
performance and costs.

BUDGET, COST SHARE, AND MATCHING FUNDS
Q: Do all cost share/matching funds need to be committed in advance of the submission
deadline?
A: No, but we ask you to designate on the budget form funding that is committed versus
funding that is being proposed or sought. Designate committed funding with a (*) after the
source.
Q: Can funds raised prior to the project be used as part of the cost share/match?
A: Yes. However, cost share/matching funds must be spent on eligible activities included as part
of the proposed project, during the proposed period of performance.
Q: Can cost share/matching funds be in-kind?
A: Yes. No formula exists for how much of the required cost share/match can be in-kind.
However, reviewers tend to look very carefully at any project with a budget that shows a cost
share/match that is largely in-kind; generally, some cash cost share/match is preferred. In all
cases, cost share/matching funds are evaluated in the context of the project and the
community. Remember, if you use in-kind contributions as part of your cost share/match, you
need to maintain proper documentation. For help in doing this, see our sample format for
recording in-kind (third party) contributions.
Q: Can federal funds such as Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) or Neighborhood
Stabilization Program (NSP) funding count toward the cost share/match?
A: No. Even though these funds may come through your state, the original source is federal. No
cost share/matching funds can be from federal sources and these should not appear in
your Our Town project budget as either income or expenses.
Q: Can community infrastructure costs be considered part of the cost share/match for
something like a streetscape project?
A: Costs that pertain strictly to preparing a site specifically for the art or design work, such as
slabs or pedestals, landscaping that's necessary for the art work or landscaping that is the art
work (e.g., a mosaic tiled walkway with landscaping that is required for the work) are allowable.
Installation of street lighting or wayfinding signage are not allowed. Costs to prepare the street,
including purchase of property, building appropriate access, infrastructure, etc., are not
allowable and can’t be used for cost share/match.
Q: Are artists' or consultants’ fees eligible expenses?
A: Yes. Fees for individuals involved in the project are eligible, such as fees for artists,
performers, designers, architects, facilitators, or other consultants. All fees must be incurred
during the period of support.
Q: Is rent for space for an event an eligible expense?
A: Yes, but not for a party or reception.

Q: Can overhead be funded?
A: You may claim administrative costs or overhead as direct costs under "3. Other expenses" on
the Project Budget form. (This assumes that there is a basis for justifying the costs as direct
costs.) You also may use a federally negotiated indirect cost rate to account for overhead.
Q: Can salaries for administration or additional fundraising be funded?
A: Salaries, contract fees, and stipends for administration and project management are allowed,
as well as fund raising specifically for the approved project.
Q: Does sharing the funding between the two required partners count as subgranting or
regranting?
A: No. Subgranting is defined as regranting funds to an individual or organization for activities
that are conducted independently of your organization and for the benefit of the subgrantee's
own program objectives.
Q: Does anything need to be done to formalize the financial relationship between the two
required partners?
A: When a grantee partners with another organization that will directly support project costs
tied to the federal award, the grantee must ensure a contractual agreement is in place that
outlines the relationship and responsibilities of each partner. In addition, the partner’s accounts
and documentation will be subject to review if audited by the NEA or the grantee’s own
auditors.
ELIGIBLE PARTNERS
Q: Can a private foundation or corporate entity serve as a partner?
A: Partnerships must involve at least two primary partners as defined by these guidelines: a
nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and a local government entity. One of the two primary
partners must be a cultural (arts or design) organization. Only the two primary partners can
serve as lead applicants, but additional partners across all sectors are encouraged.
Q: Can a local government arts agency apply and fulfill the role of the cultural organization
and the government agency?
A: Yes, but it would still need a nonprofit organization to serve as the other primary partner.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITY
Q: Can a city/town/ county apply for more than one project?
A: Yes. Since FY 2021, we have eliminated the limit of only two applications per community.
Multiple applications may be submitted from within the same geographic area. However, if
more than one application is submitted from a single lead applicant, local government, or
within the same geographic area, the capacity of the lead applicant, local government, or
geographic area to carry out and sustain multiple Our Town projects will be considered in the
review of applications.

Q: Can a tribal government entity apply?
A: Yes, federally recognized tribal governments qualify as local governments.
Q: Can a regional government entity apply as a primary partner?
A: No, regional government entities do not qualify as local governments and may not apply as a
primary partner.
Q: Do public school districts or community colleges qualify as a local government entity?
A: Local education agencies (school districts) and local government-run community colleges are
eligible to represent a local government entity they serve. Note that a letter of endorsement
from the highest ranking official for the local government is required regardless of who the
local government partner is, e.g., the superintendent of a school district cannot send the letter.
Q: Does a city council or alderman office qualify as a local government entity?
A. No. City council or aldermen’s offices do not qualify as local government entities. In the case
of city governments, the local government entity partner should be a department within city
government (i.e. department of public health, etc.).
Q: Does a state university qualify as a local government entity?
A: No, as with all state level entities, a state university does not qualify as a local government
entity under the Our Town guidelines. If the state university has nonprofit status designated by
the IRS, however, it may serve as the required nonprofit partner on an Our Town project.
Q: Does a quasi-local government organization, such as a Business Improvement District (BID)
or Chamber of Commerce, qualify as a local government entity?
A: No. Business improvement districts and chambers of commerce do not qualify as local
government entities.
Q. Does a U.S. territory qualify as a local government entity?
A: If no local government exists, the territory government can qualify as the local government.
In these cases, the territory's state arts agency also may serve as the local government primary
partner. However, all grant funds must be passed on to the other partners.
LETTERS OF ENDORSEMENT/STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT
Q: If we have a local government entity on board as a partner, do we still need a letter of
endorsement from the highest ranking official for the local government?
A: Yes. A letter of endorsement from the highest ranking official for the local government is
required.
Q: Can you guide us as to what the letter of endorsement should contain? Do you have a
template that we can use?
A: We do not have a template. However, the document should be a one-page formal

endorsement letter, on appropriate letterhead, from the highest ranking official for the local
government (e.g., mayor, county executive, or tribal leader). This letter should reflect the
official's familiarity with and support for the project.
Many local government structures exist. Provide in your letter 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."
Q: We are applying with the local government as lead applicant. Should we submit an
endorsement letter from the highest ranking official for the local government, or a statement
of support from the nonprofit organization?
A: You are required to submit both.
Q: Is there a limit to the number of statements of support that we can submit?
A: Yes. You may submit up to 10 letters of support. We encourage you to be selective in listing
only the partners or individuals that are critical to the project's success, not those that are
solely funding sponsors or project beneficiaries. If you are working with multiple agencies
within a community, only one statement is necessary. Keep statements to one page each.
OTHER
Q: My organization received American Rescue Plan (ARP) or CARES funding. Can we also
apply to Grants for Arts Projects?
A: Yes. However, you need to be sure that there are no overlapping costs. If your ARP or CARES
and Grants for Arts Projects applications include items such as salaries, fees, or facilities costs,
make sure those costs don’t overlap, i.e., occur at the same time.
Q: Can our organization use funds we received from the Small Business Administration (SBA)
or other federal agencies as cost share/match for an NEA grant?
A: No. Federal funds are not allowed to be used as cost share/match for federal grants (2 CFR
§200.306). In addition, the NEA’s enabling legislation does not allow any federal funds to be
used as cost share/match for its grants. This includes the Paycheck Protection Program and
Shuttered Venues Operators Grants (SVOG) from the SBA, as well as other federal funding,
including funding from:
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Corporation for National and Community Service (e.g., AmeriCorps)
National Endowment for the Humanities
National Park Service
National Science Foundation
U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. Department of Education (e.g., 21st Century Community Learning Centers)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

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Or an entity that receives federal appropriations such as the Corporation for Public
Broadcasting or Amtrak

Note that organizations are eligible to apply for NEA funding even if they have applied for and
received funding from the SBA, provided the organization isn't double-claiming any individual's
salary. Recipients will be required to keep documentation to show which employees are being
paid from each funding source so that the government isn't paying more than 100 percent of a
salary. Applicants with additional questions about SBA programs should contact the SBA
directly as we are unable to provide guidance on programs other than our own.
Q: Should the application address how my organization will respond if our project activities
end up being affected by COVID-19?
A: This is not a requirement, but you can provide a very brief description of any contingency
plans in the Project Description narrative. The Project Description is where you should address
all of the Review Criteria, and it may be useful for the panel’s assessment of your organization’s
ability to carry out the project (see the criteria under artistic merit).
Q: What if my organization ends up not being able to carry out the project activities in our
application due to COVID-19?
A: If you are recommended for a grant, you will have an opportunity to request changes (e.g., a
time extension, a modification to project activities) at that stage of the process. If you receive a
grant, you will have the opportunity to request project changes later in the process, as outlined
in the How to Manage Your Award Handbook.
We will work with you to try to accommodate changes to your project, but approval is not
guaranteed. If you need to request a change, please contact your NEA specialist to discuss what
is possible.
Q: How should my organization formulate its project if we’re not sure when in-person
gatherings will be possible due to COVID-19? Will it be possible to make project changes if
needed later in the process?
A: You should do your best to complete information within the application to the best of your
knowledge.
If you are recommended for a grant, you will have an opportunity to request changes (e.g., a
time extension, a modification to project activities) at that stage of the process. If you receive a
grant, you will have the opportunity to request project changes later in the process, as outlined
in the How to Manage Your Award Handbook.

We will work with you to try to accommodate changes to your project, but approval is not
guaranteed. If you need to request a change, contact your NEA specialist to discuss what is
possible.
Q: What are some examples of measurement tools you'd like to see?
A: You should propose measurement tools that are feasible and appropriate for your
organization and project. You will be asked to address the anticipated results in your
application. If you receive a grant, you will be asked to provide evidence of those results at the
end of your project. Given the nature of Our Town projects, benefits are likely to emerge over
time and may not be fully measurable during the period of a grant. You will need to provide
evidence of progress toward achieving improved strengthening of the community(ies) as
appropriate to the project. We recognize that some projects involve risk, and we want to hear
about both your successes and failures. Failures can provide valuable learning experiences, and
reporting them will have no effect on your ability to receive NEA funds in the future.
Beyond the reporting requirements for all grantees, selected Our Town grantees may be asked
to assist in the collection of additional information that can help the NEA determine the degree
to which agency objectives were achieved. For example, Our Town grantees may be asked to
participate in surveys or interviews, and/or may be asked to assist in publicizing and promoting
these data collection efforts. You may be contacted to provide evidence of project
accomplishments including, but not limited to, work samples, community action plans, cultural
asset studies, programs, reviews, relevant news clippings, and playbills. Remember that you are
required to maintain project documentation for three years following submission of your final
report.
Q: Can federally recognized tribes apply?
A. Yes. In keeping with federal policies of Tribal Self Governance and Self-Determination, we
may provide support for a project with a primary audience restricted to enrolled members of a
federally recognized tribe. Applicants (federally recognized tribal governments, nonprofits
situated on federally recognized tribal lands, or other nonprofits whose mission primarily serves
federally recognized tribal enrollees) should consult with our staff to verify their eligibility
before preparing an application.
Q: Can non-federally recognized tribes apply?
A: Yes, as long as the applicant is a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organization. Projects
for non-federally recognized tribes and indigenous groups may be supported, but project
participation can’t be restricted to only tribal members.
Q: Can Native Hawaiian groups apply?
A: Yes, as long as the applicant is a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organization. Projects
for Native Hawaiians may be supported, but project participation can’t be restricted to only
Native Hawaiians.