3135-0112 Partnership Agreements SAA Application Form and Instruct

Partnership Agreements: State Arts Agencies
FY24 Application Instructions

Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 2
Step 1: Fill out the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance (SF-424 Mandatory) .......... 3
Step 2: Fill out the Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) ................................................. 6
Step 3: Complete and Attach Required Items to the Attachments Form............................... 7
The Attachments..................................................................................................................... 8
Attachment Button 1: Staffing List ..................................................................................... 8
Attachment Button 2: Board Membership List .................................................................. 8
Attachment Button 3: Application Narrative (ON-YEAR: up to 12 pages).......................... 9
Attachment Button 3: Application Narrative (OFF-YEAR: up to 2 pages)......................... 13
Attachment Button 4: Strategic Plan ................................................................................ 14
Attachment Button 5: Changes in Conflict of Interest/Appeals ....................................... 14
Step 4: Submit items electronically through Grants.gov ...................................................... 15
Updates ..................................................................................................................................... 16
Additional Help ......................................................................................................................... 16

1| P a g e

Partnership Agreements: State Arts Agencies
FY24 Application Instructions

Introduction
We use a staggered, multi-year review for State Arts Agency (SAA) Partnership Agreements. The
organizations listed below as ON-YEAR applicants are required to submit full-scale applications,
while SAAs listed below as OFF-YEAR applicants have simplified requirements. Please read fully
through these complete instructions and follow the step-by-step instructions relevant to your
status as either an ON-YEAR or OFF-YEAR applicant. ALL applicants will complete ALL four
steps included in these instructions.
ON-YEAR SAAs FOR FY 2024:
Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Georgia, Guam, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South
Dakota
OFF-YEAR SAAs FOR FY 2024:
Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii,
Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Marianas,
Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virgin
Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
All applicants will need to submit an Application for Federal Domestic Assistance (SF-424) and
a Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL). In addition, a complete application includes the
Attachments Form, to which you will attach items indicated in the checklist below, based on
your status as ON-YEAR or OFF-YEAR:

REQUIRED FORMS, all applicants
Application for Federal Domestic Assistance (SF-424)
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)
ATTACHMENTS FORM, based on status
1. Staffing List
2. Board Membership List
3. Application Narrative (up to 2 pages) *
4. Strategic Plan *
5. Changes in Conflict of Interest/Appeals

ON-YEAR
APPLICANTS

OFF-YEAR
APPLICANTS

Y
Y

Y
Y

Y
Y
Up to 12 pages
Y
If relevant

Y
Y
Up to 2 pages
N
If relevant

Items with an asterisk (*) will be reviewed by Partnership Agreements reviewers. Other
submitted items are for administrative use only. Application narratives should not refer
reviewers to any other application materials that you submit.

2| P a g e

Partnership Agreements: State Arts Agencies
FY24 Application Instructions

Completing Grants.gov forms
All asterisked (*) items and yellow fields on the Grants.gov forms are required and must be
completed before you will be able to submit. Do not type in all capital letters when completing
the forms. Enter information directly into the forms. Do not copy from an old application
package or another document and paste into the forms.

Step 1: Fill out the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance (SF-424

Mandatory)

1. Items 1a-d default to certain selections; do not change them.
2. Date Received: This will be filled automatically with the date that you submit your
application; leave blank.
3. Applicant Identifier: This is for your own use or you can leave blank.
4., 5., and 6.: Leave blank.
7. Applicant Information:
a. Legal Name: The name provided here must be the applicant's legal name as it appears in
the current IRS 501(c)(3) status letter or in the official document that identifies the
organization as a unit of state or local government. (Do not use your organization's popular
name, if different.)
b. Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN/TIN): Enter the 9-digit number that was
assigned by the Internal Revenue Service; do not use a Social Security Number.
c. Organizational Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): All organizational applicants for federal
funds must have a UEI. Enter your organization’s UEI here. You can find your UEI in your
System for Award Management (SAM) record. If you cannot locate your UEI, contact SAM
for assistance. NOTE: Do not enter a DUNS number here. The UEI you enter here must
match the UEI associated with your organization’s SAM (System for Award Management)
record that was used as part of your Grants.gov registration. Otherwise, your application
will not be validated by Grants.gov and will be rejected.
d. Address: Use Street 1 for your organization’s physical street address. This address must
be identical to the physical address that you used with the SAM (System for Award
Management). Only use Street 2 for your organization’s mailing address if it differs from the
the SAM physical street address.

3| P a g e

Partnership Agreements: State Arts Agencies
FY24 Application Instructions

In the Zip/Postal Code box, organizations in the United States should enter the full 9-digit
zip code that was assigned by the U.S. Postal Service. If you do not know your full zip code,
you may look it up at https://tools.usps.com/zip-code-lookup.htm.
e. Organizational Unit: Leave blank.
f. Name and contact information of person to be contacted on matters involving this
application: Provide the requested information for the individual who should be contacted
on all matters involving this application and the administration of any grant that may be
awarded. Due to restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security we are not able to
send emails to alias addresses that forward to another email account. Do not enter this type
of email address.
8a. Type of Applicant: Select the item that best characterizes your organization from the menu
in the first drop down box. An additional description is optional.
9. Name of Federal Agency: This has been pre-populated.
10. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: This has been pre-populated.
11. Descriptive Title of Applicant’s Project: Enter “Partnership Agreement”.
12. Areas Affected by Funding: Leave blank.
13. Congressional District Information:
a. Applicant: Enter the number of the Congressional District where the applicant
organization is physically located. Use the following format: 2 character State Abbreviation3 character District Number. For example, if your organization is located in the 5th
Congressional District of California, enter "CA-005." If your state has a single At-Large
Representative or your territory has a single Delegate, enter your 2-character
state/jurisdiction abbreviation and "-000." If you need help determining your district, visit
the House of Representatives website at www.house.gov and use the "Find Your
Representative" tool.
b. Project: Leave blank.
14. Funding Period: 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 Partnership
Agreement. This should include adequate time to administer and close out all subawards made
with NEA and/or cost share/matching funds. The start date should be the first day of the
month, and the end date should be the last day of the month. The period of performance may
start on or after July 1, 2024. Generally, a period of performance of up to two years is allowed.

4| P a g e

Partnership Agreements: State Arts Agencies
FY24 Application Instructions

15. Estimated Funding:
a. Federal: Enter "0."
b. Match: Leave blank.
16. State Executive Order 12372 Process: Applicants should contact the State Single Point of
Contact for Executive Order 12372 to determine whether this application is subject to their
state’s intergovernmental review process. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
maintains a list of official State Single Points of Contact designated by the States to review and
coordinate proposed federal financial assistance and direct federal development. See
https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html
17. Is the Applicant Delinquent on Any Federal Debt?: Examples of relevant debt include
delinquent payroll or other taxes, audit disallowances, and benefit overpayments. If your
response is "yes," click on the "Yes" box and include an explanation with your application.
18. Authorized Representative: Enter the requested information for the AOR (Authorized
Organization Representative) who will be submitting this application to Grants.gov. The AOR
must have the legal authority to obligate your organization. Due to restrictions from the
Department of Homeland Security we are not able to send emails to alias addresses that
forward to another email account. Do not enter this type of email address. By clicking the "I
Agree" box in item 18, this individual will be certifying compliance with relevant federal
requirements on your organization's behalf. (These requirements can be found in the Assurance
of Compliance section of these guidelines.) The "Signature of Authorized Representative" and
"Date Signed" boxes will be populated by Grants.gov upon submission of the application.
Stop after item 18. Do not add attachments to this form.

5| P a g e

Partnership Agreements: State Arts Agencies
FY24 Application Instructions

Step 2: Fill out the Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)
Items 1.-3. default to certain selections; do not change them.
4. Name and Address of Reporting Entity: Provide the requested information for the reporting
entity. Include Congressional District, if known.
5. If Reporting Entity in No. 4 is Subawardee: Leave blank.
6. Federal Department/Agency: Enter "National Endowment for the Arts."
7. Federal Program: This has been pre-populated.
8. Federal Action Number, if known: Leave blank.
9. Award Amount, if known: Leave blank.
10. a. Name and Address of Lobbying Registrant: Provide the requested information for the
registrant under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 engaged by the reporting entity
identified in item 4 to influence the covered federal action. If not applicable, enter "N/A" in
the fields for First Name, Last Name, Address 1, and City.
b. Individual Performing Services: Enter the name of the individual performing services, and
include an address if different from 10 (a). If not applicable, enter "N/A" in the fields for
First Name, Last Name, Address 1, and City.
11. Authorized Representative: Provide the requested information for the AOR (Authorized
Organization Representative) who will be submitting the Partnership Agreements application to
Grants.gov. This should be the same person listed as the AOR on the Application for Federal
Domestic Assistance (SF-424 Mandatory). The "Signature" and "Date" boxes will be populated
by Grants.gov upon submission of the application.

6| P a g e

Partnership Agreements: State Arts Agencies
FY24 Application Instructions

Step 3: Complete and Attach Required Items to the Attachments Form
The "Attachments Form" is not a form in the conventional sense. Rather, it is a place to attach
documents that you have completed and saved elsewhere on your computer.
•

All attachments are documents (e.g., narratives, lists) that you will develop in
accordance with the instructions provided. These items must be submitted as PDF files.
o Do not create PDFs of your electronic documents by scanning. Do not embed
non-printable media files (video and/or sound) in your PDF documents. Static
images (e.g., pictures) are acceptable. Do not enable any document security
settings or password-protect any PDF file you submit to us.
o No attachment should be more than 2 MB.

•

Label pages clearly with the name of the item (e.g., Staffing List) and your organization's
legal name. Leave a margin of at least one inch at the top, bottom, and sides of all
pages. Do not reduce type below 12-point font size. Do not type in all capital letters.
Number pages sequentially; place numbers on the bottom right hand corner of each
page. Excess pages will be removed and will not be reviewed.

•

Name your files as indicated below and attach them in the proper order. Limit file
names to 50 characters and use only the following characters when naming your
attachments: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore (_), hyphen (-), space, and period. You cannot
change the name of a file on the Attachments Form. Therefore, make certain that each
file is named correctly before you attach it. Your agency name (or acronym) must be
included in each file name (e.g. "ABCArtsCouncilStaff").

When you open the Grants.gov Attachments Form, you will find 15 attachment buttons. By
clicking on a button, you will be able to choose the PDF file from your computer that you wish
to attach. Attach the proper file to the proper button as listed below.
The required documents in Step 3 differ for ON-YEAR and OFF-YEAR applicants. Please refer
to the chart at the beginning of these instructions, and/or follow the prompts below related
to each document.

7| P a g e

Partnership Agreements: State Arts Agencies
FY24 Application Instructions

The Attachments
Attachment Button 1: Staffing List
ALL APPLICANTS: Required
To this button, attach a one-page Staffing List. The file name should include the name of your
organization or a recognizable acronym followed by "Staff" (e.g., "ABCArtsCouncilStaff").
Label the page clearly with your organization's legal name and "Staffing List." Set your page up
with two columns with these headings: 1) Name, and 2) Position Title/Area of Responsibility.
Provide the requested information on all professional staff. Include both salaried and
contractual personnel (including Arts Education, Folk & Traditional Arts staff, Poetry Out Loud
Coordinators, and 504 Coordinators), with the exception of artists who spend more than 50% of
their working time away from your offices.
•

Place "(504)" in parentheses by the name of the staff member who serves as your
organization's 504 coordinator.

•

OPTIONAL (For research purposes only): Indicate by asterisk (*) personnel who are one
or more of the following: American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian; Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific Islander; Black or African American; or Hispanic or Latina/o.

Example:
Name
Jane Doe *
John Smith (504)

Position Title/Area of Responsibility
Executive Director
Director for Education

Attachment Button 2: Board Membership List
ALL APPLICANTS: Required
To this button, attach a one-page Board Membership List. The file name should include the
name of your organization or a recognizable acronym followed by "Board."
Label the page clearly with your organization's legal name and "Board Membership List." Set
your page up with four columns with these headings: 1) Name, 2) Occupation, 3) City, and 4)
Arts Interest/Affiliation.
Provide the requested information on all board members.
•

OPTIONAL (For research purposes only): Indicate by asterisk (*) members who are one
or more of the following: American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian; Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific Islander; Black or African American; or Hispanic or Latina/o.

8| P a g e

Partnership Agreements: State Arts Agencies
FY24 Application Instructions

• Indicate by a cross (+) members who also are office holders.
Example:
Name

Occupation

City

Mary Smith +

Lawyer

Springfield

Arts Interest/
Affiliation
Board, ABC Dance Company

Bill Doe *

Business Owner

Sunnyvale

Visual Arts Patron

Attachment Button 3: Application Narrative (ON-YEAR: up to 12 pages)
ON-YEAR APPLICANTS: Required (up to 12 pages)
OFF-YEAR APPLICANTS: Please see instructions on page XX for Application Narrative (up to 2
pages)
To this button, attach an Application Narrative. The file name should include the name of your
organization or a recognizable acronym followed by "Narrative." Label each page clearly with
your organization's legal name and "Application Narrative."
Application narratives must not exceed 12 numbered pages in length, including the budget
chart. Provide URL links to support/supplementary material that is referenced in your narrative.
Use links in moderation and be sure they direct reviewers only to supplemental materials
rather than additional narrative content.
The Review Criteria for State Arts Agencies will be used in the review of your Application
Narrative.
A. Overview
1. Describe major developments or conditions in your state – e.g., economic, cultural,
demographic, educational, geographical, or other – as well as your organization’s placement
within state government – that have an impact on your organization's planning and
operations.
2. Following this information, provide a link to the enabling legislation, executive order, or
comparable documentation that shows that your organization is officially designated the
State Arts Agency responsible for:
a) Developing a statewide arts plan and establishing arts and cultural policy with
statewide impact; and
b) Coordinating and administering all financial support received from the National
Endowment for the Arts and the State in conjunction with the SAA Partnership
Agreement.

9| P a g e

Partnership Agreements: State Arts Agencies
FY24 Application Instructions

B. Planning Process
Provide specific, explicitly stated facts and figures about the methods employed to reach
and involve participants. Include the number, dates, times, and locations of constituent
meetings, numbers of participants, and which sectors they represent. Any discussion of
reaching and serving underserved communities should identify those constituencies your
organization considers underserved and describe your efforts to engage those communities.
If your organization has determined that there is an underserved community based upon
race or ethnicity, please indicate the research that supports that determination.
Information required by Section 5(g) of the National Endowment for the Arts’ legislation is
indicated with an asterisk (*) in the list below.
1. Describe your organization’s most recent planning process, including:
•

The design and structure of the process;

•

Efforts undertaken to include a wide range of constituents in the planning process,
including but not limited to those in underserved communities, artists, arts
organizations, educators, state agencies, community groups, disability groups, artists
and cultural workers with disabilities, businesses, municipal and tribal governments,
and/or the regional arts organization serving your state;

•

How members/representatives of underserved communities were invited into and
involved in the planning process;

•

The efforts your agency made to engage constituents through a variety of means
such as public meetings*, surveys, interviews, virtual engagement, and digital
communications as relevant to various constituent groups*.
Efforts to ensure the physical and programmatic accessibility of your in-person and
virtual events, publications, website, and offices.

•

2. Discuss the recommendations and priorities for your state plan that resulted from the
public meetings* and other forums.
3. Describe your organization’s response to these recommendations*, and the ways in
which the response was communicated to the public – including but not limited to
references in the state plan.
4. Describe the processes used to measure and monitor your organization’s progress in
relation to the state plan. Consider if relevant, any metrics or other information (e.g.,
program and/or organization evaluations) used.
Also, describe how those served, including underserved groups, are included in the
evaluation process, how outside experts are involved in your evaluation activities, and
any changes that your organization plans to make to its programs and services based on
this information.
10| P a g e

Partnership Agreements: State Arts Agencies
FY24 Application Instructions

5. Provide a link to your Strategic Plan.
•

If your discussion of accomplishments relates to an earlier plan, provide here a link
to the earlier plan as well.

•

If you have a work plan or program implementation plan developed to complement
your Strategic Plan, also provide a link here.

•

If you are providing links to more than one plan, identify which Strategic Plan the
implementation plan complements.

C. Plan Implementation and Accomplishments
1. Without reiterating your plan, which reviewers will see in full, briefly describe your
organization’s priorities for the upcoming three-year period (i.e., until the next time
your organization is designated as on-year and up for full application review) and the
leadership your organization is undertaking to achieve those outcomes.
2. Describe your organization’s most significant programs, activities, and
accomplishments in relation to your state’s current or most recent strategic plan.
The programmatic themes listed below are prompts for consideration as you describe
your organization’s most significant accomplishment. The list below is not all-inclusive, it
includes some of the areas in which state arts agencies work. Your narrative might
feature content including, but not limited to, any of the following themes:
• Equity, diversity, and inclusion underserved communities
• Preserving cultures
• Technology
• Military, healthcare, social services, youth, or aging
• Rural, housing, or community development
• Accessibility (including facility and programmatic access as well as engagement
of people with disabilities)
You may also discuss internal organizational work such as introduction of new funding
categories or completion of long-term programming, which also may also demonstrate
the most significant accomplishments of your organization.
Any discussion of reaching and serving underserved communities should identify those
constituencies your organization considers underserved and describe your
organization’s efforts to engage members of those underserved communities. If your
organization has determined that there is an underserved community based upon race
or ethnicity, please indicate the research that supports that determination.
3. In addition to the themes that you address as most relevant to you as a state arts
agency, your narrative should also include details relevant to NEA program areas as
detailed below:
11| P a g e

Partnership Agreements: State Arts Agencies
FY24 Application Instructions

a) Arts Education (*available NEA funds vary depending on details provided):
• Describe arts education efforts and programming, including any collective,
systematic approaches or efforts in the state and/or state-wide plans for arts
education.
b) Folk & Traditional Arts (*available NEA funds vary depending on details provided):
•

Describe your organization’s plans to support stable, outreach-driven programs
that are responsive to your state’s diverse folk & traditional arts heritage.
Consider:
o How you will support folk & traditional arts in your state, including any grant
programs (e.g., apprenticeships, etc.), fieldwork/research, technical
assistance, and cultural sustainability programs for traditional artists. If your
organization does not currently have a folk & traditional arts program,
describe your plans to develop a program in phases over the next three
years.
o Your outreach to folk & traditional arts stakeholders (e.g., artists, community
leaders, folklorists, other organizations, etc.) to facilitate field-building and to
inform your organization’s programming or activities.
o Your staffing plans to support your proposed activities. For SAAs that partner
with a nonprofit organization to carry out this programming, or contract this
work, describe how the partner will undertake this work and note any
agreements that are in place.
o Describe the extent to which you will provide a cost share/match (e.g., 1:1,
10:1, etc.) to the partnership funds received from the NEA to support your
proposed activities.

c) Poetry Out Loud (*available support is $20,000 annually per agency):
•

Describe the activities proposed for 2023-2024 including the anticipated
geographic reach and timetable.

•

List the name, position/title, telephone number, and email address of your
Poetry Out Loud coordinator. If program coordination is contracted out, list both
the contractor's information and the name of the main SAA supervisor/contact.

•

For more information about running a statewide Poetry Out Loud program, see
Poetry Out Loud State Partnership Agreement Information.

4. If objectives or goals were not met or were only partially met since your organization’s
last ON-YEAR application, please explain why.

12| P a g e

Partnership Agreements: State Arts Agencies
FY24 Application Instructions

D. Program budget allocation
On the last page of your narrative, provide a one-line description of each of your organization’s
categories, programs, or initiatives for the first fiscal year of the proposed agreement, with
projected Partnership Agreement (NEA Funds + Cost Share/ Match) dollar allocations and NonPartnership Agreement dollar allocations. Include:
•

Budget $ Allocated: Partnership Agreement ONLY
o These are budget projections for the FY24 Partnership agreement, including both
NEA funding + Required Cost Share dollars.

•

Remainder of Budget $ Allocated
o Projections for costs paid for with funds outside of the NEA funding + Required Cost
Share. These activities will not be part of your Partnership agreement, and so will
not be reported on NEA payment requests or final reports.

•

Identify with a “Y” those categories that are required by and/or for which allocations are
determined by your legislature.

•

You may use footnotes to explain the use of funds in support of Poetry Out Loud
activity, as relevant.

•

Include sub-categories and sub-totals as necessary to demonstrate the connection
between budget allocations and your application narrative.

Example:
Name / Description
of program /
initiative

Budget $ Allocated:
Partnership Agreement
ONLY

Remainder of
Budget $ Allocated

Legislatively
Determined

Program name

$XX,XXX

$X,XXX

Y/N

Attachment Button 3: Application Narrative (OFF-YEAR: up to 2 pages)
ON-YEAR APPLICANTS: Please see instructions above for Application Narrative (up to 12
pages.)
OFF-YEAR APPLICANTS: Required (up to 2 pages)
To this button, attach an Application Narrative of up to two pages in length. The file name
should include the name of your organization or a recognizable acronym followed by
"Narrative." Label the page clearly with your organization's legal name and "Application
Narrative."
1. Describe your organization’s activities for the last year and outline any changes to your
organization, plans, or process.
13| P a g e

Partnership Agreements: State Arts Agencies
FY24 Application Instructions

2. In addition to the activities and changes that you address as most relevant to you as a
state arts agency, your narrative should also include details relevant to NEA program
areas as detailed below
a. Poetry Out Loud (*available support is $20,000 annually per agency):
•

Describe the activities proposed for 2023-2024 including the anticipated geographic
reach and timetable.

•

List the name, position/title, telephone number, and email address of your Poetry
Out Loud coordinator. If program coordination is contracted out, list both the
contractor's information and the name of the main SAA supervisor/contact.

•

For more information about running a statewide Poetry Out Loud program, see
Poetry Out Loud State Partnership Agreement Information.

b. As relevant, include any significant updates about your organization’s Arts Education
and/or Folk & Traditional Arts activities (*available NEA funds vary depending on
details provided).

Attachment Button 4: Strategic Plan
ON-YEAR APPLICANTS: Required
OFF-YEAR APPLICANTS: Leave this attachment button blank.
To this button, ON-YEAR applicants should attach a single file that includes the two items
below. The file name should include the name of your organization or a recognizable acronym
followed by "Plan." Label each page clearly with your organization's legal name and "Strategic
Plan."
1. The Strategic Plan document. The plan should convey your organization’s mission, vision,
goals, objectives, major strategies, and evaluation plans. If your organization has just
completed a new plan, and your accomplishments relate to an earlier plan, attach the
new plan here. You will have an opportunity to link to the former plan in your narrative.
2. If you have an organization work plan or program implementation plan developed to
complement your Strategic Plan, provide a link.

Attachment Button 5: Changes in Conflict of Interest/Appeals
ALL APPLICANTS: If applicable, as explained below.
If applicable, to this button attach your Changes in Conflict of Interest/Appeals document.
Submit this item only if there has been a change in your conflict of interest policies or appeals
process since you last applied for a Partnership Agreement. The file name should include the
name of your organization or a recognizable acronym followed by "Changes." Label each page
clearly with your organization's legal name and "Changes in Conflict of Interest/Appeals."
LEAVE ALL FOLLOWING ATTACHMENT BUTTONS BLANK.
14| P a g e

Partnership Agreements: State Arts Agencies
FY24 Application Instructions

Step 4: Submit items electronically through Grants.gov
Be certain that you are satisfied with your application before you click submit. No revisions are
possible through Grants.gov once submitted. After submission, the only way to update items
in your application is to create a new application. The NEA will only review your most
recently submitted application.
We strongly suggest that you submit your application well before the deadline to provide ample
time to resolve any problems you might encounter.
1. Check the size of your electronic application. The total size should not exceed 10 MB.
2. Navigate to the Forms tab on the Manage Workspace page:
•

Once the forms are filled out and the Form Status column says "Passed," they will be
ready for submission.
o Important note: The status “Forms Passed” does NOT indicate that your
application has been submitted, only that your forms have been filled out. You
still need to click the Sign and Submit button after receiving the “Forms Passed”
status. For more information, review the Forms Tab help article.

•

Click Complete and Notify AOR, which will notify the user(s) with the AOR role that
the workspace is ready to submit.

The AOR must click Sign and Submit to submit the application. Detailed instructions
can be found here.
After the AOR submits the application, they will see a confirmation screen explaining
that the submission is being processed. Take a screenshot and retain the Grants.gov
Tracking Number that you receive in the application submission confirmation screen.
•

3. Verify that the application was validated by the Grants.gov system. Take a screenshot
of the validation confirmation for your records.
You can track the progress of your application submission through Grants.gov in one of
three ways:
• Check the progress bar in Workspace. When your application has been successfully
received, the bar will be green, and a check mark will appear in each bubble.
• When logged in to Grants.gov, click the Check Application Status link under the
Applicants drop-down menu and search for the submitted application.
• When not logged in to Grants.gov, go to Track My Application and enter your
Grants.gov Tracking Number. Then click the Track button to see the status listings of
the valid tracking number entered. This function will only work if you have a tracking
number.
For more information about checking Grants.gov application status and a complete list of
statuses, see here.

15| P a g e

Partnership Agreements: State Arts Agencies
FY24 Application Instructions

Updates
By December 1, 2023, ON-YEAR applicants have the option of submitting an update (up to one
page) on any significant developments affecting the SAA subsequent to submitting the
application. Updates should focus only on information relevant to application review, such as
changes to the organization operating environment, budget, key leadership/staff, strategic
planning, and notable accomplishments. Email updates to: [email protected].
REMINDER:
Following the notification of funding offers (anticipated to be April 2024), all applicants must
complete and submit a Partnership Agreement Budget for NEA review. Instructions and
deadlines will be provided with the notification of funding.

Additional Help
For additional help on how to use Grants.gov, see the Grants.gov website at Support. You also
can send email to the Grants.gov Contact Center at [email protected] or call them at 1-800518-4726, 24 hours a day, and 7 days a week.
For specific help on how to complete your application, review the instructions in these
guidelines or contact:
• Lara Holman Garritano at [email protected] or 202-682-5586
For questions specific to Folk Arts Partnership, contact:
• Cheryl Schiele at [email protected] or 202-682-5587 or
• Clifford Murphy at [email protected] or 202-682-5726
For questions specific to Arts Education, contact:
• Nancy Daugherty at [email protected], or 202-682-5521
For questions specific to Poetry Out Loud, contact:
• Lauren Miller at [email protected], or 202-682-5490
For questions specific to Accessibility, contact:
• Katharine Hayward at [email protected], or 202-682-5748
For Access for individuals with disabilities:
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. 3135-0012 Expires TBD
16| P a g e

Partnership Agreements: State Arts Agencies
FY24 Application Instructions

17| P a g e