Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network Community Arts Engagement Subgranting Program Evaluation Forms
Revision of a currently approved collection
No
Regular
Approved without change
08/05/2025
06/26/2025
table that charts list comparision
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
08/31/2028
36 Months From Approved
10/31/2025
1,068
0
1,060
265
0
199
0
0
0
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Office of Research and Analysis (ORA) requests information collection for an independent mixed-methods evaluation of the Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network (Creative Forces) Community Engagement Grant Program. This is a new request for a revision of a current collection, requesting approval for data collection for two grantee cohorts (FY2026 and FY 2027) between July 2025 and July 2027.
Creative Forces is an initiative of the NEA in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs that seeks to improve the health, well-being, and quality of life for military and veteran populations exposed to trauma, and for their families and caregivers through clinical and non-clinical programs (https://www.arts.gov/initiatives/creative-forces). Creative Forces is funded through Congressional appropriation. The Congressional Committee on Appropriation âsupports the NEAâs continued efforts to expand upon this successful program to embed Creative Arts Therapies at the core of integrative care efforts in clinical settings, advance collaboration among clinical and community arts providers to support wellness and reintegration efforts for affected families, and advance research to improve our understanding of impacts of these interventions in both clinical and community settings.â
The Creative Forces Community Engagement (CFCE) grant program was announced in 2020 and launched in 2022, in partnership with the Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA), to support community-based arts programs and activities and expand the reach of Creative Forces nationwide. Since then, more than 100 CFCE grants, ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 in matched funding, have been awarded to eligible organizations nationwide. CFCE grants are intended to support non-clinical arts engagement programs taking place in healthcare, community, or virtual settings. These grants support community programs in a range of arts activities, including visual, written, and performing arts offered through single events, drop-in programs, and ongoing engagement led by artists in residence, teaching artists, or creative arts therapists.
The purpose of the evaluation of CFCE is to assess program implementation, document the effect of the program on participants and grantees, and identify best and promising practices for CFCE and other community arts engagement programs for military-connected populations. Evaluation results will provide actionable evidence to support current and future iterations of the grant program and CFCE grantees.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Instrument 6 – Grant Leadership Interview Protocol