Frequently Asked QuestionsThis annual grant application cycle is for nonprofit organizations, communities and schools; see eligibility requirements in the Guide to Grants for Organizations and Schools. A separate cycle for grants and programs for artists takes place later in the fall (Artists Guide to Programs). You should review the Guide to Grants for Organizations and Schools to become familiar with our process and grant categories. Please note that the EGOR online grant application replaces previous paper applications. EGOR does not include all information in the Guide to Grants for Organizations and Schools; be sure you review the Guide before beginning an application in EGOR. The minimum grant in all categories is $750, the minimum eligible fee for any application is $1,500. Review the eligibility/funding scale for each grant type to determine your eligible fees. The online submission deadline for all applications is Thursday, March 20, 2008. Only online applications will be accepted. See Application Deadlines in the Guide to Grants for Organizations and Schools for more information. Is a letter of intent required before I apply? top
For General Operating Support, how do I know what to submit this year? top Beginning in 2007, all organizations which received GOS funding in the last two consecutive years will now apply on a staggered two-year cycle (submitting a full application one year, and an alternate-year application with less information required in the alternate year). We have divided the organizations so that approximately half will submit a full application and be reviewed by a panel this year, and the other half will be reviewed next year. For a list of what you need to submit this year, click here. If you have not received GOS funding in the past two years, you must submit a full application. If you are changing categories this year, you must submit a letter of intent and must submit a full application. If you don’t appear on the list or have a question, call (602) 771-6501. Can I request a grant for artists that aren’t on the Commission’s Residency Roster? top Yes. For all artists you do need to send appropriate material to represent their artistic quality (resume, slides, video, etc.) Can I request a grant for artists from outside Arizona? top Yes. You do need to send appropriate material to represent their artistic quality (resume, slides, video, etc.) Can I charge admission for events that are supported with a Commission grant? top Yes. Earned income is often a vital part of a diverse and healthy budget, along with contributions. At the same time charges should be reasonable and allow the broadest range of individuals to participate. Strategies can be developed for free days at a museum, pay as you will at designated performances or special arrangements for classes. Figuring Out What Kind of Grant To Write What can I request funding for? top Grants are based on eligible fees - these are the types of costs the Commission can pay for, and usually eligible fees have to be matched a minimum of one-to-one - so you cannot receive more than half of the total eligible fees in your application. Under each category, read the details of eligible fees and maximum request amounts. In general, our grants fall into four categories. We purposely keep our categories flexible so that you can design a project with one or more guest artists, consultants or artwork that meets your specific organization’s or community’s needs or, for general operating support, use funds for ongoing organization operations. The Commission offers four grant types to organizations and schools:
What if I am looking for assistance for something other than guests, artists or general operations? top The Commission also offers a number of "Quick Turnaround Grants" to meet other needs. These are offered year-round with no application deadline. (Note: Due to limited funding, not all grant types may be available -- call for current information.) They include:
We also encourage you to contact other local, state, regional and national funders whose support areas and criteria may be different than the Commission’s. Start with your local arts council or commission. What does the Commission not fund? top See the Guide to Grants for Organizations and Schools for a list of things the Commission does not fund. Using EGOR/Electronic Grants Online Resource Fiscal Sponsors top If you will be using a Fiscal Sponsor because:
If you are using a Fiscal Sponsor, you must submit a letter signed by an authorized official of your Fiscal Sponsor organization agreeing to receive any grant funds on your behalf for this project, distribute them to your organization, and maintain appropriate financial records. How can a government agency, city or university with multiple departments use EGOR? top Each individual department (also known as sub-agency) should complete their own Organization Profile. You will be asked for a 3-digit Suffix in addition to the “parent” organizations EIN#. If you are a university or state agency, this is a pre-determined number. If you are a municipal agency or department, we will assign you a number. Either way, contact Ginny Berryhill at gberryhill@azarts.gov to confirm or receive your Suffix. The Commission is not responsible for ensuring that an organization’s internal controls on who can submit an application are met. If you have restrictions in your organization, please communicate internally before your applications are submitted. You do not have to create a new profile each year.What if EGOR won’t allow me create a Profile? top Call the EGOR Help Desk at (602) 771-6501; there may already be a profile created for your organization. Can more than one person work on an Organization Profile? What if someone overwrites the organization’s information? top Yes. It is the organization’s responsibility to coordinate the input of information on EGOR, just as you would coordinate the pieces of a paper application. What information carries over from application to application so I don’t need to retype it? top
What information carries over year to year? top
Mission Statements. For a college, university or municipal department, which mission statement should be used: the parent entity, or the specific school, agency or department’s? top Use the mission statement that is closest to your programming and planning. If your program has an informal mission statement but the parent organization has an overarching formal mission statement – use the informal one that guides your arts program. When should I complete my Organization Profile? top You should complete this as soon as possible, once you think you might be submitting an application. It doesn’t obligate you to apply, and makes sure we have current information to contact you about all kinds of Commission information! When should I update my Organization Profile? top As soon as ANY piece of information changes! You can update this anytime during the year. If a contact person, email, phone number or address changes, please update your Profile immediately so that we can send information (electronically or by mail) to you. What is the unique identifier for my Organization in the system? top The EIN is the unique identifier; not the email, or username, or password. There are two cases where multiple organizations will use the same EIN: Public Schools that use their district number; and State Universities/Agencies that use the main state number. These organizations will add a 3-digit suffix to the EIN to be their unique identifier. Public Schools use their CTDS number; State Agencies/Departments should call (602) 771-6501 to be assigned a unique 3-digit suffix. Completing Your Online Application - Narrative What are the format requirements? top Working in EGOR, you will be given instructions for the format and length of your answers. How long should the narrative section be? top Within EGOR, you will be notified the maximum character count (and how this computes to an approximate word count) for narrative sections. We HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you draft your narrative responses using your own word processing software, edit and proof it, and then cut and paste them into EGOR. What if my text is too long? top EGOR will alert you if your text is too long. If you don’t edit it, EGOR will accept your text but text exceeding the overall limit will be cut off, and not included in panelist books. How can I just complete part of a page on EGOR and come back to it later, or move to another page? top EGOR has a “fail-safe” built into it to help ensure you can’t submit an incomplete application. Therefore, you must have information in each required field before EGOR will allow you to save and move on.If you make your own choice to put “dummy” information into a field so that you can progress through EGOR, you must remember to go back and update it with complete, accurate information before you submit your application. Can I work on multiple applications at once (such as a Project and a General Operating Support grant)? top Yes. Once you’re logged in, you can work on multiple applications. Minimize and maximize the pages as you’re working on them if you want to move back and forth. Just be sure to regularly SAVE your work in both! Can more than one person work on our application at once (such as one person doing the narrative, someone else doing the budget?) top Yes. If you both have the login information you can work in different sections. We recommend caution, however; if you accidentally work on the same section, you can save and overwrite the other person’s work. Communicate and know who’s working on what! What information carries over from application to application so I don’t need to retype it? top
What information carries over year to year? top
Can I cut and paste artist and staff bio information? top Yes, any text answers can be cut and pasted from a Word document, a website, etc., and pasted into the EGOR box.Completing Your Online Application - Budget Which budget form(s) do I need to send in? top Online budget forms are provided for each grant type. How can I print out a blank sample of the budget forms, so I can put the necessary information together before starting to fill out the online application? top Start the appropriate type of grant application. Go to the orange “P/Preview” button at the bottom. This will open up a blank PDF of the application form. You can then use this as your template, or pass it on to your financial person or treasurer to complete by hand. When you have all the information, go back into EGOR and type in the figures. What fiscal year should I use in what column on the three-year budget? top
FY 2007
FY2008
FY2009 Regardless of your fiscal year start and end date, the year you are CURRENTLY in at the time of your application (March 2008) goes in the middle column with your best estimates for what your income and expenses will be. Your most recently completed fiscal year goes in the left hand column, with actual figures; and realistic projections for your next fiscal year go in the right hand column. Be realistic in your projection. Radically inflating or underestimating either expenses or revenue can adversely affect your grant amount, and the overall grantmaking of the Commission. The Commission’s fiscal year (July 1-June 30) is different than my organization’s fiscal year. What impact does this have? top For Project, Arts Learning and Arts Link to Tourism and the Economy grants, there is no impact. For GOS grants, this can impact your grant amount. The very first year you apply for and receive GOS funds, you will be asked by the Commission to select a “base” year. This is the year for which your income will be used to determine your grant amount. Every year after, we’ll use the next chronological fiscal year.Because your year is different, you will be able to choose your “base” year as either the one that’s already been completed (and shows up in your three-year budget as Past Fiscal Year) OR the year you’re currently in the middle of (which shows up in your three-year budget as Current Fiscal Year). How should you choose? If you’re like many organizations, your income is staying the same or growing some each year. You may also experience cash flow issues. Both of these dynamics should be considered when selecting your “base” year. If you select an already-completed fiscal year as your “base,” you may have had less operating income than in the year you’re in the midst of, so your grant award may be smaller. If you select the year you’re still in the middle of, but anticipate greater receipts, your grant award may be higher.However, grant payments are based on our receipt of financial statements after your fiscal year has ended. If you use an already-completed period as your “base” year, you may be able to submit your statements and get your grant payment earlier. If you need to wait some months to complete your fiscal year and finalize financial statements, it will be a longer wait to get your grant check. So, think about which will be a more healthy decision for your organization and its ability to deliver public programs. Perhaps a smaller grant award, but earlier … or a larger grant award, but later. It is your choice and as always, will be based on your actual (not projected) income. Electronically Submitting Your Application All applications must be submitted through EGOR, the Commission’s Electronic Grant Online Resource www.culturegrants-az.org. Grant applications themselves will not be accepted by mail or fax; only through complete, online submissions. You do not need to send a hard copy of your EGOR application. Many grant categories require that supplementary materials (such as audio-visual work samples, programming lists, staff lists, etc.), documents (Word, Excel and PDF files) are to be uploaded and submitted electronically with your application. A/V materials, strategic plans (for GOS III applicants), and letters from fiscal sponsors (if applicable) must be submitted by mail. These must be accompanied by an EGOR Supplementary Materials Cover Sheet (generated when you finish your application in EGOR), and postmarked by Thursday, March 20, 2008. You will submit your application electronically through EGOR (www.culturegrants-az.org) using an internet connection. No. Faxed applications will not be processed. Can I mail or hand deliver my application? top No. Paper applications will not be processed. Do I mail a hard copy of the EGOR application? top No. However, some grant categories require that supplementary materials be mailed in, postmarked by March 20, 2008, to: Arizona Commission on the Arts, 417 W. Roosevelt St., Phoenix, AZ, 85003-1326. What’s the absolute latest deadline I can get my application in? top Your application must be submitted online, through EGOR, by March 20, 2008, at midnight. We highly recommend early submission; if you have a computer or Internet problem on your end, we are not responsible for your missing the application deadline. What happens if I miss the deadline? top The system will stop accepting applications once the deadline passes and you will not be able to submit. How can I avoid common errors that would put my application at risk? top
What is the maximum number of grants I can apply for? top
Arizona ArtShare Working Capital Reserves Program Grants do not count toward the maximum number of applications. Storing and Viewing Your Application If my application isn't funded, will my information stay in the system? top Yes. Your Organization Profile stays permanently active. Your application can be accessed anytime to view or print out. How can I find out the status of my application? top Log into EGOR. Next to your application title and number a status will be listed;
Grant applications themselves will not be accepted by mail or fax; only through complete, online submissions. Do not send us a hard copy of your EGOR application. Many grant categories require that supplementary materials (such as audio-visual work samples, programming lists, staff lists, etc.), documents (Word, Excel and PDF files) are to be uploaded and submitted electronically with your application. A/V materials, strategic plans (for GOS III applicants), and letters from fiscal sponsors (if applicable) must be submitted by mail. These must be accompanied by an EGOR Supplementary Materials Cover Sheet (generated when you finish your application in EGOR), and postmarked by Thursday, March 20, 2008. Each year, panelists tell us they are frustrated by receiving only promotional material that doesn’t allow them to see/hear the artistic quality of the organization; material that doesn’t reflect artistic programming that connects to the organization’s mission; and material that doesn’t connect to the guest artists named in the application. Please keep these warnings in mind when you think about what to submit, and do not submit a promotional tape or samples that are different than what your performances/exhibitions/programs are normally like. General information on supplementary materials: top IRS 501(c)(3) letter - required only for first-time applicants. This is a letter from the Internal Revenue Service granting your organization or your designated fiscal sponsor 501(c)(3) status. It is NOT the letter assigning you a Federal Tax ID Number. Public schools and units of government do not need to submit this. What A/V Materials are required? top See Supplementary Materials instructions in the Guide to Grants for Organizations and Schools and review your grant type for what a/v materials you should provide. Go through the appropriate checklist to make sure you’ve included everything. I am a GOS III or Basic/Locals Aid organization, on a two-year funding cycle. How can I find out what materials I need to send in this year? top ALL GOS categories are now on a two-year staggered application cycle, with a full application due one year and an alternate-year application with limited information due the next. To find out what type of application you must submit this year, click here. When will we be notified if our application is accepted or not? top Project Grant, General Operating Support Grant, and Arts Link to Tourism and the Economy Grant applicants will be mailed notification on July 1, 2008. Arts Learning Project Grant applications will be mailed notification after August 10, 2008. How much money is granted? What are the grant sizes? top Project grants generally range from $750 to $5,500 (since grants must be matched at least $750, your eligible fees must total at least $1,500.) Arts Learning project grants generally range from $750 to $3,500. General operating support grants generally range from 2 to 10% of the organization’s annual cash operating income, with caps on the maximum grant amount. Arts Link to Tourism and the Economy Grants are a maximum of $10,000. Because limited funding is available, grant awards are in most cases less than the full amount requested. Most grants have matching funds requirements; read the information for your category carefully. The total amount of funding available for 2008-2009 is dependent on the level of funding from the State and the National Endowment for the Arts. For 2006-2007, the Commission awarded $2,983,892 in grants through this process. What percentage of applications get funded? top Although it varies slightly year to year, in recent years 80 to 85% of applications have been funded. Most do not receive the full amount requested, due to the amount of requests being much higher than funds available; in fact, less than 50% of the total amount requested through this process is funded. Because of constraints on state funding, we recommend you focus on one or two strong applications, and request the maximum you are eligible for, but expect that applications funded will be less than the maximum. How can I confirm that my application has been received? top EGOR will immediately and automatically send you an email confirming that your application has been received. If you do not receive a confirmation email, contact the Commission immediately at (602) 771-6501. What is the procedure for when applications are coming in? Where do they go? top After an application has been submitted though EGOR, it will be assigned to the appropriate panel for review. (Arts Learning Project Grant requests of $2,000 and under will be reviewed through a staff process, not at the panel meeting. These recommendations, along with panel recommendations for larger requests, will ultimately go to the full Commission for decision.) The appropriate program director reviews the application for eligibility and for eligible fees (in some categories with special eligible fees, EGOR’s calculation of your maximum possible grant may be revised by staff). If your application is incomplete or has errors, we are not able to contact you to submit missing or corrected material. If an application appears to be ineligible, staff contacts the applicant. Applications are copied and each panelist receives a notebook with all the applications for their panel. They are also assigned as ‘lead panelist’ for a number of applications; they will be the initial speaker when this application is reviewed. They may contact the applicant if they have questions on the application and, for applicants that are new or have had organization or programmatic changes, may do a site visit to the applicant. Panels meet for one day (or a portion of one day) on May 12-16, 2008 to discuss and rate applications. Their ratings go to the full Commission for review and action on June 19, 2008. Can I attend the panel review meetings? When and where are they? top Yes, they are open to the public. You may attend, but may not address the panel or submit additional material. Click here www.azarts.gov for a list of panel meetings and dates/locations. Each begins with a group orientation for all panelists at 9 a.m.; panels then break to their separate meeting rooms and begin at approximately 9:45 a.m. Some panels run most of the day; some with smaller numbers of applications end much earlier. Please confirm with us ahead of time so that we can inform you of the correct meeting time. You can also find out in what order applications will be reviewed; they are not always reviewed alphabetically A-Z in order to keep equity in the system. The Commission meets on June 19, 2008 to discuss individual panel recommendations and make final decisions on grant awards. This is also open to the public and, again, you may not address the Commission or submit additional information. They begin with a regular business meeting at 9:00 a.m.; we anticipate that grant discussion will begin somewhere between 9:45-11:00am; it will depend on the length of their business meeting. To assist you in understanding what makes a strong grant application, we have a selection of grant applications from the last round which were ranked "High" by their respective review panel. We offer these not as models of programs which you should attempt to re-create, but because they are, overall
What if my organization is not incorporated?
top If you are using a Fiscal Sponsor, you must submit a letter signed by an authorized official of your Fiscal Sponsor organization agreeing to receive any grant funds on your behalf for this project, distribute them to your organization, and maintain appropriate financial records. Both the fiscal sponsor, and the organization they sponsor, should be aware of their mutual obligations and responsibilities. For more information, call (602) 771-6520. Is EGOR compatible with a Macintosh? top Yes, EGOR is both PC and Mac compatible. Please refer to Tech Tips regarding operating systems and browsers. What is the best way to obtain technical help with EGOR? top If you are not on a dial-up connection, call us on the phone while you are still having the problem. If you are on a dial-up connection and have a cell phone, call us on your cell phone. We have the ability to simultaneously view any part of your EGOR application while it is in progress in order to assess what difficulties you may be having at a given moment. If you have only one phone line for both your computer and telephone, make a note of the exact problem you are experiencing. You may wish to print the screen in which the problem is occurring. E-mail or call ACA explaining the problem. I submitted my application by mistake (or I need to make a major change to some of the information). What can I do? top If it is before the deadline date, call the EGOR Help Desk at (602) 771-6528. Corrections and/or changes cannot be made after the deadline has passed! I submitted a draft of my application two days ago. I received an e-mail saying it was received but have yet to receive any feedback. When can I expect it? top When an application is submitted as a draft it is forwarded within 24 hours to the appropriate program director for review. Drafts are always reviewed by staff on a first-come, first-served basis. The earlier you submit a draft, the quicker it will be reviewed. It is quite possible that a single program coordinator may receive several dozen draft applications on the last day they can be submitted. In most cases, a draft takes 1 - 2 weeks for review. You may continue to work on your application while the draft is being reviewed by staff. Do I need to mail a set of support materials with my draft? top No, please do not send support materials with your draft. They will not be reviewed, they will not be returned, and they cannot be held until your final application is due. May I send my support materials as file attachments to my on-line application? top No, not at this time. Why do you ask for my organization’s URL (web address)? top The Commission encourages all applicants and grantees to maintain a web presence. Research indicates that an ever-increasing number of individuals now use the Internet as their first contact to arts organizations/events. A well-designed website can be an organization’s most valuable marketing asset. Although a web site is by no means mandatory for applying for a grant, panelists will be encouraged to explore applicants’ web sites to become familiar with the organization and how it presents itself to the public. What if my organization doesn't have a board? top If your organization does not have a board, do not list one. For more information on how to create a board, visit www.azarts.gov/orgeffectiveness/board.htm What if my program or department has a board or advisory committee, and my larger city/university/organization has another board? top If your program or department has a board or advisory committee, use that list. For more information on boards, visit www.azarts.gov/orgeffectiveness/board.htm
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