Background

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), as part of the nation’s arts and cultural ecosystem, supports diverse opportunities for arts participation in communities across the United States and its jurisdictions so that all people can live more artful lives. “Artful lives” is an inclusive concept encompassing everything from the creation and presentation of art by trained artists and public engagement with this art, to the way the arts are a part of our everyday lives through making, doing, teaching, and learning.

Despite these efforts, historically underserved communities with rich and dynamic cultural identities continue to have lower arts participation rates than other groups. Participation in and engagement with the arts is essential to our individual well-being, the well-being of communities, and to our local economies.

Grant Opportunity

To better understand these dynamics and address the disparities in arts participation, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in partnership with South Arts and in collaboration with the other five U.S. Regional Arts Organizations (USRAOs), is launching the ArtsHERE pilot grant program. 

ArtsHERE will invest in a range of projects from eligible organizations throughout arts and cultural ecosystems that have demonstrated a commitment to equity within their practices and programming. Examples of commitment to equity include the following: programming that is reflective of the community they serve, planning activities that are inclusive of diverse voices, etc., and have undertaken consistent engagement with underserved groups/communities that have rich and inspiring artistic and cultural contributions to share.

For the purpose of these funding guidelines, “underserved group/community” refers to those whose opportunities to experience the arts have been limited by factors such as geography, race/ethnicity, economics and/or disability. At least one of these characteristics must be evident in the proposed project. Age alone (e.g., youth, seniors) does not qualify a group as underserved. 

The intent of ArtsHERE is to strengthen the capacity of organizations that are already engaging with underserved groups/communities to boost arts participation, learn from their experiences in undertaking this work, and connect these organizations to each other and to other relevant entities through technical assistance and peer-learning opportunities intended to bolster, amplify, and extend effective strategies and ways of working. In the long-term, investments made through the ArtsHERE program will build grantees’ capacity to sustain meaningful community engagement, and increase arts participation for underserved groups/communities.

Projects

Why apply for an ArtsHERE grant? 

ArtsHERE grantees will benefit from:

• Investment: Non-matching, project-based grants ranging from $65,000 to $130,000 each will be awarded to approximately 95 eligible organizations across the country.Applicants must provide evidence of their commitment to equity within their practices and programming as well as demonstrate previous experience of successful engagement with underserved groups/communities. We welcome applications from organizations that are diverse in terms of geography, scale of operations, and focus of arts programming; as well as organizations that work at the intersection of the arts and other domains (such as community development, health/well-being, climate/environment, or economic development).Applicants should propose a specific project that will strengthen and sustain the organization’s capacity for robust community engagement, as well as support strategies to increase arts participation for underserved groups/communities. Grants are also intended to help organizations better understand their communities and to approach their operations and programming in ways that will expand their reach. Allowable project costs and activities may include one or more of the following:
  • Organizational needs assessment and/or equity planning assessments; 
  • Strategic planning or logic model development and/or implementation; 
  • Staff development or leadership training (such as cultural competency training for staff and/or those who develop and implement programming); 
  • Stakeholder and community engagement activities; 
  • Field or community research that will help organizations to better document their commitment to equity as evidenced within their practices and programming and relationship with their communities;
  • Promotion and marketing activities; 
  • Translation services to allow individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) to participate in programmatic activities; and 
  • Salary, allowable expenses, consulting, and contracting fees for related project activities.

   

• Learning: ArtsHERE offers grantees additional resources and assistance beyond grant funds. Grantee leadership and staff will participate in technical assistance and peer-learning communities with other ArtsHERE grantees for knowledge-sharing, network-building, peer-based learning, and many other offerings. Learning opportunities to be provided are monthly cohort sessions (1.5-2 hrs per month), one-on-one meetings (30-60 min per month) with their assigned coach, and workshops with topic-based experts (1.5 hrs provided quarterly).Required Participation:
  • 1:1’s required for the first 6 months of the program, as needed in the last 6 months of the program
  • Mandatory monthly meetings
  • Topic-based expert workshops mandatory w/optional 1:1s w/facilitator (as provided)
  • Mandatory monthly completion of evaluations/surveys
• Evaluation: As a pilot program, ArtsHERE will be documented and evaluated by the National Endowment for the Arts to better understand the project activities supported through this program and how grantees approached the work. The evaluation will result in a summary of lessons learned and may inform the future of the ArtsHERE program. Reporting on grant activities, including annual progress and final reports, and completing forms or surveys intended to collect information or feedback that can inform ArtsHERE services will be required of all grantees. At the time of award, grantees will receive detailed information about optional evaluation activities that they may opt-in or out of at any time. A consent notice will be provided in the application. 

Application Calendar

Part 1-Statement of Interest

• November 15, 2023 12:01 AM GO Smart opens
• November 30, 2023 2:00 PM Webinar: “ArtsHERE Overview & Preparing for Part I Statement of Interest.”
  Register for the Webinar
• January 19, 2024 11:59 PM Statement of interest deadline
• March 1, 2024 All organizations will be notified by email about the status of their application. Invitations to submit a full application will be sent by email.

Part 2-Submit Full Application (By Invitation)

• March 8, 2024 12:01 AM GO Smart opens
• April 19, 2024 11:59 PM GO Smart deadline
• Spring-Summer 2024 Peer panels review applications
• August 2024 Earliest announcement of grant award or rejection
• October 1, 2024 Earliest beginning date for proposed project

Eligibility

The following are eligible to apply:

• Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organizations;
• Federally recognized tribal communities or tribes; or
• Non-federally recognized tribal communities or tribes that are also nonprofit, tax exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organizations.

Applicants from the nation’s 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. jurisdictions are eligible to apply.

The applicant organization must have programs or services centered in arts and/or cultural activities. 

Prior to January 19, 2024, the applicant organization must have completed a three-year history of arts and/or cultural programming.

• For eligibility purposes, “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 arts programming it carried out while part of that institution for its three-year history.

All applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier through the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) for the grant to be made.

The following are not eligible to apply:

• Individuals;
• Applications through a fiscal sponsor/agent (an organization must apply directly on its own behalf and cannot act as a pass-through entity);
• Federal agencies or local departments of federal agencies;
• For-profit entities;
• Units of state or local government;
• Colleges or universities; or
• Individual educational preschools, K-12 schools, or private K-12 institutions. 
• Organizations that have had their IRS status revoked are not eligible to apply for a grant. Tax-exempt status must be current at the time of application.

Late or incomplete applications are considered ineligible, and will not be considered for funding. 

Application Limits

An organization may submit only one application for an ArtsHERE grant.

Period of Performance

Our support of a project can begin no sooner than October 1, 2024 and must end not later than June 30, 2026. Grantees must complete all project activities within the Period of Performance. Grantees are expected to participate in the cohort throughout the entire Period of Performance.

Grant Amounts

Grants range from $65,000 to $130,000 each. Grants do not require a cost share/match from the grantee. 

Panelists will evaluate applications based on the review criteria, which includes the applicant’s ability to carry out the project. To that end, keep your organization’s size and internal capacity in mind when deciding how much to request. Selecting a grant amount is solely the decision of the applicant. 

South Arts reserves the right to limit support of a project to a particular portion(s) or cost(s).

The activities and costs listed below are not allowable and should not be included as part of your project or budget. For a full list of unallowable activities and costs, please see here.

• General operating or seasonal support.
• Direct grants to individuals. 
• Social activities such as receptions, parties, galas.
• 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. 
• Subgranting or regranting.
• 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. 
• 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 Arts, 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.
• Research involving human subjects, unless approved by South Arts in advance of the research being conducted.

Application Review

ArtsHERE will use a two-part application process to minimize the applicant burden of a single, lengthy application. See “How to Apply” below for more details of application process

• Part 1-Submit Statement of Interest: Applicants must submit a statement of interest. 
• Part 2-Submit Full Application (By Invitation): Applicants will complete the application by invitation.  

See How to Apply for more details.

Artistic excellence and artistic merit are the primary criteria which will be considered by screeners and panelists during the review of statements of interest (Part 1), and in applications (Part 2).

For the purposes of ArtsHERE, artistic excellence, and artistic merit can be understood as the organization’s use of the arts in any discipline as a core component of consistently engaging its community or serving and/or reaching individuals whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by race/ethnicity, economics, geography, or disability. Artistic excellent and artistic merit are evidenced through these primary review criteria:

• Organizational Capacity and Capacity-Building Project
• Alignment with ArtsHERE Commitment to Equity  
• Engagement with Historically Underserved Communities

Secondary Review Criteria

The secondary review criteria listed below will be used to ensure that a diverse group of organizations are selected and funded through ArtsHERE.  

• geographic location  
• artistic disciplines  
• cultural traditions  
• operational scale  
• arts/cultural programming  
• organizational budget sizes.  

*For the purpose of application review, “underserved group/community” refers to those whose opportunities to experience the arts have been limited by factors such as geography, race/ethnicity, economics, or disability.

For each review criterion, panelists will assign a numeric score based upon the following rubric:

• Strongly Agree (21 – 25 points): Strongly achieves the stated criteria. Meets all review criteria
  requirements to the highest degree. Responses are highly relevant and lead to a comprehensive understanding of the project.
• Somewhat Agree (16 – 20 points): Adequately achieves the stated criteria. Meets the review criteria requirements to some degree. Responses are relevant and lead to a clear understanding of the project.
• Agree (11– 15 points): Moderately achieves the stated criteria. Meets at least two of the review requirements. Responses are general and provide a basic overview of the project. 
• Somewhat Disagree (6 – 10 points): Minimally achieves the stated criteria. Meets at least one of the review requirements. Responses are unclear. 
• Strongly Disagree (1 – 5 points): Does not achieve the stated criteria. Does not meet the review requirements. Responses are unclear.

Applicant Feedback

Applicant feedback is not available for Part I, however, applicants can request feedback for Part II. To request copies of panelist scores and comments, contact the ArtsHERE program staff at the U.S. Regional Arts Organization within which you reside.

How to Apply

Please see the ArtsHERE Steps to Apply for detailed instructions that will walk you through the application process. 

Before you get started, though, please carefully read the following:

ArtsHERE will use a two-part application process to minimize the applicant burden of a single, lengthy application.

• Part 1-Submit Statement of Interest: Applicants must submit a statement of interest consisting of brief responses to a series of questions. Applicants must submit a statement of interest. RAO staff will review the responses to determine if an application is eligible and complete; then independent screeners will determine if the statement of interest aligns with the goals and objectives of the ArtsHERE program. All applicants who submit a statement of interest will receive an update in March 2024. A select number of applicants will be invited to submit a full application. 
• Part 2-Submit Full Application (By Invitation): Organizations that are invited to submit a full application will prepare a detailed narrative describing their proposed project, provide a project budget, and upload supporting documents which will be reviewed by a peer panel. 

All applications must be submitted electronically (both Part 1 and Part 2) using the GO Smart Grants Management System Portal (“GO Smart”). Applicants must set up a profile within the GO Smart system before completing the application. 

While it is not required at the time of application, your organization must have a Unique Entity Identifier, also known as a “UEI, before any grant funds can be received. In order to avoid any project delays, applicants are encouraged to obtain the UEI as soon as possible. The UEI is a 12-character alpha numeric value that will be assigned by the System for Award Managment (SAM) for free. You are not required to have a full SAM.gov registration. The information required for getting a Unique Entity ID without registration is minimal. It only validates your organization’s legal business name and address.

If you have questions about SAM registration or obtaining a UEI, contact the SAM Federal Service Desk. Call 1-866-606-8220 or see the information posted on the SAM website at SAM Help.

Other Questions?

Please visit our Contact Us section for your Regional Arts Organization’s program contact information.

Award Administration

If selected, the organization must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) from SAM.gov before an award can be made. Regardless of where an applicant organization is located, grants will be awarded and administered by South Arts. Additionally, the organization will enter into a grant agreement with South Arts. The agreement will outline the terms and conditions, including Federal regulations as well as project and crediting requirements of the ArtsHERE program award. 

Grantees must comply with all requirements as stipulated in the grant agreement, including, but not limited to the following:

• Grantees are required to carry out activities consistent with the original application as approved for funding.
• Changes to funded activities must be proposed in advance and require prior written approval from South Arts. Requests for changes are considered on a case-by-case basis; approval is not guaranteed.
• Participate in any ArtsHERE Capacity Building and Technical Assistance cohort meetings and convenings. This may include, but is not limited to, peer-to-peer mentorship opportunities, as well as data evaluation and logic model workshops. Travel support will be provided by South Arts. 
• Utilize/complete surveys developed and provided as part of the grant program.
• Use of the South Arts and NEA logos/wordmarks, laid out in the ArtsHERE Branding Guide, on all printed, electronic materials, and websites (program, catalogs, postcards, posters, newsletters, leaflets, publication, etc.) that specifically reference the project.
• Complete an online final report form summarizing grant-funded activities and accomplishments at the end of the period of performance. 
• Grantees will submit financial reports to document use of funds on allowable activities and costs. 

ArtsHERE is a federally funded grant program, managed by South Arts, on behalf of the National Endowment for the Arts. In addition to South Arts Terms and Conditions, there are national policy and other legal requirements, statutes, and regulations that govern your grant award.  

Project Reporting and Evaluation

Before applying, review the ArtsHERE reporting requirements. A progress report must be submitted at the end of the first year, followed by a Final Descriptive Report within 30 days of the end of the grant period of performance. If you have any questions, contact staff at the U.S. Regional Arts Organization within which you reside before applying.

Through the progress report and final report, you are required 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 all project documentation, including financial records for 48 months following submission of your final reports.

As part of the evaluation, all grantees are expected to participate in baseline data gathering and contribute regular feedback on their participation in ArtsHERE, including technical assistance provided through the initiative. 

Optional Evaluation Activities

Beyond the required data collections, all grantees will have an opportunity to participate in optional evaluation activities, including but not limited to interviews, documentation sharing, and a technical working group. An informed consent notice will be made available at the time of application, and an informed consent form, to be reviewed upon the acceptance of a grant award, will provide information that organizations can use to decide if they will participate in optional evaluation activities. Grantees may opt-in or -out of optional evaluation activities at any time without jeopardizing the grant award. Grantees that choose to participate in optional evaluation activities will receive, for time spent, financial compensation.

Crediting Requirement

Grantees must clearly acknowledge support from the NEA and South Arts using approved logos and crediting language highlighted below * in their programs and related promotional material, including publications and websites. Additional acknowledgment requirements from each USRAO may be provided later. 

*ArtsHERE is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with South Arts and in collaboration with the other five U.S. Regional Arts Organizations.

Changes in Projects

Grantees are expected to carry out a project that is consistent with the proposal that was approved for funding by South Arts. Grantees  must notify South Arts immediately of any significant changes in their project, including budget or staffing, that occur after they have submitted their application. Notification must be made by contacting your RAO grant administrator. If the project or the organization’s capacity changes significantly before an award is made, South Arts may recommend revising or withdrawing the funding recommendation.

Approval of change requests is not guaranteed. Detailed information is included the above referenced General Terms & Conditions. 

ArtsHERE Webinar

Join the ArtsHERE team on Thursday, November 30 from 2:00-3:30 PM for a program and application walkthrough. Can’t make it? Check back here after the webinar for a recording.

Register for the ArtsHERE Webinar

U.S. RAO’s ArtsHERE Office Hours

Need more information or help with your Letter of Intent? Sign up for a slot during your RAO’s ArtsHERE office hours for some one-on-one time with program staff.

Arts Midwest

IA, IL, IN, MI, MN, ND, OH, SD, WI, and the Native Nations that share this geography

Mondays from 12:00-2:00 pm CT; Wednesdays from 10:00 am-12:00 pm CT
Sign up for Office Hours with Arts Midwest

Mid-America Arts Alliance

AR, KS, MO, NE, OK, TX, and the Native Nations that share this geography

Drop-in office hours on Tuesdays from 3:30-5:00 p.m. CT
Join Mid-America Arts Alliance’s Tuesday Drop-in Office Hours

Office hours by appointment on Fridays (starting in December)
Sign up for Friday Office Hours with Mid-America Arts Alliance

Mid Atlantic Arts

DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, PR, USVI, VA, WV, and the Native Nations that share this geography

Mondays from 8:30-11:00 am ET
Sign up for Monday Office Hours with Mid Atlantic Arts

Thursdays from 4:00-5:30 pm ET
Sign up for Thursday Office Hours with Mid Atlantic Arts

New England Foundation for the Arts

CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT, and the Native Nations that share this geography

Thursdays from 2:00-4:00pm ET. (except for holidays/webinar days!)
Sign up for Office Hours with New England Foundation for the Arts

South Arts

AL, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, and the Native Nations that share this geography

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10:00am – 12pm ET; and Mondays 3:30 – 5:30pm ET.
Sign up for Office Hours with South Arts

Western States Arts Federation

AK, AS, AZ, CA, CNMI, CO, GU, HI, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY, and the Native Nations that share this geography

Mondays from 2:00 – 3:00 pm PT (3:00 – 4:00 pm MT)
Sign up for Monday Office Hours with Western States Arts Federation

Wednesdays from 9:00 – 10:00 am PT (10:00 am – 11:00 am MT)
Sign up for Wednesday Office Hours with the Western States Arts Federation

General FAQ’s

Q: Our organization has never applied to or received a grant from South Arts, a U.S. Regional Arts Organization, or the National Endowment for the Arts. Can we apply for ArtsHERE funding?

A: Yes! We welcome applications from organizations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. jurisdictions. 

Q: What is a Regional Arts Organization (USRAO)? 

A: Together, the USRAOs across the United States work to activate and operate national arts initiatives, encourage and support collaboration across regions, states, and communities, and maximize the coordination of public and private resources invested in arts programs. Each USRAO is listed below:

• Arts Midwest
  Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin
• Mid-America Arts Alliance
  Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas
• Mid Atlantic Arts
  Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, The District of Columbia, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia and West Virginia
• New England Foundation for the Arts
  Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont
• South Arts
  Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee
• Western States Arts Federation
  Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming

Q: My organization is not an arts or cultural organization. Can we still apply?

A: Yes. Organizations that do not primarily view themselves as “arts and culture” organizations but use arts-based practices to advance positive community outcomes, are welcome to apply. For non-arts organizations (e.g., social service, human services, etc.) describe any arts-based practices and/or arts programs or services that you provide. For example, a senior center could describe its expressive therapies/arts therapy programs. You will have an opportunity in the application to describe how your programming is arts related. Significant arts programming is required, and programming is not required to have taken place during consecutive years.

Q: The guidelines say that organizations must have a three-year history of arts programming before the application deadline. Our organization’s programming was disrupted by the pandemic. How do we account for this in the application?

A: Examples of your organization’s arts programming do not have to be from consecutive years or seasons. We know that most organization’s programming activities were disrupted by the pandemic. As a result, it’s acceptable to list programming from a recent year other than 2023 or 2022. Virtual programming, planning, and COVID-19 recovery activities are all considered to be arts programming.

Q: What do we mean by historically underserved groups/communities?

A: For the purpose of these guidelines, the term “underserved” refers to those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited relative to: geography, race/ethnicity, economics, or disability. At least one of these characteristics must be evident in the proposed project. Age alone (e.g., youth, seniors) does not qualify a group as historically underserved.

Q: I consider my organization “small-sized” or maybe “medium-sized”. Is ArtsHERE only for large-sized organizations?

A: No. We encourage applications from a variety of eligible organizations. The guidelines do not specifically define “small-sized” or “medium-sized” as these terms can mean different things in different places around the country (e.g., geographic location of an organization, artistic discipline, etc.).

For example, different organizations with the same operating budget size may be considered small, medium, or large depending on where the organization is located. ArtsHERE application panelists should be able to understand your organization within its own unique environment. In the Organization Information area of the application, you’ll be able to describe the mission, history, and background of your organization, as well as provide information about your organization’s budget. This information will help the reviewers better understand your organization.

Q: Can our organization receive funding from the NEA or USRAOs and still apply for ArtsHERE funding?

A: Yes, as long as there is no overlap in costs or activities between the grant projects. An organization may have more than one active USRAO grant at a time, but you must be careful not to charge the same costs for the same activities to multiple grants that have overlapping grant periods. If you have an active grant, a pending application, or plan to apply at any of our other funding opportunities this year, be sure to exclude from your application any costs or activities that will be covered in those other grants/applications. 

If you would like to help us share information about ArtsHERE with your colleagues, networks, and constituents, you may access our Communications Toolkit here.