General Guidelines

• This grant provides unrestricted funding, and therefore, the application process includes a comprehensive and thorough review of information about your organization’s operations.
• Data and information provided by organizations during grant application processes is utilized by ArtsMemphis to advocate and secure funding for the local arts sector, including this grant program.
• Grant award decisions are competitive, and awards are based on an organization’s documentation of progress and success against the stated criteria.
• Submission of an application for funding does not guarantee that funding will be awarded. Likewise, award of funding one year does not guarantee funding the following year.
• Grant awards may not be used for regranting funds to other organizations.
• ArtsMemphis encourages grantee organizations to be organizational partners of Momentum Nonprofit Partners in order to take advantage of their resources, forums, and learning opportunities to ensure utilization of best practices and implementation of current trends in nonprofit administration.
• ArtsMemphis encourages grantee organizations to be members of Tennesseans for the Arts to advocate for state arts funding.
• ArtsMemphis expects that all applicant and grantee organizations maintain an up-to-date profile on LIVEGIVEmidsouth.org. If you need to create or update your profile, contact Nur Abdalla, LIVEGIVEmidsouth Program Associate, [email protected], 901-722-0020.
  • If you do not have a profile, you may still apply for this grant.
• ArtsMemphis will require all FY22 operating support grantees and all FY23 operating support grant applicants to have a Unique Entity ID – or UEI (SAM) – number. If you do not have a UEI (SAM), please refer to the websites below.
  • Help For the Transition from UEI (DUNS) to UEI (SAM)
  • DUNS to Unique Entity ID (SAM) Transition 

Group Designations

Applicant organizations are reviewed by volunteer panelists according to budget size groups for logistical reasons. The groups are determined based on ArtsMemphis estimates of past grantees’ budgets to create groups of about 12 organizations.

Group 1:  3-year Budget average of less than $150,000
Group 2:  3-Year Budget average of $150,000- $500,000
Group 3:  3-Year Budget average of $500,000-$1,500,000
Group 4:  3-Year Budget average of 1,500,000+

• 3-year budget average is calculated by averaging expenses as reported on Form 990 for the past three completed fiscal years.
  • ArtsMemphis will obtain your 990 Expenses for the last three years through your LIVEGIVEmidsouth profile.
    • Your profile must be up to date by March 11, 2022. Please make sure your most recent Form 990 is uploaded to your profile.
    • If you do not have a profile, you may upload your Form 990s for the past three fiscal years in the grant application.
    • If you file a Form 990-N, you will enter the expense totals for the last three completed fiscal years.

Grant Request Guidance

• Our goal is for the minimum grant award to be no less than $5000.
• Typically, grant awards will not exceed the following:
  • Groups 1 & 2:  10% of FY22 budgeted expenses
  • Groups 3 & 4:  5% of FY22 budgeted expenses

Review Process

• Review panels are comprised of ArtsMemphis board members and community volunteers, with attention to ensuring diverse and inclusive representation on each panel.
• A dedicated committee will review and evaluate the financial information submitted by applicants.
• An organization’s review may include a site visit, event or performance attendance, interview, or meeting with staff and/or review panel members.
  • Not all applicants will be visited or have an interview or meeting. Therefore, all critical information must be included in the grant application.
• All grant applications must be submitted using the online grant application platform.
• In fairness to others, no deadline extensions are granted, and we will not accept incomplete applications. An application may be deemed incomplete and ineligible if information is not provided in the appropriate format by the deadline.
  • Over the past two years, we have had generous deadline tolerance, which was manageable due to a staff- and board-driven review process. However, as we resume review panels comprised of community volunteers and a strict review schedule, it will be critical for applicants to adhere to the deadlines established to be considered for funding.
• You are encouraged to contact Tracy Lauritzen Wright or Bryce Goodloe in advance of the deadline with any questions, to seek guidance in using the online application or in compiling your application:
  • [email protected]
  • [email protected]
  • 901-578-2787

Criteria for Evaluation

The following criteria will be considered in reviewing application data and information. Organizations receiving an average score of 24 or less will not be recommended for funding.

Mission, Capacity, and Impact (60%)

• Mission (5 points)
  • Does the organization demonstrate progress against their stated mission and goals?
  • Do the organization’s goals align with ArtsMemphis’ mission and vision?
  • Does the organization demonstrate artistic excellence and artistic merit?
• Capacity (5 points)
  • Is there stability within the organization and its leadership? Does the organization have the administrative capacity to carry out its goals today and plan for tomorrow?
  • Does the organization have the artistic capacity to carry out its goals?
• Impact (20 points)
  • Does a program(s) or initiative noted in the application engage underserved populations?
    • As defined by the National Endowment for the Arts, underserved refers to those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability. Age alone (e.g., youth, seniors) does not qualify a group as underserved.
  • Does the organization have existing relationships/partnerships to advance inclusion in their programming, and/or to leverage assets and capacities with other organizations to expand impact, access, and sustainability?
  • Does the organization present programs that increase relevance and/or inclusive representation of all members of the community or use art to tell stories that are inclusive and representative of all members of the community?

Governance and Fiscal Accountability (40%)

• Governance (10 points)
  • Does the Board financially (including in-kind) support the organization and is it actively involved in the organization?
• Fiscal Health & Accountability (10 points)
  • Organization demonstrates responsible financial stewardship, diverse revenue streams, and efforts to improve efficiency of operations and control expenses.
  • If the organization is operating at a deficit, does it have a reasonable plan for reversing this trend?
  • Does the organization have reserve funds available? Are there controls in place to maintain a reserve?

ArtsMemphis also considers if an organization is Black, Indigenous or Person of Color (BIPOC)-led and/or BIPOC-serving:

• BIPOC-led = CEO and majority of board members are BIPOC individuals
• BIPOC-serving = majority of participants are BIPOC individuals

To Apply, please visit the ArtsMemphis Grant Platform.

The FY23 Operating Support grant application is in two parts:

1. LOI - serves as an organizational profile.
2. Application - available after completing and submitting the LOI

Please be aware that you must first submit the LOI form in order to access the  Application.  BOTH parts are required for a complete application.

If you wish to provide your Application responses via virtual oral interview, rather than writing responses, please contact our staff to schedule a one-hour appointment before March 11.  The interview option is not available for the LOI.  Please be sure you have read the application questions and have an idea of what information you wish to share in an interview.

Application Requirements
All Organizations:

• Organizational Profile (referred to as LOI in the online grant system)
  • This step in the application process is used to collect basic organizational information and data.
•  Application
  • This is the narrative section of the application.
• Financial Report
  • Submit your financial data using ArtsMemphis’ Financial Template.
    • FY22 Operating Support grantees may provide the financial report submitted with the Interim Report in January 2022. However, if you wish to update your financial information and submit a new report you may do so.
  • Be sure to follow the instructions on the template.
• List of top 25 donors (by total giving amounts) for your most recently completed fiscal year, using
  ArtsMemphis’ Top 25 Donors List Template, noting name, amounts and if the gift was for a specific purpose.  This includes individuals, corporate, foundations, grants, and other contributors.
  • We ask for this information to understand the diversity of your support and to identify new opportunities to support the arts.
  • Please organize this list by donation amount in descending order.
• Staff and Board list using ArtsMemphis’ Staff & Board List Template.
  • Required only if you do not have a current LIVEGIVEmidsouth profile.
• Form 990s, last three completed fiscal years, or total expenses for last three fiscal years if you file 990-N Postcard.
  • Required only if you do not have a current LIVEGIVEmidsouth profile.

Groups 3 & 4, additional requirements:

• Balance sheet for last completed financial reporting period (e.g., last month, last quarter)