Timeline
February 1, 2022
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Application Opens.
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February 3 - March 11
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Office Hours, CLICK HERE to sign up for a 30-minute help session.
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February 9, 2022
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Information Session View Here
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February 14, 2022
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Deadline: Organizations not funded through this program since July 2019 must contact ArtsMemphis staff to review eligibility.
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February 17, 11:00-12:30
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Grant Professionals Association (GPA) Mid-South Grant Writing Worskshop: Telling Your Story
View Here
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March 11, 2022
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Application Deadline at 5:00 P.M.
Complete applications include the following:
- Organizations submitting LIVEGIVEmidsouth profile: profile is fully updated.
- Submit UEI (SAM) number.
- LOI (Organizational Profile) with required attachments – must be submitted first to open access to application.
- Application.
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March 21-31, 2022
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Finance Committee reviews financial reports and data.
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April 1- May 4, 2022
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Site Visits with select organizations.
- Group 1: April 1-7
- Group 2: April 11-15
- Group 3: April 18-26
- Group 4: April 28-May 4
Panel Review meetings.
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May 2022
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ArtsMemphis Invest in Arts board committee recommends funding decisions.
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June 2022
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ArtsMemphis executive committee and board of directors vote on funding decisions.
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July 2022
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Organizations notified of grant award decisions.
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August 2022
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Contracts issued.
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September 2022
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First payments issued.
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January 2023
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Interim Report, deadline TBD.
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Dates are subject to change.
Eligibility
Organizations must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible to apply for funding consideration:
- Applied for at least one grant through ArtsMemphis since July 2019. This is to ensure your organization is familiar with the application process and ready to submit a competitive application.
- Includes the following grant programs:
- Arts Build Communities
- ArtsFirst
- ArtsZone
- Operating Support
- Organizations that have applied for at least one ArtsMemphis grant since July 2019 but have not received an operating support grant previously, must contact ArtsMemphis staff by February 14 to discuss eligibility and application readiness. This is to ensure efficient use of your time before starting an application.
- Have a current 501(c)(3) federal tax-exempt status, with a primary place of business in Shelby County.
- 501c3 organizations that are not registered in Shelby County must demonstrate a permanent location in Shelby County and a history of minimally three years of providing programming in Shelby County.
- Organization’s primary focus is arts-based.
- The organization creates, exhibits, and/or performs works in any of the following fine, performing, applied or literary art forms as a primary public function.
- Dance
- Literary Arts
- Media Arts
- Music
- Performing Arts
- Theater
- Visual Art
- Other
- The arts should be referenced in the organization’s mission and/or vision statement, strategic planning documents and/or other foundational materials.
- Offer programs that are accessible to all Shelby County citizens regardless of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, or any characteristic protected by law.
- Have a history of offering programs for no less than three years and offer programs consistently throughout the calendar year, minimally 9 out of 12 months per year.
- If your organization has a history of less than three years, or if you offer programs less than 9 months per year, you may not apply.
- Have a three-year expense average of no less than $20,000.
- Have an active and financially (including in-kind) supportive Board of Directors.
Other Requirements:
- Have proof of compliance with all local, state, and federal laws or requirements (i.e., IRS form 990, state auditor forms, TN solicitation license, etc.).
- If a grant is awarded and your organization engages or serves youth under age 18, a Board-approved Child Protection Policy is required before funds will be distributed. ArtsMemphis staff can provide you with sample policies if needed.
The following entities are not eligible for a FY23 Operating Support Grant but may be eligible for other grant opportunities through ArtsMemphis.
- Organizations with a mission that is not arts-based.
- Organizations that have not applied for a grant through the Arts Build Communities, ArtsFirst, ArtsZone, or Operating Support programs since July 2019.
- Organizations with a three-year expense average of less than $20,000.
- K-12 schools, institutions of higher education or individual departments of colleges and universities.
- Religious organizations, churches or church-affiliated programs, and programs that have implicit religious content, express a particular religious view, or advance a religious purpose.
- Governmental institutions, i.e., public libraries, park and recreational facilities, schools, etc.
- Arts-missioned programs or projects operating under a fiscal agent that does not have an arts-based mission.
- Arts-missioned organizations with less than three years of programming history or that provide programs less than 9 months per year.
If you are not eligible for this operating support grant, please review our other grant opportunities and contact Bryce Goodloe ([email protected]) or Tracy Lauritzen Wright ([email protected]) for assistance.
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.
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:
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
The FY23 Operating Support grant application is in two parts:
- LOI - serves as an organizational profile.
- 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.
You may use these documents to begin compiling information for both the LOI and the application now, before completing and submitting them in the online platform.
PDF and Word Document of each form - LOI & Application |
LOI (PDF) |
Application (PDF) |
LOI (WORD) |
Application (WORD) |
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)