Eligibility
Organizations must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible to apply for funding consideration:
- Received an operating support grant in FY20 (July 1, 2019-June 30, 2020) or FY21 (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021).
- 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. The disciplines below are adapted from the National Endowment for the Arts Discipline Descriptions:
- Dance: ballet, modern dance, jazz, folkloric, tap, hip-hop and other contemporary forms
- Folk and Traditional Arts: music, dance, crafts, oral expression
- Literature: literary presses, contemporary writing
- Media Arts: screen-based and print projects presented via film, television, radio, audio, video, internet, interactive and mobile technologies
- Music: classical to contemporary, performing ensembles and presenting institutions, ensembles, choruses, early music programs, music festivals, symphony orchestras
- Opera: production of fully-staged and concert operatic works of all sizes and genres
- Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works: multi- or cross-disciplinary works from performing, visual, media, design and literary arts
- Theater & Musical Theater: production or presentation of traditional or classical repertoire, new plays and musicals, development laboratories, showcases, artist residencies, work for young audiences, experimental work, community-based work, outdoor historical dramas and puppetr
- Visual Arts: painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, drawing, craft
- 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 more than one year and offer programs consistently throughout the calendar year. If your organization has a history of one year or less, or if you offer programs on a less than quarterly basis, you may not apply.
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.
The following entities are not eligible for a FY22 Operating Support Grant but may be eligible for other grant opportunities through ArtsMemphis.
- Organizations that did not receive an operating support grant in FY20 (July 1, 2019-June 30, 2020) or FY21 (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021).
- Organizations with a mission that is not arts-based.
- 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 a year of programming history or that provide programs on a less than quarterly schedule annually.
If you are not eligible for this operating support grant, please review our other grant opportunities and contact Colleen Chandler ([email protected]) or Tracy Lauritzen Wright ([email protected]) for assistance.
Grant Guidelines
General
- 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.
Group Designations
- Group 1: Current fiscal year budget or 3-year budget average less than $100,000
- Group 2: 3-Year Budget average* of $100,000-$399,999
- Group 3: 3-Year Budget average* of $400,000-$1,499,999
- Group 4: 3-Year Budget average* of $1,500,000+
- 3-year expense average as reported on Form 990 will determine funding category for Groups 2-4.
- ArtsMemphis will obtain your 990 Expenses for the last three years through your LIVEGIVEmidsouth profile. 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 FY20, FY19 and FY18 in the application.
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, or for organizations with a fiscal year ending August 31-December 31, 10% of FY21 expenses, if your FY22 budget is not available.
- Groups 3 & 4: 5% of your FY22 budgeted expenses, or for organizations with a fiscal year ending August 31-December 31, 5% of FY21 expenses, if your FY22 budget is not available.
Review Process
- FY22 grant funding decisions will be determined by our board Invest in Artists & Organizations Committee and approved by our board of directors. We intend to return to a process engaging community volunteer review panels in FY23.
- All grant applications must be submitted using the online grant application platform.
- You are encouraged to contact Tracy Lauritzen Wright or Colleen Chandler in advance of the deadline with any questions, to seek guidance in using the online application or in compiling your application:
Criteria for Evaluation
Through our grantmaking programs, ArtsMemphis expects:
- People in neighborhoods across Shelby County will have broad and consistent access to arts experiences, including communities that have been underserved by ArtsMemphis and the arts sector.
- Arts experiences will represent and engage the People in our communities, and through these experiences community members will gain a better understanding of one another.
- Arts experiences will create a deeper feeling of connection to Memphis and among the People who call this Place home.
- Memphis to grow as a Place that attracts and retains talented People and sustainable arts organizations; attracting diverse artists with sustained opportunities to create and perform and ensuring the arts are an integral part of the quality of life.
The following criteria will be considered in reviewing application data and information.
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?
- 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 art works that are inclusive of all members of the community or use art to tell stories that are inclusive of all members of the community?
Governance and Fiscal Accountability (40%)
Governance (10 points)
- Does the Board financially support the organization and is it actively involved in the organization?
Fiscal Health & Accountability (10 points)
- Organization demonstrates significant financial need.
- Organization demonstrates responsible financial stewardship, diverse revenue streams, and efforts to improve efficiency of operations and control expenses.
Application Requirements
All Organizations:
- Organizational Profile (referred to as LOI in the online grant system)
- This is the full application, which contains the following components.
- For a PDF copy of the questions, please click here.
- Financial Report
- Submit your financial data using ArtsMemphis’ Financial Template.
- 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’ 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 make up of your support and to identify new opportunities to support the arts.
- Staff and Board list using ArtsMemphis’ 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)