The 2008 Project Support (PS) Grant Program

The goals of CAC's PS grant program are to:

• Provide greater opportunities for access to, and participation in, arts and culture for all residents and visitors to Cuyahoga County.
• Support the development of new and innovative arts or cultural products and experiences.
• Expand educational experiences for all citizens of Cuyahoga County.
• Foster significant community collaborations and cross-cultural exchange.

Current PS Grant period: July 1 2008 - June 30 2009.

The PS grant program provides funding through a highly competitive process to nonprofit arts or cultural organizations that provide arts or cultural events for the benefit of general public audiences. CAC will also consider proposals from other nonprofits that do not have artistic missions, but seek funding for arts or cultural projects that target and directly serve public audiences. They can be community service organizations, ethnic associations, civic organizations, libraries or public and private educational institutions.

Projects must take place and the funds must be used within the grant period. An organization may submit one PS grant application for one project each grant cycle. Organizations may request up to 50% of the project budget up to $50,000. (Note: Applicants should seriously consider their funding request amount in relation to their organization's overall operating budget and the scope of the project being proposed.) The PS grant program is not open to CAC GOS grantees.

What do I need to know to apply for a PS Grant? Download the complete PS Grant Guidelines (pdf).

Am I eligible?
Does my project qualify?
How do I apply?
How are recipients selected?
How is award size determined?

Am I eligible for the PS Grant?

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• Your organization must be a nonprofit organization, corporation, association or institution.
• Your organization must have existed for at least three years or be a successor to a nonprofit organization that had existed for at least five years.
• Your organization must have been located in Cuyahoga County for at least the past three years.
• Your organization must demonstrate that is has a history of producing and providing programs or activities directly concerned with the arts or cultural heritage that have been open and available to the general public.
• If your organization does not have a mission of arts or culture, you must demonstrate that CAC PS grant funding will enhance, and not replace existing sources of support.
• Your organization must demonstrate that it will match (dollar for dollar) a CAC PS grant with other public and private sources of earned and contributed income. No more than half of the match can be in-kind contributions; the rest must be in cash.
• Your organization must be in good standing with CAC and in compliance with any previous CAC grants.

See the Guide to the 2008 PS Grant Application (doc) for a checklist of additional documentation you must submit with your application to verify your eligibility.

Does my Project qualify for the PS Grant program?

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You can apply if your project meets the following eligbility requirements:

• It may be a one-time event, activity or program, or a continuation of yearly projects or programming.
• It must be open and accessible to the general public and take place in Cuyahoga County.
• It must be arts or cultural in scope. Examples of eligible project disciplines are:
  • Performing Arts (Dance, Theatre, Music, Opera/Musical Theatre)
  • Visual Arts (Painting, Sculpture, Crafts, Printmaking, Drawing, Design arts)
  • Ethnic Arts
  • Folk Arts
  • History
  • Interdisciplinary arts (collaborations, performance art)
  • Literary arts
  • Media arts (film, video, audio, photography, new media, computer/digital arts, interactive media)
  • Multi-disciplinary (two or more disciplines)
  • Nature/science
• Only one organization may apply for any one project. Collaborating organizations must choose a lead collaborator to apply for CAC funding.

Project activities that cannot be funded:

CAC funds must NOT be requested or used for the following types of projects or activities (applications requesting any of the following will be ineligible for funding).

• Projects that do not directly benefit general public audiences. Events taking place in schools (Pre-K through 12), colleges, universities or academic settings during school hours, or targeted only to student/academic populations enrolled in that school, college or university are not eligible for funding.
• School (Pre-K through 12), college and university events, activities or performances that are part of regular or extra-curricular school programs and/or school, college and university projects which involve academic or course credit.
• Activities that only benefit an applicant's organization membership.
• Organizational operating support or operating expenses not directly related to the proposed project.
• Regranting.
• Scholarships, awards, or cash prizes.
• Deficit reduction or elimination, trust endowments, cash reserves, penalty or litigation fees, loans, or interest on loans.
• Projects or activities that are primarily recreational or therapeutic unless the focus of the activity is on arts-making led by professional artists.
• Capital improvements, expenditures, acquisitions and restorations (facilities and equipment).
• Religious ceremonies or events advancing or inhibiting a particular religious ideology.
• Cost of receptions, food and beverage.
• Agent's fees for programs contracted through commercial agencies.
• Travel outside of the United States.
• Fundraising projects.
• Advocacy of specific political causes or candidates.

How do I apply for the PS Grant?

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1. Submit the Intent to Apply Form, which will confirm your eligibility to apply for a PS grant.
2. Begin the online application (new window). You may want to review the Guide to the 2008 PS Grant Application (doc) first to find out what additional documentation you will need and what questions will be asked.
3. It is highly recommended that you schedule a draft review as soon as possible. The deadline for scheduling is February 8, 2008. To schedule, call CAC at 216-515-8303. Draft reviews are scheduled on a first come, first served basis. It is possible there may not be times available if you wait until the last minute to schedule.
4. If you have scheduled or are scheduling a draft review, submit a draft of your application at least 48 hours before the review. Click the "Draft Review" button on the Submission page within the online application to submit your draft.
5. You must submit the final application online by February 26, 2008. When you click the "Submit" button the submission date and time will be recorded and you will get an email confirmation.
6. Submit the following print materials by 5:00 PM Wednesday, February 27, 2008. Do not bind or staple.
   • One (1) Original Signed Application
   • Five (5) Copies of the Original Completed Application
   • Eligibility Documentation and Other Required Materials (number of copies & formats are on eligibility checklist page of application)
   • Submit by mail or in-person to:
     Cuyahoga Arts and Culture
     Bulkley Building, Suite 407
     1501 Euclid Avenue
     Cleveland, OH 44115

Applications will not be accepted after the deadline electronically, by mail, courier or in-person. Applications received after the deadline will automatically be ineligible.

How are recipients selected?

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All applicants will be notified within a month of the application deadline of whether their application will be eligible to be reviewed by the Grant Application Panel. The Panel, consisting of qualified arts and culture professionals from outside the county, will evaluate and score all eligible PS grant applications in a public meeting, which will take place on April 23 & 24, 2008. Panelists read all eligible applications, and each application is assigned to at least two panelists for in-depth review.

Applications are scored according to how well the proposal addresses the goals of CAC's PS grant program and the funding criteria listed below. Panelists assign points to each proposal, with 100 being the highest possible total number of points.

Quality of Project (up to 40 points) The proposal demonstrates:

• The artistic, cultural and educational importance to the community and audience being served.
• An innovative approach or unique arts or cultural product or experience.
• Significant collaboration(s) or cross-cultural exchange.
• Project's congruence with the applicant's mission.

Community Participation and Impact (up to 35 points) The proposal:

• Shows support and involvement for the proposed project, including appropriate community participation during development & implementation.
• Addresses community need (economic, educational, social, cultural).
• Expands community access by minimizing barriers to participation.

Quality of Management and Organizational capacity (up to 25 points) The proposal demonstrates management and organizational capacity to implement the proposed project by:

• Showing evidence of qualified staff to manage project and strong board governance and administrative oversight.
• Producing a project budget appropriate to the scope of the proposed project and appropriate to the organization's overall operating budget.
• Including a marketing plan that evidences capabilities including publicity and promotion.
• Including a plan to evaluate and report on the project's outcomes.

How is Award Size Determined?

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CAC's PS grant process is highly competitive. Many eligible applicants will not receive funding. Applications scoring below 65 will not receive funding. Applications scoring between 65 and 100 points will be eligible for funding; however, being eligible for PS funding does not guarantee a PS grant. Higher scores have a higher probability of receiving a grant and receiving a larger percentage of the grant request.

Applicants will know if their project has been recommended for funding at the end of the Grant Application Panel Review; however, specific grant award amounts are not confirmed until the CAC Board of Trustees meets and approves the recommendations.

These are general guidelines and are subject to change.