Introduction
Welcome to the Division of Cultural Affairs Specific Cultural Project (SCP) Guidelines. We're glad that you are applying for a Specific Cultural Project grant from the Division. These guidelines are incorporated by reference into Rule 1T-1.036, Florida Administrative Code, and detail policies and requirements for the application and administration of Specific Cultural Project grants.
These guidelines do not apply to General Program Support, State Touring, Fast Track, Individual Artist Fellowship, Cultural Facilities, or Cultural Endowment grants. For information about these grant programs, visit http://www.florida-arts.org/programs/.
Grant Forms
The following forms must be used in the administration of all grants in these guidelines and are hereby incorporated by reference and available from the Division at http://www.florida-arts.org:
# | Title | Form # | Effective Date |
---|---|---|---|
1. | Grant Application, General Program Support and Specific Cultural Projects | CA2E145 | 4/2015 |
2. | Contract Details | CA2E159 | 4/2015 |
3. | Grant Award Agreement | CA2E142 | 4/2015 |
4. | Contract Details Amendment | CA2E160 | 4/2015 |
5. | Final Grant Report | CA2E004 | 4/2015 |
6. | Grant Funds Expenditure Log | CA2E136 | 3/2014 |
7. | Project Progress Report | CA2E162 | 4/2015 |
Program Description
The Specific Cultural Project (SCP) grant provides up to $25,000 to fund a specific cultural project, program, exhibition, or series. The grant activities must support the mission of the organization and further the state's cultural objectives.
The Division offers three proposal types:
- Arts In Education projects promote arts and culture in education;
- Discipline-Based cultural or artistic projects;
- Underserved Cultural Community Development projects assist with the development of underserved cultural organizations.
Basic Eligibility
All applicants must meet the following basic eligibility requirements at the time of application.
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Have submitted no other applications for the General Program Support or Specific Cultural Project programs in the current application cycle (see application restrictions);
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Have the required legal status;
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Agree to comply with all application requirements:
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Complete all proposal activities within the grant period;
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Make programming and activities open and accessible to all members of the public (see accessibility and non-discrimination);
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Match the grant amount requested, at least dollar for dollar (see request amount and match requirements); and
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Include only allowable expenses in the proposal budget (see allowable and non-allowable expenses);
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Agree to comply with all grant administration requirements (see How to Manage Your Grants):
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Submit the Contract Details Form;
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Sign and return the grant award agreement within 30 days;
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Request approval for any changes to the awarded grant (see Contract Details Amendment Request);
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Submit timely and accurate reports (see grant reporting);
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Maintain complete and accurate grant records (see maintaining grant records);
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Comply with the requirements of the Florida Single Audit Act; and
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Credit the State of Florida and Division of Cultural Affairs for funding (see crediting the Division);
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In addition to these basic eligibility requirements, there are specific eligibility requirements for the Discipline-Based Museum, Discipline-Based Professional Theatre, and Underserved Cultural Community Development application types.
Application Restrictions
"In order to equitably distribute limited state funding," the legislature mandated, in section 265.286(9), Florida Statutes, that each grant applicant may only submit one application each annual grant cycle. The legislature defined applicant or grantee as a "nonprofit, tax-exempt, Florida corporation" or a "local or state governmental entity, school district, community college, college, university, agency of state government, or artist engaged in or concerned with arts and cultural activities."
Based on this, an organization may only submit one (1) Specific Cultural Project or one (1) General Program Support application for each annual grant cycle (July 1 - June 30).
Legal Status
To meet the legal status requirement, an applicant organization must be either a public entity or a Florida nonprofit, tax exempt corporation as of the application deadline.
- Public Entity
- A Florida local government, entity of state government, school district, community college, college, or university. Private schools, private community colleges, private colleges, and private universities are not public entities and must be nonprofit and tax exempt to meet the legal status requirement.
- Nonprofit, Tax Exempt
- A Florida organization that is both:
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Nonprofit: incorporated as an active nonprofit Florida corporation, in accordance with Chapter 617 or Chapter 623, Florida Statutes; and
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Tax exempt: designated as tax exempt as defined in section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended.
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The Division of Cultural Affairs will verify that the applicant is registered with the Division of Corporations as of the application deadline. If the applicant is not registered in Corporations by the application deadline, the application will be deemed ineligible.
If the applicant is registered in Corporations but their status is not "active," the applicant must correct the status within 10 calendar days of notification or the application will be deemed ineligible.
For more information on corporate status, visit http://www.sunbiz.org or call the Division of Corporations, profit and nonprofit information line at (850) 245-6052. To verify corporate status, you can review your corporate record online through the sunbiz.org document search tool.
For more information about tax exempt status, see Exemption Requirements - Section 501(c)(3) Organizations on the Internal Revenue Service website.(http://www.irs.gov).
Required Documentation
All applicants must provide a DUNS number. You can request a DUNS number at https://www.dandb.com/.
Nonprofit, tax exempt applicants must provide a letter from the IRS stating that the applicant is tax exempt under 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4). Public entities are not required to provide an IRS determination letter.
The IRS determination letter must be uploaded into the online grant application system. If the letter is not received, the Division will notify the applicant. The applicant must provide the IRS determination letter within 10 calendar days of notification or the application will be deemed ineligible.
Specific Eligibility Requirements
Applicants to the following application types must also meet additional eligibility requirements.
- Arts in Education (Residency)
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- have a minimum of 30 contact hours
- Discipline-Based (Museum)
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- be open to the public for at least 180 days a year;
- own or utilize collections, including works of art, historical artifacts, or other tangible objects (animate or inanimate); and
- exhibit these collections, including works of art, historical artifacts, or other tangible objects to the public on a regular schedule.
- Discipline-Based (Professional Theatre)
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- compensate artistic staff and actors
- Underserved Cultural Community Development
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- Be an underserved cultural organization;
- Have a Total Cash Income of $150,000 or less;
- Have at least one year of completed programming.
- Consultant only:
- Consultant is not a member of applicant's staff or board; and
- Consultant is not an immediate family member of applicant's staff or board.
Proposal Types
Arts in Education
Arts In Education project grants provide up to $25,000 for projects that cultivate learning and artistic development for all students and teachers by promoting, encouraging, and supporting arts and culture as an integral part of education and lifelong learning for residents and visitors. This includes, but is not limited to:
- the learning and artistic development of pre-kindergarten through grade 12 students and teachers; or
- initiatives and proposals that help applicants to work as individuals or partners to carry out community programs and school reform through the arts.
The Division supports the view that the arts build cultural understanding, mutual respect, and strong communities. Arts In Education projects accomplish this by bringing artists and cultural experiences directly into Florida schools, hospitals, nursing and eldercare facilities, senior centers, correctional facilities, community spaces, cultural facilities, and other organizations. The Division encourages the use of Florida-based artists whenever possible.
Funding Categories
There are two funding categories for Arts In Education Projects.
- Artist Residency; and
- Arts Partnership.
Artist Residency
Artist residencies place professional Florida artists in a variety of education and community settings. Services performed by resident artists may include:
- teaching one or more aspects of their art form;
- creating or performing works of art so that participants may observe and be a part of the creative process; or
- relating their art form to other curriculum areas or disciplines.
Residencies can change the way a community views a particular art form and the arts in general. Artists engage participants in making art in a mutually supportive, creative learning environment and participants explore self-expression and the role of the arts in society. This process encourages imaginative thinking, problem solving, goal setting, and teamwork.
All residencies should relate to:
- core curriculum or Florida standards at http://www.cpalms.org/Public/ (for residencies targeted to pre-K through grade 12); or
- community needs and goals (for residencies not targeted toward pre-K through grade 12. This includes colleges, universities, after school programs, and cultural and social/community service programs).
Activities
Artist residencies should include at least one (1) preliminary session with the artist(s) to discuss residency goals, scheduling, planning, objectives, requirements, etc. This session does not count towards the required contact hours. The artist should be paid for this session.
In addition to the preliminary session, residency activities may include the following:
- an event that shares the core participants' work;
- arts-related professional development for staff, arts educators, administrators, and teachers (in-service workshops/institutes, seminars, etc.);
- related in-state field trip to a gallery, museum, concert, or performance for the core participants; and
- an event that joins core participants, their family, and friends in hands-on arts activities.
Contact Hours
Residencies must have a minimum number of contact hours based on the grant amount requested. A contact hour is 60 minutes or one class period of hands-on activity with the artist. Residency days and weeks do not have to be consecutive. Use the table below to determine the required contact hours.
Request Amount | Minimum Required Contact Hours |
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$10,000 or less | at least 30 |
$10,001 to $15,000 | at least 40 |
$15,001 to $20,000 | at least 50 |
$20,001 to $25,000 | at least 60 |
Residencies may exceed the minimum contact hours, as long as activities take place during the grant period. Residency applications that do not show at least 30 contact hours will be deemed ineligible.
Arts Partnership
The Arts Partnership funding category provides up to $25,000 to support projects that will advance arts education and the development of long-term partnerships through effective collaboration between community arts and cultural organizations, social service agencies, and educational entities.
Applicants may request up to $25,000 for arts partnership projects that have completed planning and design work and are ready for implementation or expansion.
If proposals include computer, video, and technology equipment, applicants must show how technology equipment, systems, and programs are integrated into their specific arts education partnership.
Arts Partnership projects are not intended to fund the same project year after year, however panelists have the discretion to recommend funding for on-going projects.
Focus Areas
Focus areas for the Arts Partnership project may include the following:
- School-based arts education;
- Programming that integrates the arts into areas not usually associated with the arts such as:
- non-arts curriculum;
- school-to-work initiatives;
- the criminal justice system;
- the healthcare system;
- community care for the elderly;
- underserved populations; and
- adult-continuing education programs.
- Programming that brings together different generations;
- Arts and technology programming in music, visual arts, theatre, dance, media and/or literary arts; and
- Community arts education.
Discipline-Based
Discipline-Based projects are discipline specific for organizations conducting cultural projects, realizing their stated mission, and furthering the state's cultural objectives.
Discipline Categories
Discipline-Based applicants must select one of eleven (11) discipline categories.
- Dance;
- Literature;
- Media Arts;
- Museum;
- Multidisciplinary;
- Music;
- Presenter;
- Theatre (Community and Professional)
- Traditional Arts
- Visual Arts.
The discipline category of the application will determine which review panel will evaluate and score the application. Applicants should select the discipline that best fits their proposal. Applicants should consider whether they are presenting or producing the activity when choosing a discipline category.
Applicants that produce festivals should select the discipline category for the festival activity. For example, an organization producing a film festival should apply to the Media Arts discipline while a cultural festival that is producing music, visual art, and dance activities should apply to the Multidisciplinary category. For more information, contact a program manager (see help).
The Division encourages the use of Florida-based artists whenever possible.
Dance
The Dance discipline is for projects that promote excellence in dance.
Literature
The Literature discipline is for projects that promote excellence in the literary arts.
Media Arts
The Media Arts discipline is for projects that promote excellence in film, video, radio, and television. This includes film and video festivals, and media art exhibitions, conferences, and seminars.
Multidisciplinary
The Multidisciplinary discipline is for projects with programming that presents two (2) or more separate artistic or cultural disciplines.
Artistic and cultural disciplines include, but are not limited to:
- music;
- dance;
- theatre;
- creative writing;
- literature;
- architecture;
- painting;
- sculpture;
- traditional arts;
- photography;
- crafts;
- media arts; and
- visual arts.
Museum
The Museum discipline is for projects focused on the applicant's collections and/or exhibits. Applicants may include zoos, botanical gardens, arboretums, nature centers and aquariums.
To be eligible to apply to this discipline, a museum must:
- be open to the public for at least 180 days each year;
- own or utilize collections, including works of art, historical artifacts, or other tangible objects, whether animate or inanimate;
- care for these collections, including works of art, historical artifacts, or other tangible objects; and
- exhibit these collections, including works of art, historical artifacts, or other tangible objects to the public on a regular schedule.
Museums are encouraged but not required to participate in the American Alliance of Museums' Museum Assessment Program (MAP) and to pursue or maintain national accreditation through American Alliance of Museums (AAM), American Zoological Association (AZA), or Zoological Association of America (ZAA).
Museums may include but are not limited to the following:
- Art Museums;
- Historical Museums;
- Multidisciplinary Museums;
- Science Museums; and
- Youth and Children's Museums.
Non-museum organizations conducting visual art exhibitions should apply to the Visual Art discipline. Multidisciplinary museums may also apply to the Multidisciplinary discipline.
Music
The Music discipline is for both vocal and instrumental music projects that promote excellence in music performance and creation.
Applicants to the Music discipline may include chamber or jazz ensembles, choral groups, community bands, orchestras, opera, and world music ensembles.
Applicants with musical theatre projects should submit their application to the appropriate Theatre discipline (professional or community). Applicants presenting, rather than producing, should apply to the Presenter discipline.
Presenter
The Presenter discipline supports the presentation of performing arts groups, individual artists, or other cultural providers.
A Presenter is an organization that enters into agreements to provide performances or other cultural activities. The organization generally does not create, rehearse, cast, or have artistic control over the performance or activity.
Applicants producing, rather than presenting, should apply to the appropriate discipline for their activities, such as Music, Theatre, or Dance.
Theatre (Community and Professional)
The Theatre disciplines support projects that promote excellence in theatre performance. Musical theatre can be included in this discipline. Organizations producing opera projects should apply to the Music discipline. College and university theatre programs should apply to the Community Theatre discipline.
Community Theatre
The Community Theatre discipline is for applicants producing a community theatre project.
Most of the artistic staff participating in community theatre projects are not compensated; however personnel may be hired to perform administrative, artistic, or production duties.
Community theatre applicants should be very specific when describing how artists are compensated. Although it is assumed that most community theatre applicants will not be compensating most actors, applicants should address whether or not technical staff (directors, designers) are compensated and if any actors receive financial compensation.
If a community theatre is in the process of becoming a professional house, the application should describe where the applicant is in the transition and when the applicant expects to be offering full compensation to artistic staff.
Professional Theatre
The Professional Theatre discipline is for producing professional theatres.
Organizations applying to the Professional Theatre discipline must compensate their artistic staff and actors. Professional Theatre panelists strongly emphasize the importance of payment to actors.
Companies should be very specific when describing the financial compensation and/or benefits that are offered to artistic staff and actors. For information on minimum pay rates for actors and staff contact a theatrical union such as Actors Equity (http://www.actorsequity.org).
Traditional Arts
The Traditional Arts discipline is for projects that preserve and present traditional arts from specific cultural groups in Florida. This includes performances, exhibitions, festivals, and other projects featuring traditional artists and their work.
Traditional arts are traditional cultural expressions through which a community maintains and passes on a shared way of life. These communities can be job-related, ethnic, religious, age-related, or based on location. Traditional art expresses a sense of the community's values and aesthetics. Traditional art expressions are usually learned informally through a relative or the community and are maintained without formal teaching.
The Traditional Arts discipline includes many forms and processes of expression including, but not limited to:
- performing traditions in music, dance, and drama;
- traditional storytelling and other verbal arts;
- traditional crafts;
- visual arts; and
- architecture.
Note: The Traditional Arts discipline is not intended for projects that focus primarily on the following activities:
- research for scholarly purposes only;
- historical presentations or re-creations;
- contemporary studio crafts or reproductions
Applicants with such programming should consider applying to one of the other disciplines. Contact the Traditional Arts program manager (see help) with any questions.
Visual Arts
The Visual Arts discipline is for projects that promote excellence in the visual arts through activities such as:
- lectures;
- publications;
- exhibitions;
- educational programs;
- artist workshops; and
- professional development for visual artists.
Underserved Cultural Community Development
Underserved Cultural Community Development projects support up to $20,000 for the organizational development of underserved cultural organizations. All applicants to this proposal type must meet the following criteria:
- Meet basic eligibility requirements;
- Be an underserved cultural organization as defined below;
- Have a Total Cash Income (from the applicant's most recently completed fiscal year) of $150,000 or less; and
- Have at least one year of completed programming.
Underserved organizations can also apply for project funding to the Discipline-Based categories.
Applicants are only required to have 50% match (cash or in-kind) for this category. There is no limit on the amount of in-kind that can be included in the proposal budget.
Underserved Designation
For the purposes of this proposal type, underserved means rural, minority, or lacking in resources.
- A rural cultural organization is:
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- Designated by the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) as an economically distressed county or community. You can find more information and a list of economically distressed counties and communities at http://www.floridajobs.org/business-growth-and-partnerships/rural-and-economic-development-initiative/rural-definition.
- A minority cultural organization is:
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- community-based,
- deeply rooted in and reflective of a specific religious, racial, national, or cultural group of non-western or Judeo-Christian tradition, or
- composed of at least 51% persons who represent such groups as African American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian/Pacific Islander, individuals with disabilities, and other minorities. This includes staff, board, artists, and volunteers. Gender is not considered a minority for the purposes of this program.
- A cultural organization that is lacking in resources:
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- has trouble achieving its mission due to lack of cultural information or access to available programs. These organizations are typically located within counties where there is no designated Local Arts Agency or other means of acquiring ongoing information and assistance.
Funding Categories
There are three (3) funding categories for Underserved Cultural Community Development projects.
- Capacity Building;
- Consultant; and
- Salary Assistance.
Capacity Building
This funding category provides up to $5,000 for projects that increase administrative or artistic capacity. Eligible projects include but are not limited to:
- staff/volunteer exchange;
- professional development opportunities such as attendance at seminars and workshops;
- plan development opportunities such as fundraising, marketing, and arts education; and
- equipment/technology needs.
Consultant
The Consultant funding category provides up to $5,000 for retaining consultants that can provide specific administrative or artistic needs.
Administrative needs may include but are not limited to:
- needs assessment;
- grant writing;
- board and staff development;
- office management;
- box office management;
- development or fundraising;
- marketing or public relations; and
- technology training.
Artistic needs may include but are not limited to:
- design (scene, exhibit, lighting, costumes, sound, graphics);
- stage or house management;
- directing;
- musical production;
- dramaturgy or script analysis;
- choreography;
- curatorial or exhibition guidance; and
- preservation or archival projects.
The consultant may not be a member of the applicant's staff or board. The consultant may not be an immediate family member of any staff or board members. This funding category may not be used to hire temporary staff positions.
Applicants must submit the consultant's resume with the application package.
Salary Assistance
The Salary Assistance funding category allows applicants to request up to $20,000 for the full or partial salary support for one or more positions. The positions must be critical to the mission of the organization.
Application Requirements
Grant Period
All proposed activity must take place within the grant period.
- The grant period start date is July 1 or the date the award agreement is executed, whichever is later; and
- The grant period end date is June 30 unless an end date extension is approved by the Division (see extensions).
Accessibility and Non-Discrimination
The Division of Cultural Affairs is committed to making the arts and culture accessible to everyone, including:
- persons with disabilities;
- older adults;
- culturally and economically underserved populations; and
- minorities.
Applicants may receive up to 10 points during panel review through the accessibility review criterion.
Organizations seeking support for activities are required to be open and accessible to all members of the public, regardless of sex, race, color, national origin, religion, disability, age, or marital status.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in employment, state and local government services, public accommodations, transportation and telecommunication. The ADA extends the requirements under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, to all activities of state and local governments and places of public accommodations operated by private entities, including places of public display.You can find the 504 Self Evaluation Workbook and downloadable Disability Symbols at http://dos.myflorida.com/cultural/info-and-opportunities/resources-by-topic/accessibility/.
Request Amount
Specific Cultural Projects have a maximum request of $25,000, except for Underserved Cultural Community Development projects. Use the table below to find the maximum request amount. Proposal types and funding categories (levels) are described in detail in the Proposal Types section of the guidelines.
Proposal Type | Funding Category | Maximum Request |
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Arts In Education * | All | $25,000 |
Discipline-Based |
N/A | $25,000 |
Underserved Cultural Community Development | Capacity Building | $5,000 |
Consultant | $5,000 | |
Salary Assistance | $20,000 |
* Note: Arts In Education Residency projects have specific contact hour requirements based on the amount requested.
Grant Proposal Budget
The Proposal Budget expenses must equal the Proposal Budget Income.
Match Requirements
Applicants must provide at least one dollar in cash and in-kind (donated goods or services) for every dollar requested from the division. This is called match. Some expenses can only appear in the Proposal Budget as match. (see Match Only Expenses).
Total Proposal Expenses are defined as match (cash and in-kind) + request amount. No more than 25% of the Total Proposal Expenses may be in-kind. See the in-kind section of the guidelines for more details.
Matching funds may be anticipated at the time of application, but must be received by the end of the grant period. All expenses (both state grant and match) must be paid out (not merely encumbered) by the grant end date.
Exception: The Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) recognizes rural or economically distressed counties and communities. Applicants that are located within a economically distressed county or community as of the application deadline are not required to provide cash match; however REDI applicants are still required to show a 50% match of in-kind (donated goods or services). You can find more information and a list of economically distressed counties and communities at http://www.floridajobs.org/business-growth-and-partnerships/rural-and-economic-development-initiative/rural-definition.
In-kind (Donated Goods and Services)
In-kind can appear in both the proposal budget and the operating budget. To calculate the value of volunteer services, use the federal minimum wage (see the Wage and Hour Division of the US Department of Labor http://www.wagehour.dol.gov). If the volunteer is professionally skilled in the service provided (such as a photographer donating photography services or a Certified Public Accountant providing a pro bono audit), use the wage rate the individual is normally paid for the service.
The value of all professionally skilled services used as in-kind must be documented in writing by the volunteer. The value of donated goods must also be documented. Records of such documentation must be available upon request.
Use the following formulas to calculate maximum allowable in-kind.
Total Proposal Expenses (as reported in the proposal budget) may not contain more than 25% in-kind.
- Maximum allowable in-kind = Total Cash Expenses (cash match plus request) divided by 3
The amount of in-kind allowed in the Operating Budget depends on the applicant's Total Cash Income as defined in the application.
If Total Cash Income is $150,000 or less, Total Operating Income may not include more than 25% in-kind.
- Maximum allowable in-kind = Total Cash Income divided by 3.
If Total Cash Income is over $150,000, Total Operating Income may not include more than 10% in-kind.
- Maximum allowable in-kind = Total Cash Income divided by 9.
Exception: There is no limit on the amount of in-kind that can be included in the Proposal Budget for applicants in a county that qualifies under the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI).
Allowable Expenses
Allowable expenses must be:
- directly related to the proposal;
- specifically and clearly detailed in the proposal budget; and
- incurred and paid within the grant start and end dates.
Only allowable expenses may be included in the proposal budget.
Spending state grant funds on expenses that have not been approved by the Division, even if directly related to the program or project, will be disallowed and could result in a legal demand for the return of grant funds.
Match Only Expenses
No state funds may be used towards operational or indirect/overhead costs which include, but are not limited to:
- phone;
- utilities;
- office supplies;
- equipment costing over $1,000;
- property improvements;
- fixtures;
- building maintenance;
- space rental; and
- employee benefits.
Non-Allowable Expenses
The Grantee agrees to expend all grant funds received under this agreement solely for the purposes for which they were authorized and appropriated. Expenditures shall be in compliance with the state guidelines for allowable project costs as outlined in the Department of Financial Services’ Reference Guide for State Expenditures, which are incorporated by reference and are available online at http://www.myfloridacfo.com/aadir/reference_guide/. The following are non-allowable expenses for grant and matching funds.
- State funds from any source. This includes any income that comes from an appropriation of state funds or grants from the State of Florida;
- Funds used as match for other Department of State grants;
- Expenses incurred or obligated before July 1 or after the grant period;
- Lobbying or attempting to influence federal, state, or local legislation;
- Building, renovation, or remodeling of facilities;
- Capital expenditures (includes acquisitions, building projects, and renovations) Exception: Capital expenditures that are directly related to the proposal, such as exhibit construction or stage lighting, are allowed. Please contact a program manager with questions;
- Costs associated with bad debts, contingencies (money set aside for possible expenses), fines and penalties, interest, taxes (of any kind), and other financial costs including bank fees and charges and credit card fees;
- Private entertainment;
- Food and beverages;
- Plaques, awards, and scholarships;
- Activities that are restricted to private or exclusive participation, which shall include restricting access to programs on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, religion, handicap, age, or marital status;
- Re-granting;
- Contributions and donations;
- Mortgage payments; and
- Payments to current Department of State employees;
Review Criteria
All applications will be evaluated and scored using the following four criteria.
- Excellence (up to 40 points);
- Impact (up to 30 points);
- Management (up to 20 points);
- Accessibility (up to 10 points);
Excellence
Applicants must demonstrate excellence in all aspects of the proposal. Panelists will use the following application responses:
- Applicant Mission Statement; and
- Proposal Description.
(Up to 40 points)
Impact
Applicants must demonstrate the expected impact of the proposal. Panelists will use the following application responses:
- Estimated number of individuals benefiting, youth benefiting, elders benefiting, and artists participating;
- Estimated number of events and opportunities;
- Location of project/programming;
- Proposal Impact(organization’s economic impact and education and outreach); and
- Marketing and Promotion.
(Up to 30 points)
Management
This criterion covers administration, planning, and evaluation. Panelists will use the following application responses:
- Evaluation Plan;
- Fiscal Condition and Sustainability;
- Operating Budget; and
- Proposal Budget.
In addition panelists will also use the applicant's reporting history and compliance status as of the panel meeting (see noncompliance).
(Up to 20 points)
Accessibility
Points will be awarded based on demonstration of accessibility in the applicant's facility and programming. Panelists will use the responses to the Accessibility questions in the application.
(Up to 10 points)
Scoring
Applications must earn a minimum average score of 80 to be recommended for funding by the review panel.
The maximum number of points an application can earn is 100. Panel members will individually score each application. The average of the individual panelists' scores will be rounded to three decimal places. When the fourth decimal is 5 or greater, the score will be rounded up in favor of the applicant. For example, 79.9995 will be rounded to 80 but 79.9993 would remain 79.999.
Review Process
The application review process includes the following:
- Staff Review for eligibility;
- Panel Review and scoring;
- Florida Council on Arts and Culture recommendations; and
- Secretary of State approval.
Staff Review
Division staff will review all applications that meet the deadline for eligibility (see basic eligibility and specific eligibility). Staff review does not include subjective evaluations or comments on the content or quality of any grant application. Only applications that meet eligibility requirements will move forward to the grant review panel.
Staff will contact the applicant during the staff review to address issues with eligibility including:
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Issues with applicant's legal status:
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IRS determination letter is not in the online grant application;
IRS status has been revoked;
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Federal Employer Identification Number or Corporate name does not match IRS determination letter;
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Federal Employer Identification Number or Corporate name does not match the Florida Division of Corporations record; and
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Applicant is incorporated as a nonprofit but does not have an active Florida Division of Corporations record.
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Issues with basic application requirements:
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Activities fall outside of the grant period;
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Request amount is too high or the proposal budget does not meet matching requirements;
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The proposal or operating budget contains too much in-kind; and
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The proposal budget contains non-allowable costs.
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Applicant does not meet eligibility requirements for the selected proposal type, funding category or discipline
Staff will also contact the applicant if the application indicates support materials are included but no materials are received.
After the application deadline, applications may only be amended at the request of Division staff. Only changes that are approved by the Division will be provided to the review panel.
Panel Review
After Division staff review, the Division will release eligible applications to the grant panel for review and scoring. Panelists must be practicing artists or other professionals. Panelists will be appointed by the Secretary of State each year based on the following considerations (in no particular order):
- panelist resume, knowledge, experience, and active involvement in the program, type or discipline being reviewed;
- panelist experience with the panel process;
- panelist availability;
- geographic representation;
- minority representation;
- conflicts of interest; and
- diverse aesthetic, institutional, and cultural viewpoints.
The Division is always seeking panelist nominations. Anyone may nominate a panelist (themselves or someone else) at any time by contacting a program manager (see help). Panelists may serve on a specific panel for up to 3 consecutive years. Panelists serve on a volunteer basis.
All panel members must comply with the Standards of Conduct for Public Officers and Employees of Agencies as set forth in section 112.313. Florida Statutes, and voting conflict of interest laws as set forth in sections 112.3143 and 286.012 Florida Statutes.
Panelists independently evaluate each application based on the review criteria detailed in these guidelines and are required to follow the Division's scoring instructions. After each panel member has evaluated the applications, there will be a public panel meeting to review, discuss, and score the applications. Panelists must voice their scores in the panel meeting. Only scores voiced during the panel meeting count towards the final average score for an application.
Panel Meetings
Panel meetings are a public process (usually conducted by teleconference) and anyone can participate by attending in person or by calling in via a toll-free number. Participation instructions will be emailed to applicants and posted on the Division's web site. The Division strongly encourages applicants to participate in the grant panel meeting, however it is not required. Participating in the panel process can be very helpful for those that intend to apply for future grants.
Panel meetings are chaired by a member of the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. If a member of the Council is not available a Division staff member will serve as the panel Chair. Chairs do not vote on applications being reviewed.
A typical panel meeting will include the following:
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Call to Order;
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Introduction of Panelists, Staff, and Call-In Participants/Audience;
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Panel Instructions from the Chair;
Preliminary scoring of applications. For each application:
- the Chair will announce the application number and applicant name;
- applicants may provide a brief update on the application. Updates may only include new proposal information;
- applicants will be permitted to respond to panelist questions;
- each panelist will voice his or her score;
- Division staff will calculate and voice the total points and the average panel score.
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Public comment prior to panel consensus on scores:
During public comment, anyone (including applicants) may speak about the applications under consideration. After public comment, panelists may adjust their scores before the final vote to accept all scores.
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Panel Recommendations;
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General discussion from the panel (policies, procedures);
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General comments from the public (limited to 3 minutes or at the Chair's discretion);
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Closing remarks from the Chair; and
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Adjournment.
Florida Council on Arts and Culture Review
After the panel meeting, the Division will report the panel recommendations to the Florida Council on Arts and Culture in the form of a ranked list. The Council will amend panel recommendations based on new or existing information about the applicant or panel proceedings.
Information that will allow recalculation of the average score by the Council is:
- a panelist's conflict of interest; and
- scoring errors.
Information that will result in the Council recommending zero funding is:
- noncompliance with administrative requirements of previous grants;
- bankruptcy or other fiscal concerns; and
- changes in the applicant's staff that would impair implementation of the proposed grant activity.
Council Recommendations
All Specific Cultural Project applications recommended by the Council will be merged into a ranked list in accordance with section 265.286(3), Florida Statutes, using the following system.
- Applications will be ranked by average score (highest to lowest);
- Applications with a tied average score will be ranked using the average points scored on each criterion in the following order:
- Excellence;
- Impact;
- Management; and
- Accessibility.
- If there is still a tie after the score for each criterion has been compared, the applications will be ordered by a sequence number assigned at application submission (lowest to highest)
This ranked list will be submitted to the Secretary of State for review and approval.
Funding
Subject to Legislative appropriation, Specific Cultural Project recommendations approved by the Secretary of State will be funded top-down at full request until the appropriation is depleted.
The Department of State's Legislative Budget Request will include the Secretary of State's approved ranked list of Specific Cultural Project applications. The Legislature may use this list to appropriate an amount in accordance with section 265.286(3), Florida Statutes.
If grant funds are returned to the Division, the Division shall award such funds to the next grant organization on the Secretary's ranked list of approved applicants according to section 265.286(4), Florida Statutes.
How to Apply
All application information submitted to the Division is open for public inspection and subject to the Public Records Law (Chapter 119, Florida Statutes).
Application Form
The application must be completed using the Division's online grant system and submitted online by 5:00 pm ET on the application deadline. Deadlines and a link to the application form will be posted on the Division's web site.
Applicants may request that a submitted application be electronically un-submitted at any point before the application deadline. The application must be re-submitted by the application deadline to be considered.
Attachments and Support Materials
Attachments and support materials must be uploaded into the online grant application system. Attachments and support materials will not be accepted by any other method including email and fax.
Attachments
Attachments are required documentation of eligibility. The required attachments for Specific Cultural Projects are:
Attachment | Required for |
---|---|
IRS 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) determination letter | nonprofit, tax exempt applicants |
Consultant Resume | Underserved Cultural Community Consultant category |
Support Materials
Support materials may be considered in the panel review and scoring so inclusion is highly recommended but is not required. We encourage all applicants to submit support materials.
Support materials may include, but are not limited to:
- a letter from the Executive Director;
- brochures, programs, catalogs, photographs or other printed materials (include those with accessibility symbols);
- materials crediting the Division for recent grants;
- recent support letters or reviews;
- long range plan or status report;
- organizational chart;
- list of current board members;
- detail about in-kind; and
- video or audio work samples.
You may submit any combination of support materials. For example, you could submit:
- an organization chart;
- 2 video excerpts (less than 10 minutes each);
- 3 support letters;
- detail about in-kind;
- a long range plan;
- 2 reviews;
- a concert program; and
- an example of a study material.
Please submit only high quality materials that support your application and only as many as you need. Required attachments do not count towards the 10 upload limit.
It is your responsibility to verify and receive permission for the use of any copyrighted materials. You are also responsible for considering accessibility of your materials.
File Formats
Panelists are not required to own specific software and the Division makes no guarantee that panelists will be able to view your digital materials. To increase the chances of file compatibility, make sure files are in one of the following formats.
- .pdf, .txt (documents)
- .jpg, .gif, .pdf (images)
- .mp3 (audio excerpts)
- .mp4, .mov (video excerpts)
Uploading Instructions
Attachments and support materials must be uploaded in the online system by the application deadline.
You may include up to 10 uploads for your support materials in addition to your attachments. You can include more than one item in an upload. You are not required to upload multiple copies. You must describe your materials as you upload them.
Help
For general information about the Division of Cultural Affairs and to access grant information, panel details and resources, visit our web site at: http://www.florida-arts.org.
For more information about the Specific Cultural Projects program, contact the program manager responsible for your proposal type and discipline.