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SC Arts Commission Grants Programs

 

Application Deadline: February 22, 2012 – GROUP 3 ONLY.

Applications will only be accepted from Group 3 organizations and new applicant organizations.

 

 

 

Purpose

The purpose of General Operating Support is to strengthen arts organizations that bring ongoing arts experiences and services to individuals, communities, and other organizations throughout the state by providing consistent, unrestricted support for basic operations. Applicants range from emerging to established arts organizations.

 

Description

Twelve-month Operating Support for SC arts organizations with primary missions involving these artistic functions: producing, service, presenting, and/or education.

 

Arts councils may also submit a separate application for subgranting of additional SCAC funds to local applicants. Please see Subgranting guidelines for details.

 

Eligibility Requirements

1. Applicant must be a S.C. organization with its primary mission focused on the arts (or an organization that serves as the primary arts provider in its community). A S.C. organization is one that reflects S.C. as its primary address on all current official organizational documents.

 

2. Applicant ALSO must be one of the following:
• a charitable organization currently registered with the Office of the Secretary of State that has its own federal tax exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service
• a charitable organization currently registered with the Office of the Secretary of State applying through a tax exempt fiscal agent organization
• a unit of local government

 

3. Applicant must have a valid DUNS number. All General Operating Support applicants must include their DUNS number on applications. Applications will not be accepted from organizations that do not have a DUNS number. What's a DUNS number, and how do I get one?

 

4. The Applicant Groups List shows which group you are in and when you can apply for funding. If you are not a current grantee, please contact your county coordinator to discuss eligibility before beginning the application process.

 

Restrictions

• Organizations requesting General Operating Support must have completed one fiscal year of programming in order to be eligible to apply.
• Organizations receiving General Operating Support may not apply for Quarterly Support (except for requests for staff professional development under the Quarterly Support grants program).

 

NOTE: Organizations with annual expense budgets of less than $75,000 may apply for Operating Support for Small Organizations (OSS), however, you may not apply for both GOS and OSS.

 

Application Deadline

February 22, 2012 – GROUP 3 ONLY. Applications will only be accepted from Group 3 organizations and new applicant organizations. New applicant organizations are defined as any arts organization that is not currently receiving GOS funding in any of the three groups.

 

The initial application will take time to complete, so we strongly advise you to begin well in advance of the deadline. Applications must be submitted via the Online SC Arts Resources (OSCAR) application process by 5:00 p.m. on February 22, 2012. Late applications cannot be accepted. The OSCAR submissions will be blocked after the deadline.

 

Filing Fee

There is no longer a filing fee for General Operating Support applications.

 

Grant Period

July 1-June 30 (fiscal year). Grants are awarded on either an annual basis or a 3-year cycle of approval. Separate contracts will be issued each year. Read the Final Report section for details.

 

Funding Range

There is no pre-set funding range. Awards will be based on organizational budgets, application reviews, and the availability of funds. Grant awards may vary from year to year due to availability of funds.

 

Match

A minimum of 3:1 (grantee:SCAC) cash match is required. Each dollar awarded must be matched with $3 cash. No in-kind expenses are allowed as part of applicant’s match in this category.

 

Grant Payments

Payment will be on a reimbursement basis only. Up to two interim payments may be requested during the grant period. An accurate Grants Payment Request Form, listing only expenses allowable under the program guidelines for the certified time period, must be submitted in order to receive payment for the grant award. Your first grant payment request must be submitted by December 1.

 

Review Process

The initial SCAC staff review of applications focuses on eligibility, conformity to guidelines, and accuracy and clarity of information provided. The grants review panel, composed of arts administrators, artists, educators and community leaders, from within and outside S.C., reviews and rates grant applications on the basis of specific criteria listed in the guidelines. The panel review sessions are open to the public. SCAC staff will develop funding recommendations based on these panel ratings for the S.C. Arts Commission Board of Commissioners, which makes final award decisions.

 

Final Report

All grantees are required to file a final report at the end of the grant period. The final report due date for General Operating Support grants (August 1) is printed on your contract. Failure to file a complete final report by the due date will result in a reduction of 15% to your next General Operating Support award and possible repayment of current year funds received. Grantees with outstanding final reports are ineligible to receive funding in any SCAC program until the complete final report has been received and approved.

 

If your organization receives a 3-year award cycle, you are required to file a final report at the end of each annual grant period. Final reports will be due on August 1 of each year. Submission of your annual final reports for years one and two of the three-year cycle will allow us to assess long-term progress and generate the next year's contract.

 

 

 

The General Operating Support for Organizations grant application has been designed for submission via the OSCAR system by 5:00 p.m. (EST) on February 22, 2012.

 

Returning OSCAR users MUST use their user name and password in order to access their stored grant record. First-time applicants must register with OSCAR before beginning an application. Once you begin your application, you may access it at any time by logging on with your assigned user name and password.

 

Application Components, Review Criteria and Weightings:

Section 1 - Organization Information

The first section contains a brief questionnaire about your organization. You must confirm that you have completed or updated the existing applicant information section in order to advance to the remainder of the application.

 

The balance of the application is divided into three sections, with each section assigned an overall point value:
Section 2 - Organizational Health (30 points)
Section 3 - Programs and Services; as they relate to the organization's mission (40 points)
Section 4 - Public Participation (30 points)

 

Sections should be completed in sequential order. However, you may complete the application in phases. For many questions, you will simply pick the appropriate response from a checklist. No full narrative is required.

 

Section 2 - Organizational Health (30 points)

An organization that receives a high score on this section will

• have governance, management and staffing appropriate and sufficient to support the work of the organization. (This is not meant to imply that management and staff must be paid professionals. For some organizations, competent volunteers are appropriate and sufficient)
• invest in learning by its board and staff
• have practical, appropriate methods for well-informed planning and evaluation
• have sufficient income to support stable programming and access to cash to cover occasional shortfalls

 

Section 3 - Programs and Services, as they relate to the organization's mission (40 points)

An organization that receives a high score on this section will

• offer programs and services that are closely aligned with its mission
• show breadth and quality in its programs and services, within the scope of its mission
• have the capacity to provide these programs and services effectively
• offer programs and services that are appropriate for the people, organizations, and communities for whom they are intended
• demonstrate a clear understanding of what "success" means for the organization
• have practical strategies for reaching its goals and improving the quality of its programs and services

 

Section 4 - Public Participation (30 points)

An organization that receives a high score on this section will

• have a clear understanding of who its participants are and are not, including an informed awareness of why people do or don’t participate
• have varied, effective methods of engaging and maintaining participants
• offer an appropriate (for the organization and the community) range of opportunities for broad participation
• have organizational characteristics - of board, staff, processes, programs, facilities, etc. - that promote and facilitate broad participation
• honestly assess its participation issues and have practical strategies and partnerships for building participation within the scope of the mission and the current context of the organization

Important note: By "participation" we mean active involvement of any sort by anyone with your organization. Participation includes attendance at events, certainly, but it also includes many other types of engagement, such as taking a class, using a Web site, serving as a volunteer, providing in-kind goods and services, making financial donations, serving on boards and committees, buying works of art, working as a contracted artist, etc.

 

Submitting Your Application

After all sections of your application have been completed, you will submit the application electronically. The application will not submit unless all required questions are answered. When you submit your application, you will receive confirmation acknowledging that your online application was received.

 

Remember: You must submit your completed application by 5:00 p.m. (EST) on February 15. Online submission of applications will be blocked after the deadline.

 

Do not submit additional support materials. However, please be aware that panelists may review your website.
Do not submit an application narrative or cover letter.
Do not submit a printed copy of your application.

• It is recommended, however, that you print and keep a hard copy of the application for your records. SCAC will charge an additional $10.00 to supply you with a hard copy of your application.

 

NOTE: The S.C. Arts Commission no longer requires a copy of an applicant's current S.C. Charities registration letter. Instead, applicant information will be provided to the S.C. Office of the Secretary of State. In accordance with the S.C. Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act, charitable organizations must maintain current registration with the S.C. Office of the Secretary of State. Failure to register and renew the registration annually may result in severe fines by the S.C. Office of the Secretary of State.

 

 

Still have questions? Please contact your county coordinator.

 

 

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