General Operating Support (GOS) Grants

About This Grant

Purpose

To help strengthen arts organizations that bring ongoing arts experiences and services to individuals, communities, and other organizations throughout the state via three (3) years of support for basic operations for applicants ranging from emerging to established arts organizations with primary missions involving these artistic functions:

• producing,
• service,
• presenting,
• and/or education.

• Eligibility

  To be eligible for this grant, an organization must fit all the following criteria.

  1. Have a primary mission focused on the arts
     OR
     Serve as the primary arts provider in their community
     OR
     Provide ongoing arts programming in their community (examples given in the “Use of Funds” section of these guidelines)
  2. Be either
     • a unit of local government
       OR
     • a nonprofit community-based arts organization
       • currently registered as a charity with the SC Secretary of State’s Office
         Note: Applicants who are exempt from this registration must upload their registration exemption approval.
       • reflecting SC as the primary address on all current official organizational documents
       • with federal tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service
         OR
         applying through a tax exempt fiscal agent/receiver organization
         Note: Applicants who are applying through a fiscal agent/receiver will need to submit a letter that outlines the working relationship and responsibilities of both parties.
  3. Have completed at least one fiscal year of programming
  4. Have a valid Unique Entity ID

     • In accordance with federal government policy, all organizations – including (but not limited to) private schools, public school districts, government entities, and nonprofit organizations – must provide a valid UEI number* to receive an SCAC grant award.

       *Learn about the Unique Entity ID (UEI)

       Note: If an applicant organization is using a fiscal agent/receiver, separate UEI numbers must be provided for both the applicant organization and the fiscal agent/receiver. Exceptions to separate UEI numbers are organizations run by a local government or a school district.

  5. Is either
     • an FY24 Group 3 GOS grantee
       OR
     • a new GOS applicant (any eligible organization that is not an FY23 operating support grantee).

  Note for new applicants: Eligible organizations with an arts expense budget of $75,000 or less may apply for either an OSS grant OR a General Operating Support (GOS) Grant.
  

  What’s the difference between a General Operating Support (GOS) Grant and an Operating Support for Small Organizations (OSS) Grant?

  OSS Grants are specifically designed for small arts organizations, with expense budgets of $75,000 or less. If your budget meets these criteria, you may apply in either operating support category (GOS or OSS), but not both.

  The main differences between OSS and GOS are:

  • OSS grants have a maximum award of $5,000 per year, with a 1:1 match. GOS grants have no maximum award, with a 3:1 match.
  • OSS grantees reapply every two years. GOS grantees reapply every three years.
  • The OSS application is shorter and less involved in comparison to the GOS application.

• Restrictions

  • Organizations receiving SCAC General Operating Support funding may not receive simultaneous Arts Project Support funding, except for professional development opportunities.
  • FY24 GOS Group 1 and Group 2 grantees may not submit a new application for review; they will continue their existing funding cycle in FY25. If you have questions regarding this restriction, please reach out to the program director.

• Use of Funds

  Grantees may use these funds for any general operating expense related to their arts programming, such as staff salaries, paying the electric bill, printing programs, buying supplies, etc.

  Arts programming expenses might include (but are not limited to) concert series, visual arts workshops, a season of theatrical productions, or other activities and initiatives conducted with the primary intention of providing arts experiences to the community.

  This grant is not intended to support programming that is not arts-focused (although it may contain artistic elements).

  Allowable (Operating) Expenses

  Costs that an organization must make to perform its primary, day to day activities that generate revenue

  • administrative costs
  • office supplies
  • salaries for administrative/artistic personnel
  • commissions
  • marketing and advertising
  • research and development costs
  • rent
  • utilities
  • contract/consultant services
  • insurance premiums
  • everyday repairs to equipment
  • travel expenses related to normal business activities
  • property tax
  • accessibility operating expenses: expenses accrued to improve the quality of being easily reached, entered, or used by people who have a disability.

  Non-allowable (Non-operating) expenses

  Costs that are unrelated to the core operations of the organization

  • interest on borrowed money
  • one-time or unusual costs (e.g., buying/ selling real estate, fines and penalties, legal expenses)
  • lawsuits
  • disposal of assets
  • losses due to natural disasters
  • decrease in inventory value or unsold inventory
  • any activities primarily intended for fundraising (e.g., costs of organized fundraising, including financial campaigns, endowment drives, solicitation of gifts and bequests, and similar expenses incurred solely to raise capital or obtain contributions)
  • costs of investment counsel/staff and similar expenses incurred solely to enhance income from investments
  • new construction/facilities construction
  • food, beverages, alcohol, catering services

• Additional Requirements of this Grant

  None

• Priority

  There are no specified priority areas for this grant category.

• Deadline & Grant Period

  Deadline

  • For FY24 GOS Group 3 grantees and new applicants: February 15, 2024

  Applications may be submitted until 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) on the deadline date. However, please be aware that staff members will not be available to assist you with questions or technical difficulties after SCAC closes at 5 p.m. that day.

  Grant Period

  July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025

  GOS grants are awarded on a three-year cycle of approval, but separate contracts are issued for each annual grant period.

  Important Dates

  For FY24 GOS Group 3 grantees

  • November 16, 2023: FY25 GOS application becomes available
  • February 15, 2024: FY25 GOS application due

  For new GOS applicants

  • November 16, 2023: FY25 GOS application becomes available
  • February 15, 2024: FY25 GOS application due

  For all applicants

  • Spring 2024: FY25 application panel review
  • June/July 2024: FY25 award notification
  • December 2024: first FY25 pay request due
  • June 2025: final FY25 pay request due
  • July 2025: FY25 final report form available
  • August 2025: FY25 final report due

  Exact due dates for your grant will be indicated in your grants portal record.

• Funding & Match

  Funding

  There is no pre-set funding range.

  Grant awards will be based on:

  1. panel review of the applications
  2. size of the applicant’s arts operating budget (see “Matching Requirements” below)
  3. availability of funds, and
  4. SCAC board approval.

  Awards may vary from year to year and are contingent on appropriation of funds by the S.C. General Assembly.

  Matching Requirements

  3:1 (grantee:SCAC)

  Each dollar awarded must be matched with $3 cash. No in-kind expenses are allowed as part of the applicant’s match in this category.

  • Funds from another SCAC grant may not be used as matching funds.
  • Federal funding may not be used as matching funds.

• Grant Criteria

  Are you wondering what makes for a strong application?

  The SCAC recommends using the FY25 General Operating Support Grant Evaluation Rubric as a guide when writing your application. Grant panelists will score your application responses based on the criteria within this rubric.

  Applications will be reviewed with the criteria of artistic excellence and artistic merit.

  The artistic excellence and artistic merit of the arts programming is determined by:

  • value and appropriateness for the mission, artistic field, artists, audience, and/or community;
  • ability to carry out the arts programming on factors such as the budget, resources, and the qualifications of personnel and/or partnerships;
  • clearly defined goals and/or proposed outcomes and an appropriate plan to determine if those goals and/or outcomes are met. This includes, where relevant, measures to assess student and/or teacher learning in arts education;
  • evidence of direct compensation to artists, art collectives, and/or art workers; and
  • evidence of authentic community engagement in planning for and participating in the arts programming.

  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 and, effective methods of engaging and maintaining participants.;
  • 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.; and
  • have organizational characteristics—of a board, staff, processes, programs, facilities, etc.—that promote and facilitate broad participation.

  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 website, 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.

  The South Carolina Arts Commission’s FY25 General Operating Support Grant Evaluation Rubric
  Organization Health (30%)
  	0-1		2-3	4-6	7-8
  Governance	There is no evidence of governance, management, or staffing (paid or volunteer) to support the work of the organization.		There is some evidence of governance, management, and staffing (paid or volunteer) to support the work of the organization.	There is evidence of governance, management, and staffing (paid or volunteer) to support the work of the organization.	There is strong evidence of governance, management, and staffing (paid or volunteer) to support the work of the organization.
  	0-1		2-3	4-5	6-7
  Financial Support for Professional Learning	There is no evidence of investment in professional learning by the organization’s board and staff.		There is some evidence of investment in professional learning by the organization’s board and staff.	There is evidence of investment in professional learning by the organization’s board and staff.	There is strong evidence of investment in professional learning by the organization’s board and staff.
  	0-1		2-3	4-5	6-7
  Planning	There is no evidence of methods for planning or evaluating organizational health.		There is some evidence of methods for planning or evaluating organizational health.	There is evidence of methods for planning or evaluating organizational health.	There is strong evidence of methods for planning or evaluating organizational health.
  Income	There is no evidence of sufficient income to support stable arts programming or access to cash to cover occasional shortfalls.		There is some evidence of sufficient income to support stable arts programming or access to cash to cover occasional shortfalls.	There is evidence of sufficient income to support stable arts programming or access to cash to cover occasional shortfalls.	There is strong evidence of sufficient income to support stable arts programming or access to cash to cover occasional shortfalls.
  Programs and Services (40%)
  	0		1-2	3-4	5
  Mission Alignment	The arts programs and services are not aligned with the mission.		The arts programs and services are somewhat aligned with the mission.	The arts programs and services are aligned with the mission.	The arts programs and services are closely aligned with the mission.
  	0-1		2-3	4-5	6-7
  Breadth and Quality	The breadth and quality of the arts programs and services are not within the scope of the mission.		The breadth and quality of the arts programs and services are somewhat within the scope of the mission.	The breadth and quality of the arts programs and services are within the scope of the mission.	The breadth and quality of the arts programs and services are clearly within the scope of the mission.
  	0-1		2-3	4-5	6-7
  Capacity	The organization does not demonstrate the capacity to provide arts programs and services effectively.		The organization demonstrates some capacity to provide arts programs and services effectively.	The organization demonstrates the capacity to provide arts programs and services effectively.	The organization demonstrates strong capacity to provide arts programs and services effectively.
  	0-1		2-3	4-5	6-7
  Programming Intention	The arts programs and services offered are not appropriate for the people, organizations, and communities for whom they are intended.		The arts programs and services offered are appropriate for some of the people, organizations, and communities for whom they are intended.	The arts programs and services offered are appropriate for the people, organizations, and communities for whom they are intended.	The arts programs and services offered are directly designed for the people, organizations, and communities for whom they are intended.
  	0-1		2-3	4-5	6-7
  Understanding Success	There is no demonstrated understanding of what “success” means for the organization.		There is some understanding of what “success” means for the organization.	There is an appropriate understanding of what “success” means for the organization.	There is a strong, clear understanding of what “success” means for the organization.
  	0-1		2-3	4-5	6-7
  Goals	The organization does not demonstrate practical strategies for reaching its goals or improving the quality of its arts programs and services.		The organization demonstrates some practical strategies for reaching its goals and improving the quality of its arts programs and services.	The organization demonstrates practical strategies for reaching its goals and improving the quality of its arts programs and services.	The organization demonstrates strong, practical strategies for reaching its goals and improving the quality of its arts programs and services.
  Public Participation (30%)
  	0-1		2-3	4-6	7-8
  Knowledge of Participants	There is no understanding of who the organization’s participants are and are not, including an informed awareness of why people do or don’t participate.		There is some understanding of who the organization’s participants are and are not, including an informed awareness of why people do or don’t participate.	There is an understanding of who the organization’s participants are and are not, including an informed awareness of why people do or don’t participate.	There is a strong understanding of who the organization’s participants are and are not, including an informed awareness of why people do or don’t participate.
  	0-1		2-3	4-6	7-8
  Methods	The organization does not have varied or effective methods of engaging the community or maintaining participants.		The organization has somewhat varied and effective methods of engaging the community or maintaining participants.	The organization has varied and effective methods of engaging the community and maintaining participants.	The organization has direct, varied and effective methods of engaging the community and maintaining participants.
  	0-1		2-3	4-6	7-8
  Assessment	The organization does not have methods for assessing participation issues or have practical strategies and partnerships for building participation, within the scope of the mission and the current context of the organization.		The organization has some methods for assessing participation issues and has practical strategies and partnerships for building participation, within the scope of the mission and the current context of the organization.	The organization has methods for assessing participation issues and has practical strategies and partnerships for building participation, within the scope of the mission and the current context of the organization.	The organization has strong methods for assessing participation issues and has practical strategies and partnerships for building participation, within the scope of the mission and the current context of the organization.
  	0		1-2	3-4	5-6
  Board Participation	The organization does not have organizational characteristics of a board, staff, processes, programs, facilities, etc. that promote and facilitate broad participation.		The organization has some organizational characteristics of a board, staff, processes, programs, facilities, etc. that promote and facilitate broad participation.	The organization has organizational characteristics of a board, staff, processes, programs, facilities, etc. that promote and facilitate broad participation.	The organization has strong organizational characteristics of a board, staff, processes, programs, facilities, etc. that promote and facilitate broad participation.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted through our grants portal, which uses the Foundant platform.

New to Foundant? For frequently asked questions, registration instructions, and other helpful information, we highly recommend visiting the Grants Portal FAQ, before you begin working in the system.

The initial application will take time to complete, so we strongly advise you to begin well in advance of the deadline. The online application is opened each year at least one month in advance for the upcoming deadline.

• Your Grants Portal Account

  The applicant must have an active account in our Grants Portal.

  • If you have previously used Submittable to apply for other SCAC grants or programs, please note that the grants portal is a different system. Your Submittable credentials will not work; you will need a grants portal account to apply for this grant.
  • If you have used the grants portal as both an artist and as a contact for a school or organization, be sure you log on with the correct account to apply for this grant.

• Starting Your Application

  FY24 GOS GROUP 3 GRANTEES & NEW APPLICANTS

  Starting November 16, 2023:

  1. Follow the “Apply” link below. The grants portal will open in a new browser tab or window.
  2. Log on, then click the “Apply” link at the top of your Applicant Dashboard.
  3. Find “Operating Support – General” in the list of available grant applications, and click the “Apply” button to the far right.

After You Apply

• Review Process

  The Grants Team will review submitted applications for completeness and compliance with guideline and application requirements. A review panel of arts professionals will evaluate the applications based on the published review criteria. An applicant’s panel comments are available to them upon request. Staff will then develop funding recommendations, based on these evaluations and the availability of funds. Recommendations will be presented to the board of commissioners, which makes final award decisions. Award notification is expected after the June 2024 board meeting, pending completion of the state budget process.

• If You Receive a Grant Award

  If your application is funded, you (and your fiscal agent/receiver, if applicable) will enter into a contractual agreement with the South Carolina Arts Commission, and you must comply with all requirements stated in that contract. You will receive notification and instructions when your contract is available in the Grants Portal. You must submit your completed contract packet, including signatures and other documentation as instructed, by the date indicated in the system. You must also complete all other assigned follow ups by the due date.

  Please note: Any significant revisions to grant-funded activities must be approved in writing, in advance, by the SCAC. Significant revisions to grant-funded activities must be emailed to grants@arts.sc.gov to be processed for approval or denial.

  Additional details about managing an SCAC grant are available on our agency website.

  Grant Payments

  Payment will be on a reimbursement basis only. Grantees in this category may be eligible for up to two (2) interim payments and one final payment prior to receipt and approval of the grantee’s final report. An accurate pay request, listing only expenses allowable under the program guidelines within 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 the date indicated in your online account.

  Payment schedule:

  • First interim payment request due by December 2024*
  • Second interim payment request due by March 2025*
  • Final Payment request due by end of May 2025

  *Interim payment requests may be submitted earlier as needed. If an organization needs more time to accumulate expenses before submitting an interim payment request, they must reach out to grants@arts.sc.gov.

  Final Report

  ALL GRANTEES are required to file a final report at the end of the grant period. The final report due date is stated in the grant contract. Failure to submit an accurate and complete final report by the due date will result in cancellation of the award and repayment of any funds received. SCAC will not fund applicants who have outstanding final reports.

  In addition, failure to file a complete GOS Final Report by the due date will result in a reduction of 15% to your next Operating Support award.

  GOS grants are awarded on a three-year cycle, but grantees are required to file a final report at the end of each annual grant period. 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.