Minnesota State Arts Board

2015 Arts LearningInformation session

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Program officer: Connie skildumConstance.skildum@arts.state.mn.us

(651) 215-1617 (800) 866-2787

Arts Tour Minnesota purpose

For projects that help lifelong learners acquire knowledge, understanding, and skills in the arts. Projects must provide participatory learning and engage learners with skilled teaching artists and high quality artistic experiences.

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Purpose

Program Outcomes

The goal of the Arts Learning program is that Minnesotans of all ages participate in arts learning and develop their creativity. Proposed projects must address at least one of the following program outcomes:

• The quantity and types of arts learning opportunities in the state, and the organizations or venues that offer them increases.

• Arts learning opportunities are more accessible to Minnesotans because barriers to participation have been identified and mitigated.

• More Minnesotans are engaged in arts learning opportunities.

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Grant amountMinimum - $5,000Maximum - $150,000

Match requirement - 90% Arts Board / regional arts council 10% applicant match

Expense– Total project cash expenses $80,000

Revenue– Combined RAC/Arts Board 72,000 (90%) – Other cash required 8,000 (10%)– Total project cash $80,000 (100%)

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Use of grant fundsAllowed (partial list)• To create and execute and/or expand arts learning programming; • For residencies in K-12 schools, summer intensives, and after-school programs; • For projects that engage arts learners over an extended period of time to

increase their proficiency in and understanding of an arts discipline, genre, or form;

• To make arts learning opportunities accessible to Minnesotans in community venues;

• To support one-time, multiple, or ongoing learning activities;

Use of grant funds

Not allowed (partial list)1. Activities in which artists are required to pay excessive fees in order to exhibit or

perform;

2. Payment of debts incurred before the grant activities begin;

3. Activities that are essentially for the religious socialization of the participants or audience;

4. Activities in primary or secondary level parochial schools;

5. Activities that attempt to influence any state or federal legislation or appropriation;

Who can apply?

Eligible organizational applicants must be one of the following:

• A 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization;

• A public agency such as a unit of local, state, or tribal government; or

• An informal, unincorporated group that has a formal written agreement with a Minnesota 501(c)(3) tax-exempt fiscal agent;

AND must meet all of the following conditions as of the application deadline:

• Be located and operating within the state of Minnesota;

• Employ at least one paid individual, in a contract or salaried position, to provide administrative and/or artistic oversight of the project.

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Review criteria

1.Quality of the arts experience

2.Commitment to and from the community

3.Project administration

4.Evaluation and assessment

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New for FY 2015

• Match requirement• Financial records and reconciliation

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WebGrants

grants management system

• All applicants are required to use the WebGrants system to apply: www.arts.state.mn.us.

• Registration is required of all applicants before beginning an application.

• A form called the Eligibility Questionnaire is part of the application. It should be completed first, and will indicate whether an applicant meets the basic requirements of this program. If eligible, the applicant may then go on to complete the full application. 10

Application components

• Fiscal year 2015 application forms – Fill out in WebGrants

• Financial documentation – Attach to WebGrants application

• Artist qualification materials – Attach to WebGrants application and upload videos to Vimeo

• Fiscal agent information– If using a fiscal agent, attach these materials in WebGrants

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How to start an application• Log into WebGrants

• Select: Funding opportunities

• Select: FY 2015 Arts Learning

• Select: Start a new application

General information form

• Primary contact

• Additional contacts

• Project title

• Organization (official applicant name)

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Project outcomes form

• Organizational information

• Project dates

• Contact hours

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Project outcomes form (continued)

• Publicity statement

• Applicant project outcomes

• Outcome evaluation

• Arts Board program outcomes

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Artist and participant estimate form• Artists, audience, broadcast, and

electronic audience

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Narrative form

• Applicant background

• Project description

• Review criteria

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Addressing the review criteria

1.Quality of the arts experience

2.Commitment to and from the community

3.Project administration

4.Evaluation and assessment

Financial information formProject revenue

• Request from $5,000 - $150,000• Applicant cash or other income• Round expenses up to the next $100• Income must equal expenses• All in-kind revenue needs to be assigned a

dollar value

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Financial information form Project expenses

• Artist compensation• Promotion and marketing• Planning and evaluation• Equipment (must be less than $5,000 in total)• Administration

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Financial support materials formSubmit one of the following based on the organization’s total revenue.

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Applicant FY 2012 annual revenue FY 2012 Financial document to submit

$750,000 and above Certified audit for fiscal year 2012

$50,000 – $749,999 IRS form 990 or 990-EZ for fiscal year 2012 or certified audit if available

Less than $50,000 Board approved financial statements or the equivalent for fiscal year 2012

Organizations that did not exist or had no financial activity in fiscal year 2012. (These organizations may only request the minimum grant amount of $5,000.)

Board approved financial statements or the equivalent for the next available completed fiscal year.

If the organization is exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code, attach a copy of the IRS 501(c)(3) letter of determination

Collaborator list form

• Collaborators - List individuals, organizations, or venues.

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Artist qualification form(s)

Every applicant, must provide a complete set of materials for the first one - five teaching artists involved in the project.

Materials required for each teaching artist (up to 5 artists) include:•Artist resume•work samples•work sample description•Lesson plan or lesson video and description

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Work samples

• Submit a separate teaching artist qualification form for each artist or arts group (up to five).

• All work samples will be submitted electronically only. Work samples will not be accepted by mail or in person delivery.

• Videos must be uploaded to www.vimeo.com. Vimeo is a professional video sharing Web site that allows users to upload videos for private or public viewing.

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Project information form

• Artistic discipline(s)

• Project characteristics

• Project descriptors

• Educational activities

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Demographic information form

• Applicant type• Gender• Ethnicity• Other characteristics• Permanent resident alien

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Fiscal agent information form

• Fiscal agent - Informal groups that do not have 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status must apply with a fiscal agent

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Certifications and signatures

• Certification statements• Electronic signature

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FY 2015 Arts Learning

Application deadline: April 25, 2014

Panel reviews: July15 -16, 2014 August 6-7, 2014 July 22-23, 2014 August 6-7, 2014 July 19-30, 2014 August 13-14, 2014

Board approval: September 2014

Project dates: November 1, 2014 – October 31, 2015

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Tips

• Review proposals previously submitted. • Read instructions thoroughly; contact the program officer

with questions. • Relate your answers to the review criteria. • Prepare work samples early and test them for

functionality.• Ask someone unfamiliar with your project to read the

proposal for clarity and understanding.

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For questions or help

For questions about the content of the application forms or narrative, please contact:

Connie Skildum, program officer

Constance.skildum@arts.state.mn.us .....................................(651) 215 -1617

For questions about financial forms or required financial documents, please contact:

Dave White, director, finance and grants administration

david.white@arts.state.mn.us.................................................(651) 215-1622

For questions about the technical aspects of the application forms, or questions about

electronic submission, please e-mail the Arts Board at: apply@arts.state.mn.us

Tom Miller, project manager ......................................................... (651) 215-1611

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