Deadline: 12-Jul-20
The Alliance for the Arts is currently accepting applications for the Arts are Vital Grant: Emergency Funding for Artists and Arts Organizations.
The Arts are Vital Grant is an emergency relief program for Lee County’s arts organizations and individual artists formed in partnership with the Meisenberg Family Trust and the Alliance for the Arts to ensure the impact of the arts is not lost during a time when we need it most.
The program provides one-time grant awards to arts organizations and professional artists of all disciplines operating and residing in Lee County, FL with urgent financial need.
These funds are unrestricted and may be used by the organizations and artists to help with financial issues due to the impact of COVID-19 on their organizations, lives and livelihoods.
Priorities
- Available funds
- Alliance for the Arts members
- Need based on Financial Impact of COVID-19
Funding Information
- Arts organizations will receive $5,000 upon meeting eligibility and advancing in the review process.
- Individual artists will receive $500 upon meeting eligibility, advancing in the review process and submitting a signed W-9.
Eligibility Criteria
- Arts Organizations
- Eligible organizations will be nonprofit organizations exempt from Federal income taxes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
- Eligible organizations must be located in and primarily serve residents of Lee County.
- Eligible organizations must be governed by a volunteer board of directors.
- Eligible organizations will have a mission that is clearly focused on the arts.
- Eligible organizations must have a minimum of one (1) paid employee.
- Eligible organizations must conduct business without discrimination on the basis of race, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, or religious affiliation.
- Individual Artists
- All professional artists residing in Lee County for at least one year at the time of application are eligible to apply for this one-time grant.
- A professional artist is defined as a person who, over a sustained period of time, has:
- created and presented a recognized body of original artwork (e.g., visual and media artists, composers, choreographers, playwrights, poets, theater/film directors, costume designers, etc.);
- established a career as an interpretive artist (e.g., actors, musicians, dancers, singers, etc.);
- who is striving to achieve the highest level of professional recognition.
- Eligible applicants demonstrate a sustained commitment to their artistic work, on an ongoing basis, and pursue this work as a means of livelihood.
- Eligible applicants must demonstrate a serious and urgent need for financial assistance to be considered for this support.
- Eligible applicants must be over 18 years of age.
Other Considerations
- Organizations and artists demonstrating a commitment to equity
- Organizations and artists demonstrating a commitment to accessibility
- Organizations that operate a venue
- Organizations with two or more full-time employees or equivalent
Exclusions
- Arts Organizations
- Political Campaigns
- Lobbying or similar activities
- Advancement of a particular religion or faith
- Organizations with a mission that is NOT focused on the arts
- Units of government are ineligible, as well as, (c)(4) and (c)(6) agencies
- Organizations that are currently shut down (organizations that are adapting programming or programming on a lesser scale in response to COVID-19 CDC guidelines are eligible)
- Organizations that are funded or staffed by a municipal entity
- Organizations with current Alliance for the Arts board members on staff
- Individual Artists
- Students pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees, non-professionals who engage in the arts as a hobby, or current Alliance for the Arts board members or staff, or their families
For more information, visit https://www.artinlee.org/engage/grant/