Deadline: 5-Nov-20
The CNY Arts has made available a limited pot of funding for COVID-19 Arts Impact Grants that support nonprofit arts organizations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Three categories are available: Restart, Reopening, and Resiliency. Funds will be provided through a competitive peer panel regrant process administered by CNY Arts.
CNY Arts Impact Grants are designed as a rapid response regrant program that will support Central New York and Mohawk Valley nonprofit arts organizations and individual artists as they recover from COVID-19 shutdowns and/or find innovative ways to deliver services and provide relevant and high-quality arts and culture to the community. Funds are raised by CNY Arts via individual, corporate, and philanthropic sources.
Program Priorities
All organizations that have received support from CNY Arts OR the New York State Council on the Arts in the past three years (2018, 2019, 2020) are eligible to apply. Priority points will be given to:
- Organizations that have not received foundation or private support around COVID-19 related loss.
- Organizations and artists that demonstrate highest risk during this crisis, including historically under resourced organizations, as well as those who serve under-resourced populations, communities, and artistic disciplines.
- Organizations articulating action steps towards advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility as part of the internal and external practices.
Funding Information
- Award Amount: $2,500 – $10,000.
Eligible Expenses
Eligible Expenses include, but are not limited to:
- Salary support;
- Consultant fees for training, evaluation, or planning;
- Contractor fees for legal, bookkeeping, human resources for reopening, health and safety, virtual artistic content, and remote work;
- Software/Hardware for online and virtual programming or remote work;
- Purchase and/or installation fees related to protective gear or equipment for employees and patrons;
- Strategic alignment funds for expenses related to mergers;
- Utilities (rent/facility fees, internet, phone, electricity, insurance, etc);
- Other expenses to fulfill the goal of resiliency as defined by the applicant. However, this fund cannot be used to pay off long-term debt accumulated prior to January 1, 2020.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applications to the Arts Impact Fund must meet ALL of the criteria below:
- Nonprofit arts organizations (501(c)(3) or NYS Charity based in Cayuga, Cortland, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, or Oswego counties.
- Has received funding through CNY Arts in the past three years (FY2018, 2019, or 2020) OR is a New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) grantee (FY2018-2020) deeming them ineligible for CNY Arts’ Decentralization Grants. Those who have not received funding through either entity must complete an eligibility application to determine whether the organization may complete the Arts Resiliency Fund Application.
- Must have at least a three-year history of artistic programming.
- Must have an operating budget of at least $15,000 based on expenses from the most-recently completed fiscal year (via Form 990).
- Eligible Counties: Cayuga, Cortland, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, and Oswego.
Review Criteria
Funding is limited; all applications must be in compliance with these published grant guidelines and will be evaluated and scored competitively based on the criteria listed below:
- Qualitative and quantitative impact of COVID-19 on the organization’s operation and ability to deliver services and programs,
- Organizations that demonstrate history of artistic programming, thoughtful community impact, and a track record of success in Central New York and the Mohawk Valley,
- Commitment to the meaningful and ongoing engagement with CNY and MV communities, connecting audiences to accessible arts, culture, history, and heritage opportunities, and
- A plan to use the funds that will have a positive impact on an organization’s ability to survive COVID
and look to a long-term future (i.e. skeletal staff on board, virtual arts programming, fundraiser, etc.).
For more information, visit https://cnyarts.org/grants/arts-impact-fund/