Deadline: 14-Oct-21
The Tennessee Arts Commission is accepting applications for the COVID-19 Arts Resilience Grant for nonprofit organizations and local governments to support creative responses to COVID-19 through the arts.
This opportunity endeavors to engage the creative sector in ways that strengthen communities through projects that enhance community and organizational sustainability, resiliency and rebuilding; create a sense of belonging and place; advance community and public health efforts; document this unprecedented moment; and promote community dialogue. In addition, applications should consider ways to enlist and employ artists and creative workers in innovative, responsive initiatives that benefit Tennesseans and their communities and stimulate economic recovery.
Objectives
To qualify for this opportunity, applicants must meet eligibility requirements, and projects must meet at least one of the following objectives:
- Invest in arts and cultural assets to enhance everyday life for all Tennesseans by promoting the professional development of artists; expanding arts and cultural opportunities in rural communities or for underserved populations; or recognizing the importance of community-driven amateur and informal arts-making for community vitality.
- Foster innovation and excellence by encouraging and incentivizing resilience and adaptability to change and rebuilding efforts. Organizations applying in this objective must be arts organizations as defined by the Tennessee Arts Commission.
- Accelerate transformation of rural areas through arts and cultural assets by targeting outreach and grant programs to strengthen impact for rural communities, including Tennessee’s distressed and at-risk counties.
- Strengthen community vibrancy through cross-sector and public/private partnerships with the arts by developing and investing in initiatives that improve physical and mental health and quality of life for Tennesseans through the arts.
- Facilitate community arts learning for all Tennesseans by cultivating high quality arts education in Tennessee’s arts and cultural organizations for children and lifelong learners, integrating arts education with community cultural heritage for increased understanding and authentic arts engagement and supporting learning efforts with education and community goals for lasting outcomes, including in rural areas.
Funding Information
COVID-19 Arts Resilience Grants provide funds for nonprofit organizations and local governments ranging from $500 to $5,000.
Eligibility Criteria
An organization is eligible to apply for funding support if the organization meets one of the following qualifications:
- The organization is a nonprofit organization legally chartered in Tennessee and in possession of a determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service declaring the organization exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Organization may currently receive project or operational support from the Tennessee Arts Commission.
- The organization is an entity of government (such as a council or commission).
- 501(c)3 applicants will be required to upload copies of the basic nonprofit status documentation into the online grant making system including:
- Tennessee State Charter
- IRS 501(c)3 Determination Letter
- Most recent copy of the bylaws of the organization
- Proposed applications must involve one or more Commission recognized art forms, including: visual arts, craft, media, design, music, theater, dance, folk and ethnic, or literary arts.
- Organizations are eligible to receive one Special Opportunities: COVID-19 Arts Resilience Grant during Fiscal Year 2022. Current grantees, including organizations receiving operating support, are eligible to apply for a Special Opportunities Grant as long as the proposed project is a separate and distinct project not currently funded under other Commission grant programs during FY22.
- DUNS Number requirement. All organizational applicants are required to have a DUNS number. Information and application instructions can be found here.
- Debarment and Suspension. Grantees are required to sign contracts certifying to the best of their knowledge and belief, that it, its current and future principals, its current and future subcontractors and their principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any federal or state department or agency.
For more information, visit https://tnartscommission.org/grants/special-opportunities/