GRASSROOTS ARTS PROGRAM

• August 15- Application opens
• September 15- Application deadline
• Late Oct/ Early Nov- Awards Announced
• Early Nov- Funds distributed
• June 30- Final report due

All applications are initially screened by staff for completeness, eligibility, and feasibility.

• Completeness of the Application
  No additional information required (10 pts), Had to request more information (5 pts)
• Eligibility of Requests
  All of the request is eligible for funding (10 pts), Part of the request is eligible for funding (5 pts)
• Feasibility of Completion within Time Restrictions
  The request can be completed by the 6/30/2023 deadline (10 pts), Will need to work with them to ensure that request is completed by 6/30/2023 deadline (5 pts)

Applications receiving a 0 on any of these categories or a total score below 15 will not progress to the next level.

Applications will also be group into possible funding ranges based on budget size with the understand that larger institutions have a larger reach and greater operating costs:

• Up to $2,500 for Organizations with a budget of $50,000 or less
• Up to $5,000 for Organizations with a budget of between $50,000 and $250,000
• Up to $7,500 for Organization with a budget over $250,000

A selection panel will then score all applications based on the following criteria:

• APPLICATION COMPLETENESS | Do you feel like you have a good understanding of the proposal based on the application or is it missing key details?
  Scale: 5 – Very Confident 4 – Confident 3 – Unsure 2 – Doubtful 1 – Very Doubtful
• FEASIBILITY | How confident are you in the ability of the organization to complete the proposal considering the scope, time restrictions (must be completed between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023), and other resources needed for successful completion?
  Scale: 5 – Very Confident 4 – Confident 3 – Unsure 2 – Doubtful 1 – Very Doubtful
• ORGANIZATIONAL STABILITY | How confident are in the organization’s capacity to carry out the proposed and the grant reporting requirements?
  Scale: 5 – Very Confident 4 – Confident 3 – Unsure 2 – Doubtful 1 – Very Doubtful
• ACCESSIBILITY | How accessible is the proposed for individuals with disabilities, including physical, visual, hearing, and cognitive impairment?
  Scale: 5 – Very Substantial 4 – Substantial 3 – Moderate 2 –  Insubstantial 1 –Very  Insubstantial
• ARTS & CULTURE ALIGNMENT | How centered are arts and culture in this proposal? This can either be by enhancing the organization’s ability to fulfill its arts and culture focused mission or to increase the accessibility of arts and cultural exposure to local residents.
  Scale: 5 – Very Substantial 4 – Substantial 3 – Moderate 2 –  Insubstantial 1 –Very  Insubstantial
• CAPACITY BUILDING | How much does this proposal increase the organization’s capacity to provide or expand service offerings for local residents?
  Scale: 5 – Very Substantial 4 – Substantial 3 – Moderate 2 –  Insubstantial 1 –Very  Insubstantial
• MULTICULTURAL IMPACT* | Is this a multicultural organization or program? To be considered a multicultural organization the mission of the organization must be focused on supporting African American, Asian American, Latino, or Native American cultures. For a program to be considered multicultural it must be conducted by artists, ensembles, or organizations of color.
  Scale: 5 – Very Substantial 4 – Substantial 3 – Moderate 2 –  Insubstantial 1 –Very  Insubstantial
• GEOGRAPHIC IMPACT | What is the impact on residents throughout the County, especially in underserved rural areas of the County? This criteria is meant to help ensure that residents throughout the County have access to arts programs.
  Scale: 5 – Very Substantial 4 – Substantial 3 – Moderate 2 –  Insubstantial 1 –Very  Insubstantial

*The arts council is required to spend 18% of the funding on multicultural programs or organizations.

A panel of 3-5 volunteers is selected to review the applications and make final funding recommendations. Panelists are expected to review and score each application based using a scoring spreadsheet provided by the Asheville Area Arts Council. Scores are then combined and ranked by arts council staff. A joint meeting of all panelists is then held for them to review the combined scores, discuss applications, and create a list of final funding recommendations.

The applicant’s combined scores, as well as any additional notes, will be given to the applicant with their award notification letter.

APPLICATION

Closed (Questions PDF). Deadline to apply was September 15 at 11:59 pm.

SUPPORT RESOURCES

Grant Guidelines (PDF)
Overview for Applicants (Video | Slides)

If you need help with your application, or have specific questions, email us at hello@artsavl.org. No phone calls, please. If you would like to discuss your application, please email us to set up an appointment.