Project Support Program

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Project Support program promotes and encourages the breadth of arts and cultural programming in our community by supporting projects both large and small throughout the City of Phoenix.​​​

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Submit your application ​​​ Register for Grant Orientation
Project Budget Webinar Webinar Pass​​​​word: ​Budget2020

Information in Spanish

Project Support Application Guidelines, Instructions, and Questions
Evaluation table (Will be used by panelists to evaluate applications)
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​Staff Contact | Contacto

​Anel E. Arriola, Grants and Programs Manager, 602-534-5084, anel.arriola@phoenix.gov

​Schedule a virtual meeting here: calendly.com/anel-arriola

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 Accordion Script
Guidelines and Details

Guidelines and Details


Overview

The Project Support program promotes and encourages the breadth of arts and cultural programming in our community by supporting projects both large and small throughout the City of Phoenix. The program supports guest artist fees/expenses, production fees, and marketing expenses arts and/or culture projects that engage Phoenix residents, including but not limited to, arts workshops, pop-up performances, and collaborations with artists.

Application submissions for the March 29 deadline should only include arts and cultural activities taking place between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024. 


Goals

  • Support arts and cultural projects across the City of Phoenix, especially artistic collaborations with full representation from all persons at the intersection of any age, race, culture, class, religion, sex, national origin, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.
  • Fund projects which support the artistic and cultural work of young people or projects which introduce youth to arts and culture in the City of Phoenix.
  • Invest in projects that support and celebrate individual artists making an impact in the community

Application Timeline

​Date​​
 Event
​Feb. 15
 ​Guidelines published | Application opens
Feb. 23 | Mar. 1 | Mar. 23
Feb. 27
 ​Orientation works​hops (English)
Orientation workshop​ (Spanish)
Feb. 21 – Mar. 24
 ​One-on-one application consultations with staff
April 3 at 5 p.m. (EXTENDED)
 ​Application deadline 

All sessions are held virtually via WebEx and are in Arizona Time. A recording will be available on the grants page 24 hours after each session is held. 

Video one-on-one appointments and application consultations can be made with grants staff between February 21 and March 24, 2023. 

Who can apply?

To be eligible for the Project Support program, organizations must meet all the following criteria:

  • Be based in the City of Phoenix and have a City of Phoenix address OR be based in Maricopa County, producing an in-person cultural festival in Phoenix, and serve mainly Phoenix residents
  • Exist as one of the following applicant types:
    • ​501(c)3 organization (arts/culture or community-based)
    • K-12 school
    • Youth collective (umbrella organization or school must be primary applicant)
    • Arts collective (an individual must be identified as primary applicant/vendor)
    • Arts and culture LLC (with a prior year income below $250,000) *
   * Subject to grant being taxed as income if not applying with a fiscal sponsor who has 501(c)3 tax-exempt status
  • ​​An applicant applying to the General Support Program is not eligible to apply for a project support grant​

Fiscal Sponsor

Applicants that do not have 501(c)3 status are eligible to apply for a tax-exempt project grant using a fiscal sponsor. For applicants who are having trouble finding a fiscal sponsor, two options are TAPAZ and Fractured Atlas. Any applicant with a fiscal sponsor must submit an MOU (memorandum of understanding) at the time of application, and the MOU must be signed by both parties. Fiscal sponsors do typically charge an administrative fee between 7% and 12% of the total grant award. Estimated fee should be included as a line item in the project budget. The Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture does not accept applications submitted by fiscal agents. Please contact us with any questions you have about fiscal sponsorship.

Funding

For FY2022-2023, applicants can request up to $5,000.

​Applicants supported through this grant category receive merit-based awards, which are determined by the ranking a project receives in the panel review. There is no required match for this grant.

The PSP program does not fund:
  • POAC Community Arts Grants program General Support grantees
  • Individuals or single member LLCs
  • Projects that receive direct project funding from other POAC grants or sponsorships within the same fiscal year. 
  • Any division of local, state or federal government
  • Organizations outside of the City of Phoenix not producing a cultural festival
  • Applications submitted by for-profit entities
  • Schools, including public, private and charter not applying for a grant that serves youth.
  • Colleges and universities, other City of Phoenix departments, auxiliary/affiliate organizations, and organizations without a 501(c)3 and not utilizing a fiscal sponsor
  • Religious institutions or religious group-sponsored organizations not open to participation by non-congregants
  • Religious institutions or religious group-sponsored organizations whose primary purpose is the religious socialization of individuals or whose arts programming exists as parts of religious sermons or services
  • Debt reduction
  • Re-granting, unless permission is received
  • Grant administration, overhead or processing fees taken by an umbrella/parent organization as a percentage of the total award, except for fiscal sponsors
  • Lobbying expenses
  • Expenses related to the construction of facilities
  • Food and beverage for receptions and hospitality functions
  • Fundraising projects
  • Scholarships and awards
  • Staff salaries independent from the time allocated to project delivery
  • Capital investments (equipment and supplies that outlast the duration of the project)
  • The production or commission of public art not included in the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture's annual public art plan


Evaluation Criteria and Application Questions

Applications are reviewed for eligibility by staff and evaluated and ranked by review panelists using the criteria listed below. 

​Overview (10 points)

Evaluation Criteria
The applicant clearly proposes project overarching details.

​Application questions:

  • Project title 
  • Briefly describe the proposed project (50 words)
  • Start and end dates (funded project activities must take place between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024)
  • Project location
  • Amount requested
  • Project Activity—Tell us what type of activities you will be doing in this project (Select all that apply): Festival, Exhibitions/Presentations (visual arts, media arts, design), Performances/readings, Art instruction (classes, demonstrations, lectures, and other instruction used to teach knowledge of and/or skills in the arts), Other (please specify)

Community Significance 

Evaluation Criteria (30 points)
The applicant identifies the primary beneficiary of the project; demonstrates an understanding of the project's meaning and importance to participants; has a plan to ensure project is accessible to diverse group of participants.

​Application questions:

  • Who is the audience that your project intends to serve/benefit directly? (Select all that apply): Children, Teens, Adults, Older Adults, General public, Families 
  • Why is the project artisitically and/or culturally meaningful? (200 words) 
  • What is your outreach and promotion plan? (300 words) 

​​Artistic/Cultural Value 

Evaluation Criteria (30 points)
The applicant proposes a project with arts and culture as a primary experience; artists have an important role in the design and delivery of the project​; support materials are evidence that the project can be completed.
Application questions:
  • ​Highlight the artistic and cultural activities people will participant in. (300 words)
  • List and describe the artists and culture workers and describe their roles and participation in the project. (300 words)
  • Upload project support materials (2-4 attachments and descriptions). Include samples of past and current work, past flyers, brochures, etc.  

Logistics and Feasibility 

Evaluation Criteria (30 points)
The applicant has outlined a clear and plausible planning timeline; defines evaluation criteria of the success of the project; the budget is a reflection of the activities and is clear and organized.

Application questions:
  • Use the privded table to outline your project planning tasks and include estimated due dates. These are the planning tasks and activities that happen before your event/project. 
  • How will you determine if your project was successful? (300 words)
  • Attach a detailed project budget. Use the provided template. 
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 ‭(Hidden)‬ Eligibility

To be eligible for the Project Support program, organizations must meet all the following criteria:

  • Propose a project that takes place within the City of Phoenix (unless held virtually)

  • Be based in the City of Phoenix and ha​ve a City of Phoenix address OR be based in Maricopa County, producing a cultural festival that will be in Phoenix, and serve mainly Phoenix residents

  • Exist as a 501(c)3 organization or apply with a Fiscal Agent that has tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code

  • Propose project must begin no earlier than July 1, 2021 and end no later than June 30, 2022

  • Schools or youth groups, community-based organizations, small arts and culture businesses, and all arts and culture nonprofit organizations may apply for Project Support grant

  • Applicants applying for a grant may apply for in-school time if the project is to bring a teaching artist into a (virtual) classroom

  • An organization applying to the General Support Program is not eligible to apply for a project support grant

The Project Support program does not fund:

  • Any division of local, state or federal government

  • Organizations outside of the City of Phoenix not producing a cultural festival

  • Applications submitted by for-profit entities

  • Schools, including public, private and charter not applying for a grant that serves youth.

  • Colleges and universities, other City of Phoenix departments, auxiliary/affiliate organizations, and organizations without a 501(c)3 and not utilizing a fiscal sponsor

  • Religious institutions or religious group-sponsored organizations not open to participation by non-congregants

  • Religious institutions or religious group-sponsored organizations whose primary purpose is the religious socialization of individuals or whose arts programming exists as parts of religious sermons or services

  • Debt reduction

  • Re-granting, unless permission is received

  • Grant administration, overhead or processing fees taken by an umbrella/parent organization as a percentage of the total award, except for fiscal sponsors

  • Lobbying expenses

  • Expenses related to the construction of facilities

  • Food and beverage for receptions and hospitality functions

  • Fundraising projects

  • Scholarships and awards

  • The production or commission of permanent art not included in the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture's annual public art plan

  • Staff salaries/hourly wage

  • The production or commission of permanent art not included in the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture's annual public art plan 

 ‭(Hidden)‬ Funding

For FY2021-2022, a project can be awarded between $1,000 and $2,500.

Projects supported through this grant category receive merit-based awards, which are determined by the ranking a project receives in the panel review. For FY2021-2022, grant matching is not required.

 ‭(Hidden)‬ Evaluation Criteria

​Applications are reviewed for eligibility by staff and evaluated and ranked by review panelists using the criteria listed below.​

Community Significance

The applicant explains the level of significance the project has to community. Community can be interpreted a variety of ways – audience members, gen​eral public, seniors, youth, artist(s), etc.

  • Who is the audience that your project intends to serve/benefit directly? (Select all that apply): Children, Teens, Adults, Older Adults, General public, Families
  • Why is the project meaningful? (100 words)
  • List and describe the artists and their role and participation in the project. (300 words)

Artistic/Cultural Value

The applicant has identified ways to be thoughtful in providing arts and cultural programs and services, particularly during COVID-19.​

  • Project Activity—Tell us what type of activities you will be doing in this project (Select all that apply): Festival, Exhibitions/Presentations (visual arts, media arts, design), Performances/readings, Art instruction (classes, demonstrations, lectures, and other instruction used to teach knowledge of and/or skills in the arts), Other (please specify)
  • Highlight and explain in detail the primary project activities. (You may attach a current/past program or outline if you have one) (300 words)
  • Upload project support materials (2-4 attachments and descriptions). Include samples of past and current work, past flyers, brochures, etc.
  • Attach a detailed project budget

Logistics and Accessibility

The applicant explains how they will make the project available and successful for a diverse group of participants.

  • What is your outreach and promotion plan? (300 words)
  • How will you determine whether the project is successful? (300 words)

Other application questions/attachments

Project title, project summary, start and end dates, proposed location, amount requested​

 ‭(Hidden)‬ Fiscal Agent

​Organizations that do not have 501(c)3 status are eligible to apply using a Fiscal Agent. Fiscal agent must meet eligibility requirements. An organization serving as fiscal agent does not sacrifice its own eligibility for grant support. An MOU (for our in-office use only) must be signed by both partners and sent back to our office at the time of the grant deadline. For assistance finding a Fiscal Agent or questions about the MOU form, please contact ​Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture staff. ​