A+CCESS I

​

Overview

 Organizations supported by Community Engagement Services Support are vital to the artistic and cultural development of Phoenix, as evidenced by the size, scope and maturity of artistic product, and by the employment of professionals to achieve high standards of artistic quality. 

​The A+CCESS I category provides unrestricted annual​ support to Phoenix arts a​nd cultural organizations with a total annual operating budget of at least $2,500,000. 

NOTE: Applying in this category requires that the applicant participate in the DataArts (formerly Cultural Data Project) which involves creating a profile, entering fiscal year data, and printing a report required as part of this application.  The initial time and effort involved in CDP is substantial and must be completed prior to applying for General Operating Support.

​
Grant Requests

A+CCESS I applicants do not make specific funding requests. Organizations supported through this grant category receive:

Base Awards that represent a percentage of an organization's three-year average contributed income (all sources) and earned income (Phoenix sources only); and

Merit Awards determined by the ranking an organization receives in the panel review.

Due to limited availability of funds, new organizations admitted to the General Operating Support grant category may initially receive partial awards. 

Eligibility

To qualify for funding, an applicant organization must meet the following criteria:

• Its primary base of business operations must be located in the city of Phoenix
• At the time of applicat​​ion, it must be a registered non-profit arts or cultural organization with tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Documentation of this status must accompany the application
• The organization must be in good standing concerning all contract agreements with the City of Phoenix​
• It must have been in existence and actively producing programs in the city of Phoenix for a minimum of three years
• It must have a minimum prior year income of $2,500,000 (i.e., total of earned inco​me from Phoenix sources only and contributed income from all sources)​
• It must employ a paid professional full-time manager who is responsible for the business management of the organization and receives a full-time salary​
• It must provide community outreach and/or education programs within the city of Phoenix
• It must submit an Audited Financial Statement from the last completed fiscal year

Not Eligible to Apply:

Evaluation Criteria

Full Applications are evaluated and ranked by panelists using the following criteria:

Artistic / Program Value (30% of Score)

• Organization's contribution to the vitality and diversity of Phoenix's arts and cultural environment
• Commitment to new works and works that contribute to the advancement of the art form
  
• Commitment to hiring/featuring Phoenix artists and culture workers
• Quality of support materials
  

Public Value (30% of Score)

• Audience served and efforts to broaden, deepen, and diversify participation in programs
  
• Value of Education programs and those served
• Quality of Community programs and partnerships targeting underserved populations
  
• Strength of efforts and strategies to measure impact of programs​

Financial Position (20% of Score)

• Organizational budget
• Strategy for eliminating or reducing debt
• Successes, challenges or special circumstances related to financial position

Diversity Initiatives (10% of Score)

• Organization's commitment to inclusive strategies and policies
  
• Efforts this past year that reflect or were inclusive of diverse communities
• Diversity of Board of Directors

Administration and Governance (10% of Score)

• Organization's short- and long-term planning process
• Board of Directors' affiliations and committee structure 
  
• Current and actionable Strategic Plan