General Support Program

The Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture’s General Support program provides core operating support to arts and cultural organizations of all sizes that have a primary mission to create, produce, or provide arts and cultural programming to enhance the quality of life for Phoenix residents.

• Enrich arts and cultural literacy among residents of all ages through education and outreach programs and opportunities for personal artistic expression and participation.
  

• Encourage broad-based, community-wide participation in arts and cultural activities resulting from a diversity of programming that is accessible to all residents.

• Sustain a community of organizations that are responsibly governed and managed, financially sound, and assist organizations that have reached a critical stage in artistic or institutional development by encouraging the identification of internal needs important to the sustainability or growth of the organization.
  

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 25 and March 29, 2022.

To be eligible for the General Support program, applicants must meet all the following criteria:

• Have a primary mission of producing or creating arts and culture programming and education for Phoenix residents
• Must have a minimum prior-year income of $5,000 (i.e., a total of earned income from Phoenix sources only and contributed income from all sources)
• Be in good standing concerning all contract agreemen​ts with the City of Phoenix, including filing previous grant final reports

• Must complete and submit a DataArts Cultural Data Profile with three years of financial data (applicants with a prior annual income of $5,000 to $199,999 have the option of submitting completing the provided summary form.)
  

• Not be an organization that is applying to the Project Support program
• Exist as a 501(c)3 organization for at least three years that has a business address and administrative offices in the city of Phoenix (no PO BOX) and conducts a majority of its programs and services in the city of Phoenix. Applicants that are not a 501(c)3 nonprofit but meet all the other eligibility criteria are eligible if their average annual income from the past three fiscal years is not over $200,000, and they also meet the evaluation criteria below.

Applicants do NOT make specific funding requests:

• Like-sized budgeted organizations are reviewed by a review panel. Organizations receive award allocations determined by the ranking it receives in the panel.
  

Applications are reviewed for eligibility by staff and evaluated and ranked by review panelists using the criteria listed below. Applications are scored on a 100-point scale. Download the GSP Review Rubric here. 

Community Significance

Evaluation Criteria
The applicant clearly and specifically identifies the community the organization engages; has the clarity of the organization’s mission, vision, and goals and how they relate to the community being served, especially given the current health pandemic; articulates how the pandemic has transformed the organization’s strategies to engage people.

Application questions:

• What community does your organization engage? Include demographic information, if available, or describe the community as specifically as possible. (400 words)
• Describe how any continued, evolved, and new engagement strategies you use during the pandemic support your organization's mission and vision. (400 words)
• From the surprises and lessons learned in the past year, share key reflections about how you are reimagining community engagement. (400 words)

Artistic/Cultural Value

Evaluation Criteria
The applicant is thoughtful in delivering programs and services that advance the organization’s artistic/cultural mission during the pandemic; demonstrates intentionality behind upcoming programming; and shows commitment to the success and development of Phoenix artists.

Application questions:

• Given COVID-19, list new and/or evolved methods of delivering programming (e.g., virtual classes/performances, etc.). If there have been no new and/or evolved methods of delivering programming, provide a description as to why your organization has decided to continue providing programming as usual. How do these methods affect the artistic and cultural experience? (400 words)
• Highlight upcoming programming that is exciting to the organization. Explain why that programming is particularly unique, innovative, and/or exceptional.
• How does your organization support local artists through opportunities, fair wages, promotion, and/or professional development? (400 words)
• Primary Programs/Events Upload (past three years of programs, events, and services)
• Support Materials (Video, Images, Brochures, etc.)

Financial & Leadership Capacity

Evaluation Criteria
The applicant shows fiscal accountability and is flexible to keep up with the challenges the organization faces during the Coronavirus crisis, including fiscal health, staff, and board development, and a focus on the future; successfully refers to CDP report/summary form to explain financial position.

• Cultural Data ProfileReport (Form upload option for organizations with prior year annual income between $5,000 and $199,999)
• Reference and explain specific Cultural Data Profile/budget expense and/or revenue line item trends/variances or debt/loan circumstances impacting the financial position. (400 words)
• Describe successes, challenges, or special circumstances related to your financial position in the past, current, and next fiscal year. Reference the CDP report/summary form when applicable. (400 words)
• After completing an equity assessment of your organization, what are three unique reflections about possible next steps for your organization to build a more equitable organizational framework? (400 words)

​Other application questions/attachments

• Background/About the Organization (200 words)
• What is your organization's Mission Statement? (250 words)
  
• What is your organization's Vision Statement? (250 words)
  
• Upload a list of Board of Directors and list of staff, if applicable

Since 2017, the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture researched, reviewed case studies, and identified values, concepts, and practices concerning equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) as it relates to the Office of Arts and Culture's programs. For the 2022-2023 grants cycle, General Support applicants are asked to participate in an equity assessment of their organization and submit reflection responses in their application. The Assessment can help the applicant's commitment to building inclusive and equitable strategies, policies, and programs that provide opportunities for diverse community participation. Assessments and reflections will not be reviewed by panelists. More information about the assessment can be found on the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture webpage: https://www.phoenix.gov/arts/EDI​​