Guidelines

The Institutional Support Program is designed to benefit artists, arts organizations, and the general public. The program provides general support for qualifying arts and cultural organizations that have proven they have strong management and leadership, quality artistic programming and services, and are an important part of the arts infrastructure in their communities. Applicant’s primary activity must be presentation, production, or service to the arts.

Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance: The North Dakota Council on the Arts requires applicants to consider physical and programmatic accessibility as an integral part of each organizations planning and budgeting process. The project is required to be accessible as either part of the planned activity or upon request, where relevant. 

Goals

• Assist arts institutions and cultural organizations in improving artistic or administrative standards
• Encourage arts organizations to attain financial stability by developing a diversified funding base
• Expand cultural opportunities to new audiences and underserved areas
• Increase opportunities for local artists and others to participate in a wide range of arts activities
• Expand public value of the various art forms

Draft Review Deadline 

• A draft of the application may be submitted for review no later than February 15; this is encouraged.
• Staff will review draft applications, and contact organizations regarding corrections to or incompleteness of draft review applications.

Grant Application Deadline

• Applications must be submitted online by March 15, 11:59 pm (CST) for projects taking place in the upcoming triennium that begins July 1.
• Applications submitted after March 15, 11:59 pm (CST) will not be accepted.

Grant Amount

• Minimum grants in this category are $3,000 per fiscal year; maximum grants are $10,000.
• No more than 50% of the total cash operating/programming costs may be requested from the Council on the Arts. 
• Only one Institutional Support grant application will be accepted from an organization per triennium based on 501(c)3 status.

Grant Period

Institutional Support funds are awarded to North Dakota organizations for a three-year period that coincides with the NDCA's National Endowment for the Arts federal grant cycle. This is accomplished through a competitive review process. Successful applicants will be awarded a proportion of available funding in each fiscal year based on their panel score, compliance during the grant period, and other NDCA policies. Also taken into effect are the size for the applicant’s cash budget, its previous award, and the uniqueness of the organization to its area.

Successful applicants are not guaranteed a specific dollar amount for the entire three-year period; all grants are subject to available funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Dakota State Legislature. Funds must be expended in the fiscal year for which they are awarded. Unused grant funds cannot be carried over into the next fiscal year.

Current Institutional Support recipients must submit short applications in years two and three of the current grant cycle to maintain their current award. An email and/or letter will be sent in May of the second and third year regarding a short application and final report deadlines.

Eligibility

Applicant organizations must: 

• Comply with all Institutional Support guidelines and Council on the Arts' general guidelines, rules, and regulations.
• Comply with applicable State and Federal laws.
• Have at least part-time paid staff and four (4) event dates/programs per year.
• Submit a complete and accurate application and provide at least 50 percent of the total requested grant award (1:1 cash match). 
• Submit a copy of a strategic plan for current and future goals (3 to 5 years) and measurable objectives for the organization. 
• Applicants whose operating budget exceeds $500,000 must submit an independent audit for the most recently completed fiscal year. 
• Presentation, production, or service of the arts must be the primary activity of the applicant organization reflected in the applicant's strategic plan and mission statement.
• Organizations are required to be in existence, and have had their Federal 501(c)3 status, for a minimum of four (4) years. Applicant must be registered as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with the state of North Dakota. Organizations may form partnerships with state agencies, for-profit businesses, and other entities, but the 501(c)3 non-profit organization must be the applicant.

Examples of Funded Activities

• General operating expenses (may include salaries)
• Honoraria for artistic and technical staff/services
• Production costs for performances, exhibitions, and publications

Ineligible

• Organizations supported through the Community Arts Access and Special Projects grant programs
• Capital architectural improvements or purchase or long-term rental of equipment or property
• Benefits or hospitality (food, refreshments) costs
• Fellowships, scholarships, or tuition fees
• Activities restricted to an organization's membership
• Proposals which match federal funds with federal funds
• Items listed in the Ineligible General Guidelines and Policies section
• Effective July 1, 2005, only organizations with a separate 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status may apply for an Institutional Support grant. A fiscal agent will no longer be accepted

Application Procedure

All applicants must:

1. Apply via NDCA's online grant program, GO Smart to complete the online registration and grant application.
2. May request a Draft Review by February 15 if staff review is desired by contacting Kim Konikow at kkonikow@nd.gov.
3. Upload ALL documents and support materials. Panelist review grants online, and this will benefit your application. Support materials and any additional materials must be mailed in (postmarked by March 15) if unable to upload.
4. Click the Save and "Submit Application" buttons once complete.

Support Materials

• All applicants must submit materials online that illustrate their program’s quality and demonstrate their ability to provide art services to the public. Applicants must submit appropriate support materials as indicated by the discipline code. The quality of this support material directly affects the review panel’s opinion of your organization and your subsequent evaluation.

Music, Dance, Theatre, and Opera

• Organizations must upload an audio or video recording, up to 10-minutes edited, of excerpts from an actual performance given during the current season that represents your current work.
• Also upload a copy of a program from a recent performance.

Visual Arts, Design Arts, Photography, and Media Arts

• Organizations must upload 10 images showing gallery space and the quality of displays.
• Also upload one catalog or program from a recent exhibition.  

Literature

• Organizations must upload a copy of the most recent publication or a copy of a sample of work (20 pages per copy maximum) included in a previous publication or activity, clearly labeled as to content. If writers are commissioned for special projects, include a copy of up to 10 pages of that writer’s work.

Folk Arts

• Organizations submitting folk arts applications must use the same support materials as listed for the other disciplines above. That is, a folk music project must upload an audio or video recording, up to 10-minutes edited; a folk dance or non-music performance will upload an edited 10-minute sample; and visual folk arts applicants will upload 10 images. 

Multi-Disciplinary

• If an organization presents more than one arts discipline, support material for the major activity should be uploaded as outlined above. If there is no major discipline, the applicant may upload copies of up to four programs representative of the variety of programs presented.

Application Review Process

• Following the application deadline, the Council will convene an advisory panel of peers to review all the applications. Panel composition will include the major art disciplines of dance, theatre, music, traditional, and visual arts, as well as arts administration.
• Panels will evaluate applicants on the following: Quality of Programs; Meeting Community Needs; Management and Planning (including fiscal viability); and Defining and Measuring Success.
• Also taken into effect are the size of your cash budget, your previous award, and the uniqueness of your organization to your area.
• The NDCA Board of Directors will review the panel scores and recommendations at the May board meeting and make final decisions on the grant awards.  Notification of the award amounts will go to grantees no later than mid-June.

Panel Score

• Awards will be based on the applicant’s panel score and the previously stated budget considerations.
• Applicants attaining less than 60% will not be funded.

Notification and Payment

• Notice of grant awards will be sent via email by mid-June. 
• IS grant funds are paid in two installments. The first 80% will be paid in August (provided that all final reports required for previous grants, if applicable, have been submitted).
• The final 20% of the award will be released upon receipt of the required online final report. Final reports must be submitted online by July 15.
• These due dates are necessary based on NDCA’s fiscal year-end processing requirements and deadlines.
• Future awards will take into account late and or missing reports.

Credit Line

All publicity materials and programs for supported events must contain the NDCA logo and the credit line listed in the Funding Agreement. Logo slicks will be provided to those awarded grant funds.

Reporting

Submission of the online Final Report is due by July 15. This report will include financial and attendance information and a narrative evaluation.

Assistance

Questions? E-mail kkonikow@nd.gov or call (701) 328-7592.