11.5.0035 Application
Ground Up and Rising Inc.

Applicant Information

Item	Response
Corporate Name	Ground Up and Rising Inc.
DBA Name	N/A
Federal Employer ID	20-3536154
Principal Address	2000 Ponce De Leon Blvd Coral Gables, FL 33134-4442
County	Miami-Dade
Applicant Email Address	arturo@groundupandrising.org
Grant Contact	Arturo Fernandez, Producing Artistic Director
Authorized Official	Arturo Fernandez, Producing Artistic Director
Website	www.groundupandrising.org

Proposal Information

Item	Response
Application #	11.5.0035
Program	Specific Cultural Project
Proposal Type	Underserved Cultural Community Development
Funding Category	Salary Assistance
Discipline	N/A
Applicant is requesting REDI waiver	No
Residency Contact Hours	N/A
Proposal Period	7/1/2010 - 6/30/2011
Proposal Title	Administrative Assistance for Ground Up & Rising's 2009-10 ArtSouth Mainstage Season
Proposal Synopsis	Ground Up & Rising is seeking Division funds for salary assistance for the position of Producing Artistic Director in order to help administer and produce the 2010-11 season of Ground Up & Rising's award-winning and critically-acclaimed theatrical programming for all ages completely free of charge to the underserved and economically disadvantaged residents of Homestead, Florida.

Mission Statement

Ground Up & Rising, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization devoted to the ongoing growth and development of the South Florida community through the support of the dramatic Arts. We strive to make theatre more accessible to the underserved while creating opportunities for local artists to practice and hone their craft and produce groundbreaking work that enriches the community and advances the art of theatre.

Proposal Summary: Goals

We are requesting salary assistance to support the position of Producing Artistic Director. The goals of the Producing Artistic
Director are the following:
-Bring our critically-acclaimed programming to a larger and more diverse audience than ever before.
-Expand our community and educational outreach initiatives.
-Forge partnerships with established local and national organizations to expand our influence on the community.
-Provide creative and performance opportunities for South Florida-based artists.
-Strengthen our efforts to provide more opportunities for minority artists in the South Florida region than
any other arts organization.
-Expand our geographic influence in the South Florida region.
-Develop more educational opportunities for children, minorities, and the economically disadvantaged.
-Ensure that our revenue model is based on secure, dependable sources such as grants & contracted services rather than relying on private or corporate gifts.
-Ensure that our artistic works are timely, thought-provoking, and relevant to a wide variety of demographics including the neglected 18-35 category and ethnic minorities.
-Bolster financial support for organization programming by writing and managing successful grants.
-Executing fund-raising activities for the organization.
-Executing new programming initiatives by writing strong and effective proposals that bring such initiatives to fruition.
-Draft service contracts for the organization's contracted activities.
-Effectively handle day-to-day operations such as accounts payable/receivable, human resources, and other clerical duties.
-Administer and execute educational programming through on-site supervision, instruction, and curriculum building.
-Recruit and train new teaching personnel to expand educational programs.

Proposal Summary: Objectives

The Producing Artistic Directors objectives for Ground Up & Rising in 2010-2011 are to:
-Establish Ground Up & Rising as Miami Beach's resident theatre organization, an entity that the City lacks.
-Deliver year-round professional theatrical programming at the ArtSouth performance venue free of charge to residents, featuring local minority artists almost exclusively in performance and production roles.
-Deliver year-round educational programming for after-school programs and summer camps at ArtSouth, at no cost to students.
-Continue the administration of the successful Bridging The Gap Educational Internship Program at Miami-Dade College Kendall Campus.
-Continue to seek funding for Ground Up & Rising through local, state, and national grant programs.
-Continue to develop new business relationships to secure revenue from contracted services.
-Continue to seek in-kind support for administrative, technical, and production costs in order to minimize company overhead.
-Secure $20,000 in grant funds for Ground Up & Rising from the Miami-Dade Division of Cultural Affairs through the Hannibal Cox Jr. Grant Program.
-Secure $20,000 in grant funding for Ground Up & Rising from the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs through the Specific Cultural Projects Program.
-Seek out and secure $10,000 in additional grant, foundation, and private support during fiscal year 2010-11.
-Secure a second consultancy contract from the Miami-Dade Division of Cultural Affairs' Culture Shock Program for fiscal year 2010-11
-Increase attendance in all programming from mainstage productions in both constituencies to our community outreach programs targeting at risk youth.

Proposal Summary: Activities

The Producing Artistic Director is responsible for the general oversight of Ground Up & Rising's business activities, artistic endeavors, and organizational development efforts including seeking grant support,contracted service opportunities, and cultivating relationships with organizations and individuals within both the public and private sector to further our organizations' mission and secure our financial stability.
He is also responsible for the conception and management of the following Ground Up & Rising projects:
-Producing, directing, writing and performing for all our theatrical seasons.
-Creating and running our Bridging the Gap Educational Internship Program at Miami Dade College
-Coordinating with ArtSouth to deliver 4 mainstage productions totaling 12 performances throughout 2010-11, and 52 hours of afterschool acting classes and over 100 hours during our summer acting program for children.
-Obtaining, negotiating, and managing our service contracts such as:
Miami Beach "Arts in the Park" Production of Shakespeare's Othello

Consultancy Contract with the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs - Culture Shock Program

Arts 4 Learning 2010 Performance Contract

-Forging and managing partnerships with local arts organizations such as GableStage, South Florida's most awarded theatre company.
-Serving as a panelist on the Miami-Dade Dept. of Cultural Affairs panel of Emerging Arts Leaders.
-Promote the activities of Ground Up & Rising throughout the city through radio and television appearances.
-Year-round grant writing activity.
-Conducting fund raising activities.
-Functioning as an instructor for the Bridging the Gap Program at Miami Dade College.
-Administering after-school and summer educational programs at ArtSouth.
-Functioning as an instructor and coordinator for new educational programs.
-Perform administrative duties and serve as an an actor/writer during the 2010-11 performance season.

Narrative: Proposal Description

With salary assistance from the division, the Producing Artistic Director will be better able to execute the following activities that directly support the mission of our organization

Homestead/South Miami-Dade

2010 "Free Play* Project

The primary goal of this project is to serve the residents of the South-Dade region, an area that includes the cities of Homestead, Cutler Bay, Naranja, Florida City, Leisure City, and Key Largo. The purpose of the "Free Play" Program is to provide Ground Up & Rising's award-winning, critically-acclaimed theatrical programming at absolutely no charge to the underserved and economically disadvantaged residents of South Miami-Dade County. By providing our programming at no charge to residents of this economically depressed area, Ground Up & Rising is eliminating a void in available cultural programming and making our off-Broadway quality productions both geographically and economically accessible to residents that currently do not have a professional theatre company to serve them, while also providing activities that will stimulate the local economy and help revitalize a community ravaged by the lingering effects of Hurricane Andrew and the current economic crisis.

The needs that the "Free Play" program address are clear:

1) There are currently no professional theatre offerings in the South-Dade region, and the closest other professional company, GableStage, is 30-50 miles north of the region, geographically excluding residents of the South-Dade community. Ground Up & Rising will be presenting its programming at the ArtSouth Sanctuary Performance Space located at 240 N. Krome Ave, in the heart of downtown Homestead, bringing our critically-acclaimed, award-winning program within easy reach of South-Dade residents.

2) According to data from the 2000 U.S. Census, the South-Dade region is among the most economically disadvantaged in the State, with median household income at $22,271, that's less than 50% of the median household income of Miami-Dade County ($47,800). Considering that the range of ticket prices to attend a professional theatrical production in South Florida is $25-$90, it is clear that South-Dade residents are effectively priced out of attending a quality theatrical event. Ground Up & Rising will be offering free admission to South-Dade residents for full-scale productions while utilizing a venue that is geographically accessible to residents and is dedicated to supporting the South-Dade community.

3) Miami is experiencing a renaissance in artistic growth and services, and it is a tragedy that the residents of South Miami-Dade County are being left behind due to geographic isolation from the majority of the arts community and price-exclusion. The "Free Play" program eliminates these hurdles and maximizes accessibility to South-Dade residents for some of the best of what South Florida theatre has to offer.

Ground Up & Rising will be presenting four mainstage productions spread throughout the 2010 year at the ArtSouth Sanctuary Performing Arts Center located at 240 N. Krome Avenue, in historic downtown Homestead. The following is our proposed season:
The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh(2010)
Winner of the Olivier Award and Tony Award for Best Play, the play centers on a writer in an unnamed totalitarian state who is being interrogated about the gruesome content of his short stories and their similarities to a series of child murders. The result is an urgent work of theatrical bravura and an unflinching examination of the very nature and purpose of art.
Dates/Times

Friday July 16th and Saturday July 17th at 8:00PM and Sunday July 18th at 2:00PM Friday July 23rd and Saturday July 24th at 8:00PM and Sunday July 25th at 2:00PM

Art by Yazmina Reza(2010)
Yazmina Reza's scathing comedy about the merit and definition of art. Winner of the 1998 Tony Award for Best Play. Winner of the 1996 Olivier Award for Best Comedy. Dates/Times Friday October 15th and Saturday October 16th at 8:00PM, and Sunday October 17th at 2:00PM Friday October 22nd and Saturday October 23rd at 8:00PM, and Sunday October 24th at 2:00 PM

Dying City by Christopher Shinn(2011)
While the Iraq War rages on in the Middle East, Denise introduces her friend Tom to her new boyfriend, Jerry, at a bar. Over drinks, sparks fly as Tom and Jerry quickly find themselves at opposite sides of the political spectrum. A penetrating examination at the nexus of public and private spheres in the aftermath of 9/11."Anyone who doubts that Mr. Shinn ("Four," "Where Do We Live") is among the most provocative and probing of American playwrights today need only experience the creepy, sophisticated welding of form and content that is "Dying City." – NY Times
Dates/Times: Friday January 14th and Saturday January 15th at 8:00 PM, and Sunday January 16th at 2:00 PM

Friday January 21st at 8:00 PM, Saturday January 22nd at 8:00 pm and Sunday January 23rd at 2pm.

Thinking on Your Head, Standing On Your Feet: The Improv Comedy Show for Kids!(2011)
This original production written by Ground Up & Rising artist Carlos Alayeto is a South-Florida first, an improv comedy show designed specifically for the enjoyment of children. Dates/Times Saturday March 12th and Sunday March 13th at 2:00PM Saturday March 19th and March 20th at 2:00PM
*dates and shows subject to change

Miami Beach
Our 2010 season is a continuation of our efforts to establish ourselves the only resident theatre company on Miami Beach, delivering groundbreaking, though-provoking theatre that reflects the cosmopolitan spirit of the City, its residents, and visitors. The performance season mentioned above will be mirrored on the Beach at the Byron Carlyle Theatre at 500 71st Street, Miami Beach, FL

Narrative: Culture Builds Florida's Future

1. Strengthening the Economy

   Miami Beach
   In addition to our commitment to community outreach activities, Ground Up & Rising is taking steps to formally become Miami Beach's resident theatre company. Despite the storied history of the Miami Beach arts community, there are currently no theatre companies that hold permanent residency in the City of Miami Beach, creating a huge gap in cultural services for Miami Beach residents as well as domestic
   and international tourists. With our move to the Byron Carlyle, Ground Up & Rising is helping the City of Miami Beach to provide quality theatrical programming on a year-round, permanent basis. Our activities
   help the local economy by attracting potential customers to area businesses such as restaurants, bars, and shops, and the Byron Carlyle is situated centrally in the City of Miami Beach and close to the world
   famous Bal Harbour Shops. Additionally, Ground Up & Rising will be participating the Miami Beach's international arts festival Sleepless Nights, which drew an attendance of over 100,000 during its inaugural year. Ground Up & Rising will continue to work with The City of Miami Beach, filling the current theatre void and ensuring that Miami Beach can compete with its fellow cosmopolitan cities by delivering the full complement of cultural activities.

   *Homestead/South Miami-Dade
   We will continue to present professional theatre for South-Dade residents as we did in 2008-09. The presence of our theatre company will bring a much needed increase in traffic for the economically stagnant neighborhood known as "Historic Homestead", helping struggling restaurants and shops in the area that are hampered by the area's high poverty, crime, and lack of cultural activities to attract residents to the area. Ground Up & Rising will present programming that appeals to audiences of all ages, providing a destination for families looking for quality local entertainment allowing area businesses to prosper from the increased exposure and traffic our activities will provide.

2. Learning and Wellness

   Our educational outreach efforts have been very successful, and we are moving into our second year of afterschool programming at ArtSouth after a successful 2008-09 year of after school programming and an intensive 8-week, 40 hour per week Summer Camp at ArtSouth that served over 90 students. This project allows us to provide arts education opportunities to economically disadvantaged minority children that otherwise would be either geographically or price-excluded from cultural enrichment & education opportunities.
   Our successful Bridging The Gap Program, entering its third year of operation in 2009, provides Miami Dade College students, which are predominantly economically disadvantaged minorities, with a mentorship program and professional internship opportunities at no additional expense other than regular
   tuition.

3. Building Leadership

   Our organization has worked tirelessly to forge collaborative relationships with local government and arts organizations with the overriding goal of developing the South Florida artistic community and its
   service to residents. We have established collaborative relationships with respected artistic and educational institutions such as GableStage, The Miami Children's Museum, ArtSouth of Homestead, and Miami Dade College, and work closely with the Culture Shock division of the Miami Dade Division
   of Cultural Affairs to make our programming more easily accessible to patrons ages 13-22. We also have established a strong relationship with local television station WLRN, which provides generous in-kind
   support in the form of television advertising and radio ads on NPR.

4. Design and Development

   MIAMI BEACH

   By bringing our season to the historic Byron Carlyle, we are affirming the value of the City's investment in the restoration of this venue as well as elevating its public profile through our sterling artistic and professional reputation and critically-acclaimed programming, ensuring that the Byron Carlyle Theatre remains a vibrant and important part of Miami's cultural landscape, and revitalizing the long dormant theatre tradition on Miami Beach.

   HOMESTEAD
   Ground Up & Rising Studio Series at ArtSouth
   Our organization is proud to begin this groundbreaking relationship with ArtSouth, which will ensure that critically-acclaimed professional theatrical productions can be delivered to an area that is often isolated
   from a large portion of the South Florida theatre community due to two factors: geography and economic status. We believe strongly that distance should not deprive communities of exposure to artistic
   programming, the closest professional theatres being nearly 30 miles from the Hometead area. With rising fuel costs, this becomes a serious issue of concern, which brings us to the economic question;
   with the average cost of attendance to a professional theatrical production being well over $40 per ticket,
   the primary community that is served by ArtSouth, lower to middle income families, is effectively price excluded from participating in culturally enriching activities. By offering our programming free to residents and bringing our shows directly to the neighborhood audience ArtSouth
   works to serve, Ground Up & Rising's Studio Series directly addresses these needs and affirms the missions of both our organizations.

Narrative: Marketing and Promotion

Our marketing plan has been proved successful, yielding a 25% increase in attendance each season through television, radio, and an aggressive internet campaign centered around our website, www.groundupandrising.org, and our pages on social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. We advertise on sites such as theatremania.com, broadwayworld.com, and receive coverage in Miami ArtZine. Customers are able to purchase tickets online from theatremania.com and TicketMaster,
and we are also participants in the Culture Shock program, ensuring that our programming is accessible and affordable to youth audiences. Additionally, we have a large e-mail database of patrons to round out
our electronic campaign. For our print campaign, we capitalize on our established contacts at such publications as the Miami Herald, Sun-Sentinel, Miami New Times, and EDGE Miami to provide us with print coverage in the form of articles and special mentions (i.e. Miami Herald Critic's Picks) for several weeks before our productions. For our radio campaign, we advertise on WLRN – NPR, and have a relationship with WVUM Radio to host our artists for guest interviews and assist us in ticket giveaways for listeners. We are working to secure similar exposure through our media contacts at 99.1FM, a widely popular urban radio station that reaches audiences in Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. For television, we have a relationship with WFOR and have given interviews on its weekly Focus on South
Florida program. Our grassroots efforts involve speaking directly to students at area schools and colleges, cultivating the next generation of theatre-goers.

Narrative: Personnel and Partners

Producing Artistic Director
Arturo Fernandez
Company founder and proud member of the Screen Actors Guild, Arturo was among the first artists commissioned by Miami Performing Arts Center(currently the Adrienne Arsht Center), performing for over 300,000 people through the Performing Arts Center's flagship project. In addition, Arturo has conceptualized and cultivated site/project specific programs for various organizations including The Miami Children's Museum,Miami MetroZoo, The City of South Miami, and The Miami Lighthouse for the Blind
In addition, Arturo created and oversaw the landmark Studio Theatre collaboration between Miami Dade College and Ground Up & Rising; a year-round mentorship program culminating in a professional quality mainstage production written and performed completely by MDC students. As a writer, director and performer, he has received critical acclaim for his artistic efforts. In 2006,in recognition of his work in writing and directing his epic play September 10th, Arturo became the first guest director during Joe Adler's tenure as Artistic Director at Miami's most award-winning regional theatre: GableStage.
Called "South Florida's best kept secret" by the Sun-Sentinel, Arturo has created memorable roles on stage, film and television appearances including but not limited to acclaimed turns as a recurring character on 20th Century Fox Searchlight/USA Network's "Burn Notice" and as the lead in Lions Gate's feature film "Loving The Bad Man" opposite of Stephen Baldwin.
Arturo has served as an Adjunct Director at Miami Dade College, and has directed the theatre department's productions of Kenneth Logernann's This Is Our Youth, and production of September 10th, written by Arturo Fernandez and winning the state's award for best play at a community college. Most recently, Arturo became an Artist-in-Residence for the Arts For Learning organization and has completed producing a season of productions at ArtSouth in Homestead.
Artsouth(Partner)- ArtSouth is unique among arts centers in that it features both the performing and visual arts in a single complex, supporting artists, art education, service learning and community outreach.
Their mission is to promote growth and vitality in the community; to provide affordable space to studio artists; to provide educational opportunities in the arts for all ages, in a central location; and to provide cultural events for the community that attract talented artists, artisans, actors, musicians and enthusiastic audiences.
Their overarching goal is to utilize the arts as a tool for community revitalization.
Ground Up & Rising provided a successful season of collaboration with Artsouth in 2009 that included productions that were both awarded and acclaimed unilaterally by local critics and media outlets as well as the residents of Homestead that attended the productions we presented:
"The Hate U Gave" The Tupac Shakur Story
"On An Average Day" by John Kolvenbach
"The Pillowman" by Martin Mcdonaugh
We look forward to continuing the collaboration in our mainstage, community outreach and educational and endeavors at the site. The nature of the collaboration as it stands is that Ground Up & Rising handles all costs and production considerations for the mainstage season. Artsouth provides GUAR marketing assistance, pays for printing and most importantly brings the experience of serving the Homestead community. Artsouth plays a vital role in all aspects of the marketing and public relations aspect of the season from publicity to grassroots/guerilla marketing. They also provide free rehearsal space for each production. This collaborative effort ensures that the program's capacity and reach are maximized.
Both organizations benefit directly from this wonderful collaboration. We are both able to grow significantly with the success of such a comprehensive program in a region as deprived as Homestead is. Artsouth and Ground Up & Rising will gain significant exposure, expand their programming considerably while exponentially increasing the reach of the organizations.

Proposal Estimates

Estimated Number of	Response	Instructions to the Applicant
school based youth benefiting	0	Enter the number of individuals under the age of 18 that are expected to be participating in organized school based cultural events. This figure should reflect a portion of the total individuals benefiting.
non-school based youth benefiting	1,000	Enter the number of individuals under the age of 18 that are expected to be participating in non-school based cultural events. This figure should reflect a portion of the total individuals benefiting.
elders benefiting	500	Enter the number of individuals over the age of 65 that are expected to benefit from the proposal activities. This figure should reflect a portion of the total individuals benefiting.
artists participating	20	Enter the estimated number of professional artists that will be directly involved in providing artistic services specifically identified with the proposal. Include living artists whose work is represented in an exhibition regardless of whether the work was provided by the artist or by an institution. This figure should reflect a portion of the total individuals benefiting.
individuals benefiting	3,000	Give the total number of individuals that are expected to be involved in proposal activities as artists, non-artists, participants, or audience members. This number should include the values listed for youth, elders and artists.
proposal events	10	How many different events will be produced or presented within the grant period as a part of this proposal? Be sure to list different events, not performances. For example, a musical performed 10 times is only one event, but a musical performed 10 times and workshop done once are two events.
opportunities for public participation	44	Each event will have one or more opportunities for public participation. For example a musical performed 10 times is one event with 10 opportunities for public participation.

Estimated Counties served

• Miami-Dade

Narrative: Assessment and Planning

Every year, during the month of July, Ground Up & Rising holds a Company Intensive: a three to five day meeting during which new works which have been researched by company members are read and evaluated for their production viability and artistic merit. During this meeting, the Board meets to determine best possible strategies for executing proposed productions. The final selection criteria for choosing material for projects includes relevance to current events, past critical success, financial feasibility, a project's ability to create public interest and attract an audience, and most importantly, the potential for a project to become a groundbreaking work of art for the South Florida artistic scene.
In light of the current economic crisis, the primary goal of our Board this year is the execution of a strong, conservative fiscal plan that provides the financial stability to continue the growth of our artistic and community outreach endeavors. One of the main facets of this fiscal plan is our revenue model, which is revolutionary compared to the traditional non-profit model that relies primarily on patron donations and private/corporate gifts. Instead, our organization generates income through a balance of revenues from contracted services, admissions, in-kind support, and grant funding programs. This has allowed our organization to deliver our critically-acclaimed programming and our array of community initiatives that would otherwise be impossible for most new organizations. While we still are pursuing the possibility of obtaining donations and gifts, we have concluded that a more traditional non-profit model that relies on philanthropy is no longer sound due to the current economic crisis.
Our small board structure has allowed us to adapt to the economic crisis quickly and efficiently, and our acquisition of office space with Business Centers International through a cultural endowment is exemplary of the effectiveness of our board's development efforts, and have doubled our organizational budget in the past 18 months. Our Board strategically formed partnerships with the City of Miami Beach and ArtSouth, providing us with growth opportunities in areas barren of resident theatrical programming, fulfilling our passion to deliver arts to underserved constituencies and providing the opportunity to grow within these neighborhoods. Because we are the only organization in our discipline that exclusively serves them, we have strategically placed ourselves in a position to benefit from opportunities from city halls, commissioners, local business, grant programs, contracted services, and other sources of support. Ground Up & Rising's model is based on the belief that community investment results in dividends that allow community service to flourish. Our consultancy and production contract with the Miami Dade Cultural Affairs Culture Shock Program is yet another example of the effectiveness of our Board's development efforts.

Narrative: Proposal Impact

As our activities are spread throughout Miami-Dade County, our service area is identified as Miami-Dade
County.

Homestead/South Dade "Free Play" 2010 Season
The primary goal of this project is to serve the residents of the South-Dade region, an area that includes the cities of Homestead, Cutler Bay, Naranja, Florida City, Leisure City, and Key Largo. The needs that the "Free Play" program address are clear:

1) There are currently no professional theatre offerings in the South-Dade region, and the closest other professional company, GableStage, is 30-50 miles north of the region, geographically excluding residents of the South-Dade community. Ground Up & Rising will be presenting its programming at the ArtSouth Sanctuary Performance Space located at 240 N. Krome Ave, in the heart of downtown Homestead, bringing our critically-acclaimed, award-winning program within easy reach of South-Dade residents.

2) According to data from the 2000 U.S. Census, the South-Dade region is among the most economically disadvantaged in the State, with median household income at $22,271, that's less than 50% of the median household income of Miami-Dade County ($47,800). Considering that the range of ticket prices to attend a professional theatrical production in South Florida is $25-$90, it is clear that South-Dade residents are effectively priced out of attending a quality theatrical event. Ground Up & Rising will be offering free admission to South-Dade residents for productions while utilizing a venue that is geographically accessible to residents and is dedicated to supporting the South-Dade community.

3) Miami is experiencing a renaissance in artistic growth and services, and it is a tragedy that the residents of South Miami-Dade County are being left behind due to geographic isolation from the majority of the arts community and price-exclusion. The "Free Play" program eliminates these hurdles and maximizes accessibility to South-Dade residents for some of the best of what South Florida theatre has to offer.

4) The presence of our theatre company will bring a much needed increase in traffic for the economically stagnant neighborhood known as "Historic Homestead", helping struggling restaurants and shops in the area that are hampered by the area's high poverty, crime, and lack of cultural activities to attract residents to the area. Ground Up & Rising will present programming that appeals to audiences of all ages, providing a destination for families looking for quality local entertainment and area businesses will benefit.

Miami Beach
Our 2010 season is a continuation of our efforts to establish ourselves the resident theatre company on Miami Beach, delivering groundbreaking, though-provoking theatre that reflects the cosmopolitan spirit of the City, its residents, and visitors. We are the only theatre company in South Florida that caters to the interests of young theatre-goers, the often neglected 18-35 demographic and have been producing critically-acclaimed theatre featuring young, Miami-based ethnic minority talent since 2005. Diversity, a primary goal of our organization's mission, has been supported through our history of non-traditional casting (non-race, non-gender specific) that has given artists from every age and ethnic group unprecedented access to performance opportunities. Additionally, our production season provides artistic and technical internship opportunities for students that are part of our Bridging the Gap Mentorship Program at Miami Dade College, preparing the next generation of theatre professionals and keeping talented young artists within the South Florida community. The shows we produce provide for flexible staging and integrate multimedia audio/visuals with live performance, elements that are driving the future of theatre. Ground Up & Rising strives to be on the cutting edge and our continued presence at a historic venue such as the Byron Carlyle will help us to establish a lasting relationship with our audiences, raise the artistic profile of the City of Miami Beach, and bring our art to the next generation of theatre-goers.

Narrative: Education and Outreach

Greater Miami-Dade County
Every year, our organization has been an active participant in the Culture Shock Program, donating discount tickets every season for young theatre-goers aged 13-22. Additionally, Ground Up & Rising has been working directly with the Culture Shock program, writing and producing a film presentation for the Division's landmark Cultural Etiquette Project, a county-wide school-based initiative designed to educate students on proper etiquette when attending cultural events and the importance of incorporating the arts and culture into their lives and learning. Our partnership with Miami Dade College, the Bridging The Gap Educational Internship program has been incredibly successful, resulting in the production of 15 student-written plays over the past three years and has provided several paid internships, efforts that ensure that the next generation of South Florida theatre professionals can hone and practice their talents without leaving the community for more supportive markets such as New York and Chicago. This program has been active since 2007 and we plan on continuing Bridging the Gap for the 2010 year and beyond.

Homestead/South Dade
. Our free admission policy makes theatre an economically viable choice for struggling families and individuals. Additionally, our after-school arts programs and summer arts camp provide a safe-haven for economically disadvantaged children ranging from 6-17 years of age, and include free scholarships for children under foster care and those from low-income families. 90 percent of these students qualified for free scholarships this past year.

Operating Budget

	Operating Expenses	Completed FY ended 12/31/08	Current FY ending 12/31/09	Next FY ending 12/31/10
1.	Personnel: Administrative	32,000	40,000	40,000
2.	Personnel: Programmatic	16,000	20,000	30,000
3.	Personnel: Technical/Production	5,000	6,000	10,000
4.	Outside Fees and Services: Programmatic	6,000		7,500
5.	Outside Fees and Services: Other
6.	Space Rental, Rent or Mortgage	15,000	15,000	5,000
7.	Travel
8.	Marketing	5,000	10,000	20,000
9.	Remaining Operating Expenses	9,000	4,164	2,500
A.	Total Cash Expenses	$88,000	$95,164	$115,000
B.	In-kind Contributions	$15,000	$20,000	$25,000
C.	Total Operating Expenses	$103,000	$115,164	$140,000
	Operating Income	Completed FY ended 12/31/08	Current FY ending 12/31/09	Next FY ending 12/31/10
10.	Revenue: Admissions	20,000	25,000	30,000
11.	Revenue: Contracted Services	30,000	35,500	40,000
12.	Revenue: Other	8,000
13.	Private Support: Corporate
14.	Private Support: Foundation			10,000
15.	Private Support: Other	500	500
16.	Government Support: Federal
17.	Government Support: State/Regional		10,000	25,000
18.	Government Support: Local/County	15,725	20,000	30,000
19.	Applicant Cash	13,775	4,164
D.	Total Cash Income	$88,000	$95,164	$135,000
B.	In-kind Contributions	$15,000	$20,000	$25,000
E.	Total Operating Income	$103,000	$115,164	$160,000

Proposal Budget: Summary

	Proposal Expenses	A. Request	B. Cash Expenses	C. In-kind	Total
1.	Personnel: Administrative	20,000	20,000	0	$40,000
2.	Personnel: Programmatic	0	0	0	$0
3.	Personnel: Technical/Production	0	0	0	$0
4.	Outside Fees and Services: Programmatic	0	0	0	$0
5.	Outside Fees and Services: Other	0	0	0	$0
6.	Space Rental, Rent	0	0	0	$0
7.	Travel	0	0	0	$0
8.	Marketing	0	0	0	$0
9.	Equipment	0	0	0	$0
10.	Remaining Proposal Expenses	0	0	0	$0
D.	Total Proposal Expenses	20,000	20,000	0	$40,000
	Proposal Income	A. Request	E. Cash Income	C. In-Kind	Total
11.	Revenue: Admissions		5,000		5,000
12.	Revenue: Contracted Services		6,772		6,772
13.	Revenue: Other		0		$0
14.	Private Support: Corporate		0		$0
15.	Private Support: Foundation		0		$0
16.	Private Support: Other		0		$0
17.	Government Support: Federal		0		$0
18.	Government Support: State/Regional (not including state funds)		0		$0
19.	Government Support: Local/County		8,228		8,228
20.	Applicant Cash		0		$0
F.	Total Proposal Income	20,000	20,000	0	$40,000

Proposal Budget: Detail

	Proposal Expenses	A. Request	B. Cash Expenses	C. In-Kind	Total
1.	Personnel: Administrative	20,000	20,000	0	$40,000
1.1. Producing Artistic Director		20,000	20,000	0	40,000
2.	Personnel: Programmatic	0	0	0	$0
3.	Personnel: Technical/Production	0	0	0	$0
4.	Outside Fees and Services: Programmatic	0	0	0	$0
5.	Outside Fees and Services: Other	0	0	0	$0
6.	Space Rental, Rent	0	0	0	$0
7.	Travel	0	0	0	$0
8.	Marketing	0	0	0	$0
9.	Equipment	0	0	0	$0
10.	Remaining Proposal Expenses	0	0	0	$0
D.	Total Proposal Expenses	20,000	20,000	0	$40,000

	Proposal Income	A. Request	E. Cash Income	C. In-Kind	Total
11.	Revenue: Admissions		5,000		$5,000
11-1 2010-11 Performance Season			5,000		5,000
12.	Revenue: Contracted Services		6,772		$6,772
12-1 Educational and Performance Contracts			6,772		6,772
13.	Revenue: Other		0		$0
14.	Private Support: Corporate		0		$0
15.	Private Support: Foundation		0		$0
16.	Private Support: Other		0		$0
17.	Government Support: Federal		0		$0
18.	Government Support: State/Regional (not including state funds)		0		$0
19.	Government Support: Local/County		8,228		$8,228
19-1 Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs - Developing Arts in Neighborhoods Grant Program			8,228		8,228
20.	Applicant Cash		0		$0
F.	Total Proposal Income	20,000	20,000	0	$40,000

Proposal Summary: Evaluation Plan

Based upon past attendance figures, we project a 25% growth in attendance each season. In 2005 we drew 500 patrons, a number which has quadrupled to over 2000 in our 2009 season. Our box office personnel perform a detailed survey which asks patrons how they learned of our activities while obtaining demographic information such as age and ethnicity to help us determine the most effective use of our marketing. Through our surveys, we have determined that our programming draws an audience from all ages, ethnicities and economic backgrounds. Our patron database allows us to track repeat visitors, which have also steadily increased. The Miami Herald's Christine Dolen on how we even reach the toughest and most important demographic..the youth that is the future arts audience:
"Ground Up & Rising...potent theater that speaks to an elusive younger audience. The great problem in the theater world, the thing that gives artistic directors ulcers as they gaze upon one Baby Boomer-and-up audience after another, is this: How do you get kids raised on 24/7 cable, the Internet, instant-access movies and the like to understand that going to the right play can be interesting, entertaining, even thrilling? Those desperately seeking answers would do well to check out...edgy young company Ground Up & Rising...attracting audiences that mirror the company itself: young, ethnically and racially diverse, intellectually curious."

Critics from publications such as the Miami Herald, Sun-Sentinel, and New Times cover our work extensively in the press, which is indicative of our growing standing in the South Florida theater community.

Each of our shows is selected through a rigorous process that involves a panel of ensemble members, literary consultants, knowledgeable patrons and marketing professionals who collectively shape the strongest season possible combining a variety of key facets including how the plays were reviewed elsewhere, their potential for being buzz/news-worthy, audience appeal, commercial viability, thought provoking and issue oriented fare.

Narrative: Applicant History

Since 2005, Our commitment to quality in our work has earned our young organization a sterling professional and critical reputation we strive to uphold with every endeavor. We have presented culturally relevant and thought provoking material in our theatrical seasons, and our commitment to supporting local artists is demonstrated in our history of drawing exclusively from Miami's pool of talented theatre artists to mount our productions. We also practice colorblind casting allowing for shows that feature primarily minority talent, many of whom would never have the opportunity to play complex leading roles that define our programming, thus truly reflecting the ethnic diversity of the city of Miami. Unlike most of the other regional theatre companies, an important part of Ground Up & Rising's mission is to serve a wide array of underserved communities throughout Miami-Dade County that have been traditionally geographically excluded from opportunities to experience quality professional theatre such as North Miami, Little Havana, West Kendall, Homestead, Miami Beach. The aforementioned are all areas that were completely devoid of theatre before Ground Up & Rising's activities.
Through our relevant and diverse work, we have continued "building a reputation for doing memorable productions of gritty dramas with talented young actors" (Christine Dolen, Miami Herald). In Ground Up & Rising's brief history, we have been awarded 7 "Best of the Year" awards in the region's 3 largest and most respected print outlets:
"Best of Miami 2006 in Performing Arts" – Miami Herald
"Best of Miami Theatre 2007" – Miami New Times
"Best of Miami – Best Supporting Actor 2008 – Miami New Times
"Best of Miami – Classical Music 2008 – Miami Herald
"Best of Miami – Theatre 2008 – Sun-Sentinel
"Best of Miami – Best Supporting Actress 2009 – Miami New Times
"Best of Miami – Best Actor 2009 – Miami New Times

We are composed of minority artists spread across the 18-35 demographic, having a unique perspective on the changing needs and tastes of the next generation of theatre audiences. Christine Dolen, Miami Herald theatre critic, captures our appeal precisely:
"Ground Up & Rising and a provocative playwright combine to create potent theater that speaks to an elusive younger audience...The great problem in the theater world, the thing that gives artistic directors ulcers as they gaze upon one Baby Boomer-and-up audience after another, is this: How do you get kids raised on 24/7 cable, the Internet, instant-access movies and the like to understand that going to the right play can be interesting, entertaining, even thrilling? Those desperately seeking answers would do well to check out... the edgy young company Ground Up & Rising."
Another success has been our children's production entitled Thinking On Your Head, Standing On Your Feet: The Improv Comedy Show for Kids! which enjoyed a year of performances at the Miami Children's Museum, was featured as part of Miami Beach's Arts in the Park performance series in 2008, and has been contracted by the Arts For Learning organization for 2009-10. Ground Up & Rising has also forged a fruitful collaboration with one of the region's most respected theatrical institutions – GableStage. Our latest production of the Olivier-award winning play The Pillowman, was recently presented at ArtSouth in Homestead and featured as part of the 2009 Miami Beach Sleepless Night, where it drew over 300 patrons at the Byron Carlyle Theatre in one of the most highly attended presentations of the event.
For 2008-09, Ground Up & Rising continued its mission in providing theatre to underserved areas of Miami-Dade County, and so began work at one of the largest arts organizations in the South-Dade region: ArtSouth. During 2009, Ground Up & Rising presented three professional main stage productions at the ArtSouth Sanctuary Performing Arts Center to great success. The greatest result of our outreach with ArtSouth, however, has been our afterschool arts program and the completion of an intensive, 8 week summer arts camp that culminated in a performance showcase that included the work of over 120 children.

Narrative: Sustainability

The salary specified in this grant proposal is supported by funding from a variety of sources that can be readily depended upon such as:
Funding from the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs from annually awarded grants such as the Developing Arts in Neighborhoods Grants Program and Tourist Development Council Program.
Funding from the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners
Funding from the City of Miami Beach Division of Cultural Affairs Artistic Disciplines Grant Program
Contracted Services such as our Consultancy Contract with the Miami-Dade Division of Cultural Affairs,performance contracts with the City of Miami Beach, and performance and teaching contracts at ArtSouth.
Our request from the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs will allow us to supplement these salaries so that other income can be allocated towards areas of our organization such as program development and production. As our organization grows and ages, we will become eligible for new sources of grant funding such as:
The National Endowment for the Arts
Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs Hannibal Cox Jr. Grant

Our long-range plan addresses the following areas:

Infrastructure Development & Tangible Assets Acquisition
-Continue to secure our administrative and production capacity with the acquisition of pro-bono or discounted services such as building materials, legal services, technical costs, and equipment.
-Employee/Intern development
-Cultivate a strong core of dedicated young artists to develop our organization by offering paid internships – this
helps us cut costs and benefits the next generation of professional artists in the South Florida community.
-Shaping our personnel department to develop a small but multi-talented staff able to handle a diverse array of tasks.
Service to the Community
-Continue developing issue-driven, culturally relevant theatrical programming.
-Continue providing performance and production opportunities for more local minority artists than any other organization.
-Expand our successful Bridging The Gap Educational Program at Miami Dade College to include area high schools and an additional film production component.
-Increase our community involvement with civic organizations such as ArtSouth as well as develop quality programming for children and young adults.

Artistic Development
-Forge creative partnerships with organizations such as Project Copernicus to deliver cutting-edge,
multidisciplinary work.
-Raise Miami's artistic profile through collaborative relationships with established New York companies such as The Living Theatre and The Labyrinth Theatre.
-Become the only permanent resident theatre company on Miami Beach.
-Continue to be the only professional theatre company to serve the residents of Homestead and South Dade.

Narrative: Fiscal Stability

Since our incorporation in 2005, our administrative efficacy has been demonstrated by the steady growth of both our budget and production capacity, the result of a conservative business plan conceived by
Producing Artistic Director Arturo Fernandez that tightly controls spending, maintains our organization free of outstanding debts, and maximizes the quality of our programming without compromising economy.
Our board of directors is a small but dedicated group of individuals devoted to the continued growth of the company, rather than a long list of names of community figures that have little to no direct involvement
in our operations. The small size of our board allows us the flexibility to make vital decisions quickly and efficiently and allows our organization to avoid the pitfalls of a large and unwieldy board structure that
can slow our overall progress and ability to capitalize on artistic and business opportunities as rapidly as they present themselves. Below is a summary of some of what our organization has achieved thus
far as a result of our model:

-Ground Up & Rising has an endowment in the form of donated office space and secretarial services in a Class-A Building located at 2000 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, in the heart of Coral Gables, FL. The in-kind value of this endowment approximately is $29,000.00.
-Due to belief in the artistic and administrative promise of our organization, the City of Miami Beach has -After three years of being consistently awarded grants from the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural
Affairs, our organization is recognized as having the potential for improving tourist offerings in Miami-Dade County and has been allowed to participate in their Tourist Development Council grant program, the youngest local organization to do so.
-For the past two years we have received in-kind support in the form of radio advertising from WLRN & NPR for our productions.
-Since 2007, we have received professional printing services from T-Square Inc., one of Miami's premiere commercial printers.
-Our organization receives discounted accounting services from Morrison Brown & Associates.
-Our Marketing Director Jose Terrier has provided his services free of charge since 2005. (see attached
support documents)
-Rachel Chin, our Graphic Designer, has provided photography, promotional materials design, website
administration, and web design services free of charge since 2005. (see attached support documents)
-Our organization has been awarded grants, discretionary funds, and service contracts from the following sources:

Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs
Community Grants Program 2005 - $5000
Developing Arts in Neighborhoods (DAN) Program 2006- $9338
DAN Program 2007 - $10,791
DAN Program 2008 - $11,000
DAN Program 2009 - $8,228
Culture Shock Consulting Contract - $35,000

Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners
District 8 2008 Discretionary Funds - $5000
District 8 2009 Discretionary Funds - $5000

City of Miami Beach Department of Cultural Affairs
Artistic Disciplines Grant 2008-09 -
Theatre - $8900
Artistic Disciplines Grant 2010-11 -
Theatre - $11,000
Arts in the Park - $3100
Sleepless Nights 2009 Contract -$4500

Miami Children's Museum
Contracted Services 2008- $13,200

Arts 4 Learning
Performance Contracts - $3000

Narrative: Collection Summary (GPS Collecting Museums only)

No answer provided.

Applicant Accessibility

Statement	Response
Applicant's facilities and programs are accessible to persons with disabilities.	True
Applicant has conducted an accessibility self-evaluation of its facilities and programs (Date of most recent evaluation).	True Date of most recent evaluation: 1/24/2009
Applicant has established policies and procedures which address nondiscrimination against persons with disabilities.	True
Applicant has a complaint process for discrimination on the basis of disability	True
Applicant has designated staff person that is responsible for Section 504, ADA and Florida Statutes 553 Compliance.	True Designated staff contact: Arturo Fernandez, Producing Artistic Director
Other staff members are informed and trained in access issues.	True

Narrative: Accessibility

Ground Up & Rising is committed to ensuring that all of its programs and activities are accessible to the widest possible audience. To many, the word "underserved" usually is used to describe people in low income neighborhoods and rural areas, where social services and community programs are rare or nonexistent. For Ground Up & Rising Inc., the term holds a much broader meaning. From the most affluent suburbs to the most neglected constituencies, a dearth of community programs that encourage interest and development of the Arts leads to a similar conclusion: future generations of potentially brilliant minds that grow with little or no exposure to the Arts and the chance to create within them. The broad geographic scope of our activities, our participation in ticket discount programs such as Culture Shock, as well as the cultural diversity represented in our programming reflects our commitment to make our programming as relevant and accessible to minorities and the economically disadvantaged. As our organization grows,
we have plans to include a contingency for ASL interpreters for our theatrical productions, as well as performing outreach activities such as play readings for local groups such as the Miami Lighthouse for
the Blind. Additionally, the instructors in our educational outreach programs are fluent in languages other than English, including Spanish and Creole, ensuring that our immigrant population is not excluded from
activities.

Homestead/South Miami-Dade

2010 "Free Play* Project

The primary goal of this project is to serve the residents of the South-Dade region, an area that includes the cities of Homestead, Cutler Bay, Naranja, Florida City, Leisure City, and Key Largo. The needs that the "Free Play" program address are clear:

1) There are currently no professional theatre offerings in the South-Dade region, and the closest other professional company, GableStage, is 30-50 miles north of the region, geographically excluding residents of the South-Dade community. Ground Up & Rising will be presenting its programming at the ArtSouth Sanctuary Performance Space located at 240 N. Krome Ave, in the heart of downtown Homestead, bringing our critically-acclaimed, award-winning program within easy reach of South-Dade residents.

2) According to data from the 2000 U.S. Census, the South-Dade region is among the most economically disadvantaged in the State, with median household income at $22,271, that's less than 50% of the median household income of Miami-Dade County ($47,800). Considering that the range of ticket prices to attend a professional theatrical production in South Florida is $25-$90, it is clear that South-Dade residents are effectively priced out of attending a quality theatrical event. Ground Up & Rising will be offering free admission to South-Dade residents for full-scale productions while utilizing a venue that is geographically accessible to residents and is dedicated to supporting the South-Dade community.

3) Miami is experiencing a renaissance in artistic growth and services, and it is a tragedy that the residents of South Miami-Dade County are being left behind due to geographic isolation from the majority of the arts community and price-exclusion. The "Free Play" program eliminates these hurdles and maximizes accessibility to South-Dade residents for some of the best of what South Florida theatre has to offer.

1)1 IRS Letter of 501(c)3 indicating federal tax exempt not for profit.
2)1 copy of the first page of the applicant's Division of Corporations Record
3)Support package
4)Support package
5)Support package
6)Support package
7)Support Package
8)Support package
9)Support package
10)Support package