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Table of Contents

Guidelines

Introduction

Welcome to the Division of Cultural Affairs Specific Cultural Project (SCP) Guidelines. We're glad that you are considering applying for a Project grant from the Division. These guidelines are incorporated by reference into Rule 1T-1.001, Florida Administrative Code, and detail policies and requirements for the application, receipt, and administration of Project grants.

These guidelines do not apply to General Program Support, State Touring, Individual Artist Fellowship, Cultural Facilities, or Cultural Endowment grants. For information about these grant programs, visit http://www.florida-arts.org/grants/.

Basic Eligibility

All applicants must meet the following basic eligibility requirements at the time of application.

  1. Have submitted no other applications for the General Program Support or Specific Cultural Project programs in the current application cycle (see application restrictions)

  2. Have the required legal status (detailed below)

  3. Match the grant amount requested, at least dollar for dollar (see match requirements)

  4. Agree to comply with all application requirements and the grant administration requirements

In addition to these basic eligibility requirements, there are specific eligibility requirements for Museums applying to a discipline based project and Underserved Cultural Community Development projects.

Application Restrictions

"In order to equitably distribute limited state funding," the legislature mandated, in section 265.286(9), Florida Statutes, that each grant applicant may only submit one application each annual grant cycle. The legislature defined applicant or grantee as a "nonprofit, tax-exempt, Florida corporation" or a "local or state governmental entity, school district, community college, college, university, agency of state government, or artist engaged in or concerned with arts and cultural activities."

Based on this, an organization may only submit one (1) Specific Cultural Project or one (1) General Program Support application for each annual grant cycle (July 1 - June 30). The Division will use Federal Employer Identifications Number (FEINs) to identify an applicant organization.

This restriction includes applicant organizations that formerly submitted multiple applications from different departments. Such organizations must coordinate to decide on a single application for each annual cycle. If the Division receives more than one application from any applicant, the Division will ask the applicant to identify a single application for review.

To meet the legal status requirement, an applicant organization must be either a public entity or a Florida nonprofit, tax exempt corporation as of the application deadline.

Public Entity
A Florida local government, entity of state government, school district, community college, college, or university. Private schools, private community colleges, private colleges, and private universities are not public entities and must be nonprofit and tax exempt to qualify.
Nonprofit, Tax Exempt
A Florida organization that is both:

  1. Nonprofit: incorporated as an active nonprofit Florida corporation, pursuant to Chapter 617 or Chapter 623, Florida Statutes; and

  2. Tax exempt: designated as tax exempt as defined in section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended.

The Division of Cultural Affairs will verify that all fees are current and that the applicant was in "active" status with the Division of Corporations, as of the application deadline.

For more information on corporate status, visit http://www.sunbiz.org or call the Division of Corporations, profit and nonprofit information line at (850) 245-6054. To verify corporate status, you can review your corporate record online through the sunbiz.org document search tool.

For more information about tax exempt status, see Exemption Requirements - Section 501©(3) Organizations on the the Internal Revenue Service website.(http://www.irs.gov).

Public entities are not required to provide documentation of legal status.

Nonprofit, tax exempt applicants must provide a letter from the IRS stating that the applicant is tax exempt under 501(c)(3) or 504(c)(4). This letter should be included in the application package and must be postmarked by the application deadline.

The Division will notify the applicant if the letter is not received or if the applicant is in inactive status with the Division of Corporations. The Division must receive the letter and/or the status must be corrected within 10 calendar days of notification or the application will be ineligible.

Program Description

The Specific Cultural Project (SCP) grant is designed to fund a cultural project, program, exhibition, or series taking place within the grant period (July 1 through June 30). The grant activities must support the mission of the organization and further the state's cultural objectives.

Note: Grant funds may not be used for indirect or overhead expenses (see the Indirect and Overhead Expenses section of these guidelines). Expenses must be directly related to the project detailed in the application.

Project Types

The Division offers four project types.

Request Amount

Specific Cultural Projects have a maximum request of $25,000, except for Underserved Cultural Community Development projects. Use the table below to find the maximum request amounts. Project types and funding categories (levels) are described in detail in the Project Types section of the guidelines.

Project Type Funding Category Maximum Request
Arts In Education * All $25,000
Discipline-Based

 N/A $25,000
Culture Builds Florida All $25,000
Underserved Cultural Community Development Capacity Building $2,000
Consultant $5,000
Salary Assistance $20,000

* Note: Arts In Education Residency projects have specific contact hour requirements based on the amount requested.

Match Requirements

Grant request amounts must be matched at least 1:1 ($1 provided by the applicant for every $1 requested from the Division) with cash and in-kind (donated goods or services).

No more than 25% of the Total Proposal Expenses (line D, Application Proposal Budget) may be in-kind (see in-kind).

The following may not be used as match:

Matching funds may be anticipated at the time of application, but must be received by the grant period end date (June 30). All expenses (both state grant and match) must be paid out (not merely encumbered) by the grant period end date.

Exceptions: Underserved Cultural Community Development

Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI)

The Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) recognizes rural or economically distressed counties and communities designated as REDI qualified. Applicants that are located within a REDI county or community as of the application deadline are not required to provide cash match. However, REDI applicants are still required to show a 1:1 match of in-kind (donated services or materials, etc.).

Applicants that seek a REDI waiver must submit a letter from the county government (or city administrator in the case of REDI communities) acknowledging the application and requesting a REDI waiver on behalf of the applicant. This letter must be submitted with the application package.

For more information about REDI, including a list of eligible counties and communities, see the Department of State's Rural Economic Development Initiative page.

Project Type Descriptions

Arts In Education

Arts In Education project grants are designed to cultivate learning and artistic development for all students and teachers by promoting, encouraging, and supporting arts and culture as an integral part of education and lifelong learning for residents and visitors. This includes but is not limited to:

The Division supports the view that the arts build cultural understanding, mutual respect, and strong communities. Arts In Education projects accomplish this by bringing artists and cultural experiences directly into Florida schools, hospitals, nursing and eldercare facilities, senior centers, correctional facilities, community spaces, cultural facilities, and other organizations.

Funding Categories

There are two funding categories for Arts In Education Projects.

  1. Artist Residency
  2. Arts Partnership

Artist Residency

Artist residencies place professional Florida artists in a variety of education and community settings. Services performed by resident artists may include:

Residencies can change the way a community views a particular art form and the arts in general. Artists engage participants in making art in a mutually supportive, creative learning environment and participants explore self-expression and the role of the arts in society. This process encourages imaginative thinking, problem solving, goal setting, and teamwork.

All residencies should relate to:

Activities

Artist residencies should include at least one (1) preliminary session with the artist(s) to discuss residency goals, scheduling, planning, objectives, requirements, etc. This session does not count towards the required contact hours. The artist should be paid for this session.

In addition to the preliminary session, residency activities may include the following:

  1. an event that shares the core participants' work
  2. arts-related professional development for staff, arts educators, administrators, and teachers (in-service workshops/institutes, seminars, etc.)
  3. related in-state field trip to a gallery, museum, concert, or performance for the core participants
  4. an event that joins core participants, their family, and friends in hands-on arts activities
Contact Hours

Residencies must have a minimum number of contact hours based on the grant amount requested. A contact hour is 60 minutes or one class period of hands-on activity with the artist. Residency days and weeks do not have to be consecutive. Use the table below to determine the required contact hours.

Minimum required contact hours by request
Request Amount Minimum Required Contact Hours
$10,000 or less at least 25
$10,001 to $15,000 at least 30
$15,001 to $20,000 at least 35
$20,001 to $25,000 at least 40

Residencies may exceed the minimum contact hours, as long as activities take place during the grant period (July 1 to June 30).

Arts Partnership

The Arts Partnership funding category is designed to support projects that will advance arts education and the development of long-term partnerships through effective collaboration between community arts and cultural organizations, social service agencies, and educational entities.

Applicants may request up to $25,000 for arts partnership projects that have completed planning and design work and are ready for implementation or expansion.

If proposals include computer, video, and technology equipment, applicants must show how technology equipment, systems, and programs are integrated into their specific arts education partnership.

Arts Partnership projects are not intended to fund the same project year after year. However panelists have the descretion to recommend funding for on-going projects.

Focus Areas

Focus areas for the Arts Partnership project may include the following:

  1. School-based arts education
  2. Programming that integrates the arts into areas not usually associated with the arts such as:
    • non-arts curriculum
    • school-to-work initiatives
    • the criminal justice system
    • the healthcare system
    • community care for the elderly
    • underserved populations
    • adult-continuing education programs
  3. Programming that brings together different generations
  4. Arts and technology programming in music, visual arts, theatre, dance, media and/or literary arts
  5. Community arts education

Culture Builds Florida

Culture Builds Florida project grants are designed to support and encourage projects throughout the state in the four vision areas of the Division's Strategic Plan, Culture Builds Florida's Future.

Funding Categories

There are two funding categories for Culture Builds Florida projects:

  1. Seed Funding: a new project
  2. Expansion Funding: expansion of a current project.

Seed Funding

The Seed Funding category is designed for applicants to start a new project that fits within at least one (1) vision area of the Division's Strategic Plan.

Expansion Funding

The Expansion Funding category is for applicants that already have project activity in one or more of the key areas of the Division's Strategic Plan, but are applying for a new component of an existing project.

Applications in this funding category may be for a specific effort to:

This category will only fund that portion of an existing project that represents a expansion of at least one (1) vision area of the Division's Strategic Plan.

Discipline-Based

Discipline-Based projects are discipline specific for organizations conducting cultural projects, realizing their stated mission, and furthering the state's cultural objectives.

Discipline Categories

Discipline-Based applicants must select one of eleven (11) discipline categories.

  1. Community Theatre
  2. Dance
  3. Folk Arts
  4. Literature
  5. Media Arts
  6. Museum
  7. Multidisciplinary
  8. Music
  9. Professional Theatre
  10. Sponsor/Presenter
  11. Visual Arts

The discipline category of the application will determine which review panel will evaluate and score the application. Applicants should select the discipline that best fits their proposal. Applicants should consider whether they are presenting (sponsoring) or producing the activity when choosing a discipline category.

Applicants that produce festivals should select the discipline category for the festival activity. For example, an organization producing a film festival should apply to the Media Arts discipline while a cultural festival that is producing music, visual art, and dance activities should apply to the Multidisciplinary category. For more information, contact a program manager.

Dance

The Dance discipline is for projects that promote excellence in dance.

Folk Arts

The Folk Arts discipline is for projects that preserve and present traditional arts. This includes performances, exhibitions, festivals, and other projects featuring traditional artists and their work.

Folk Arts are traditional cultural expressions through which a community maintains and passes on a shared way of life. These communities can be job-related, ethnic, religious, age-related, or based on location. Folk art expresses a sense of the community's values and aesthetics. Folk art expressions are usually learned informally through a relative or the community and are maintained without formal teaching.

The Folk Arts discipline includes many forms and processes of expression, including but not limited to:

Note: The Folk Arts discipline is not intended for projects that focus primarily on the following activities:

Applicants with such projects should consider applying to one of the other disciplines. Contact the Folk Arts program manager with any questions.

Literature

The Literature discipline is for projects that promote excellence in the literary arts.

Media Arts

The Media Arts discipline is for projects that promote excellence in film, video, radio, and television. This includes film and video festivals, and media art exhibitions, conferences, and seminars.

Multidisciplinary

The Multidisciplinary discipline is for projects with programming that presents two (2) or more separate artistic or cultural disciplines.

Artistic and cultural disciplines include, but are not limited to:

Museum

The Museum discipline is for projects focused on the applicant's collections and/or exhibits.

To be eligible to apply to this discipline, a museum must:

Museums are encouraged but not required to participate in the American Association of Museums' Museum Assessment Program (MAP) and to pursue or maintain national accreditation through American Association of Museums (AAM), American Zoological Association (AZA), or Zoological Association of America (ZAA).

Museums may include, but are not limited to, the following types:

Non-museum organizations conducting visual art exhibitions should apply to the Visual Art discipline. Multidisciplinary museums may also apply to the Multidisciplinary discipline.

Music

The Music discipline is for both vocal and instrumental music projects that promote excellence in music performance and creation.

Applicants to the Music discipline may include chamber or jazz ensembles, choral groups, community bands, orchestras, opera, and world music ensembles.

Applicants with musical theatre projects should submit their application to the appropriate Theatre discipline (professional or community). Applicants presenting, rather than producing, should apply to the Sponsor/Presenter discipline.

The Sponsor/Presenter discipline supports the sponsorship or presentation of performing arts groups, individual artists, or other cultural providers.

A Sponsor/Presenter is an organization that enters into agreements to provide performances or other cultural activities. The organization generally does not create, rehearse, cast, or have artistic control over the performance or activity.

Applicants producing, rather than presenting, should apply to the appropriate discipline for their activities, such as Music, Theatre, or Dance.

Theatre (Community and Professional)

The Theatre disciplines support projects that promote excellence in theatre performance. Musical theatre can be included in this discipline. Organizations producing opera projects should apply to the Music discipline.

Community Theatre

The Community Theatre discipline is for applicants producing a community theatre project.

The majority of the artistic production talent participating in a community theatre project is not compensated at fair-market value, however, personnel may be hired as needed to perform administrative, artistic, or production duties.

Community theatre applicants should be very specific when describing how artists are compensated. Although it is assumed that most community theatre applicants will not be compensating most actors, applicants should address whether or not technical staff (directors, designers) are compensated and if any actors receive financial compensation.

If a community theatre is in the process of becoming a professional house, the application should describe where the applicant is in the transition and when the applicant expects to be offering full compensation to artistic staff.

Professional Theatre

The Professional Theatre discipline is for producing professional theatres.

Organizations applying to the Professional Theatre discipline must compensate their artistic staff and actors at fair market value on a regular and continuing basis. Professional Theatre panelists strongly emphasize the importance of payment to actors.

Companies should be very specific when describing the financial compensation and/or benefits that are offered to its artistic staff. If a national standard wage exists for certain services, that may be noted rather than repeating details commonly understood in the profession.

Visual Arts

The Visual Arts discipline is for projects that promote excellence in the visual arts through activities such as:

Underserved Cultural Community Development

Underserved Cultural Community Development projects support the organizational development of underserved cultural organizations. All applicants to this project type must meet the following criteria:

*To determine eligibility, use the Total Cash Income from the applicant's most recently completed fiscal year. This number is represented by line D, column 1 (Completed) of the Application Operating Budget.

Underserved Designation

For the purposes of this project type, underserved means rural, minority, or lacking in resources.

A rural cultural organization is:
  • qualified under the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) pursuant to Sections 288.0656 and 288.06561, Florida Statutes.
A minority cultural organization is:
  • community-based,
  • deeply rooted in and reflective of a specific religious, racial, national, or cultural group of non-western or Judeo-Christian tradition, or
  • composed of at least 51% persons who represent such groups as African American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian/Pacific Islander, individuals with disabilities, and other minorities. This includes staff, board, artists, and volunteers. Gender is not considered a minority for the purposes of this program.
A cultural organization that is lacking in resources:
  • has trouble achieving its mission due to lack of cultural information or access to available programs. These organizations are typically located within counties where there is no designated Local Arts Agency or other means of acquiring ongoing information and assistance.

Funding Categories

There are three (3) funding categories for Underserved Cultural Community Development projects.

  1. Capacity Building
  2. Consultant
  3. Salary Assistance

Capacity Building

This funding category provides up to $2,000 for projects that increase administrative or artistic capacity. Eligible projects include but are not limited to:

Appropriate support materials must be included in the application package so that the review panel can effectively evaluate the application. For example, equipment purchases should include descriptions or specifications and prices, and seminars and workshop requests should include curriculum or agenda.

Consultant

The Consultant funding category provides up to $5,000 for retaining consultants that can provide specific administrative or artistic needs.

Administrative needs may include but are not limited to:

Artistic needs may include but are not limited to:

The consultant may not be a member of the applicant’s staff or board. The consultant may not be in the immediate family of any staff or board members. This funding category may not be used to hire temporary staff positions.

Applicants must submit the consultant's resume in the application package so that the review panel can effectively evaluate the application. The review package should also include other appropriate support materials such as a client list, agenda or plan, and letter of intent.

Match for the consultant funding category is 1:1. Exception: Applicants that have a Total Cash Income of less than $10,000 and have never received an underserved consultant grant from the Division are not required to provide cash match. However, match must be shown as in-kind.

Salary Assistance

The Salary Assistance funding category allows applicants to request up to $20,000 for the full or partial salary support for one or more positions. The positions must be critical to the mission of the organization.

Match for the Salary Assistance funding category is 1:1. Exception: Applicants that have a Total Cash Income of less than $10,000 and have never received an underserved salary assistance grant from the Division are not required to provide cash match. However, match must be shown as in-kind.

Culture Builds Florida's Future (Our Strategic Plan)

The Division's Strategic Plan, (Culture Builds Florida's Future), is a statewide cultural plan designed to redefine the role of the arts and culture in Florida. It has four vision areas:

  1. Strengthening the Economy
  2. Promoting Learning and Wellness
  3. Building Leadership
  4. Advancing Design and Development

All Specific Cultural Project proposals must incorporate at least one (1) of the four (4) vision areas. With this valuable information, the Division can demonstrate to the legislature and the public how our grantees are implementing a unified message and strategy for arts and culture.

For more information about Culture Builds Florida's Future visit http://www.florida-arts.org/about/strategicplan/.

Application Requirements

Accessibility and Non-Discrimination

The Florida Council on Arts and Culture and the Division of Cultural Affairs are committed to making the arts and culture accessible to everyone, including:

Applicants may receive up to 10 points for accessibility efforts through the accessibility review criterion.

Organizations seeking support for activities that will not be open and accessible to all members of the public, regardless of sex, race, color, national origin, religion, disability, age, or marital status are not eligible for this publicly funded grant.

Allowable Expenses

Expenses that are directly related to the proposal shall be allowed provided that they are:

Grant and matching funds may only be used for travel outside the continental United States with prior approval of the Director or when specifically contained and approved in the grant application. The cost of the travel must be clearly and separately identified within the Application Proposal Budget.

The grantee may be asked to provide documentation such as cancelled checks, paid invoices, or other financial documents verifying grant related expenses. Grantees must comply with all provisions of the award agreement.

State grant funds may only be spent on allowable program or project expenses that are included in the application Proposal Budget. If a grantee wishes to spend state grant funds on program or project expenses that are not specifically detailed in the Proposal Budget, the grantee must submit a Grant Amendment Request (GAR). The Division must approve the GAR before the grantee is permitted to spend state funds. Spending state grant funds on expenses that have not been approved by the Division, even if directly related to the program or project, will be disallowed and could result in a legal demand for the return of grant funds.

Non-Allowable Expenses

The following are non-allowable expenses for grant and matching funds. Non-allowable expenses should not appear anywhere in the Grant Proposal Budget.

Indirect and Overhead Expenses

No state funds may be used toward indirect or overhead expenses such as phone, utilities, general supplies, property improvements, fixtures, maintenance, and other overhead and indirect costs. These expenses may only be used as match.

In-Kind Services and Contributions

The maximum amount of in-kind allowed in the Proposal Budget is limited to 25% of the Total Proposal Expenses.

Maximum allowable in-kind - Proposal Budget
  • = 25% of the Total Proposal Expenses
  • = Total Cash Expenses divided by 3

The amount of in-kind allowed in the Operating Budget depends on the applicant's Total Cash Income as defined in the application.

Maximum allowable in-kind - Operating Budget
If Total Cash Income is $150,000 or less

  • = 25% of the Total Operating Income
  • = Total Cash Income divided by 3

If Total Cash Income is over $150,000

  • = 10% of the Total Operating Income
  • = Total Cash Income divided by 9

Applicants may include a list of the in-kind that is over the allowed percentage as a support material demonstrating community support.

To calculate the fair-market value of in-kind services, the time of a volunteer may be calculated at the federal minimum wage (see http://www.wagehour.dol.gov). If the volunteer is professionally skilled in the work provided (such as a photographer donating photography services or a Certified Public Accountant providing a pro bono audit), the wage rate the individual is normally paid for providing the service may be used.

All in-kind services must be documented in writing by the provider of the service. Donated materials require similar documentation and should not be inflated. Records of such documentation must be available upon request.

Review Criteria

All applications will be evaluated and scored using the following four criteria.

Excellence and Innovation

Applicants must demonstrate excellence and innovation in all aspects of the proposal. Panelists will consider the following application information.

(Up to 40 points)

Impact

Applicants must demonstrate the expected impact of the proposal. Panelists will consider the following application information.

(Up to 30 points)

Management

This criterion covers all aspects of administration, planning, and evaluation. Panelists will consider the following application information.

(Up to 20 points)

Accessibility

Points will be awarded based on efforts towards making the proposal inclusive for all participants. Panelists will consider responses to the Americans with Disabilities Act questions as well as the Accessibility narrative response.

(Up to 10 points)

Scoring

Applications must earn a minimum average score of 80 to be recommended for funding by the review panel.

The maximum number of points an application can earn is 100. Panel members will individually score each application. The average of the individual panelists' scores will be rounded to three decimal places. When the fourth decimal is 5 or greater, the score will be rounded up in favor of the applicant. For example, 79.9995 will be rounded to 80 but 79.9993 would remain 79.999.

Review Process

The application review process includes the following:

  1. Division Staff Review for Basic Eligibility
  2. Grant Panel Review and Scoring
  3. Florida Council on Arts and Culture Recommendations
  4. Secretary of State Approval

Staff Review

Division staff will review all applications that meet the deadline for basic eligibility. Staff does not make subjective evaluations or comments on the content or quality of any grant application. Only applications that meet eligibility requirements will be made available to the grant review panel.

Staff will contact the applicant during the staff review to resolve the following problems.

Applications may only be amended at the request of Division staff. Only changes that are approved by the Division will be provided to the review panel.

Panel Review

After Division staff review, the Division will release eligible applications to the grant panel for review and scoring.

The Division is always seeking panelist nominations. Anyone may nominate a panelist (themselves or someone else) at any time using our panelist nomination form.

Panelists must be practicing artists or other professionals actively involved in the specific discipline or program for which the panel will be appointed. Panelists will be appointed by the Secretary based on the foregoing and the following considerations (in no particular order):

The Secretary may appoint review panels consisting of members from various art and cultural disciplines and programs to assist the Council in the grant review process. Review panels shall meet at the call of the Division. Panels shall be chaired by a Council member who shall be appointed by a Council chair, but shall not vote on application being reviewed. In the absence of a panel chair, a Division staff member will serve as the non-voting panel chair.

Panelists shall serve for a 1-year term but may be reappointed for up to three successive years. Panelists are not paid but are reimbursed for travel and per diem expenses when attending in-person panel meetings in accordance with section 112.061(2)(e), Florida Statutes. All panel members must comply with the Standards of Conduct for Public Officers and Employees of Agencies as set forth in section 112.313. Florida Statutes, and voting conflict of interest laws as set forth in sections 112.3143 and 286.012 Florida Statutes.

Once appointed, panelists will independently evaluate each application based on the review criteria detailed in these guidelines. After each panel member has evaluated the applications, there will be a public panel meeting to review, discuss, and score the applications.

Panel Meetings

Panel meetings are a public process (usually conducted by teleconference) and anyone can participate by attending in person or by calling in via a toll-free number. Participation instructions will be emailed to applicants and posted on the Division's web site. Applicants do not need to inform the Division that they will participate in the panel meeting teleconference. Although the Division strongly encourages applicants to participate in the grant panel meeting, it is not required. Participating in the panel process can be very helpful for those that intend to apply for future grants.

A typical panel meeting will include the following:

  1. Call to Order

  2. Introduction of Panelists, Staff, and Call-In Participants/Audience

  3. General Program Comments from the Chair

  4. Application Review:

    1. Preliminary scoring of applications;

      For each application:

      • the Chair will announce the application number and applicant name
      • applicants may provide a brief update on the application. Updates may only include new proposal information
      • applicants will be permitted to respond to panelist questions
      • each panelist will voice his or her score
      • Division staff will calculate and voice the total points and the average panel score.

  5. Public comment prior to panel consensus on scores;

    During public comment, anyone (including applicants) may speak about the applications under consideration. After public comment, panelists may adjust their scores before the final vote to accept all scores.

  6. Panel Recommendations

  7. General discussion from the panel (policies, procedures)

  8. General comments from the public

  9. Closing remarks from the Chair

  10. Adjournment

Florida Council on Arts and Culture Review

After the panel meeting, the Division will report the panel recommendations to the Florida Council on Arts and Culture in the form of a ranked list. The Council may amend panel recommendations based on new or existing information about the applicant or panel proceedings.

Information that will allow recalculation of the average score by the Council includes, but is not limited to:

Information that may result in the Council recommending zero funding includes:

The Council may also amend typographical errors in the panel recommendations.

Council Recommendations

All Specific Cultural Project applications recommended by the Council will be merged into a ranked list using the following system.

  1. Applications will be ranked by average score (highest to lowest)
  2. Applications with a tied average score will be ranked using their totals for each criterion point in the following order:
    1. Excellence and Innovation
    2. Impact
    3. Management
    4. Accessibility
  3. If there is still a tie after the score for each criterion has been compared, the applications will be ranked by application number (lowest to highest).

This ranked list will be submitted to the Secretary of State for review and approval as described below.

Secretary of State Review and Approval

The Secretary of State may approve, amend, or recalculate scores or amend the recommendations of the Council as described under the Council Review section above.

Funding

Subject to Legislative appropriation, applications approved by the Secretary of State will be funded top-down at full request until the appropriation is depleted.

Beginning with the 2011-2012 grant period (and subject to appropriation by the Legislature), the Department of State's Legislative Budget Request (LBR) will include the Secretary of State's approved ranked list of Specific Cultural Project applications. The Legislature may use this list to appropriate an amount in accordance with section 265.286 (3), Florida Statutes.

If grant funds are returned to the Division, the Division shall award such funds to the next grant organization on the Secretary's ranked list of approved applicants according to section 265.286(4), Florida Statutes.

Grant Administration

Noncompliance

Any applicant that has not submitted required reports or satisfied other administrative requirements for previous Division of Cultural Affairs grants or grants from any other Office of Cultural, Historical, and Information Programs (OCHIP) division will be in noncompliance and subject to the OCHIP Grants Compliance Procedures. These procedures are incorporated by reference and available from the Division of Cultural Affairs. (OCHIP divisions include the Division of Cultural Affairs, the Division of Historical Resources, and the Division of Library and Information Services.)

Grant compliance issues must be resolved before grantees can:

Panels will be advised of each applicant's compliance history (up to 6 years prior to review) for consideration and scoring in the Management Review criterion. Panelists may adjust the Management review criterion score within the allowable range. In the past, otherwise competitive applications have received lower scores due to noncompliance.

The Council may decline to recommend for funding an otherwise eligible application if the applicant is included on the Department's Noncompliant Grantees List at the time of review by the Council.

Grant Forms

The following forms must be used in the administration of all grants in these guidelines and are hereby incorporated by reference and available from the Division at http://www.florida-arts.org.

  1. Grant Application (Form CA2E145), effective 6/2010
  2. Grant Report (Form CA2E004), effective 6/2010
  3. Grant Amendment Request (Form CA2E002), effective 6/2010
  4. Grant Award Agreement (Form CA2E142), effective 6/2010

Grant Award Agreement

The Grant Award Agreement is the contract between the grantee and the Division. It includes the requirements for the administration of the grant. Grantees must sign and return this agreement to the Division within 30 days of the date on the agreement. Failure to return the agreement within 30 days of the date on the agreement will result in the grant being rescinded by the Division. Payments will not be released and grantees cannot spend state funds until the Grant Award Agreement has been executed. The Division will send grantees a fully executed copy of the agreement for their files.

Grant Amendment Request

The Grant Amendment Request form allows grantees to request changes to the approved grant. The funded grant application becomes part of the Grant Award Agreement. Changes to the approved application must be submitted using the Grant Amendment Request form.

Changes include, but are not limited to the following:

The Division will review requested changes to the grant award. Approval of the change request will be based on whether the change is directly related to the goals of the funded application. The Division must approve the changes prior to their implementation. If changes are implemented without the Division’s written approval, the organization is subject to noncompliance, and the grant award is subject to reduction or complete refund to the State of Florida, in accordance with the Grant Award Agreement.

Grant Payments

Grant funds will be available in quarterly installments. Grantees do not have to submit a request for payment. No payments will be released until the Grant Award Agreement has been executed. Payments will not be issued to grantees in noncompliance.

Florida Single Audit Act

Each nonstate entity that expends $500,000 or more in state awards during the grant recipient's fiscal year is required to have a state single audit or project specific audit for that fiscal year. A state award is defined as state financial assistance from any source provided to the recipient to carry out a state project. The audit shall include a schedule of receipts and expenditures for the entire award expended. The audit should be submitted within nine (9) calendar months following the end of the organization’s fiscal year. Additional information will be made available through the Grant Award Agreement.

For additional details on the Florida Single Audit Act, visit http://www.myflorida.com/audgen/pages/flsaa.htm.

Crediting the Division

Grantees are required to credit the Division for funding using the following sponsorship statement.

“Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.”
The logo for the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs The statement must appear when publicizing, advertising or describing sponsorship in accordance with S. 286.25, Florida Statutes.

The statement must be used on at least one promotional material even if there are no materials that publicize, advertise, or describe sponsorship.

Promotional materials for programming funded with money from the Division of Cultural Affairs should either include the sponsorship statement, or the Division logo, or both. The sponsorship statement (with or without the Division logo) should also be included on posters, brochures, catalogs, press releases, web sites, flyers, etc.

The Division's logo can be used alone on items where the complete credit statement will not fit, such as postcards, magnets, etc.

The DCA logo can be downloaded from the Division's web site at http://www.florida-arts.org/grants/getlogo.htm.

Grant Reporting

Grantees must submit a Grant Report to the Division. The grant report includes information and documentation that the proposed programming was completed in compliance with the Grant Award Agreement and these guidelines.

The Division uses the information provided in the Grant Report to:

The final Grant Report is due on July 30 following the end of the grant period (June 30). If a grant period extension has been approved by the Division, an interim Grant Report is due on July 30. Failure to submit a report on the due date will place your organization into noncompliance.

Public Records Retention

Grantees must maintain complete and accurate grant records. These records must be readily available on request for a period of five years following the approval of the grant report. If there is an audit or litigation regarding the grant, then all records should be maintained for five years from the end of the audit or litigation.

How to Apply

Grant applications to the Division will have two parts: an application form and an application package.

Application Form

The application form must be completed using the Division's online grant application and be submitted online by 11:59 pm ET on the application deadline. Deadlines will be posted on the Division's web site at http://www.florida-arts.org/grants/.

Applicants may request that a submitted application be electronically un-submitted at any point before the application deadline. An un-submitted application must be re-submitted by the application deadline to be considered.

Application Package

The application package should contain the following:

*Required with each application. Not-for-profit, tax exempt applicants only.

Do not include printed copies of your electronic application form in the application package.

The application package must be mailed to the Division and postmarked by the application deadline. If the application deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the application package must be postmarked by the following day which is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

Help

For general information about the Division of Cultural Affairs and to access grant information, panel details and resources, visit our web site at: http://www.florida-arts.org.

For information about the Specific Cultural Projects program, contact:

Laura Lewis Blischke
(850) 245-6475
llblischke@dos.state.fl.us

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