OpportunityTitle: NEA Challenge America Fast-Track, FY 2012
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: This category supports focused, distinct projects that take place over limited periods of time and involve limited geographic areas. Such projects generally are smaller in scale and shorter in duration than those in the Art Works category.    All projects must extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations that have limited access to the arts due to geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability. The involvement of professionally trained, experienced artists and arts professionals is essential.     Each applicant must present a simple, straightforward project that reflects only one of the project types below. Fast-Track grants are available only for:     &#149; Engagement: Americans throughout the nation experience art.    &#150; An arts event or events that will feature one or more guest artists. The project (such as a festival, exhibit, recital, reading, performance, screening, broadcast, lecture) must include the participation of guest artist(s). Artistic staff and resident artists of an applicant organization do not qualify as guest artists. In addition to artists&apos; fees, the project may include public relations, professional documentation, and program enhancements that are integral to the event. Examples of program enhancements include interpretive material, transportation, program accommodations (e.g., sign language interpretation, audio description), catalogues, brochures, or publications. Other enhancements such as specific lecture-demonstrations, pre- or post-event talks, or workshops relevant to the proposed arts event also are eligible. NOTE: Projects that involve curriculum-based arts instruction are not eligible (see Arts Education in the Arts Works category).     &#150; The unified promotion of community-wide arts activities and resources to enhance cultural tourism or activities in cultural districts. Unified promotion is defined as the professional assessment, design, and/or distribution of public relations tools (calendars, Web sites, brochures, rack cards, signage, etc.) designed to benefit several local organizations. NOTE: Promotional projects for a single organization are not eligible.     &#150; The development of professionally directed public art projects. This project type is for visual arts projects only (such as murals, sculptures, or environmental art) that are developed through community engagement. Evidence of community involvement in the planning, design, or fabrication of the work must be apparent.    The anticipated results for Engagement projects are direct experiences with the arts for the public. If a grant is received, at the end of the project grantees will need to describe the participants&apos; experiences as well as provide evidence of the participant group as underserved. If the nature of the project does not allow for the documentation of participants&apos; experiences explicitly, grantees may document the composition of the participant group and the number of participants and activities, and describe the activities used to engage the public with art. Before applying, please review the reporting requirements for Engagement.    &#149; Livability: American communities are strengthened through the arts.    &#150; Design activities for new or existing cultural facilities or civic spaces. Projects may include the preliminary planning or design process for new cultural facilities or spaces, as well as the engagement of professional design services such as streetscapes, wayfinding signage, or landscape architecture. Work may consist of, but is not limited to, architectural studies, charrettes (design workshops), design competitions, or facility feasibility or predevelopment studies. Activities also may include all design stages for the renovation, restoration, or adaptive reuse of existing structures to be used as cultural facilities. Funding is not available for fund raising, donor research, or actual renovation or construction costs.
Description: An organization may submit only one application through one of the following FY 2012 Grants for Arts Projects categories: Art Works or Challenge America Fast-Track. The Arts Endowment&apos;s support of a project may start on or after January 1, 2012. Introduction The Challenge America Fast-Track category offers support primarily to small and mid-sized organizations for projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations -- those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability. Age alone (e.g., youth, seniors) does not qualify a group as underserved; at least one of the underserved characteristics noted above also must be present. Grants are available for professional arts programming and for projects that emphasize the potential of the arts in community development. This category encourages and supports the following two outcomes: &#61607; Engagement: Public engagement with diverse and excellent art. &#61607; Livability: The strengthening of communities through the arts. Applicants will be asked to select the outcome that is most relevant to their project (they also will be able to select a secondary outcome). When making selections, applicants should identify the outcome(s) that reflect the results expected to be achieved by their project. If a grant is received, grantees also will be asked to provide evidence of those results. Challenge America Fast-Track grants: &#149; Extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations. &#149; Are limited to the specific types of projects outlined below. &#149; Are for $10,000 each. &#149; Receive an expedited application review. Organizations are notified whether they have been recommended for a grant approximately six months after they apply; projects may start shortly thereafter. Partnerships can be valuable to the success of these projects. While not required, applicants are encouraged to consider partnerships among organizations, both in and outside of the arts, as appropriate to their project. To ensure that Challenge America Fast-Track funding reaches new organizations and communities, the NEA has implemented a policy to limit consecutive-year funding. Starting with grants that were awarded in FY 2011 (as indicated by a grant letter dated on or after October 1, 2010, and a grant number beginning with &quot;11 - 78&quot;), an organization that receives Challenge America Fast-Track grants for three years in a row is not eligible to apply to the Fast-Track category for the following one-year period. Therefore, an organization that has received grants in FY 2009, 2010, and 2011 may not apply under these FY 2012 guidelines. That organization may apply for FY 2012 support under other Arts Endowment funding opportunities including Art Works. The organization would be able to apply to the Challenge America Fast-Track category again in FY 2013.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: NEA Web Manager
GrantorContactText: NEA Web Manager
CloseDateExplanation: Deadline: May 26, 2011    &#147;The Grants.gov system must receive your validated and accepted application no later than 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on May 26, 2011.&#148;