APPLICATION ORGANIZATION ELIGIBILITY
1. Applicant organization must be a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization registered with the IRS. Applicant's name must appear on letter of determination from the IRS or submit proof of name change. No fiscal agents.
2. Applicant organization must have at least a (consecutive) three-year track record of producing arts activities or services.
3. Applicant organization must be located in and applying for a project that serves the twelve-county greater Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Specifically, these counties are Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, Washington, Isanti, Wright, Chisago in Minnesota, and Pierce and St. Croix in Wisconsin.
4. Applicant organizations may submit no more than one proposal (do not submit proposal requesting funding for more than one program, unless the request is for general operation, in such cases all programs must be described).
5. Incomplete applications, illegible or applications not in compliance with these guidelines will be considered ineligible.
6. GF money specifically may not be used for the following:
endowments; capital improvements, mortgage payments, property purchase, building construction; deficit financing; administrative costs unrelated to the GF sponsored art activities; fundraising events; projects which result in lobbying for particular legislation, promoting of a particular religious belief, are discriminatory, or in any way violate federal, state or local laws.
7. If the project is funded but is not completed within two (2) years after the official date of the grant, contractor forfeits the final payment of the stated award amount and is ineligible for future General Fund grants.
8. COMPAS is not responsible for loss or damaged application materials due to shipping. Electronic mail or Faxed materials will not be accepted.
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REVIEW CRITERIA
The Grant Allocations Committee will review proposals on the following basis:
The need for proposed arts project or annual arts programming of the applicant agency;
—Will addressing this need help to further the General Fund mission?
—Is meeting this need likely to strengthen the 12 county area and to what extent?
—Why is it important that this need be addressed by COMPAS funding?
The stated goals and objectives of the art project or annual arts programming of the applicant;
—Are the proposed art project/programming goals and objectives consistent with the General Fund mission?
—To what degree are program goals the fulfillment of the need outlined in the needs statement?
—Are the proposed goals and objectives clear and realistic?
How well does the mission of the applicant organization support the GF mission? (For general operation applicants only.)
The potential of the proposed art project or annual arts programming of the applicant organization to meet or continue to meet the specified need;
—Is the proposed art project or annual arts programming likely to effectively address the stated need and achieve the stated goals?
—Is the proposed art project or annual arts programming likely to meet the needs of participants and/or audiences?
—Is the proposed art project or annual arts programming likely to advance the mission of the General Fund?
The experience related to the art project or annual arts programming;
—To what extent is there a proven track record of producing arts activity or annual arts programming of comparable undertaking?
Budget
—Does the budget address the stated need?
—Is the budget reasonable (expenses appropriate, income goals realistic, etc.)?
—Do the artists receive fair compensation?
—Is the organization fiscally sound?
Optional
Does the proposed art project or annual arts programming of the applicant organization fundamentally involve a partnership;
—How well does the partnership meet the needs of organizations involved?
—To what extent do all partners contribute to the art project or annual arts programming of the applicant organization?
Applicants are not required to be partnered with another organization. However, proposals involving partnerships will have an advantage in the selection process.
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OPTIONAL
Does the proposed arts activity or annual arts programming of the applicant organization fundamentally involve a partnership and, if so;
• How well does the partnership meet the needs of organizations involved?
• To what extent do all partners contribute to the arts activity or annual programming of the applicant organization?
REVIEW PROCEDURES
The Grant Allocation Committee will evaluate the proposals, contact partners to ascertain strength of partnerships as well as applicants for budget clarifications and make final funding decisions.
The Grant Allocation Committee may include artists, arts administrators, teachers, community leaders and the COMPAS Grant allocations Director.
APPLICATION TIMELINE
Decisions will be announced in June of 2008.
Funds will be awarded for FY 2009 projects after July 1, 2008.
One copy of the grant contract must be signed and returned to COMPAS along with a W-9 and recent copy of the State Attorney General’s letter within sixty days after it has been received. A delay beyond sixty days in signing the contract and returning it to COMPAS along with the completed W-9 and State Attorney General’s letter will result in the GF grant being rescinded.
