Creative Aging Tennessee III

There are many types of programs that can be created to achieve the desired outcomes for this initiative.  However, for this initiative, programs will align with a learning approach rather than a health intervention model and should aspire to achieve the following outcomes:

• Respect the high capabilities of older adults by challenging them to develop artistic skills;
• Offer sequential arts instruction in a sustained and organized fashion (i.e., classes must run between 4-12 consecutive weeks);
• Deepen social engagement;
• Employ teaching artists trained to understand the effects of aging and their significance for the design and delivery of arts programs for older adults.*

*To help meet this outcome, the Tennessee Arts Commission has contracted with Lifetime Arts, a national organization that trains artists to work with older adults, to provide virtual training in the effectiveness of sequential learning and other tools of working with older adults and how to work with physical and cognitive disabilities in adults who participate in arts programs. At the conclusion of each training, artists will be invited to become part of the Tennessee Arts Commission Creative Aging Teaching Roster. For more information about the Creative Aging Teaching Roster, visit the Tennessee Arts Commission’s website.

Eligible organizations include local and regional government entities and nonprofit organizations legally chartered in Tennessee.   Failure to provide all nonprofit status documentation will result in the application being disqualified.

Libraries, places of worship, arts and non-arts organization, senior centers and community centers with a nonprofit status are encouraged to apply.

Applicants may request up to $5,000 for projects and this grant does not require a match.

For this grant opportunity, older adults are defined as individuals sixty (60) years old and above in age.

Unique Entity ID (UEI): All applicants are required to have a Unique Entity ID.  UEI information and application instructions can be found here.

For fiscal year 2024, funded projects must take place between November 1, 2023 and April 30, 2024 under a grant contract with the State of Tennessee, TN Arts Commission.

Any organization receiving operational support (MCI, PS, SUPS, or SRPS) through the Tennessee Arts Commission is not eligible to apply as the lead applicant but can be a provider of arts programming in rural or culturally specific communities.

Schools, colleges and universities are ineligible to serve as lead applicants, although they would be welcomed as partners.

Only one application per project will be accepted and partners cannot apply for the same project.  All Creative Aging grants will be awarded and disbursed to lead applicants only.

Arts organizations that receive revenue directly from a “New Specialty Earmarked Plate” under T.C.A 55-4-301 (a)(1) are ineligible for Commission grant funding.

Additional eligibility requirements and funding restrictions may apply. Please see Legal Requirements for further details.

Debarment and Suspension. Grantees are required to sign contracts certifying to the best of its knowledge and belief, that it, its current and future principals, its current and future subcontractors and their principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any federal or state department or agency.

Other Important eligibility considerations:

• The nonprofit can choose the artists they would like to do their arts programming, but the artist must go through training and a signed contract between the artists and nonprofit must exist and be uploaded into the documents section of the application.
• Trained artists can teach classes in their culturally specific art form (i.e., the art form they know) to older adults in their community and/or to the public (i.e., outside their community). However, we hope that the trained artists will provide classes in their local community first.
• We want these programs to occur in geographic locations close to where people live (i.e., we want the artists to be local people) and for the arts programming to be easily accessible to older adults in the surrounding community.
• Public libraries, community centers, senior centers, and places of worship, if they have their nonprofit 501c3 status and can meet other eligibility guidelines, are encouraged to apply. These locations are also encouraged to be spaces where the arts programming can occur.
• In some cases, the artists may want to take the lead and recruit a nonprofit to be the applicant for their services. This is acceptable but the nonprofit must be the applicant organization for grants funding.
• The CATIII application is open to governmental entities and arts/non-arts nonprofits. Universities, colleges, and any organization receiving operational support (MCI, PS, SUPS, or SRPS)  through the Tennessee Arts Commission is not eligible to apply as the lead applicant but can be a provider of arts programming in rural or culturally specific communities.
• The following art forms are acceptable including visual arts, craft, media, design, music, theater, dance, folk and ethnic, or literary arts. Additional examples of acceptable art forms include jewelry making, quilting, storytelling, etc.
• Rural counties will be defined as those that are in alignment with Governor Lee’s Executive Order #1, which requires all state executive departments to provide recommendations to better serve rural counties. A list of rural counties can be found here – https://tnartscommission.org/grants/rural-arts-project-support/
• Culturally specific communities or artists are defined as populations representing Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander or other groups that constitute less than the state’s current majority population.

Funding will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis until funds are expended and paid on a reimbursement basis for submitted applications that are complete.

Individual projects may request up to $5,000 expenses in four (4) line-item categories for salaries, professional (contractual) fees for artists, consumable supplies/materials, and travel. Salaries includes staff coordination time for the program by the applying organization. Professional (contractual) fees include planning time, teaching of the art classes, and travel fees incurred by the artist. Consumable supplies include supplies/materials for participants and estimated costs for marketing that includes costs of printing and mailing of brochures, fliers, posters, etc. Travel includes travel fees incurred by staff of the grantee organization such as for their own mileage or transportation or if the organization pays for travel fees of a contracted artist directly (e.g., organization pays artist’s hotel fee directly).  For definitions of expenses, visit  https://tnartscommission.org/art-grants/manage-your-grant/tips-hints/.  Travel reimbursements must adhere to state rates (hotels, mileage, etc.) that can be found at https://www.tn.gov/finance/rd-doa/fa-travel/fa-travel-regulations.html

The teaching artist and grantee organization must have a contract that states the fees reimbursable to the artist for provided sequential classes. A copy of this contract will be required in the Documents section of the grantee application.  The Tennessee Arts Commission is not responsible for the execution of this contract.

For FY24, funded projects must take place between November 1, 2023 and April 30, 2024.  Since this is a Rolling Grant opportunity, applications will be accepted and reviewed on a continual basis until funds are depleted and/or until April 30, 2024.  All grants are required to be closed by June 15, 2024.

Please be aware that the Tennessee Arts Commission fully expects to provide a second round of grants funding to be offered under the Creative Aging Tennessee Initiative for FY25 with applications opening June 1, 2024.  Projects for FY25 can be new projects or continuing projects that were awarded funding in FY24.  If a project was awarded funding in FY24 and wants to continue funding in FY25, applicants must re-apply. FY25 projects will start July 1, 2024 – April 30, 2025.

This grant does not require a match.  Rolling Grants are paid on a reimbursement basis only.  No advance payments will be made.  Grantees must submit all required reporting in the Tennessee Arts Commission online grants system no later than 30 days after the ending date of the program/activity or by June 15, 2024, whichever comes first. Failure to do so may jeopardize future funding.

A complete application is one that creates a narrative case for the grant, puts forth a reasonable budget, and demonstrates the ability of proposed program to align with the project’s outcomes and the availability of funds.

The application should demonstrate a strong plan to serve underserved rural and/or culturally specific populations and demonstrate how the project will add value to the people and/or communities it proposes to serve. The application should also be well-planned and presented with all questions answered. If Commission funding has been previously awarded, the applicant should have a past record of administrative cooperation and compliance with the Commission’s grant requirements and procedures. Creative Aging Tennessee III applications will be reviewed in-house by Commission members and staff. Funding notification will take place via email.

The Tennessee Arts Commission reserves the right to deny any application, if the proposed activity is outside of the scope or spirit of the agency’s mission, purpose, or this grant program.

Key requirements for successful applicants include the ability to demonstrate a project that addresses an older adult need and/or opportunity; has an effective project design; has the potential for sustainability; uses the arts to connect older adults with the communities in which they live; and the organization has people (staff or volunteers) to implement and coordinate the project.

Examples of ineligible projects include:  expansion of currently funded TN Arts Commission projects that serve older adults; projects that don’t specifically provide arts programming in or for rural and culturally specific older adults; health or wellness related programs;  for-profit organizations; start-up funding to establish nonprofit status; meal or food expenses; capital expenses/equipment; fees for out-of-state artists and performances; travel, hotel, conference, or other related expenses; and other examples as determined by TN Arts Commission staff.

These examples are illustrations and are not intended to represent all of the potential programs that could be developed and conducted for older adults especially in rural and/or culturally specific communities.  Potential program classes could include:

Creative Writing
Traditional dance or music teaching
Craft/hobbies (jewelry making, wood carving, quilt making)
Theater opportunities
Story telling
Visual Arts (painting, sculpting, etc.)

Allowable expenses include, but are not limited to:

• honoraria for speakers, project advisors or panelists
• artist fees for the delivery of creative aging teaching/learning programs (artist fee includes travel)
• supplies/materials (includes consumable supplies for participants and estimated costs for marketing that includes costs of printing and mailing of brochures, fliers, posters, etc.) used in the delivery of creative aging teaching/learning programs
• salary for staff directly involved in creative aging program development, coordination, or implementation
• travel/transportation to creative aging activity sites or trainings (use “travel” expense line)
• space rental for art classes (use “supplies” expense line)

Unallowable activities and expenses include:

• stand-alone performances, exhibits or activities that are not part of a sustained arts learning program (i.e., no one-time arts class or event; classes must run 4-12 consecutive weeks)
• services designed primarily as health interventions (using art for therapeutic purposes to treat cognitive or physical diagnoses).
• food , catering or hospitality services
• tuition or activities for which academic credit is given
• programs or services for children, unless intergenerational programming with older adults is the focus of the program
• administrative expenditures, rent or overhead unrelated to the management of the project
• deficits incurred from past activities
• expenses incurred before the start or after the ending date of the grant period
• technology costs related to online program design or delivery, including video conferencing platforms, web programming, site design, etc.
• other unallowable expenses as determined by TAC

Application must be received 30 days prior to the start date of the program or before.  For FY24, applications for this grant will open October 2, 2023 at 11:59 pm, CST.  Grant guidelines will be available on the TN Arts Commission’s website under the name, Creative Aging Tennessee III.  To access the application, organizations, who have not previously done so, must register in the online grants system before filling out an application.   Only one (1) application is allowed per organization and/or project.

Projects may begin no earlier than November 1, 2023 or 30 days after the submission date of the application.  All projects must close their grant and submit evaluations data no later than June 15, 2024.

How to Apply:

1. Register  to use the  Online Grants System. You are strongly advised to register well in advance to the application deadline. Anyone registering close to the deadline date can expect delays in the processing of their grant application.
2. Once you’ve been emailed a username and password, log in to the  Online Grants System to complete your profile and begin an application.
3. Use the “People” link to ensure your profile is complete and accurate. This information will also be used in the review of the application. To open the record for editing, click the edit button at the top of the screen.
4. When the “People” profile is complete and accurate, select the “Apply for Grants” link under INFORMATION in the grey menu on the left.
5. Scroll down the page until you see “Apply for a Rolling Grant” in a green box. Select the green box.
6. Fill out the basic information, including “Creative Aging TN III” for Grant Category. Press the Save button. Your application will now be found in “Draft Applications link under APPLICATIONS in the grey menu on the left.
7. Open the application by selecting it. Select the EDIT button on the top of the form. Complete all of the application fields. Save frequently.
8. Create and upload required attachments.
9. NOTE: The forms in this portal do not auto-save. Always click the “Save” button before navigating away from the form you are editing to save your work.

Beware that clicking the back navigation button on your web browser will exit you from the system and you will lose your work.

Required Documents in the Application:

You will be prompted to create and upload the following documents in the Required Documents section of your application in the Online Grants System:

• Corporation Annual Report: Only nonprofit organizations with 501(c)3 status will be prompted to upload this document (as required to be filed annually with the Secretary of State’s Office). In lieu of the report, you may also submit a copy of the email verification issued by the Secretary of State’s office or a copy of the online verification sheet maintained by the Secretary of State’s Office found here. Entities of government do NOT submit.
• List of Board of Directors. Only nonprofit organizations with 501(c)3 status will be prompted to upload this document. Note that Commission staff may request that grantees provide additional information about the board including but not limited to contact information and occupation during the grant period. The board list (at the time of application) must include only the following:
  Full Name
  Email address
  Number of years on the board
  Length of term(s)
• One pager with the artists’ name, contact information (email, phone, and mailing address), art form (i.e., type of art), and bio.
• Curriculum or Lesson plans which outline the sequential learning series (include arts
  program/project topic; brief description of the arts learning series, program, or
  classes; how long the classes will last; the teaching artist being used; and how many
  older adults can participate in the classes). A draft is acceptable for the application.
• Signed or draft copy of the contract between the teaching artist and applying organization.

Required Documents in the Organization Profile:

You will be required to upload these documents in the system, but these Optional Documents may be required based on your organizational status.

• Bylaws: Only nonprofit organizations with 501(c)3 status will be prompted to upload this document. Upload the most recent copy of the Bylaws of the organization in the Organization Profile.  If you have filled out your organization profile, copies of your By-Laws should automatically upload in the application under “Organization Documents.
• W-9 Form (if this application is the organization’s first application submittal)
• FY24 Title VI training information
  Organizations that receive grant funding from the TN Arts Commission must complete Title VI training certification in the Online Grants System before payment will be distributed. If your agency has already completed the training in the TN Arts Commission’s online grant system for the FY24 fiscal year, it is not necessary to repeat the training. Failure to complete this training may result in the cancellation of your grant. For more information on Title VI requirements, please visit – https://tnartscommission.org/art-grants/manage-your-grant/title-vi/title-vi-training/.

Additional requirements needed if awarded a grant
This initiative requires that each grantee will participate in the evaluations process which will involve an assessment done by an independent evaluator and agreement to photograph and videotape segments of the funded program.  Participants in the classes will be offered a photo/video consent form to allow for their images to be used.

Any grantee shall promptly notify the State in writing of any significant changes in the organization’s structure, leadership or financial circumstances that could affect services provided under the grant contract resulting from this application.

All TN Arts Commission sponsored programs, services, and facilities are fully accessible to all Tennessee artists and citizens.  Organizations are urged to consider contracting with diverse artists, artists living with disabilities, and/or artists representing Tennessee’s diverse artistic and cultural heritage.  No person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, religion, or sex shall be excluded from participation in, or be denied benefits of, or otherwise be subject to discrimination of services, programs and employment provided by the TN Arts Commission and its contracting agencies.  If an individual believes he or she has been subjected to discrimination, he/she should contact the TN Arts Commission’s Director of Arts Access, Kim Johnson, at 615-532-9797 or kim.johnson@tn.gov.

Contact the Tennessee Arts Commission’s Director of Arts Access, Kim Johnson, at 615-532-9797 or kim.johnson@tn.gov.