Special Opportunities: Arts & Economic Prosperity 6

Funds are available through this program to offset 100% of the discounted study participation fee for grantee partners in the following amounts:

1. $4,500 for communities with a population between 100,000-350,000
2. $3,000 for communities with a population between 50,000 and fewer than 100,000
3. $1,800 for communities with a population of fewer than 50,000

For questions or more information, contact:

Shannon Ford, Director of Community Arts Development, at 615-532-9796 or shannon.ford@tn.gov

Melissa Moody, Arts Build Communities Coordinator, at 615-253-5133 or melissa.moody@tn.gov

Interested city or county arts councils (or other governmental or nonprofits willing and able to act as a city, countywide or regional coordinator) should contact Shannon Ford or Melissa Moody. Be prepared to discuss and, if requested, provide the following information:

• Definition of the region to be studied (i.e., the name of the city or county or counties that should be included)
• Name of the local partner organization
• Mailing address of the local partner organization
• Name of the primary contact person
• Email address of the primary contact person
• Phone number of the primary contact person.

Applicants must be a city or county arts councils (or other governmental or nonprofits willing and able to act as a city, countywide or regional coordinator). An organization is eligible to apply for funding support if the organization meets one of the following qualifications:

• The organization is a nonprofit legally chartered in Tennessee and in possession of a determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service declaring the organization exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code
• The organization is an entity of government

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

All Tennessee Arts Commission sponsored programs, services, and facilities are fully accessible to all Tennessee artists and citizens. Artists representing Tennessee’s diverse artistic and cultural heritage are urged to apply and participate in programs and activities. No person on the ground 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 Commission and its contracting agencies. If an individual believes he or she has been subjected to discrimination, he/she should contact the Commission’s Director of Arts Access at (615) 532-9797.

Tennessee Arts Commission staff will determine among those interested in becoming local partners based on regional coverage. Participating communities will represent a broad geographic diversity, range in size from small rural to large urban, and include emerging as well as established arts communities.

Additionally, selection will be based on the potential Local Partners ability to:

• Appoint a primary contact person for the project
• Provide a comprehensive list of the eligible nonprofit arts and culture organizations that are located in your community
• Follow up with organizations that do not complete the required Organizational Expenditure Survey
• Successfully manage the application and evaluation of the FY2023 Special Opportunities: AEP6 Grant

Requirements for each selected Local Partner include, but are not exclusive to:

• Fill out and return the Special Opportunities: Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 application in the Online Grants System
• Sign and return a contract with Americans for the Arts
• Provide eligibility documents (if required)
• Request funds and close out grant as published under Manage Rolling Grants
• Appoint a primary contact person for the project
• Provide a comprehensive list of the eligible nonprofit arts and culture organizations that are located in your community
• Follow up with organizations that do not complete the required Organizational Expenditure Survey
• Collect a minimum of Audience Expenditure Surveys (intercept surveys) from attendees to events that take place in your community (note: the required sample size may vary based on the size and density of community)
• Pay your discounted participation fee to Americans for the Arts

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 into the Online Grants System to complete your profile and begin an application.
3. Use the “Organizations” tab on the left-hand menu to ensure that the profile is complete and accurate. This information is as important as the application itself. Incomplete or erroneous data will impact your chances for funding. To edit the profile, click the “Edit” button at the top of the Organization screen.
4. 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.
5. When your “Organization” and “People” profiles are complete and accurate, select the “Apply for Grants” tab again and click the green box with “Apply for a ROLLING Grant” listed on the page.
6. Complete all of the application fields.
7. Create and upload required attachments.
8. Submit by at least thirty (30) days prior to the beginning date of the project activity.

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

You will be prompted to 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)

In the “Organization Profile,” upload the following documents:

• 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.
• W-9 Form (if this application is the organization’s first application submittal)
• FY23 Title VI training and certification form
  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 FY23, it is not necessary to repeat the training. Failure to complete this training may result in the cancellation of your grant.

If you have filled out your organization profile, copies of your By-Laws should automatically upload in the application under “Organization Documents.”