Special Opportunities for STS Service Providers with STS Projects Impacted by COVID-19 between March-May 2020

For information contact Ann Brown, Director of Arts Education at ann.brown@tn.gov.

For further eligibility information, please refer to the Tennessee Arts Commission’s Legal Requirements. Additionally, all organizational applicants are required to have a Unique Entity ID (UEI). Information and application instructions to retrieve an organization’s UEI 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 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 Tennessee Arts 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, Kim Johnson at 615-532-9797 or the Tennessee Relay Center at 1-800-848-0298 (TTY) or 1-800-848-0299 (Voice).

Special Opportunities applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-come basis by Commission staff using the following criteria. Applications should demonstrate merit by showing the following:

• The application is well presented.
• The budget request is reflective of the costs associated with the published requirements as related to STS grants with contracts between March-May 2020 and impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The appropriate documentation is attached to the application.

ALLOWABLE EXPENSES

Funding is based on the narrative case put forth in the application, accuracy of completing the application, and on a first-come, first-served basis until all funds are expended. Applications sent back to applicants for modifications/corrections will not maintain their order of submission until a complete/corrected application is resubmitted.

The Tennessee Arts Commission reserves the right to deny any application or withhold funding in whole or in part, if the applicant individual’s or organization’s programming and activities are outside of the scope or spirit of the Commission’s mission, purpose, or this grant program.

MATCHING REQUIREMENTS

This category grant does not require a cash match.

AWARD PROCESS

Special Opportunities applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. In-house staff will review for completeness and appropriateness and that the application meets published guidelines. Applications sent back for edits or additional information will not be included in the first-come, first-served timeline until they are resubmitted and compete.  Funding notification will take place via email.

PAYMENT & CLOSE-OUT REQUIREMENTS

If awarded, payment will be distributed by the TN Arts Commission. Awardees will asked to submit an evaluation form to receive payment. 

If you, personally, haven’t registered in the online grants system, please do so. Instructions can be found here. If appropriate, indicate that you are applying on behalf of an organization (if the organization with which you work is listed on the Tennessee Arts Commission’s Teaching Artist Roster). It may take up to two working days for your registration to be approved and your log in and temporary password to be emailed to you. Once you receive your credentials, you may log into the system.

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. Answer the question, “I am (may be) applying for funding as an individual (in the future)” as YES.

• 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. 

Once you’ve received the online grants system credentials, log into the online grants system and fill out the application.

Here’s how:

IMPORTANT: First, contact Ann Brown, Director of Arts Education at ann.brown@tn.gov to make notification that you intend to apply for the Special Opportunities grant. After eligibility is determined by Commission staff, a draft application will be made available under the Draft Applications tab in your online grants account.

Scroll down the page to see the draft Rolling Grant application and open it for editing.

• Make note of the application #: R-XXXX-XXXXX
• Select Fiscal Year → Enter fiscal year 2020
• Select Grant Category → Special Opportunities
• Select appropriate response to “Is this your first time applying for Commission funds?”
• Select appropriate response to “Are you applying as”. Note: If you, as an individual are applying for loss of income associated with COVID-19, choose “None of the above” AND please check the box immediately below that is listed as “Check this box if you are applying as an individual”
  • If you are applying as an individual, make sure your name appears in the box, “name”
  • If your organization is the applicant four fields appear, make sure that the following four items are filled in correctly:
    1. Organization Name field populates with your organization’s name. If not, erase the organization listed and start typing your organization’s name, it should populate.
    2. The location field pre-populates as “org name” – headquarters
    3. Primary Contact field should populate your name
    4. Primary Signatory field may populate with your name, BUT SHOULD BE the person who can legally sign a contract for your organization. They should appear in the dropdown box. If they do not, select Add New and input their name and email address. It could be you, if you are the person who can legally sign contracts for your organization.

Scroll to the bottom of the page and press the SAVE button on the bottom right of the screen.

The system will load the appropriate application for you to fill out. At this point, if you leave the system, you may log back into your account and locate your application by selecting the “Draft Applications” link in the grey menu on the left side of your screen under the heading APPLICATIONS. If you have several drafts, locate the Special Opportunities FY 2020 application with the correct #: R-XXXX-XXXXX.

Reopen your grant application for editing by clicking the edit button at the top of the screen.

Scroll down & and fill in the remainder of the application.

SAVE YOUR APPLICATION FREQUENTLY

• Project/Event Title → STS COVID-19 Relief
• Funding Description → To assist with preparation time, supplies expenses, and deliverables created impacted by COVID-19
• Project/Event Start Date →  [between 30 days from today’s date and June 15, 2020]
• Project/Event End Date →  [no later than June 15, 2020]
• Total Amount Requested for Project / Event → Insert your request. Do not exceed documented amount or published maximum request. Round your request down to the nearest $10. (example: Round $537 down to $530).
• Narrative → Explain preparation time broken down into days and hours, funds spent on materials, and deliverables created such as lesson plans, videos of performances, etc. related to STS projects contracted between March-May 2020 and impacted by COVID-19. Please be specific. A compelling narrative is a crucial factor in the grant award.
• Number of ADULTS Engaged → Insert the number of individuals this grant will support.
• Number of YOUTH Engaged → Insert the number of youth this grant will support.
• Total INDIVIDUALS Engaged → Insert the number of individuals this grant will support.
• Number of Artists Participating → Insert the number of individuals this grant will support.
• Underserved Participants → This refers to individuals this grant will support, so fill in the appropriate % for any applicable category.
• Project Discipline → Select the appropriate answer for you/your organization.
• Type of Activity → Select the appropriate activity based on your narrative response.
• Strategic Outcome → Select the appropriate answer for you/your organization.
• Arts Education → Select the appropriate answer for you/your organization.

BUDGET

Contracted Professional Fees

1. With as much detail as possible, applicant should outline days and hourly time spent on preparation for STS projects impacted by COVID-19. Provide an hourly rate. Applicants are encouraged but not required to using the Teaching Artist Rate Pay Calculator to establish an estimate of expenses for the artist’s time.

Travel, Registration and Teacher Stipend – Do not put anything in this line item.

Consumable Supplies, Printing & Publications, etc.

1. Consumable Supplies: With as much detail as possible, list supplies already purchased and itemized costs for STS projects contracted to occur between March-May 2020. If available, include receipts as an attachment in Documents section.

REQUIRED AND OTHER DOCUMENT UPLOADS FOR THIS APPLICATION

To upload documents, click the icon beside the Required Documents.

Required and prompted uploads in the Documents section of the Application:

• If applying as an STS Service Provider who is an individual: Individuals who are STS Service Providers must be a resident of Tennessee. Upload a copy of the individual’s Tennessee voter registration card or legal State of Tennessee driver’s license into the Documents section of the grant application in order to provide proof of residency.
• If applying as an STS Service Provider that is an organization: Organizations that are STS Service Providers must be located in Tennessee and must upload the most recent Corporate Annual Report located on the Tennessee Secretary of State website.

Required, but NOT prompted uploads in the Documents section of the Application:

• STS Service Providers must provide documentation of cancellation of STS projects contracted to occur between March-May 2020 and impacted by COVID-19. Examples include emails, screen shots with notice of cancellations, and original invoices or contracts.

Encouraged but not required or prompted uploads in the Documents section of the Application:

• Receipts for supplies purchased for STS projects contracted between March-May 2020 impacted by COVID-19.
• Deliverables created and shared with contracted schools during preparation. Examples include lesson plans, teacher’s guides, video of performance during rehearsal, etc.

Required, but NOT prompted uploads in the Documents section of the Organization profile:

• If applicable, create and upload the following document in the Organization profile of your portal in the online grants system. FY20 Title VI Training and Certification Form: Organizations only. Title VI Training is due at the time of application. For more information about completing the training, visit the Title VI Training information page.

ASSURANCES

Type your name and title where requested & check the box certifying your information.

If applying as an organization, two separate and distinct certifications are needed. You cannot certify both areas for an organization application. Two separate and distinct names must be indicated in the Assurances section.

Save your application.

Successfully submit your application by pressing the submit button on the bottom right.

You will receive a confirmation email upon successful submission.