Arts and Cultural Affairs Operating Support and Special Projects Grant Modifications Copyright 2014
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 4.
ITEM TITLE: Arts and Cultural Affairs Operating Support and Special
Projects Grant Program Modifications
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending several modifications to the
Operating Support and Special Projects Grant programs
offered through the Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory
Commission.
SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Approve
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
Arts Grants Modifications-MVM Memo City Manager Memo
Staff Memo Staff Memo
Operating Support- FY 17 Guidelines Supporting Documentation
Operating Support- FY 17 Grantmiting Tips Supporting Documentation
Special Projects - FY17 Guidelines Supporting Documentation
Special Projects - FY17 Grantwritng Tips Supporting Documentation
THE CITY OF Dubuque
UBE I
erica .i
Masterpiece on the Mississippi 2007-2012-2013
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Arts & Cultural Affairs — Modifications to Operating Support Grant and
Special Projects Grant
DATE: January 13, 2016
Economic Development Director Maurice Jones and the Arts & Cultural Affairs Advisory
Commission recommend several modifications to the Operating and Special Projects
Grant programs. Many of the changes are simply updates to contact information, City
goals, and other minor details to guidelines and tip sheets. The most notable change is
the reduction of the cap on grants awarded: Operating Support will be capped at
$30,000 instead of the current $40,000, and Special Projects will be capped at $8,000
instead of the current $8,500.
1 concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
Maurice Jones, Economic Development Director
Dubuque Economic Development Department
THE CITY OF 50 West 13th Street
AII-AwftlitY Dubuque,Iowa 52001-4864
DUB3 &kE1 I Office(563)589-4393
TTY(563)690-6678
® http://www.cityofdubuque.org
Masterpiece on the Mississippi 200.2012.2013
TO: Michael Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Maurice Jones, Economic Development Director
SUBJECT: Arts & Cultural Affairs — Modifications to Operating Support Grant and
Special Projects Grant
DATE: January 13, 2016
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memorandum is to present several modifications to the Operations
and Special Projects Grant programs.
BACKGROUND
Since 2005, the Arts & Culture Operating Support and Special Projects Grants have
infused a total of over $2.6 million into the local arts community.
DISCUSSION
The Arts & Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission have reviewed each of the two
programs, and are recommending modifications to each. Many of the changes are
simply updates to contact information, City goals, and other minor details to guidelines
and tip sheets.
The most notable change is the reduction of the cap on grants awarded: Operating
Support will be capped at $30,000 and Special Projects will be capped at $8,000.
Updated documents are attached to this memo.
RECOMMENDATION/ ACTION STEP
I recommend concurrence with the Arts & Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission's
recommendations.
THE MY OF
DUB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
City of Dubuque, Iowa
ARTS AND CULTURE GRANT PROGRAM FOR OPERATING SUPPORT
FY 2017 FUNDING COMPETITION
GUIDELINES
PURPOSE
Through this funding program, the City of Dubuque provides operating support funding
to established 501(c)(3) arts and culture organizations located in the City of Dubuque
that primarily serve Dubuque residents with year-round arts and culture events,
programs, and services. Organizations must demonstrate a record of programmatic,
financial and administrative stability.
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
Dubuque arts and culture organizations whose primary mission is arts or culture.
Applicants must have been operating as a nonprofit, tax-exempt under Section 501(c)
(3) of IRS code for at least two years before the application date.
INELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
Including but not limited to for-profit organizations or not-for-profit organizations whose
primary mission involves religious, political, or athletic programs, educational institutions,
and social service organizations. An organization with an outstanding Final Report from
a previously funded Special Projects grant application is ineligible.
FUNDING GUIDELINES
The maximum annual funding award is $30,000 or 6% of applicant's previous year
certified operating expenditures, whichever is less. It is unlikely that qualified
organizations will be funded at this level. Funding levels over the past few years have
ranged from 2-5 % or$40,000, depending upon the number of eligible applicants and
the degree to which an applicant meets selection criteria.
REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS
Applications will be reviewed and rated by the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission.
Funding recommendations will be forwarded to the City Council for review and approval.
The City reserves the right to request modifications to amount of grant awarded.
As all commission meetings are public, you may attend the meeting. No public input will
be accepted during the review sessions.
CITY STAFF ASSISTANCE
Maurice Jones, Economic Development Director for the City of Dubuque, will be the
contact for any questions you may have before you submit your grant. He can be
reached at (563) 589-4393 or at econdev(a-)-cityofdu bug ue.org. It is highly recommended
that all applicants attend a Grant writing workshop to understand processes and policies,
updates from the previous year. This is especially helpful for first time grant submissions.
1
SUBMITTING
• Applications and attachments can be emailed to econdev(cDcityofdubugue.org or
hand delivered to the Economic Development Department, City Hall, 50 West
13`h Street, Dubuque, Iowa, by Friday, April_, at 5 p.m.
• If your attachments are too bulky or not in electronic form, you may email the
applications and hand deliver the attachments. Please do not submit both a hard
copy and an emailed copy of the application.
• Once an application is submitted, no changes or additions will be allowed. The
deadline is strictly enforced. An organization, not city staff, is solely responsible
for the content of its grant.
• Determine early if you have trouble filling out the electronic application so that
Maurice Jones, Economic Development Director for the City of Dubuque, at
(563)-589-4393 or at econdev@cityofdubuque.org, can assist you in advance of
the deadline. For Section 2: Narrative, enter information in the application only;
do not submit this information as an attachment. Your answers will be limited to a
specific number of words and point font. Please note that when using the
electronic application, cutting and pasting into the document may change the
formatting from your original document, so please review closely. When you are
finished with the application, save it on your hard drive and email as an
attachment or print out for submitting. Please save a copy for your records.
• Please send only the attachments requested in Section 5. Letters of support or
other documents not requested will be discarded.
TIMELINE
• February_, 2016 - Applications available
• March_, 2016 - Application Workshop, at Aigler Auditorium, Carnegie Stout
Public Library, 360 W. 11`h Street at noon.
• April 2016 Applications are due by 5 p.m. in either electronic or hard copy
form
• April and/or May_, 2016 -Applications are reviewed and rated by Arts
Commission
• June_ or_, 2016 - City Council approval of grant awards
• July 2016 - Contracts signed, funding disbursed
RATING CRITERIA
1. Dubuque arts and culture organizations whose mission is primarily arts and
culture and the degree to which their programs and services support that mission
and the city's cultural arts goals (40 points)
2. Organization's demonstrated management abilities (financial position or
condition, fiscal responsibility, and management) (25 points)
3. Organization's demonstrated artistic or cultural excellence and leadership (20
points)
4. Impact of the organization on the Dubuque community(15 points)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Applicant agrees to acknowledge the City of Dubuque support in appropriate
signage, program materials, promotion, publicity and advertising activities, and in other
2
printed and electronic forms of communication pertaining to this grant. Applicants are
encouraged to submit several good quality digital photos of the organization for City
public relations efforts.
REPORTING
The applicant agrees to retain all financial records, reporting documents, and all other
records pertinent to the City of Dubuque grant program for a period of three calendar
years beyond the contract.
CITY OF DUBUQUE ARTS AND CUTURAL GOALS
Goal 1: To celebrate the arts as an opportunity to enjoy and enrich community life.
A. Promote opportunities for residents of and visitors to Dubuque to enjoy the arts.
B. Encourage arts and cultural programming year-round for children and adults in
the Dubuque area.
C. Foster multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary artistic and educational opportunities to
expand cultural horizons and improve the quality of life.
D. Encourage opportunities for personal, educational, cultural, and recreational
enrichment.
E. Promote collections, services, experiences, and programs that respond to
individual and community needs.
F. Promote the arts as a common ground for all members of the community.
Goal 2: To provide a variety of affordable and accessible cultural arts activities
and resources for all ages.
A. Expand cultural and recreational opportunities for all ages.
B. Promote coordination and increased public and private support of wide-ranging,
affordable cultural and recreational events and organizations.
C. Support affordable access to cultural arts activities and resources, whenever
possible.
D. Promote accessible arts activities for members of the community, regardless of
disabilities.
E. Consider expanded, affordable use of public facilities.
Goal 3: To promote affordable and accessible spectator and participatory arts
experiences and cultural events.
A. Consider expanding the opportunities to bring cultural events to community
facilities.
B. Promote art, drama, film, music, and dance experiences for audiences and
participants of all ages.
C. Consider expanding the role of the Five Flags Center and other venues as
centers for cultural events and arts experiences.
D. Promote a strong community base of support.
Goal 4: To utilize the arts to encourage a better understanding of the cultural
diversity of the world.
A. Encourage presentations of minority artists and arts reflecting ethnic traditions.
B. Foster global awareness activities and intercultural education.
C. Foster the celebration of cultural diversity.
3
Goal 5: To support the expression of the cultural arts and access to that
expression.
A. Foster accessible cultural opportunities which increase appreciation and broaden
perspectives.
B. Promote the recorded wisdom, experiences and ideas of others -- assembled,
organized and made accessible to all.
C. Promote opportunities for arts groups to utilize the Five Flags Center, Five Flags
Theater, and other venues for the expression of art.
D. Promote free expression of and full access to that expression of artists
worldwide.
E. Promote and improve public awareness and appreciation of the arts.
F. Encourage preservation, collection, and interpretation of fine arts.
G. Promote support of local area artists and artistic endeavors.
Goal 6: To safeguard the cultural and historic resources of the community as
critical to the quality of life and the attractiveness of Dubuque.
A. Promote the preservation of historic buildings and architectural resources in the
community with emphasis in areas of greatest need.
B. Encourage educating the community about the benefits of historic preservation to
the community's quality of life, economic development efforts, tourism, and tax
base enhancement.
C. Encourage exploration, preservation, and interpretation for present and future
generations, the history of Dubuque and the Mississippi River.
D. Promote increased appreciation, education, technical assistance and funding for
the community's historical and architectural heritage.
E. Encourage the development of a marketing plan for the cultural and historic
resources in the community.
Goal 7: To encourage the availability of adequate funding and facilities to support
arts activities.
A. Promote preservation and reuse of historic buildings and sites in the community
for the cultural arts.
B. Promote maintaining cultural arts, entertainment, and continuing education
services offered by local cultural and educational institutions.
C. Encourage coordinated services and shared resources among cultural arts
organizations in the Dubuque area.
D. Encourage establishment of a performing arts center and/or a concert hall for
large venue concerts.
Fillable applications are available online at http://www.cityofdubugue.org/grants
Contact the Economic Development Department if you prefer a word document.
For more information, contact:
Maurice Jones, Economic Development Director
Economic Development Department
50 W. 13`h Street
Dubuque, lA 52001
(563)-589-4393 or econdev(cDcitvofdubuque.org
4
CITY OF DUBUQUE
ARTS AND CULTURE GRANT PROGRAM FOR OPERATING SUPPORT
FY2016
Grantwriting Tips
• Determine whether your organization is an eligible applicant. Are you a Dubuque arts
and culture organization whose main mission is arts and culture? Do you primarily serve
Dubuque residents with year-round events?Are you non-profit organization with 501 C
(3) status and have been in existence at least two years? Have you already been
providing services?
• Read the Guidelines (including the excerpt from the City of Dubuque's Comprehensive
Cultural Arts Goals), Application, and Scoring Sheet posted on the City website soon
after you receive it.
• It is highly recommended that all applicants attend a Grant writing workshop to
understand processes and policies, updates from the previous year. This is especially
helpful for first time grant submissions.
• Do a test to see if you can fill out the application on your computer and save it. Once you
save it to your computer, you should be able add to the document at any time. Contact
Megan Starr immediately if you have problems filling in the application. Do not wait until
the week before the deadline.
• Space for answers has been limited and will automatically be entered with the required
font and size. Please do not try to change the font or size. Do not worry if your
information does not take up the whole space. We are looking for clear, concise
information that is not repetitive. You must fill in all the information requested.
• Make sure the reviewer clearly understands your mission, what you do and what you
hope to accomplish.
• Pay careful attention to the rating criteria. Have you provided sufficient information so
the reviewers can judge your application on each of the rating criteria?
• Have someone else read your application for clarity and proofreading before you submit
it. Is your narrative clear and compelling? Have you clearly addressed how your
organization furthers the City of Dubuque's Cultural Arts goals? Does it convey what you
really want to say?
• Once an application is submitted, no changes or additions will be allowed. The deadline
is strictly enforced. An organization, not city staff, is solely responsible for the content of
its grant. Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.
• Please submit every attachment required. Do not submit any other materials as they will
be discarded.
• Keep a copy of the grant for your records
• An applicant is welcome to hear their grant reviewed and scored. Please Note: The
highest scoring applicants will be funded without discussion.
For information about all of the City of Dubuque's Arts and Cultural initiatives, go to
http://www.citvofdubugue.org/307/Arts-Cu/ture
For more information, contact:
Maurice Jones
Economic Development Director
50 W. 13`h Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
(563) 589-4393 or econdev(cDcityofdubugue.org
THE CITY OF
DUB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
City of Dubuque, Iowa
ARTS AND CULTURE GRANT PROGRAM FOR SPECIAL PROJEC'
FY 2017 FUNDING COMPETITION
GUIDELINES
PURPOSE AND GOALS
The City envisions that Dubuque will be an inclusive community, remarkable for its social and
cultural vibrancy. The City of Dubuque seeks to fund artistic, creative projects that utilize
community engagement at their core. Engagement describes an active, two-way process in
which one party motivates another to get involved or take action—and both parties experience
change and growth. It promotes consistent community interaction that is a step beyond the
conventional. A special project must involve a new partnership with a unique component to your
organization.
Successful applications will specifically address at least one of the following goals:
• The project is innovative in using emerging art forms to increase enthusiasm and energy
within the organization and its audiences.
• The project increases personal participation, awareness and appreciation of quality arts
and culture activities especially among groups of people who have not traditionally
accessed the arts and culture offerings of your organization, including age, culture,
disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, geographic, and socioeconomic
related groups in Dubuque.
• The project uses different strategies beyond traditional marketing and free-ticket
programs to attract new audiences.
• The project involves collaborators in planning, executing and sharing resources and
ideas for the project. Collaborators can include other non-profits, artists, neighborhood
groups, businesses, schools or individuals.
• The project promotes the arts as a common ground for all members of the community.
• The project fosters the celebration of cultural diversity and heritage and encourages
presentations of minority artists and arts reflecting ethnic traditions.
RATING CRITERIA
1. Special Project Description: How well the project is explained. (10 points)
2. Mission and Goals: How well the project addresses the organization's mission and the
purpose and goals of the grant program. (15 points)
3. Artistic Merit: The potential of the project to advance the caliber of the arts in the
community. (10 points)
4. Quality: How your project's concepts, leaders, artists, and collaborators demonstrate
quality and best practices. (15 points)
5. Importance: The value to target audiences, the organization, the City of Dubuque and its
residents and visitors. (10 points)
6. Access: The potential for the project to reach new and underserved audiences and
increase availability to diverse groups. (15 points)
7. Evaluation: How the project will be evaluated. (10 points)
8. Feasibility: The likelihood the project will be successful based on careful event and
financial planning. (15 points)
9. Uniqueness: How unique is the project to the organization and to the City of Dubuque?
(10 Points)
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
• Organizations incorporated in the State of Iowa as a City of Dubuque not-for-profit.
• Affiliated groups with their own specific mission, governing structure and budget using
the incorporated status of a City of Dubuque umbrella not-for-profit organization.
• Organizations that are an established group acting as a not-for profit in the City of
Dubuque.
• Only one application per organized group will be accepted.
INELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
• For-profit organizations or individuals.
• An applicant that has received funding for the past two consecutive years.
• An applicant with an outstanding final report from a previous grant.
REQUEST AMOUNT AND MATCH
• Minimum Request: $1,500
• Maximum Request: $8,000
• Applicants must provide at least one dollar of match for every dollar requested. In other
words, at least 50% of the grant can be funded by the City and 50% by the organization.
• You must provide some cash resources in your match.
• In-kind match refers to donated goods or services that have been contributed to the
project. The dollar amount of in-kind match should be calculated at the verifiable fair-
market value.
• Employee or volunteer costs for the project cannot be a grant requested item but can be
used for up to 50% of the in-kind match and account for no more than 25% of the entire
project.
ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES AND EXPENSES
Because the Special Projects Grant is funded by the City of Dubuque, all Special projects need
to be conducted in the City of Dubuque. Including but not limited to: Culture and Historic
Resources, Folk and Traditional Arts, Theatre, the Spoken Word, Literature, Dance, Music,
Opera, Film, Visual Art, Digital Art, Installation Art, Murals, Public Art, Performance Art, and
Sculpture.
Eligible expenses must be dedicated specifically to the project and can include:
• Employee or Volunteer Costs
• Artists
• Contractors
• Supplies and Materials
• Space and Equipment Rental
• Travel
• Marketing/Publicity
INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES AND EXPENSES
0 Anything occurring before July 1, 2016, or after June 30, 2017
• Projects not open to the public
• General operating expenses
• Social entertainment and reception expenses
• Religious, political, and sports activities
• Fundraisers or benefits
• Competitions, contests, or awards programs to honor or recognize achievement
including awards, trophies, or gifts
• Uniforms
• Capital or equipment outlay
• Funds used to regrant
REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS
Applications will be reviewed and rated by the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission at a
monthly meeting. Funding recommendations will be forwarded to the City Council for review and
approval. The City reserves the right to request additional information or make modifications to
amount of grant awarded. All commission meetings are open to the public, but no public input
will be accepted during the grant review meeting.
TIMELINE
• February_, 2016 - Applications available online at www.citvofdubuque.org/grants
• April _, 2016 - Application Workshops, Lacy Board Room, 3'' Floor, Carnegie-Stout
Library, 360 W. 11`h St., at noon or 5 p.m.
• May 2016 -Applications are due by 5 p.m. in either electronic or hard copy form.
• May and/or June_, 2016 - Applications are reviewed and rated by the Arts
Commission.
• July 1, 2016 - City Council approval of grant awards
• July, 2016 - Contracts signed, funding disbursed
• September_, 2016 - Closeout and Final Report due
CITY STAFF ASSISTANCE
Maurice Jones, Economic Development Director, for the City of Dubuque, will be the contact for
any questions you may have before submitting your grant. He can be reached at 563-589-4393
or econdev@cityofdubuque.org. Organizations are encouraged to send one or more people
familiar with the project to a workshop. Staff is open to meeting on a one-on-one basis or
through phone consultation with applicants if further assistance is needed beyond the grant
workshop.
SUBMITTING
• Applications can be emailed to econdev(cDcitvofdubuque.org or hand delivered to the
Economic Development Department, City Hall, 50 West 13`h Street, Dubuque, Iowa, by
5 p.m. on May 12, 2014.
• Once an application is submitted, no changes or additions will be allowed. The deadline
is strictly enforced. An organization, not city staff, is solely responsible for the content of
its grant.
• Determine early if you have trouble filling out the electronic application so that Maurice
Jones, Economic Development Director for the City of Dubuque, 563-589-4393 or
econdev(cDcitvofudubuge.org, can assist you in advance of the deadline. Enter all
requested information into the application; do not submit this information as an
attachment. Your answers will be limited to a specific number of words and point font.
Please note that when using the electronic application, cutting and pasting into the
document may change the formatting from your original document. When you are
finished with the application, save it on your hard drive and email as an attachment or
print out for submitting. Please save a copy for your records.
• Please send only the material requested. Letters of support or other documents not
requested will be discarded.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Applicant agrees to acknowledge the City of Dubuque support in appropriate signage,
program materials, promotion, publicity and advertising activities, and in other printed and
electronic forms of communication pertaining to this project.
FINAL REPORT
Applicants are required to complete a copy of the Final Report Form by the date specified in the
grant contract. During review of the final report or request for reimbursement, documentation will
be required which shows that an appropriate public acknowledgement of the City of Dubuque
funds has been made, actual expenses of the project, and ways in which the project activities
and timeline differed from the grant application. Applicants are encouraged to submit several
good quality digital photos of the project for City public relations efforts. The forms will be
provided with your contract.
Fillable applications are available online at http:IAvww.cityofdubugue.org/grants. For more information, or
to request the application as a word document, contact Maurice Jones, Economic Development
Department, 50 W. 13th St., Dubuque, IA 52001, at(563) 589-4393 or econdev(cDcityofdubugue.org.
CITY OF DUBUQUE
ARTS AND CULTURE GRANT PROGRAM FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS
FY2017
Grantwriting Tips
• Read the Guidelines, Application, Scoring Sheet and the Extra Resources section
posted on the City website soon after you receive it.
• It is highly recommended that all applicants attend a Grant writing workshop to
understand processes and policies, updates from the previous year. This is especially
helpful for first time grant submissions.
• Do a test to see if you can fill out the application on your computer and save it. Once you
save it to your computer, you should be able to add to the document at any time.
Contact Maurice Jones immediately if you have problems filling in the application. Do not
wait until the week before the deadline.
• This application can also be completed by hand if you do not have online capabilities.
Please contact Maurice Jones for specific directions.
• The grant is now available to groups without a 501 c3 status. If you are not sure if you
are eligible, or if you are an organized group without incorporation or 501 c3 status and
you have questions about what materials to submit, please contact Maurice Jones.
• Verify that your proposed activities are eligible under the program.
• Carefully plan your project by addressing the purpose and goals of the grant. What
steps are necessary to complete the project? Is the timeframe reasonable? Is your
budget complete and reasonable? Do you have firm commitments from collaborators
involved in the project? Is the project match secured? Does your organization have the
capacity to carry out the proposed project? Will the reader understand exactly what you
are proposing to do and what you hope to accomplish? Is your project unique to your
organization and the City of Dubuque?
• Make sure that all expenses are associated with the grant project only. We are not
interested in funding any operational expenses through this special project grant.
• Note that the request amounts and the matching requirements have changed this year.
On the Request Summary section of the application, a formula has been inserted to help
you meet the requirements.
• Space for answers has been limited and will automatically be entered with the required
font and size. Please do not try to change the font or size. Do not worry if your
information does not take up the whole space. We are looking for clear, concise
information that is not repetitive. You must fill in all the information requested. The only
exception is Expense Detail on pages 6-7, where you can complete those sections as
needed for your grant.
• The Feasibility section, pages 5-8, has to do with planning and budgeting. All of the
financial tables now have formulas to help you with the math. In the Timeline section,
you cannot use the tab function to enter information. Use the space bar only.
• Have someone else read your application for clarity and proofreading before you submit
it. Have you addressed the questions? Are the project and its goals easy to
understand? Have you clearly explained how your proposed project will address the
purpose and goals of the grant? Does it convey what you really want to say?
• Please submit every attachment required. Do not submit any other materials as they will
be discarded.
• Once an application is submitted, no changes or additions will be allowed. The deadline
is strictly enforced. An organization, not city staff, is solely responsible for the content of
its grant. Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.
• Keep a copy of the grant for your records.
• An applicant is welcome to hear there grant reviewed and scored. Please Note: The
highest scoring applicants will be funded without discussion.
For information about all of the City of Dubuque's Arts and Cultural initiatives, go to
http://Cityofdubugue.org/307/Arts-Culture
Maurice Jones, Economic Development Director
Economic Development Department
50 W. 13`h Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
(563) 589-4393 or econdev(cDcityofdubugue.org