City Arts Project Grants To Individuals

Purpose:
To encourage individual artists to undertake projects that enhance the artistic offerings within the City of Alexandria and/or advance the artist’s development.

Description:
Project grants to individuals support specific and separately budgeted arts activities which are performed or presented to benefit the citizens of Alexandria.

Funding Limitations:

• The artistic event or program to be supported by the grant must take place within the City of Alexandria.
• Grant funding cannot exceed 50% of the total project budget.
• Funding from this source must be matched dollar for dollar by other cash income. In-kind services may not be used to satisfy the matching requirement. The cash match must be met prior to submitting a Final Report, but no later than June 13,2014. Funding from the City of Alexandria from other Departments including Alexandria City Public Schools, cannot be used for the cash match.
• While there is no predetermined upper limit to project grant funding the Commission takes into account the prevailing levels of funding of other grant types as well as the overall availability of grant funds.
• Only one Project grant may be applied for in any single grant cycle. Individuals can not apply for an Operational Grant.
  

Eligibility:
In addition to the general eligibility requirements noted in this Guide to Funding, City Arts Project grant to individual artists:

• Must have been a resident of the City of Alexandria for at least one year prior to the application deadline.
• Must maintain residency in the City of Alexandria during the grant period.

Individual applicants may:

• Must be artists, art professionals (e.g., presenters, producers) educators and those with experience in community service.
• Must submit only one Project Grant pending in the same grant cycle.

Grant Review Criteria:
The following criteria are used during the Grant Review process by the Resource Panel members. These criteria act as a guide for evaluating the grant applications. 

Impact on the City of Alexandria (30%):

• Will the project enhance the artistic experience of the citizens of the City of Alexandria?
• What methods are used to track attendance figures?
• Has effort been made to include outreach to, and participation by, a diverse audience?
• Does the project provide any free or reduced ticket opportunities to the City's residents?
• Does the project provide an opportunity to develop local or regional talent?
• How does the project attract audiences from outside Alexandria?
  

Artistic Excellence (20%):

• Do key artistic personnel have the skills and technical resources needed to accomplish the project?
• Does the project demonstrate artistic quality? Has artistic quality been demonstrated and documented in previous projects?
• Is this a new (never-done-before) project? If new, is it a one-time-only project? Is it a pilot for a future program? If not new, how does the proposal represent an expansion over the project's previous size? If it is a continuation or expansion of a previously funded project, what were the results of the project?

Management Ability (15%):

• Have SMART (Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Timely) goals been articulated?
• Do key management personnel have the skills and technical resources needed to accomplish the project?
• Has the individual previously demonstrated and documented the ability to carry previous programs?
• Does the individual have an effective method for self-evaluation of both artistic and project goals?

Financial (15%):

• Is financial integrity demonstrated by an accurate, realistic, and logical project budget?
• Is the project dependent upon requested grant funds? Does the budget include reasonable compensation for the artist for his/her services and talent?
  

Marketing and Fund Raising (15%):

• Is there a marketing plan? Are a variety of marketing methods used? (i.e., newsletter, advertisements, mailings, web site, etc.).
• Is there a fund raising plan? Does the plan address the approach to attract diverse funding sources (including in-kind support)?

Grant Specific Required Attachments: City Arts Project Grant for Individuals
Please follow this outline when preparing the grant.  The program outline acts as a guide for writing the grant and articulates grant specific attachments. Collate the grant packet in the exact order of the grant outline. 

1. Individual’s Background (1 page maximum)
   1. Please attach a brief resume outline education and artistic experiences.
   2. List the names and dates of courses, seminars, workshops and similar programs related to professional and artistic development taken in the last 3 years.
   3. List any professional organizations to which you belong.
      
      
2.  Planned Season or Program ( 2 page maximum)
1. Describe briefly the project.
2. Complete the Program Calendar included in the online application.
   
   
3. Impact on the City of Alexandria ( 1 page maximum)
   1. Describe how the project enhances the artistic experiences of the City's residents.
   2. Describe the method used to track attendance figures. Describe the organization's outreach to, and participation by, a diverse audience.
   3. Describe any free or reduced ticket opportunities provided to the City's residents. Describe how the project provides an opportunity to develop local or regional talent?
   4. Describe how the project attracts audiences from outside Alexandria.
      
      
4. Artistic Experience. ( 1 page maximum)
1. Describe the credentials of key artistic personnel.
2. Describe the artistic quality of the project. Describe the organization's ability to carry out previous projects of comparable scope and complexity.
3. Describe how the organization's programs and long-range plans provide the opportunity for continued artistic development and innovation.
4. Describe if this is a new (never-done-before) project. If new, is it a one-time-only project? Is it a pilot for a future program? If not new, how does the proposal represent an expansion over the project's previous size? If it is a continuation or expansion of a previously funded project, what were the results of the project?
   
   
5. Management (1 page maximum, plus course and professional organization lists)
   1. List the number of full-time and part-time paid employees/volunteers to carry-out project.
   2. Describe the ethnic make-up of key personnel, board and other volunteers
   3. Describe the method for self-evaluation of both artistic and project goals.
   4. List the names and the dates of training, seminars, workshops, and similar programs related to professional, artistic, organizational and board development attended by key personnel, board and other volunteers in the last 3 years.
   5. List any professional organizations to which the organization and key personnel, board and other volunteers belong.
   6. Please attach a project time line (if not adequately covered by the calendar above).
      
      
6. Finances (2 page maximum for narrative)
1. Complete budget pages included in the online application.
2. Budget Narrative: The Budget Narrative gives the applicant the opportunity to explain the Budget. Note any significant shifts in income and/or expenses from year to year. If your Budget includes "Other" expenses that are greater than $1,000, the Budget Narrative should explain those expenses. The Budget Narrative should also be used to describe how the organization will secure the financial resources necessary to meet the 1:1 "cash match" requirement.
   
   
7. Marketing/Fund-raising (1 page maximum)
   1. Provide a marketing plan with a variety of marketing methods for promoting the project (i.e., newsletter, advertisements, mailing, web site, etc.).
   2. Provide a fund-raising plan which addresses how the organization will attract diverse funding sources (including in-kind support)
   3. Provide a current list of contributors.