Special Opportunity Awards

Purpose:
The purpose of the grant is to stimulate arts providers to sponsor small scale new and innovate arts projects. 

Description:
These grants support a wide variety of art activities which are performed or presented to benefit the citizens of Alexandria. Special Opportunity Award is intended to support new and innovative projects that have clear visibility and long-lasting impact to the City of Alexandria.  Statewide, regional or national projects will not be considered. This is a simplified specialty grant used to encourage short-term small-scale art projects by arts organizations. 

Funding Limitations:
This grant type is offered on a “funds available” basis and is advertised with a special call.  Up to $5,000 per grant may be available. This grant does not require matching funds by the organization. 

Eligibility:
In addition to the general eligibility requirements noted in this Guide to Funding. City Arts Special Opportunity Awards must: 

• Provide an artistic event or program which takes place in the City of Alexandria;
• Have been in existence as an organization for one year prior to applying for a grant;
• Be able to provide (as part of the application) a minimum of one full year of financial history completed prior to the grant deadline;

Special Opportunity Awards applicants may:

• Be organizationally based outside of the City of Alexandria. 
  
• Be organizations that do not have as their major purpose the advancement and support of the arts, but which, during the immediate past two years, have produced or presented arts events or projects in the City of Alexandria as a significant part of their overall program.
• Apply for more than one Special Opportunity Award within the same grant cycle.
  
• Apply for a Special Opportunity Award without regard to any other grant applications pending or received in the same grant cycle.

Grant Specific Required Attachments: - City Arts Special Opportunity Award:
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. Organizational Background ( 1 page maximum)
1. State the mission of the organization.
2. Provide a brief history of the organization.
   
   
2. Planned Project ( 1 page maximum)
   1. Describe briefly all art activities proposed under this grant application.
   2. Describe the means in place to ensure reliable attendance figures.
      
      
3. Impact on the City of Alexandria (1 page maximum)
1. How does the program enhance the artistic experience of the citizens of the City of Alexandria?
2. Describe how this project will help address a significant artistic need in the community.
3. Describe the project’s ability to foster outreach to, and participation by, the diverse audiences and communities of the City.
4. Does the program provide an opportunity to develop local talent?
5. Does the program provide an impact to citizens of Alexandria and to the visibility of the Alexandria arts community?
   
   
4. Artistic Experience (1 page maximum) Describe the organization’s artistic effectiveness in terms of:
   1. Artistic credentials of the proposed principal participants.
   2. Will the proposed project provide the opportunity to continue artist development and innovation?