Checklist*
PURPOSE
General Operating Support (GOS) grants are designed to stabilize
the management and programs of Idaho's established
arts organizations.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must meet the general eligibility criteria for organizations on the
support for Organizations - overview page.
The organization's primary purpose must be the production, presentation, or
support of the arts, and it must demonstrate a history of maintaining high
artistic standards.
University applicants are not eligible for GOS, see
Organizations - overview page for funding policies and the Glossary for a definition of a university applicant.
Arts organizations with at least one full-time paid staff AND
A budget of $85,000 or more AND
At least a 5 year program history operating as a public, nonprofit organization AND Employ professional artists on a regular basis and compensate them according to the prevailing standard for the art form.
Arts organizations with less than one full-time paid staff AND/OR
A budget up to $85,000 AND
At least a 3 year program history operating as a public, nonprofit organization AND
Employ professional artists in at least some of its activities AND Indicate a potential for organizational and managerial growth.
Accumulated Deficit
An organization that has failed to reduce or increased an operating or capital
budget deficit for three consecutive years is not eligible to apply for General
Operating Support unless the organization has ended the most recent fiscal year
with a balanced budget and can demonstrate that it has made a significant
effort to reduce the deficit during the fiscal year preceding the application,
and can provide a deficit-elimination schedule approved by its governing body
and acceptable to the Commission.
GRANT AMOUNTS
Grant amounts are based on the Commission funding formula that
includes a panel score, annual cash revenue, and location in a
rural or urban county. A grant amount need not be specified because
fundinmg amounts are formula-driven.
HOW TO APPLY
Your GOS application should be reproduced on a computer or
typed in 12-point, or neatly handwritten. Since copies will be duplicated for
panel review, please do not use staples. Download the checklist
here.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
There are two important things for you to think about as you write this proposal.
First, what will be different for the people or place that you serve, as a result of your work? Will people know something new, expand their attitudes, be part of something they formerly were not part of? How will you know that this change has occurred (before-after numbers of people at events? Pre-post attitude surveys? Systematically collected stories?)
Second, why should Idaho taxpayers support you? How does the public benefit from what you are doing? In other words, why do you warrant public funds?
Panelists will use the list below as they score your proposal. So let it guide you as you write.
Artistic Merit (50 points)
The artistic mission and vision of the organization are clear. The artistic merit of the applicant, as evidenced by previous projects, artists who have been hired, artists who will be hired, marketing materials, work samples etc., are strong.
There is evidence that artists are being paid; multi-year applicants demonstrate that they are paying according to the art form's prevailing standards.
If artists haven't yet been selected for the coming year(s), the applicant has described the criteria and process that will be used in selecting them.
The applicant has demonstrated why it warrants public funds.
The applicant articulates how people (or a specific group of people),
its community, or the state will be different as a result of its
work, and gives examples of what they might notice that suggests
that the difference is happening.
The applicant clearly understands the needs of its community or
of the people it serves.
If other community organizations are involved in the applicant's
activities, they have been, and will be, involved in the planning
and management of these projects.
People served by the organization's activities have been, and
will be, involved in the planning of the project.
The applicant has made, and will make, efforts to include and
benefit new, underserved, or nontraditional constituencies in
its activities.
There is evidence of community support for the applicant.
The applicant is in compliance with
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (accommodations
for people with disabilities).
The applicant has clearly described its mission, programs and
services, structure, and the community it serves.
A thoughtful planning process guides the applicant.
The applicant has a clear evaluation method for learning whether
they are making the difference they want to make.
The applicant uses past evaluation findings in planning programs
and services.
Marketing is thoughtful and appropriate to the people the applicant
is trying to reach.
The applicant's budget is clear and stable, with diverse income
sources.
Administrators, whether paid or volunteer, are identified, and
evidence is provided that they have the background appropriate
to managing the organization.
top
NARRATIVE QUESTIONS
Submit a clear and concise narrative of up to five pages. Number,
repeat the questions, and answer in order. As you write, refer to the Evaluation
Criteria (above) that the panel will use to score your application.
- In approximately one page, describe your organization. Include its mission statement, brief history, current programs and services, and structure.
- Describe the community you serve.
- Describe any changes that you plan for the next year (three years, if you are a multiyear applicant).
- Describe the art that you make or produce, or your arts services. Discuss your artistic vision and how you strive to ensure excellence.
- Provide information that will help reviewers assess community involvement/access. Make sure that you address why you warrant public funds; make sure that you describe the difference you want to make for people, your community, or the state.
- Provide information that will help reviewers assess your management. Make sure that you address what evaluation strategies you will use to learn whether you make the difference you hope for.
INTERIM GOS APPLICANTS
In the interim years when a full grant application is not required
for multiple-year applicants, an organization must file an Interim
GOS application that includes a completed application form, narrative,
and budget.
Narrative (3 pages maximum)
Submit a clear and concise narrative of up to three pages that
responds directly to the following. Use 12-point type. Number, repeat the questions,
and answer in order.
- On one page, describe your organization's mission and summarize its programs. (NOTE: if you also submit a GOS Special Project request, this one page will be forwarded to the review panel for their information.)
- Refer to the application you submitted in the first year of this cycle. Describe how you are fulfilling the plan that you submitted.
- Describe anything in the past year that has changed from what you anticipated.
BUDGET
Applicants must furnish a five-year budget at the time of application
that uses clear expenses and income itemizations (all years on
the same page) to compare, in column format, your
last three completed fiscal year budget (actual)
current year budget (estimated)
next year's budget (projected)When income and expenses vary more than 25% in specific line items from one year to the next, include an additional page explaining the increase or decrease, and reference the categories.
A few budget hints:
Expenditure itemizations must clearly indicate
amounts paid to professional artists (both on-staff and guest
artists). Other expense itemizations might include
administrative, technical, or production staff, including numbers
of full-time employees (FTE), outside fees and services, production
costs, travel, marketing/promotion, or operating expenses (space/facilities,
fund-raising, insurance, supplies, phone, etc.).
Income itemizations may include season and single ticket sales, tuition,
concessions/sales, government support (identify source!), grants (identify
source), contributions (corporate, individual, board members), memberships,
applicant cash, and other income sources.
Round amounts to the nearest dollar.
Do not include income or expenses that are part
of your organization's capital budget.
If applicable, also include information about your organization's cash reserve,
accumulated organizational debt, capital campaign goals, and/or endowment
campaign goals for all three years.
Present your budget in a clear and understandable manner. Your budget will be
reviewed by panelists who are not accountants, but have arts, arts management,
or cultural facilities expertise. A part of the evaluation criteria by which
your application will be judged includes submission of "a clear and realistic
budget."Need budget help?
An optional General Operating Support Budget Form
4-B and a sample budget are available
to download in Word document or contact the Commission for assistance at least
three weeks prior to application deadline.
ADDENDUM: GOS SPECIAL PROJECT
GOS applicants who have a special project that is new or risk-taking, serves a traditionally underserved constituency, or is a new collaboration with another organization may request $1000 to $7500 for up to one-half the project costs (1:1 cash or in-kind match required) by adding one additional page of narrative and by including a one-page, single year, project budget (reference budget instructions in Project Support section). It will be scored separately (see GOS Special Project Evaluation Criteria below), and will compete with other GOS Special Project applicants for funding. It should be clearly headed "Special Project" and, in no more than one page, 12 point font, the narrative should address the following, in this order:
- Describe the special project.
- Explain why you are doing this project and how it is new, risk-taking, serves an underserved constituency or represents a new collaboration.
- Explain what difference you anticipate making, for whom, as a result of this project, and describe how you will know whether you are making this difference.
Panelists will assign each project proposal a single overall 1-10 point score based on these general criteria:
Artistic Merit:
Has the applicant made
a convincing case that this is a new, risk-taking, collaborative,
or underserved-targeted project? Are the artists involved or,
if appropriate, the artistic process, strong? If the project is targeted
at an underserved population, have they been involved in planning
the project? Will the project be marketed appropriately
to the population it is intended to serve? If the project is collaborative,
will each partner be equally engaged in planning, management, and
evaluation?
POSTMARK DEADLINE
Fiscal Year 2007
- January 30, 2006
Fiscal Year 2008 - January 29, 2007
Courtesy review deadline is three weeks before the postmark deadline.
Final reports must be submitted within 60 days after completion
of the project, but no later than August 31, whichever comes first.
Failure to submit a final report results in the applicant forfeiting
the 10% final payment and will affect future funding.
top
back