Grants to organizations include:
QuickFund$ support professional advice or training, pilot arts projects, projects essential to the initial growth of an organization, or new programs.

Public Art & Cultural Facilities provides funding for feasibility studies, capital purchases, public art, and construction of performance, exhibition, or artist spaces.

General Operating Support grants single-year or multi-year funding to established arts organizations.

Project Grants support specific arts related projects or activities in a community.

TumbleWords is a collaborative effort among twelve western states to bring writers into communities where residents may be underexposed to creative writing because of geographic or economic circumstances.

Staff also provides managerial and artistic assistance to arts organizations in folk arts, visual arts, literature, community development, performing arts, and arts in education.

ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must:
have been in operation in Idaho for at least one year.
be a nonprofit, tax exempt 501(c) 3 organization
or be a school.
or be a unit of local, county, tribal, or state government.
and must compensate professional performers and administrators at the minimum wage or according to negotiated agreements
and have an independent board of directors empowered to formulate policies and be responsible for the governance and administration of the organization, its programs, and finances
and have submitted all Final Reports for past Commission grants.

For information on the eligibility of college or university click here. See the Glossary for the definition of a university applicant.

If an organization's nonprofit, tax-exempt status is pending; it may apply with a qualified Fiscal Agent. In this case, the application must be made in the name of the Fiscal Agent and signed by the authorizing officials. More info on Grants & Awards Overwiev Policies page.

FUNDING POLICIES FOR ORGANIZATIONS
Commission grants should be considered as supplemental to the finances of any organization, program, or project and are intended to help leverage support from other sources. It is important that all applicants demonstrate community fund-raising activity and seek a broad base of financial support.

While all applicants are encouraged to request up to the maximum grant allowable, being completely realistic in your budgetary projections is always to your advantage. Panelists easily discern inflated budgets, which undermine credibility. Requesting more than is allowed can adversely affect the review and evaluation.

All grants to organizations must include cash or an in-kind match or a combination of both; however, the Commission favors a cash match. Partnerships and collaborations are encouraged, and their contributions also can be used as in-kind match. (Check specific grant program requirements for details.)

Applicants who experience significant changes in staffing, programming, or finances after the application deadline should notify the Commission in writing.

The Commission is governed by these policies in all funding decisions.

IDAHO ARTISTS & ORGANIZATIONS
Priority is generally given to those projects involving Idaho artists and arts organizations. This policy does not exclude the use of out-of-state resources if those resources are not available within the state, or if they supplement those available locally.

FINANCIAL NEED & ACCESS TO RESOURCES
While artistic quality is the primary evaluation criterion for funding, consideration will be given to applicant's financial need, and access to financial and artistic resources.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT & ACCESS
Making the arts accessible to all Idahoans is a priority of the Commission. Recipients must agree to make every attempt to ensure that people with disabilities, ethnic groups, occupational groups, older adults, or young audiences have access.

Accessibility involves the location and ease of usage of the facility, content of the activities, and the planning process. Consideration of accessibility in the early planning stages of a proposal is important if all community members are to participate in some manner. In planning such projects the Commission requests evidence that the pertinent cultural and community groups have been invited to participate. Please contact 504/ADA coordinator at the Commission if you have questions or for guidance.

COMPENSATING ARTISTS
The Commission requires the appropriate compensation of artists; applications should show evidence of a commitment to this standard.

ADMISSION FEES
The Commission encourages admission fees.

ACQUISITIONS, COMMISSIONS, & PURCHASES
The Commission will only fund projects for acquisition, commission of new works, and purchase awards when the applying organization maintains a permanent exhibition facility open to the public, and
demonstrates strong management and security practices, and
maintains an ongoing exhibition program or permanent collection.

COLLEGE & UNIVERSITIES
The Commission recognizes that colleges and universities are important cultural resources for their communities. These educational institutions may apply for support if they present and market their arts activities to the general public and the activity is supplementary to the regular curriculum.

If the applicant exists within a university or college, such as a department, program, or student organization; the organization is considered a university applicant eligible for Project Support and QuickFund$, but not for GOS or Cultural Facilities.

If ultimate fiduciary responsibility rests with the organization's separate 501 (c) 3 nonprofit status (regardless of the cash or in-kind support from the affiliated university or college), then they compete as arts organizations and may apply for GOS and other applicable grant categories.

NOTE: One application per university will be accepted in Project Support and QuickFund$ for Organizations.

Multiple departments within a university may apply for Arts Education Project grants and for QuickFund$ for Education.

FISCAL AGENT
Organizations whose nonprofit tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service is pending may apply through another eligible tax-exempt organization. More info on Grants & Awards Overwiev Policies page.

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