Agency Calendar

As a participant you will…

• Build the capacity of your creative aging programs through research and development efforts
• Work one-on-one with a research consultant to gain new assessment and evaluation skills and knowledge
• Collect demographic & programmatic data to better understand equity and equitable evaluation within your programs
• Develop tools to advocate the benefits of creative aging programs to funders, policy and decision makers
• Strengthen your connection to the creative aging community

When you’re ready, go click on “Apply Now” below. This will take you to a website called Submittable where you’ll submit your application materials. You do not have to complete the application in one session; Submittable allows you to save a draft of your application and complete/submit it later.

Apply Now

Please review the Researchapalooza Guidelines thoroughly before beginning your application.

If you’d prefer to prepare the narrative section of your application in a word processing program before entering your responses in Submittable, click here to download a Word document version of the overview and narrative questions.

The application consists of the following:

Profile  

In this section, you will provide general information about the applicant (individual or organization).

Application Narrative   

The call for applications is open to all artists, arts organizations and health/aging organizations with Creative Aging programming based in Arizona. Organizations who apply must be incorporated as a nonprofit organization with tax-exempt status or be a unit of government. Applicants must have programming scheduled for the Fall 2020 or existing data to review.

The Arizona Commission on the Arts is seeking up to 12 teaching artists, arts organizations and health/aging organizations to participate in this program.

Applications will be reviewed by AZ Creative Aging partners and Arts Commission staff. Late or incomplete applications will be ineligible for review or funding.

The reviewers will seek a balance of arts disciplines and geography within the participant cohort. Up to 12 artists, arts organizations and health/aging organizations will be selected.

Applicants will be notified of their application status by mid-April, 2020.

In 2019, the Arts Commission and Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, in partnership with the Institute of Sustainable Communities, developed a five-month engagement process that prioritized the perspective and voices of the creative aging sector in an effort to strengthen the creative aging movement in Arizona. The process successfully gathered information from community leaders and local creative aging experts to articulate and define a set of strategies unique to Arizona. The creative aging visioning process resulted in the following final strategies; Researchapalooza was developed out of this process and in response to these collective strategies.

Strategy A

Build the capacity for the creative aging sector to deepen collaboration and relationships between artists and organizations.

Strategy B

Increase advocacy to policy makers and general public awareness of creative aging programming and the benefits it has among older adults and an entire community

Strategy C

Strengthen the creative aging community through:

• Dedicated research and evaluation efforts by all
• Increased collaboration and connectivity
• Increased communication among peers

Strategy D

Ensure equity is prioritized throughout the creative aging sector.

Strategy E

Build a creative aging culture where the community is able to remain innovative, imaginative and nimble.

Grant funds may be used for any of the following (this list is not comprehensive):

• Fees for private lessons or workshops.
• Materials or supplies related to your artistic practice.
• Equipment, instruments or technology related to your artistic practice.
• Travel costs.

Applicants are encouraged to do the following prior to beginning their application:

Request Accommodations

If you require accommodation in completing the application, or otherwise participating in the grant application process, please contact the Director of Arts Learning, Elisa García-Radcliffe, by phone at (602) 771-6528 or by email at eradcliffe@azarts.gov.

Prepare Narrative Responses

You can type your proposal narrative, or you can upload audio or video recordings of your responses. The narrative has a maximum word count (not character) and a maximum recording length. If you share your proposal narrative in a video or audio recording keep it simple and to the point. The recording should be just you, describing your proposal and answering the questions listed above. Please do not include edits of your work samples or special effects. Production quality of this recording will not be considered in your review. Just make sure we can hear and understand you and keep editing and post-production embellishment to a minimum. All audio files must be uploaded as MP3 files (.mp3).

When you’re ready, click on the “Apply Now” button below. You do not have to complete the application in one session; at any point you can save a draft of your application and complete or submit it later.

Apply Now

Narrative

(600 word limit, 5 minute audio/video limit)

Answer each of these questions.

1. Tell us about yourself and your artistic practice.
2. Describe how you will use the grant funds. Why are these activities or purchases important to you as a young artist?
3. Provide a timeline of the proposed activities or purchases. All activities or purchases must take place July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.

Work Sample

Submit a work sample you’ve completed. All levels of artists are encouraged to apply. The panel will use the work sample to support the narrative you have provided. They will not be judging the quality of the work sample as a part of their review.

From the list below, please choose the most appropriate artistic work sample format to represent your discipline:

• 3 minutes of recorded audio
• 3 minutes of recorded video
• 6 images
• 3 pages of double-spaced text or 3 poems

Work Sample Narrative
(200 word limit, 2 minute audio/video limit)

Provide a brief description explaining how the submitted work sample relates to your proposal. Why did you choose them?

Budget

Expenses 

List all expenses related to your proposal and provide a short explanation of the expenses.

Grant Amount Requested 

Indicate the grant amount you are requesting, based on eligible expenses, between $250 and $500.

Budget Narrative (200 word limit, 2 minute audio/video limit)

If your total expenses exceed the grant amount requested, explain how you will pay for the remaining costs.

Your narrative responses will be evaluated by AZ Youth Arts Council members based on the following criteria.

Quality of Proposal
Did you clearly outline your artistic form and how you will spend the grant funds?

Potential Impact 
Did you describe how these funds will impact you as a young artist?

Viability 
Are the expenses you describe appropriate for the grant? Does the application demonstrate substantial evidence that the proposal will be realized within the proposed timeline?

• Food and beverages for any purpose.
• Fundraising projects.
• Opportunities that take place outside of the funding period.
• Equipment not related to the opportunity.
• Opportunities related to academic research or formal study toward an academic or professional degree, such as capstone projects.
• Applications that are developed by adults will be ineligible for funding.
• Grant administration, overhead or processing fees taken by an umbrella/parent organization as a percentage of the total award, with the exception of fiscal sponsors.

This list is not comprehensive.

Additionally, according to the Arts Commission’s enabling statutes, “Notwithstanding any other law, no monies from the Arizona Commission on the Arts may be spent for payment to any person or entity for use in desecrating, casting contempt on, mutilating, defacing, defiling, burning, trampling or otherwise dishonoring or causing to bring dishonor on religious objects, the flag of the United States or the flag of this state.” Recipients of Arts Commission support are further instructed to “take into consideration general standards of decency and respect for the diverse beliefs and values of the American public” within funded programs.

CCG funds are intended to support general day-to-day operating costs, such as the following:

Salaries and Personnel Expenses

Creative workers (e.g., artists, tradition bearers, designers, educators, curators, program administrators, service providers, etc.), production staff, administrators, teachers, contractors, consultants

Artistic/Production Expenses

Supplies, materials, equipment, venues, royalties, licensing

Administrative Expenses

Office space and supplies, insurance, professional services like accounting or payroll, fees for banking, online services and platforms, training and education, marketing and promotion

Organizations apply for CCGs at one of eight grant levels. An organization’s grant level is determined by the adjusted annual revenue for their most recently completed fiscal year (e.g., Fiscal Year 2024). For the purposes of this program, adjusted annual revenue is defined as the organization’s total annual revenue minus the monetary value of any in-kind support.

Award ranges are determined based on the agency’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year, the Arts C14ommission’s funding priorities, and an organization’s panel review ranking (low, medium, or high).

As the agency’s budget is not known until well after grant guidelines are published, the amounts below are only projections of what may potentially be possible.

Award projections for FY2026 are as follows:

Multi-year Funding

The Creative Capacity Grant operates on a multi-year funding cycle. Organizations submit a full application once every three years. In their two “alternate” years, grantees submit only a brief status update and Funder Report and are not subject to panel review.

For Fiscal Year 2026, organizations will submit a full or alternate year application according to the table below:

Grantee Requirements

Match CCG Award

Grantees must be able to match their CCG award with cash, dollar for dollar, by the end of the funding period (June 30, 2026). Matching funds may be earned (e.g., ticket sales, participation fees, etc.) or contributed (e.g., private donations, other grants, etc.).

Submit a Final Report

To remain eligible for future grants, grantees must submit a final report to the Arts Commission at the conclusion of the funding period.

Awards are paid out over the course of the Arts Commission’s fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) on a predetermined schedule. Grantees will be provided with a payment window alongside their award agreement.

We encourage applicants to do the following prior to beginning their application:

Request Accommodations

If you require accommodation in completing the application, or otherwise participating in the grant application process, please contact Hanna Spen­ce-Schehr at hspenceschehr@azarts.gov.

Obtain a Fiscal Sponsor Letter of Agreement (if applicable)

Unincorporated organizations applying with a fiscal sponsor will need to upload a Fiscal Sponsor Letter of Agreement. This official letter, signed by authorizing officials from both the applicant organization and the fiscal sponsor, must state that the fiscal sponsor agrees to receive grant funds on behalf of the applicant, deliver them to the applicant, and maintain appropriate financial records. Additionally, the applicant should be prepared to provide a fiscal sponsor contact and indicate the fiscal sponsor’s administrative fee. (The fiscal sponsor’s administrative fee is the percentage of any potential grant funding that would be retained by the fiscal sponsor to cover administrative costs associated with their sponsorship.)

If you are unable to obtain a Letter of Agreement before the application deadline, please contact Hanna Spence-Schehr at hspenceschehr@azarts.gov.

Create or Update SMU DataArts Profile

DataArts’ Cultural Data Profile (CDP) is a free and secure online survey that collects financial and programmatic data from nonprofit arts, culture, and humanities organizations. Organizations can then produce a variety of reports based on this data, including the DataArts Funder Report submitted with the CCG application.

Log-in or register at https://da.culturaldata.org/.

If you are new to using DataArts, you can find a video tutorial for getting started at https://culturaldata.org/what-we-do/for-arts-cultural-organizations/the-cultural-data-profile/. For additional assistance, contact the DataArts Support Center: https://culturaldata.org/contact/.

Create or Update the SurveyMonkey Apply Account for Your Organization

Organization’s submit applications through an online submission platform called SurveyMonkey Apply. Prior to applying, all new applicants will need to register their organization at https://azarts.smapply.io/.

If your organization already has an account, we encourage you to confirm all information is up to date and add or remove any team members as needed.

For instructions on how to create or update your account, visit our applicant resources page: https://azarts.gov/grants/applicant-resources/.

Prepare Narrative Responses

Some applicants find it helpful to develop their responses using word processing software, outside the application platform. This allows them to draft responses with team members and monitor their word counts for each question. Download a Word document version of the narrative questions.

When you’re ready, click on the “Apply Now” button below. You do not have to complete the application in one session; at any point you can save a draft of your application and complete or submit it later.

APPLY NOW

Organization Overview

Information collected in this section of the application is used for internal and reporting purposes only. You will be required to upload an IRS determination letter in the “Organization Type” section. (Units of government are exempt from this requirement.)

• Organization Name and DBA (if applicable)
• Organization mailing address
• County: In which Arizona county is your organization based?
• Federal Congressional District: In which federal congressional district is your organization located? To look up your congressional district by address visit: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
• State Legislative District: Which state legislative district is your organization located in? To look up your legislative district by address visit: https://azredistricting.org/districtlocator
• Secondary contact info (the primary contact will be the person submitting the application)
• ADA Coordinator contact info
• Year established
• Primary Disciplinary Category: Applicants can select the discipline that best applies from dropdown menu options.
• Is this your organization’s first time applying for any grant through the Arizona Commission on the Arts?
• Organization type (choose from nonprofit, unit of government, or applying with a fiscal sponsor)
• Upload: Federal Tax Exemption Letter* if a nonprofit 501(c)3 or a Fiscal Sponsor Letter of Agreement, if applicable

*This is the IRS determination letter granting nonprofit 501(c)3 status, not the letter assigning a Federal Tax ID Number

Narrative Questions

Narrative questions will be reviewed by the review panelists.

• Provide your organization’s mission statement. (150 word max)

Your responses to the following will be reviewed by the panelists:

1. Describe your organization’s programs or services in relationship to its mission. (300 words max)
   The values expressed in a mission statement speak to an organization’s unique vision, purpose, and goals. Consider how these values are reflected in specific programs, services, events, workshops, community activities, or internal practices.
2. Describe what goes into the development of your programming. (300 words max)
   Consider how your organization approaches decision-making, determines program goals, and engages with creative workers (i.e., artists, tradition bearers, designers, educators, curators, program or service administrators, and other creative contributors).
3. Describe your organization’s administrative structure. (250 words max)
   For example, what does your organizational chart look like? How are administrative and programmatic tasks managed? What kind of leadership model does your organization have

Depending on their mission, organizations engage their communities in very different ways. Some are established to engage individuals that share a particular demographic, social, or cultural commonality (e.g., a gay men’s chorus, a rural artist guild, or a youth theater). Others take a broad approach, designing their programs/services to engage a more general community of participants, (e.g., a community arts center). Question 9 asks you to identify your organization’s primary approach and answer questions specific to your choice.

9. Choose the statement below that best describes your organization:

• Our organization takes a broad approach, serving a general, non-specific population.
• Our organization centers a specific community or intersection of cultural communities.

If you chose broad approach, answer the sub-questions below:

1. How does your organization ensure an environment where all are able to participte, regardless of age, cultural background, ability, etc.? (350 words max)
   Consider how your organizational structure, programming, professional engagement of creative workers, community interaction, etc. reflect or respond to the broader community.
2. How does your organization use public input and feedback from the communities it serves. (300 words max)

If you chose specific community, answer the sub-questions below:

10. What are some of the expected benefits for those who participate in your organization’s programming and how do you gauge your success in delivering these benefits? (350 words max)
    Every organization approaches the feedback from, the documenting of, and the learning outcomes of its specific programming or activities differently; consider what approaches or methods your organization uses to better understand the effects that its work has on participants.
11. How does your organization adapt programming, communications, or services to ensure that programming, facilities, virtual platforms, and activities support the participation of and access for people of all abilities? (300 words max)
    Consider any efforts currently being employed or plans in place to ensure that all organizational programming, facilities, virtual platforms, and activities support the participation of and access for people of all abilities beyond required ADA compliance.
12. Describe the various resources your organization relies on to do its work and how they are allocated for maximum impact in pursuit of your mission and in service to your community? (300 words max)
    Consider your resources broadly. An organization’s resources may include funding, in-kind or volunteer contributions, administrative and artistic labor, partnerships, and more.
13. What are your organization’s long-term goals for growth or improvement and how do you track your progress toward these goals? (300 words max)
    An organization’s long-term goals may relate to audience numbers, fiscal stability, accessibility practices, community engagement, specific programming/services, funder support, internal capacity-building, etc.

Financial Documentation

This DataArts Funder Report and Funder Report Narrative will be reviewed by the panel and evaluated as part of the Fiscal Practices & Viability criterion.

If applying with a fiscal sponsor, all fiscal year and financial information reported in this section should be for the applicant organization, not for the fiscal sponsor.

• Enter the start and end date (month and year) of your organization’s most recently concluded fiscal year (ex., July 2023 – June 2024).
• Fiscal Year Adjusted Annual Revenue
• Enter your organization’s adjusted annual revenue from its most recently concluded fiscal year, as it appears on your DataArts Funder report. This is the figure labeled “Total Revenue Unrestricted Less In-kind Unrestricted” found at the top of the first page. Adjusted annual revenue is your organization’s total annual revenue minus the monetary value of any in-kind support.

DataArts Funder Report

All grant applicants will upload an SMU DataArts Funder Report, containing data from their two most recently concluded fiscal years (for example, fiscal years 2023 and 2024), to their application. Applicants will need to enter the relevant financial and participation data for the required fiscal years into the DataArts platform, and then generate a Funder Report, selecting the most recent fiscal year as the reporting year. (See FAQ)

Funder Report Narrative

This is your opportunity to bring your Funder Report to life as if you were explaining aspects of it to the review panel. Please note: the Funder Report examined by the review panel will not display any of the notes you left for yourself during the data entry process within DataArts. (300 words max)

Your organization’s application materials will be reviewed by an independent panel according to the following criteria. Please note: need is not a criterion. Application merit is based upon strength of response in relation to the review criteria.

Creative Capacity

Application demonstrates a strong understanding of the organization’s capacity to realize its mission and describes effective strategies for achieving current and long-term goals.

What panelists will be thinking about: Is the scope of the organization’s work in alignment with its mission and its capacity to deliver intended benefits? Does the application articulate a clear process for developing and implementing programming consistent with the organization’s mission and values?

Quality of Programs & Services

Application demonstrates creative and responsive programming, strong evaluation methods, and mission-aligned engagement practices.

What panelists will be thinking about: Does the application describe mission-aligned programming and engagement practices? Does the organization demonstrate robust and authentic engagement with Arizona’s creative workers and other key stakeholders in their programming and services? How does the organization engage the community(ies) it serves in the development and evaluation of its programs?

Integrity & Public Benefit

Viewed as a whole, the application demonstrates alignment between the organization’s mission, operational practices, goals, programming, and a strong understanding of the community(ies) served.

What panelists will be thinking about: Are the organization’s mission and values evident in their programming and operations? How does the organization’s programming reflect or respond to the community(ies) served? Does the organization demonstrate an ability to make its programming or services accessible?

Fiscal Practices & Viability

Viewed as a whole, the application describes sound fiscal practices and demonstrates alignment between these practices and the organization’s mission, values, and strategic goals.

What panelists will be thinking about: Are the organization’s practices around the administration and use of resources aligned with their mission and values? How do the organization’s practices around the administration and use of resources ensure their work remains viable and their goals achievable?

All applications are subject to a public review process. First, Arts Commission staff review each application for completeness and eligibility. Applications that are incomplete or submitted after the due date are considered ineligible for panel review and funding. Eligible applications are then evaluated by independent review panels made up of individuals from communities throughout the state who work in or adjacent to the arts. They evaluate each application on its own merits and solely on the basis of the published evaluation criteria.

Panelists first review applications individually. They then meet as a body to discuss the applications and finalize assessment as a group. This meeting is open to the public and while applicants are not permitted to participate in the discussion, they are encouraged to listen-in online. Applicants being reviewed will be notified when panel dates are set. At the conclusion of their deliberations, the panel submits their funding recommendations to the Arts Commission’s Governor-appointed board of commissioners for approval.

Grant funds can only be used for the allowable expenses outlined in the guidelines. Additionally, this program does not fund the following:

• Applicants that received Arts Commission funding in fiscal year 2025, but fail to file a final report by Monday, September 16, 2025.
• Organizations not dedicated to producing, presenting, teaching, or serving the arts as their primary mission (the arts must comprise over 51% of public programming and budget to be eligible)
• Any division of local, state, tribal or federal government except arts and cultural organizations from Tribal Nations and Local Arts Agencies (including arts councils and arts commissions)
• Applications submitted by for-profit organizations
• Schools, including public, private, and charter
• Botanical gardens, parks, zoos or science centers Auxiliary/affiliate organizations
• Religious institutions or religious group-sponsored organizations not open to participation by non- congregants
• Religious institutions or religious group-sponsored organizations whose primary purpose is the religious socialization of individuals or whose arts programming exists as parts of religious sermons or services
• Debt reduction
• Regranting, unless permission is received
• Grant administration, overhead, or processing fees taken by an umbrella/parent organization as a percentage of the total award, with the exception of fiscal sponsors
• Lobbying expenses
• Expenses related to the construction of facilities
• Food and beverage for receptions and hospitality functions
• Fundraising projects
• Scholarships and awards
• Equipment or capital expenditures (basic computer devices and other such items that cost less than $5,000 are considered supplies and are eligible expenses)
• Indirect costs

This list is not comprehensive.

Additionally, according to the Arts Commission’s enabling statutes, “Notwithstanding any other law, no monies from the Arizona Commission on the Arts may be spent for payment to any person or entity for use in dese- crating, casting contempt on, mutilating, defacing, defiling, burning, trampling, or otherwise dishonoring or causing to bring dishonor on religious objects, the flag of the United States or the flag of this state.” Recipients of Arts Commission support are further instructed to “take into consideration general standards of decency and respect for the diverse beliefs and values of the American public” within funded programs.

We encourage applicants to do the following prior to beginning their application:

Request Accommodations

If you require accommodation in completing the application or otherwise participating in the grant application process, please contact Hanna Spence-Schehr at hspenceschehr@azarts.gov.

Create or Update the SurveyMonkey Apply Account for Your Organization

You will submit your application through an online submission platform called SurveyMonkey Apply. Prior to applying, all new applicants will need to register their organization at https://azarts.smapply.io/.

If your organization already has an account, we encourage you to confirm that all information is up to date and add/remove any team members as needed.

For instructions on how to create or update your account, visit our applicant resources page: https://azarts.gov/grants/applicant-resources/.

Create or Update SMU DataArts Profile

DataArts’ Cultural Data Profile (CDP) is a free and secure online survey that collects financial and programmatic data from nonprofit arts, culture, and humanities organizations. Organizations can then produce a variety of reports based on this data, including the DataArts Funder Report submitted with the CCG application.

Log-in or register at https://da.culturaldata.org/.

If you are new to using DataArts, you can find a video tutorial for getting started at https://culturaldata.org/what-we-do/for-arts-cultural-organizations/the-cultural-data-profile/. For additional assistance, contact the DataArts Support Center: https://culturaldata.org/contact/.

Prepare Narrative Responses

Some applicants find it helpful to develop their responses using word processing software, outside the application platform. This allows them to draft responses with team members and monitor their word counts for each question. Download a Word document version of the narrative questions.

When you’re ready, click on the “Apply Now” button below. You do not have to complete the application in one session; at any point you can save a draft of your application and complete or submit it later.

APPLY NOW

Organization Overview

Information collected in this section of the application is used for internal and reporting purposes only. You will be required to upload an IRS determination letter in the “Organization Type” section. (Units of government are exempt from this requirement.)

• Organization Name and DBA (if applicable)
• Organization mailing address
• County: In which Arizona county is your organization based?
• Federal Congressional District: In which federal congressional district is your organization located? To look up your congressional district by address visit: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
• State Legislative District: Which state legislative district is your organization located in? To look up your legislative district by address visit: https://azredistricting.org/districtlocator
• Secondary contact info (the primary contact will be the person submitting the application)
• ADA Coordinator contact info
• Year established
• Primary Disciplinary Category: Applicants can select the discipline that best applies from dropdown menu options.
• Is this your organization’s first time applying for any grant through the Arizona Commission on the Arts?
• Organization type (choose from nonprofit or unit of government)
• Upload: Federal Tax Exemption Letter* if a nonprofit 501(c)3

*This is the IRS determination letter granting nonprofit 501(c)3 status, not the letter assigning a Federal Tax ID Number

Narrative Questions

Narrative questions will be reviewed by the review panelists.

• Provide your organization’s mission statement. (150 word max)

Your responses to the following will be reviewed by the panelists:

1. Describe your organization’s programs or services in relationship to its mission. (300 words max)
   The values expressed in a mission statement speak to an organization’s unique vision, purpose, and goals. Consider how these values are reflected in specific programs, services, events, workshops, community activities, or internal practices.
2. Describe what goes into the development of your programming. (300 words max)
   Consider how your organization approaches decision-making, determines program goals, and engages with creative workers (i.e., artists, tradition bearers, designers, educators, curators, program or service administrators, and other creative contributors)
3. Describe your organization’s administrative structure. (250 words max)
   For example, what does your organizational chart look like? How are administrative and programmatic tasks managed? What kind of leadership model does your organization have?

Depending on their mission, organizations engage their communities in very different ways. Some are established to engage individuals that share a particular demographic, social, or cultural commonality (e.g., a youth theater, gay men’s chorus, or a rural Latinx art gallery). Others take a broad approach, designing their programs/services to engage a more general community of participants, (e.g., a community arts center). Question 9 asks you to identify your organization’s primary approach and answer questions specific to your choice.

9. Choose the statement below that best describes your organization:

• Our organization takes a broad approach, serving a general, non-specific population.
• Our organization centers a specific community or intersection of cultural communities.

If you chose broad approach, answer the sub-questions below:

1. How does your organization ensure an environment where all are able to participte, regardless of age, cultural background, ability, etc.? (350 words max)
   Consider how your organizational structure, programming, professional engagement of creative workers, community interaction, etc. reflect or respond to the broader community.
2. How does your organization use public input and feedback from the communities it serves. (300 words max)

If you chose specific community, answer the sub-questions below:

10. What are some of the expected benefits for those who participate in your organization’s programming and how do you gauge your success in delivering these benefits? (350 words max)
    Every organization approaches the feedback from, the documenting of, and the learning outcomes of its specific programming or activities differently; consider what approaches or methods your organization uses to better understand the effects that its work has on participants.
11. How does your organization adapt programming, communications, or services to ensure that programming, facilities, virtual platforms, and activities support the participation of and access for people of all abilities? (300 words max)
    Consider any efforts currently being employed to ensure that all organizational programming, facilities, virtual platforms, and activities support the participation of and access for people of all abilities beyond required ADA compliance.
12. What are your organization’s current budget priorities? How do you manage and allocate fiscal resources in alignment with these priorities and track that they are being met? (300 words max)
    Consider how your internal fiscal practices reflect your immediate priorities, values and short-term
    goals.
13. What are your organization’s long-term goals for growth or improvement and how do you track your progress toward these goals? (300 words max)
    An organization’s long-term goals may relate to audience numbers, fiscal stability, accessibility practices, community engagement, specific programming/services, funder support, internal capacity-building, etc.

Financial Documentation

This DataArts Funder Report and Funder Report Narrative will be reviewed by the panel and evaluated as part of the Fiscal Practices & Viability criterion.

For this section, applicants will need to enter relevant financial and participation data for the required fiscal years into the DataArts platform and then generate a Funder Report, selecting the most recent fiscal year as the reporting year. (See FAQ for more info.)

Fiscal Year and Adjusted Annual Revenue

• Start and end date (month and year) of your organization’s most recently concluded fiscal year (ex., July 2022 – June 2023).
• Fiscal Year Adjusted Annual Revenue
  This is the figure labeled “Total Revenue Unrestricted Less In-kind Unrestricted” found at the top of the first page of your DataArts Funder report.

DataArts Funder Report

Upload an SMU DataArts Funder Report for your organization’s two most recently concluded fiscal years (for example, fiscal years 2022 and 2023).

Funder Report Narrative

This is your opportunity to bring your Funder Report to life, as if you were explaining aspects of it to the review panel.* (300 words maximum)

* The Funder Report examined by the review panel will not display any of the notes you left for yourself during the data entry process within DataArts.

Your organization’s application materials will be reviewed by an independent panel according to the following criteria. Please note: need is not a criterion. Application merit is based upon strength of response in relation to the review criteria.

Creative Capacity

Application demonstrates a strong understanding of the organization’s capacity to realize its mission and describes effective strategies for achieving current and long-term goals.

What panelists will be thinking about: Is the scope of the organization’s work in alignment with its mission and its capacity to deliver intended benefits? Does the application articulate a clear process for developing and implementing programming consistent with the organization’s mission and values?

Quality of Programs & Services

Application demonstrates creative and responsive programming, strong evaluation methods, and mission-aligned engagement practices.

What panelists will be thinking about: Does the application describe mission-aligned programming and engagement practices? Does the organization demonstrate robust and authentic engagement with Arizona’s creative workers and other key stakeholders in their programming and services? How does the organization engage the community(ies) it serves in the development and evaluation of its programs?

Integrity & Public Benefit

Viewed as a whole, the application demonstrates alignment between the organization’s mission, operational practices, goals, programming, and a strong understanding of the community(ies) served.

What panelists will be thinking about: Are the organization’s mission and values evident in their programming and operations? How does the organization’s programming reflect or respond to the community(ies) served? Does the organization demonstrate an ability to make its programming or services accessible?

Fiscal Practices & Viability

Viewed as a whole, the application describes sound fiscal practices and demonstrates alignment between these practices and the organization’s mission, values, and strategic goals.

What panelists will be thinking about: Are the organization’s practices around the administration and use of resources aligned with their mission and values? How do the organization’s practices around the administration and use of resources ensure their work remains viable and their goals achievable?

All applications are subject to a public review process. First, Arts Commission staff review each application for completeness and eligibility. Applications that are incomplete or submitted after the due date are considered ineligible for panel review and funding. Eligible applications are then evaluated by independent review panels made up of individuals from communities throughout the state who work in or adjacent to the arts. They evaluate each application on its own merits and solely on the basis of the published evaluation criteria.

Panelists first review applications individually. They then meet as a body to discuss the applications and finalize assessment as a group. This meeting is open to the public and while applicants are not permitted to participate in the discussion, they are encouraged to attend or listen-in online. Applicants being reviewed will be notified when panel dates are set. At the conclusion of their deliberations, the panel submits their funding recommendations to the Arts Commission’s Governor-appointed board of commissioners for approval.

Grant funds can only be used for the allowable expenses outlined in the guidelines. Additionally, this program does not fund the following:

• Applicants that received Arts Commission funding in fiscal year 2025, but fail to file a final report by Monday, September 16, 2025.
• Organizations not dedicated to producing, presenting, teaching, or serving the arts as their primary mission (the arts must comprise over 51% of public programming and budget to be eligible)
• Any division of local, state, tribal or federal government except arts and cultural organizations from Tribal Nations and Local Arts Agencies (including arts councils and arts commissions)
• Applications submitted by for-profit organizations
• Schools, including public, private, and charter
• Botanical gardens, parks, zoos or science centers Auxiliary/affiliate organizations
• Religious institutions or religious group-sponsored organizations not open to participation by non- congregants
• Religious institutions or religious group-sponsored organizations whose primary purpose is the religious socialization of individuals or whose arts programming exists as parts of religious sermons or services
• Debt reduction
• Regranting, unless permission is received
• Grant administration, overhead, or processing fees taken by an umbrella/parent organization as a percentage of the total award, with the exception of fiscal sponsors
• Lobbying expenses
• Expenses related to the construction of facilities
• Food and beverage for receptions and hospitality functions
• Fundraising projects
• Scholarships and awards
• Equipment or capital expenditures (basic computer devices and other such items that cost less than $5,000 are considered supplies and are eligible expenses)
• Indirect costs

This list is not comprehensive.

Additionally, according to the Arts Commission’s enabling statutes, “Notwithstanding any other law, no monies from the Arizona Commission on the Arts may be spent for payment to any person or entity for use in dese- crating, casting contempt on, mutilating, defacing, defiling, burning, trampling, or otherwise dishonoring or causing to bring dishonor on religious objects, the flag of the United States or the flag of this state.” Recipients of Arts Commission support are further instructed to “take into consideration general standards of decency and respect for the diverse beliefs and values of the American public” within funded programs.

1. My organization is eligible for other Arts Commission grants. Can I apply to those too?
   No. Across grant programs, the Arts Commission limits the number of applications that may be submitted by a given organization or unit of government to one (1) application per funding period (July 1 – June 30 of the following year). While an organization or unit of government may be eligible for more than one grant program, they may only apply for one of them in a given funding period. As an example, an applicant who applies to the Capacity Grant program in FY2025 may not apply for a Festival Grant or a Youth Arts Engagement Grant that same year.
2. How do I generate a DataArts Funder Report?
   In order to generate a DataArts Funder Report, organizations enter financial and programmatic data into the Cultural Data Profile (CDP), a free and secure online survey. In an effort to make data entry easier for arts and cultural organizations, the CDP was significantly streamlined in December 2020. You can find resources on preparing your data for entry at https://culturaldata.org/what-we-do/for-arts-cultural-organizations/the-cultural-data-profile/. And you can find an overview of how to run or produce a Funder Report at https://culturaldata.secure.force.com/Resources/articles/Article/How-do-I-run-a-Funder-Report/.
3. Does this grant fund or focus on new projects or new work?
   No. The production or generation of new projects is not a requirement of the CCG program. CCG provides unrestricted general operating support, meaning that organizations may use CCG funds for many different types of operating expenses. However, there are some expenses which cannot be funded with public dollars; please be sure to check the funding restrictions list before determining how you will apply the grant funds. For additional applicant resources please visit https://azarts.gov/grants/applicant-resources/.

For additional applicant resources please visit https://azarts.gov/grants/applicant-resources/

Applicant Info Sessions

Leading up to the application due date, the Arizona Commission on the Arts will present webinar-style information sessions and workshops to help prospective applicants in preparing competitive applications.

Recordings of each session will be posted here the following business day.

Applicant Info Session Recording

Virtual Office Hours

Have questions about your CCG application? Jump onto an open zoom call with Organizational Program Coordinator, Hanna Spence-Schehr.

How do I register on behalf of an organization?

How do I add members to my Organization?

Once you have created your organization you can add additional members to assist with applications and account maintenance.

1. Go to https://azarts.smapply.io/
2. Login as an organization administrator
3. Click “Manage Organization” in the top right corner
4. Click “Members”
5. Click the “Add Member” button
6. Enter the First Name, Last Name, and Email Address of the member
7. Select whether the member will have Administrative or Non-Administrative Access
8. Click the box to “Notify member by email” (This is useful if the user does not already have an account in the system as they will receive an invitation email and be able to create a password to log in.)
9. Click “Add”

For instructions on adding members in bulk, click here.

How do I update my Organization’s Profile?

1. Go to https://azarts.smapply.io/
2. Login as an organization administrator
3. Click on “Manage Organization” in the top right corner
4. Click “Profile”
5. Update your profile information
6. Click “Save”

Additional Guides

SurveyMonkey Apply provides a comprehensive FAQ for applicants; in addition to the “how tos” above you can find more information and resources on accounts, completing an application, and managing your organization at https://help.smapply.io/hc/en-us/articles/360032514674-General-Account-FAQ.

Applicants may request grant award amounts ranging from a minimum of $1,000 to a maximum of $5,000.

There is no cash match required for this grant opportunity.

Contracted Artistic Services & Artist Fees

Includes artist stipends, travel, and lodging.

Production Expenses

Includes space/venue rental, materials, equipment rental, sanitation services, and insurance.

Marketing/Promotion

Includes printing and advertising materials, digital operations and live streaming services.

Accessibility Services

Includes closed captioning, interpretation, and translation services, visual enhancements, signage, flooring, and listening guides.

Funds are delivered approximately 6-8 weeks after all necessary paperwork has been submitted by the grantee. This includes the award agreement, state W-9 and payment form.

Applicants are encouraged to do the following prior to beginning their application:

Request Accommodations

If you require accommodation in completing this application, or otherwise participating in the grant application process, please contact Organizational Programs Senior Manager Brad DeBiase at bdebiase@azarts.gov or (602) 771-6534.

Prepare Narrative Responses

You can type your proposal narrative or you can upload audio recordings of your responses. For each narrative question you will find a maximum word count (not character) and a maximum recording length. If you share your proposal narrative via audio recordings, keep it simple and to the point. Don’t worry about impressing the panelists with your recording technique, just make sure we can hear and understand you. All audio files must be uploaded as MP3 files (.mp3).

Some applicants find it helpful to develop their responses using word processing software, outside the application platform. This allows them to draft responses with team members and monitor their word counts for each question. Download a Word document version of the narrative questions.

Create or Update the SurveyMonkey Apply Account for Your Organization

You will submit your application through an online submission platform called SurveyMonkey Apply. Prior to applying, all new applicants will need to register their organization at https://azarts.smapply.io/.

If your organization already has an account, we encourage you to confirm that all information is up to date and add/remove any team members as needed.

For instructions on how to create or update your account, visit our applicant resources page: https://azarts.gov/grants/applicant-resources/.

When you’re ready, click/tap the “Apply Now” button below. You do not have to complete the application in one session; at any point you can save a draft of your application and complete or submit it later.

APPLY NOW

Organization Information

• Information collected in this section of the application is used for internal and reporting purposes only.
• Organization name and (if applicable) DBA
• Secondary contact info
• ADA Coordinator contact info
  Grants from the Arts Commission require compliance with the regulations of Section 504 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA Coordinator is the person who can answer questions about or facilitate requests for accessible programs and services; no special training or certification required.

• Festival website
• Nonprofit status (and file upload)
  You will be required to upload an IRS determination letter OR a fiscal sponsor letter of agreement in the “Nonprofit Status” section. Units of government are exempt from this requirement.

Festival Overview

• Festival name
• One sentence description (150 words max)
• Festival dates and times (or usual calendar placement)
• Projected number of participants (or average annual attendance)
• Organization mission statement (150 words maximum)

Festival Format

• In-person
• Virtual
• Hybrid

In-person festivals that possess virtual components (e.g. livestreaming performances) would be considered “Hybrid”, and applicants should select the “Virtual” option if their festival activities will be produced and attended exclusively through digital platforms.

Narrative

1. Describe your festival in its entirety, including your processes for identifying and selecting the artists/culture bearers who will be engaged. (400 words maximum or 3-minute audio limit)
2. How does your festival promote awareness and appreciation for particular artistic disciplines, traditions, or cultural communities? Describe what participants will learn and gain exposure to through festival activities. (400 words maximum or 3-minute audio limit)
3. Provide an outline of your festival’s timeline, detailing your processes for planning, outreach, implementation, production, and post-production work. (400 words maximum or 3-minute audio limit)
4. What communities will you engage through your festival, and how? Please define these communities, considering “community” broadly, beyond simple age- or location-based groups. What demographics and sociocultural identities would you expect to be represented among festival producers, personnel, and attendees? (400 words maximum or 3-minute audio limit)
5. In addition to ADA compliance, please describe how your organization will create the conditions to support participation and access for people of all abilities. How will your organization ensure that your festival’s programming, facilities, and venues provide wide-ranging accommodations? (400 words maximum or 3-minute audio limit) See FAQ for additional details. Festival Budget

Festival Budget

Budget Form

All applicants must submit a complete project budget using the form embedded in the application.

Budget Narrative

Please use this space to describe the festival budget, including eligible fees, any anticipated income, and any substantial in-kind support. This is your opportunity to bring your festival budget to life, as if you were explaining it to the grant review panel. You may also use this Budget Narrative section to provide reasoning for how you have arrived at certain itemized dollar amounts. (300 words maximum) See FAQ.

Your organization’s application materials will be reviewed by an independent panel according to the following criteria. Please note: need is not a criterion. Application merit is based upon strength of response in relation to the review criteria.

Quality Arts and Culture Programming

Does the application clearly describe the festival’s arts and culture programming and the artist/culture bearers who will be engaged? Does the application make a compelling case for what it hopes to make available to festival participants and attendees and how? Does the application outline in detail the structure and timeline of the festival’s programming/activities?

Community Benefit

Does the application define the communities the festival hopes to directly serve, interact, and engage with? Does the application clearly outline how this will happen? Does the application thoughtfully address access and participation for people of all abilities?

Viability

Does the application demonstrate substantial evidence that the festival activities will be realized within the funding period? Does the proposed budget appropriately reflect the scope of work described in the application? Does the application clearly explain how project activities will be produced and delivered?

All applications are subject to a public review process. First, Arts Commission staff review each application for completeness and eligibility. Applications that are incomplete or submitted after the due date are considered ineligible for panel review and funding. Eligible applications are then evaluated by independent review panels made up of individuals from communities throughout the state who work in or adjacent to the arts. They evaluate each application on its own merits and solely on the basis of the published evaluation criteria.

Panelists first review applications individually. They then meet as a body to discuss the applications and finalize assessment as a group. This meeting is open to the public and while applicants are not permitted to participate in the discussion, they are encouraged to attend or listen-in online. Applicants being reviewed will be notified when panel dates are set. At the conclusion of their deliberations, the panel submits their funding recommendations to the Arts Commission’s Governor-appointed board of commissioners for approval

This program does not fund the following:

• Grantees that received Arts Commission funding in FY2025 but failed to file a Final Report.
• Entities submitting an application for an FY2026 Creative Capacity Grant, Youth Arts Engagement Grant, or Lifelong Arts Engagement Grant (see FAQ for more information).
• Applications submitted by businesses and for-profit organizations. School districts that would otherwise be eligible for Arts Learning grants.
• An organization’s season or seasonal series of presented work.
• Projects involving construction of facilities.
• Debt reduction.
• Food and beverages for receptions and hospitality functions.
• Fundraising projects and events, including galas.
• Scholarships, pageants and/or standalone award ceremonies.
• Producing organizations to tour or present themselves.
• Conferences, symposiums and the like.
• Religious institution-led or religious group-sponsored projects not open to participation by non-congregants.
• Religious institution-led or religious group-sponsored projects whose primary purpose is the religious socialization of individuals, or which exist as parts of religious sermons or services.
• Equipment/capital expenditures.
• Lobbying expenses.
• College or university-sponsored projects not open to participation by the community outside the university setting.
• Staff or board member salaries of the applicant organization.
• Re-granting, including use of funds toward cash prizes.
• Indirect costs.
• Grant administration, overhead or processing fees taken by an umbrella/parent organization as a percentage of the total award, with the exception of fiscal sponsors.
• Any costs other than eligible fees.

This list is not comprehensive.

Additionally, according to the Arts Commission’s enabling statutes, “Notwithstanding any other law, no monies from the Arizona Commission on the Arts may be spent for payment to any person or entity for use in desecrating, casting contempt on, mutilating, defacing, defiling, burning, trampling, or otherwise dishonoring or causing to bring dishonor on religious objects, the flag of the United States or the flag of this state.” Recipients of    Arts Commission support are further instructed to “take into consideration general standards of decency and respect for the diverse beliefs and values of the American public” within funded programs.

1. How can I be sure that my project is eligible for this program?
   If you have reviewed the eligibility criteria listed earlier in this guidelines document and are still unsure if your festival is an appropriate fit for this program, we recommend that you reach out to the program manager to determine if your project is a good fit for the Festival Grant program. Arts Commission staff will provide consultation to determine if your proposed festival activities warrant submitting an application.
2. My organization is eligible for other Arts Commission grants. Can I apply to those too?
   No. Across grant programs, the Arts Commission limits the number of applications that may be submitted by a given organization or unit of government to one (1) application per funding period (July 1 – June 30 of the following year). While an organization or unit of government may be eligible for more than one grant program, they may only apply for one of them in a given funding period. As an example, an applicant who applies to the Festivals Grant program in Fiscal Year 2024 may not apply for the Creative Capacity Grant program or a Youth Arts Engagement Grant that same year.
3. What is meant by “a thematic emphasis on arts and culture” regarding programming?
   While eligible applicant organizations may not have an expressly arts and culture-focused mission, eligible festival projects must include arts and culture programming as part of the festival’s main goals and objectives. Arts and culture programming must be centrally featured as part of your festival’s activities and should not be peripheral add-ons to the festival’s main emphasis.
4. What is meant by “In addition to ADA compliance” in the fourth narrative question?
   Applicants are encouraged to consider how their festival activities and venue create accessible programming beyond baseline needs related to physical mobility. How are intellectual, physical, sensory, and neurodivergent/cognitive needs being addressed for attendees of all ability levels and how is this reflected in your festival’s structure? How are interpretation, captioning, and/or visual aid resources being provided? Accessibility considerations may also include bilingual/translation services for printed materials, emergency preparedness plans, tactile resources, and proper disability access symbols included in your festival’s marketing and publicity.
5. My festival utilizes a lot of in-kind volunteer support. How should I reflect this in our budget?
   The Arts Commission recognizes the significant role of volunteers at festival events. While you are not asked to itemize the dollar value of in-kind support in your budget, you are encouraged to discuss in your Budget Narrative how any substantial in-kind volunteer support helps offset other expenses and contributes to the overall viability of your festival. There are a variety of estimations regarding the dollar value of a volunteer work hour, and the Arts Commission suggests a range of $20.00 to $30.00 per hour based on your festival’s need for personnel and the scope of volunteer work. Please contact Arts Commission staff if you would like to further discuss how to account for in-kind support.
6. My festival isn’t taking place until late in the funding period and we are still in a planning phase. Can we still apply for a Festival Grant?
   Yes. If you are still in a planning phase for your festival activities and do not have certain specific details finalized at the time you are submitting your application, we advise that you offer insight as to how you are making your decisions, what your options may be for a particular unknown, and what your desired outcome(s) may be for items still in development. Offering a high level of detail surrounding your organization’s planning and decision-making will at least help a panel understand how your festival will likely come into existence even if certain logistics and details are still in development.

Leading up to the application due date, the Arizona Commission on the Arts will present a webinar-style information session to help prospective applicants in preparing competitive applications.

Applicant Info Session Recording

How do I register on behalf of an organization?

How do I add members to my Organization?

Once you have created your organization you can add additional members to assist with applications and account maintenance.

1. Go to https://azarts.smapply.io/
2. Login as an organization administrator
3. Click “Manage Organization” in the top right corner
4. Click “Members”
5. Click the “Add Member” button
6. Enter the First Name, Last Name, and Email Address of the member
7. Select whether the member will have Administrative or Non-Administrative Access
8. Click the box to “Notify member by email” (This is useful if the user does not already have an account in the system as they will receive an invitation email and be able to create a password to log in.)
9. Click “Add”

For instructions on adding members in bulk, click here.

How do I update my Organization’s Profile?

1. Go to https://azarts.smapply.io/
2. Login as an organization administrator
3. Click on “Manage Organization” in the top right corner
4. Click “Profile”
5. Update your profile information
6. Click “Save”

Additional Guides

SurveyMonkey Apply provides a comprehensive FAQ for applicants; in addition to the “how tos” above you can find more information and resources on accounts, completing an application, and managing your organization at https://help.smapply.io/hc/en-us/articles/360032514674-General-Account-FAQ.