Regional Partnership Grant Program Description

Regional arts organizations were created by state arts leaders, in partnership with the Arts Endowment and the private sector, in order to transcend state boundaries and give the public access to a greater and richer variety of arts experiences. Their status as member organizations of state arts agencies provides the basis for the support that they receive under these guidelines. One of their roles has been to make excellent dance, theater, musical theater, opera, visual arts, and literature presentations available in underserved communities. They have filled other roles in response to the special needs of each region and in response to opportunities to assist the Arts Endowment and other funders in distributing programs nationally. As private, nonprofit organizations that are supported by the public sector, regional arts organizations have been able to attract corporate and foundation contributions and to generate earned income for arts projects.

What is included

Through Regional Partnership Agreements, the Arts Endowment supports the regional arts organizations in three ways:

1. Regional Arts Plan Component

This component provides basic support for a regional plan. Inclusive planning, evaluation, cost effective operation, and efforts to strengthen and diversify revenue sources are all required of organizations that receive this support. In addition, the panel gives attention to each organization’s success in developing a clear and realistic mission and in extending its resources through partnerships and other means.

2. NEA Regional Touring Program

The purpose of this component is to give all Americans access to excellence in the performing, literary, and visual arts. Support is available for regional programs that:

• Increase access in underserved communities.
• Increase benefit through educational activities and community partnerships.
• Are based on planning with touring artists and community groups.
• Ensure high quality.
• Encourage diversity.
• Acquaint Americans in communities of all sizes with the greatest American works in various disciplines.
• Are limited to the presentation of out-of-state* artists and organizations.
• Assist and strengthen a network of arts-presenting organizations in rural and underserved communities.

* Because of the concentration of artists/organizations residing in California and New York, some exceptions to this policy are allowed for projects in these states. However, it is expected that most of the artists/organizations who are presented or toured in these states will be from out of state.

No more than 15 percent of the NEA Regional Touring funds that are awarded to any regional organization may be used to support the organization's administrative costs.

3. Folk & Traditional Arts Infrastructure Component (optional)

Through this component, regional arts organizations request funds for projects that strengthen a region’s infrastructure of support for the folk & traditional arts, thereby helping to preserve our nation’s diverse cultural heritage. For the purposes of these guidelines, the term infrastructure refers to stable, professionally directed programs that are responsive to a diverse folk & traditional arts heritage. This component builds on the Arts Endowment’s commitment of more than 25 years to the development of a network of support for the folk & traditional arts.

Projects might include but are not limited to:

• Professional folk arts positions in support of the folk & traditional arts. Such positions should have the potential to become self-sustaining within three years.
• The creation of long-term organizational and community partnerships that are based in the folk & traditional arts.
• Discovery research to identify and document underserved folk & traditional artists and arts.
• Apprenticeship programs.
• Technical assistance to traditional artists and folk arts organizations.
• Festivals, exhibitions, new technology, and other presentations of folk & traditional artists and their work.

New, expanded, or existing projects are eligible. Each state or region is limited to one Infrastructure request. That request may come from the regional arts organization through this component or from the state arts agency as part of its Partnership Agreement. Applications from organizations other than state or regional arts agencies must be submitted under the Access to Artistic Excellence category of the Grants for Arts Projects guidelines.

All organizations that request Folk & Traditional Arts Infrastructure component funds must submit a Statement of Intent to Apply on or before August 15, 2008. Send an e-mail of no more than one page to mathisa@arts.gov and bergeyb@arts.gov that includes the state(s) that will be involved in the project and the name, telephone number, and e-mail address of a contact person. Detailed project descriptions are not needed.

Through these components, regional arts organizations also address NEA priorities in the following areas:

• Challenge America: To provide access to the arts for all Americans.

• American Masterpieces: To ensure that Americans -- in every state in the nation and in communities of all sizes -- are provided opportunities to celebrate the greatest American works across all the arts.

Deadline Dates

All regional arts organizations that request Folk & Traditional Arts Infrastructure component funds must submit a Statement of Intent to Apply on or before August 15, 2008.

All regional arts organizations must submit their applications electronically through Grants.gov, the federal government’s online application system. The Grants.gov system must receive your application no later than 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on October 3, 2008. The Arts Endowment will not accept late applications. Please be aware that the Grants.gov Customer Service hours are 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday to Friday.

Awards will support activities that are scheduled to begin on July 1, 2009, or any time thereafter.

Award Information

Matching Requirement

Regional Partnership Agreement awards must be matched at least 1 to 1.

How Award Amounts Are Determined

A. Regional Arts Plan Component

Funds available for this component will be distributed in equal base amounts per regional organization and equal shares per state. In the event of a reduction in funds, awards to each organization will be reduced by an equal percentage.

B. NEA Regional Touring Program

Funds will be allotted based on fixed historic amounts, equal shares per region, and regional population.

C. Folk & Traditional Arts Infrastructure Component (optional)

Funds for this component are awarded among those regional arts organizations that 1) request such funding, and 2) are found to have the strongest plans and accomplishments in relation to the review criteria. Funding to any regional arts organization generally will range from $10,000 to $50,000. In the past few years, grants have averaged less than $25,000.

Applicant Eligibility

Eligibility Requirements

In order to enter into a Partnership Agreement with the National Endowment for the Arts, a regional arts organization must:

• Be authorized by two or more state arts agencies to apply for funds on their behalf.
• Meet the Arts Endowment's "Legal Requirements" at the time of application.
• Maintain sound fiscal and administrative procedures.
• Base program funding decisions on criteria that take into account artistic excellence and merit.
• Engage member SAAs in planning and program development.
• Have submitted acceptable Final Report packages by the due date(s) for all Arts Endowment grant(s) previously received.

Requirements Concerning State Membership

For the purposes of this category, a state arts agency may participate in a regional arts organization of which it is not a member. However, a state arts agency may not designate more than one regional organization to receive funds on its behalf.

Any shift of a state from one regional organization to another or any proposal for a state to affiliate with or leave a regional organization must be preceded by at least one full year of planning by all of the agencies involved and the Arts Endowment.

National Endowment for the Arts · an independent federal agency
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20506