Artist Catalyst Grant Fiscal Year 2023 Program Guidelines

   
Ineligible Grant Request Expenses
Expenses that fall outside of the identified eligible expenses for the project may not be included as part of the grant request. Applicants that include ineligible expenses in the grant request will be considered ineligible.
Ineligible grant request expenses include:

• Acquisition/purchase of artwork including public art

 

• Budget shortfalls
• Capital expenditures, including equipment or materials over a total of $5,000 per unit
• Collection maintenance or restoration expenses
• Donations or contributions to other organizations
• Deficit or debt reduction, including loan, line-of-credit, or mortgage payments
• Expenses incurred prior to or after the funding period
• Food, beverage, and alcohol
• Fundraising or benefit costs
• Home studio/office costs or related expenses, including utilities and mortgage payments
• Lobbying activity
• Ongoing or operating expenses including utilities, rent/lease, office supplies, and personnel time that is not dedicated to the project
• Out of state or foreign travel
• Personnel benefits
• Prizes and awards
• Property maintenance, restoration or renovation expenses
• Tuition, fees or project activity that results in an applicant’s undergraduate or graduate course credit, degree or certification
• Unallowable expenses for federal awards as defined in 2 CFR 200 Subpart E - Cost Principles

 
Match Requirement
 
Applicants are required to demonstrate investment in a project by providing cash matching funds in an amount that is one half (50%) the total grant amount requested from the Iowa Arts Council. For example, an applicant that requests $1,000 in grant funds must have at least $500 in cash match for a minimum total project budget of $1,500.
 
The required cash match must be dedicated to one-time expenses that are legitimate parts of the proposed project. Expenses identified in the match should be based on competitive, current market pricing. Applicants will be required to identify all anticipated cash match expenses and in-kind contributions beyond the grant request in the budget form, as well as the anticipated revenue sources that will cover them. The cash match does not have to be secured at the time of application, but must be secured and identified in the final report at the end of the funding period.
 

• Cash match is actual cash contributed to direct project expenses by the applicant or other funding sources
• Expenses used for cash match must be eligible grant request expenses as detailed in the Budget Requirements section of these guidelines
• In-kind match is donated goods or services contributed to the project by the applicant or other sources
• Funding from the state government cannot be used to meet the match requirement
• Funding from the federal government cannot be used to meet the match requirement

 
Applicant Requirements
 
Eligible applicants must meet all of the following requirements. Individuals who do not meet these requirements are not eligible to apply.
 

• Individual artist, including visual/performing artist, filmmaker, musician, or creative writer
• Current, full-time Iowa resident with permanent address in Iowa
• Legal Iowa resident as defined by Iowa Code 422.4 and Iowa Administrative Code 701.38.17 (422)
• 18 years of age or older
• An application must support a project that is initiated, produced, and/or managed by the individual artist, not another entity or organization
• Applicants who represent an artist collective, artist team, or band must apply as an individual on behalf of the group and clearly state their individual role in the project as the individual will be legally obligated to the terms of the grant agreement.

 
Ineligible Applicants
 
Ineligible applicants include the following types of entities and individuals.
 

• Applicants who have already submitted two unfunded applications for the same project
• For-profit corporation or business
• Entity/individual that uses a fiscal agent or the Iowa nonprofit or federal tax-exempt status of another organization
• Iowa Arts Council administered grantees who have already received a grant from the department for the current application funding period
• IEDA grantees who have already received a grant from the department for any part of the project
• IIEDA grantees with an outstanding final report or who have been placed on a department funding moratorium.

 
Iowa Arts Council Administered Grant Program Eligibility
 

• Applicants may only receive one Iowa Arts Council administered grant award per state fiscal year regardless of grant program
  • Eligible individuals may only receive an Art Project Grant, Artist Catalyst Grant, Artist Fellowship, Greenlight Grant, or School Arts Experience Grant in a single fiscal year

• Applicants may not submit more than one application during a single grant deadline or cycle regardless of grant program
• Applicants may not submit more than two applications for the same project regardless of fiscal year if both applications are unfunded
• Projects may not receive more than one Iowa Arts Council administered grant regardless of applicant, phase of project or fiscal year

 
Funding Priorities
 
Applications are encouraged from all applicants that meet the applicant eligibility requirements; however, priority will be placed on applications from individuals that represent populations that have historically been under-resourced by arts and cultural funding due to rural geography, race/ethnicity, or socioeconomic status as defined in the Grants Terms and Definitions for fiscal year 2023.
 
Review Process
 
Department Eligibility Review
 
Submitted applications are reviewed by staff for completion, eligibility and adherence to published funding priorities and guidelines. Applications are reviewed as submitted. New application information or subsequent application clarification submitted after a program deadline is not considered unless requested by a program manager. Staff will also review an applicant’s record of compliance and good standing with IEDA, State and Federal government. Applications or applicants determined by staff to be ineligible or incomplete will not move forward to panel review and are specifically denied any appeals process.
 
Competitive Review
 
Eligible applications will be referred to a competitive review by a panel with appropriate expertise commensurate to the purpose of the grant program. Applications will be scored and ranked based on the published scoring rubric. Recommendations are submitted to the Administrator of the Iowa Arts Council for consideration and funding approval. Applications will be awarded funding based on the ranked list, funding priorities, and available funding. All funding decisions are final and may not be appealed due to dissatisfaction. Applicants may review the department appeals policy for information on grounds for appeal and the appeal process.
 
Decision Notification
 
Applicants will be notified of funding decisions within four weeks of the deadline. Applicants are notified of the status of their application whether they are or are not selected to receive funding. Applicants will be contacted if any additional information is required and are encouraged to refrain from contacting staff for application status updates until funding decisions are made.
 
Online Application Submission
 
Applicants must submit applications via the Iowa Arts Council’s SlideRoom, an online application portal. Applications will not be accepted in any other format. Late, incomplete or ineligible applications will not be accepted. Applicants can access the current online application requirements at iowaartscouncil.slideroom.com. Applicants must create a login to view the full application requirements for the program. Applicants can visit help.liaisonedu.com for assistance related to the online submission.
 
Application Narrative Questions and Scoring Rubric
 
The following scoring rubric will be used to evaluate applications. Each section has criteria and corresponding point values to ensure a fair review process. The rubric is on a scale of 21 points. Application questions are for reference only. Applicants must review and complete application requirements in the Slideroom portal.
 
 
Applicant Profile
Describe the applicant's artistic practice and career, including:

• type of artwork(s) created including concepts and medium(s) used
• notable achievements in artistic career or practice
• how the artwork or practice is typically presented to the public

 

Applicant Profile: 3 points possible
3	2	1
Applicant demonstrates active practice with strong capabilities in concept and form, a record of career progress through relevant notable achievements, and deliberate efforts to make work accessible to the public.	Applicant describes practice, concept, and form of work with few relevant notable achievements and some public access identified.	Career activity, concept, and form of work are unclear or inadequate. Does not identify relevant notable achievements or public access to work.

 
Applicant Goal
 
Detail the particular goal the grant funds will help the applicant achieve, including:

• how reaching this goal will advance the artist’s professional capacity, enhance their artistic practice, or expand the audience or market for their work
• why now is the appropriate time in their career

 

Applicant Goal: 3 points possible
3	2	1
The identified goal will clearly advance the applicant's artistic practice and is the logical next step for their career.	The identified goal may advance the applicant’s artistic practice and seems to be the logical next step in their career.	A goal was not identified or it is unclear how the goal will advance the applicant’s artistic practice at this time.

 
 
Project Description
 
Describe the project and related activity that will enable the applicant to achieve the career goal.
 

Project Description: 3 points possible
3	2	1
Project activity is highly relevant to achieving the identified career goal.	It is questionable if the project activity will help achieve the identified career goal.	Project activity is not relevant to achieving the identified career goal.

 
 
Project Timeline

 

Timeline: 3 points possible
3	2	1
A detailed timeline is included and grant activity is achievable within the funding period.	A timeline is included, but the achievability of the grant activity is questionable within the funding period.	A timeline is not included and/or it is unclear if the grant activity is achievable within the funding period.

 
 
Budget
 
Grant Request Expenses
Itemize the eligible expenses that will be funded by the grant request, including a description and the dollar amount for each. Round to the nearest dollar. Do not enter decimal signs or commas. Add a final "TOTAL" row at the bottom that identifies the total grant request.
 

Expense Description

Grant Request Amount ($)

 
Match Expenses
Detail any cash match expenses or in-kind contributions outside of the grant request that are dedicated to the project, including the total cash amount or in-kind value, the funding source, and whether the funding source has been secured for the expense. Please note a 50% cash match is required for this grant program.
 
Round to the nearest dollar. Do not enter decimal signs or commas. Add a final "TOTAL" row at the bottom that identifies the total cash expenses and total value of in-kind contributions.
 

Expense Description

Cash Match ($)

In-Kind Value ($)

Funding Source

Secured (Yes/No)

 
Estimated Total Project Cost
Enter the total estimated cost of the project. This value should equal the sum of the grant request, cash match expenses and in-kind contributions. Round to the nearest dollar. Do not enter decimal signs or commas.
 
Budget Narrative
 
Describe the expenses that the grant funds and cash match will support within the eligible funding period, including:

• why the good, service, or opportunity was selected
• credentials of any collaborators or service providers involved

 
 

Budget: 3 points possible
3	2	1
Intended use of funds is clear and appropriate, and the proposed project would provide the applicant with a high quality opportunity to advance their artistic practice.	Intended use of funds is identified and the proposed project may provide the applicant with a quality opportunity to advance their artistic practice.	Intended use of requested funds, source of cash match, or quality of opportunity is unclear or inadequate.

 
Work Samples
 
Upload 3-5 media samples that demonstrate the quality of the applicant’s artistic work and the proposed project.
 
Describe how each work sample included in this application is relevant to the proposed project.
 

Work Samples: 3 points possible
3	2	1
Work samples are of high quality, relevant to the proposed project, and clearly demonstrate exceptional capabilities in artistic concept and form.	Work samples are of average quality, relevant to the proposed project, and demonstrate capabilities in artistic concept and form.	Work samples are of poor quality or demonstrate inadequate capabilities in concept and form.

 
Overall Application
 
The following scoring criteria reference the quality of the proposal and application as a whole and not a particular question.
 

Case for Support: 3 points possible
3	2	1
Proposal clearly meets the goals for the grant program, case for support is exemplary and the project merits investment from the state.	Proposal meets the goals for the grant program and case for support is average.	Proposal does not meet the goals for the grant program, case for support is below average or does not merit state investment.

 
Glossary of Terms and Definitions
 
Applicants should refer to the glossary for clarification of program terms and definitions