Folk Arts Learning Grants create opportunities for the folk and traditional arts to thrive in Iowa by investing in learning projects that help sustain artistic traditions and cultural heritage in Iowa. Eligible projects must engage master folk artists and culture bearers to pass on their skills and knowledge to Iowans.
Funding for the program is made possible by an annual appropriation from the Iowa Legislature to the Iowa Arts Council, which exists within the Iowa Economic Development Authority, and by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Applicants must adhere to the funding policies of the Iowa Arts Council and federal government through 2 CFR Part 200.
Questions
Potential applicants, especially first time applicants, are encouraged to review all published material and contact Senior Grants and Program Manager Jennie Knoebel at jennie.knoebel@iowaeda.com with questions well in advance of the application deadline.
Accessibility
The Iowa Arts Council is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to eligible applicants. For technical support submitting the online application, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator, Jennie Knoebel at 515-348-6324 or jennie.knoebel@iowaeda.com, at least two weeks in advance of application deadline.
Fiscal Year 2024 Application Deadline
November 1, 2023 at 11:59 PM for the funding period of December 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024.
Funding Notification
Typically, applicants are notified of funding decisions within four weeks after the application deadline.
Final Report Deadline
Grant recipients are required to complete a final report by August 1, 2024.
Grant Amount
Applicants may request funding for eligible one-time project expenses that are incurred and expended within the eligible funding period.
All project activities and incurred expenses must occur within the eligible funding period of December 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants must be one of the following types of entities and must meet all related requirements. Entities who do not meet these requirements are not eligible to apply.
Master Folk Artists
The Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) is a unique number for doing business with the federal government. All Iowa Arts Council applicants are required to have a UEI, except for individual applicants, and maintain an active SAM.gov registration for the duration of the application process and, if awarded a grant, for the life of the award.
Entities applying to the Iowa Arts Council must be registered with the U.S. Government's System for Award Management (SAM), at www.sam.gov. Entities registering in SAM.gov are automatically assigned a UEI number as a part of the registration process.
Ineligible applicants include the following types of entities.
Eligible projects must involve a master folk artist or culture bearer and the transfer of knowledge and skills to other practitioners through either a formal apprenticeship program or hands-on, participatory workshops that are accessible to Iowans.
Applicants must have a vested interest in keeping the identified artistic tradition alive. Priority is given to living art forms with fewer remaining practitioners.
All project activities must have a clear beginning and end date within the eligible funding period.
Master Artist
A master artist must be teaching the artistic tradition. They are considered a tradition bearer who is recognized by fellow artists and community members as exceptionally skilled and committed to perpetuating a traditional art form based on their cultural heritage. Master artists selected to lead the program must demonstrate expertise and excellence, teaching ability, and deep cultural knowledge of the art form.
Apprentice or Emerging Artist
Applicants are welcome to engage an apprentice or emerging artists in the project. An apprentice artist already has some experience working within the artistic tradition and is committed to improving their skills within that tradition to teach others in the future. An emerging artist is one that has some prior experience within the artistic tradition but is interested in gaining skill and proficiency to carry on that tradition.
Ineligible Projects
Projects that fall outside of the identified types of eligible projects may not request funding through this grant program. Examples of art forms that are not eligible under this program include the work of classroom teachers or contemporary studio craft workers, historical recreations and copies of antiques, or contemporary interpretations of traditional art forms (for instance, a theatre artist who wants to create a performance based on traditional storytelling or dance).
Ineligible projects also include the following types of activities.
Eligible Grant Request Expenses
Folk Arts Learning Grants support one-time, direct eligible project expenses that are essential to the completion of the proposed project. Expenses identified in the grant request should be based on competitive, current market pricing. The grant request expenses must be legitimate parts of the proposed project and must be incurred and expended within the eligible funding period.
These grant funds do not need to be matched by the applicant.
Eligible grant request and match expenses include direct project costs such as:
Indirect Costs
Applicants may also include indirect costs as part of the grant request. The indirect cost rate is either determined by a current and appropriate indirect cost rate negotiated with your Federal Cognizant Agency or a de minimis rate of 10%. The indirect cost rate can only be applied to direct costs included in the grant request and does not include costs included as part of the grant request match.
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:
Eligibility Review
Submitted applications are reviewed by staff for completion, eligibility and adherence to published 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 the Iowa Arts Council, Iowa Economic Development Authority, 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 Panel Review
Eligible applications will be referred to a competitive review by a panel of professionals 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 leadership for consideration and funding approval. All funding decisions are final and may not be appealed due to dissatisfaction. Applicants may review the appeals policy for information on grounds for appeal and the appeal process.
Decision Notification
Applicants are typically notified of funding decisions within four weeks after the application 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 24 points. Application questions are for reference only. Applicants must review and complete application requirements in the SlideRoom portal.
Organization Profile
Is the applicant an organization? (Y/N)
If yes, describe how the applicant fulfills its mission and serves its target population, including:
Describe the proposed project for which grant funds are being sought, including:
Is the project part of regular ongoing programming, like an annual event or exhibit/performing arts series? (Yes/No)
If yes, describe why this particular year or project is unique and worthy of funding.
Master Artist
Identify the master artist who will be engaged with the project. Describe their experience working in their folk-art discipline and the role the artistic tradition has played in their cultural heritage. For example, is it part of everyday life or is it reserved for ceremonies, rituals and other special occasions? Include information as to why the artist was selected for the proposed project and their experience passing the artistic tradition onto others.
Public Value
Describe why proposed project is important to the public, including:
Project Timeline
Provide a timeline of when project activities will occur. Be sure to include when key artistic decisions will be made, project phases, and events, as applicable. If you include activities that occur outside of the funding period for context, indicate that by adding an asterisk (*). Project activity dates may be estimated by month, i.e. February 2024, if a specific date is not yet determined.
Budget Form
Grant Request Amount
Enter the total amount of grant funding being requested from the department to support the project. This request can be up to $5,000. Round to the nearest dollar. Do not include dollar signs, decimals, or commas.
Grant Request Expenses
Itemize the expenses the grant request will cover including a brief description of the expense and the numeric dollar amount associated with the expense in the budget form below. The sum of these expenses should equal the Total Grant Request listed above.
Project Budget Description
Detail the project budget, including a description of:
Artistic Work Samples
Submit 3-5 artistic work samples from the Master Artist that directly relate to the project. Artistic work samples should demonstrate the quality of the artistic work in the proposed project or the quality of the applicant’s past work as it relates to the proposed project. Artistic work samples must represent an artistic work or performance. Artistic work samples do not include bios, testimonials, news articles or marketing material such as brochures, fliers or posters.
Overall Application
The following scoring criteria reference the quality of the proposal and application as a whole and not a particular question.
Glossary of Terms and Definitions
Applicants should refer to the glossary for clarification of program terms and definitions.
Funding for the program is made possible by an annual appropriation from the Iowa Legislature to the Iowa Arts Council, which exists within the Iowa Economic Development Authority, and by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Applicants must adhere to the funding policies of the Iowa Arts Council and federal government through 2 CFR Part 200.
Questions
Potential applicants, especially first time applicants, are encouraged to review all published material and contact Senior Grants and Program Manager Jennie Knoebel at jennie.knoebel@iowaeda.com with questions well in advance of the application deadline.
Accessibility
The Iowa Arts Council is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to eligible applicants. For technical support submitting the online application, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator, Jennie Knoebel at 515-348-6324 or jennie.knoebel@iowaeda.com, at least two weeks in advance of application deadline.
Timeline
Fiscal Year 2024 Application Deadline
November 1, 2023 at 11:59 PM for the funding period of December 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024.
Funding Notification
Typically, applicants are notified of funding decisions within four weeks after the application deadline.
Final Report Deadline
Grant recipients are required to complete a final report by August 1, 2024.
Funding
Grant Amount
Applicants may request funding for eligible one-time project expenses that are incurred and expended within the eligible funding period.
- Minimum Grant Request: $1,000
- Maximum Grant Request: $5,000
All project activities and incurred expenses must occur within the eligible funding period of December 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024.
Applicant Requirements
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants must be one of the following types of entities and must meet all related requirements. Entities who do not meet these requirements are not eligible to apply.
Master Folk Artists
- Folk artists or culture bearers that are recognized as exemplary practitioners of their folklife tradition or traditional art form within their cultural community. This includes being held in high regard by their peers for their skill, knowledge, and community-based practice. See Grant Terms & Definitions for how we define Folk and traditional arts.
- 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
- Individuals who seek funding on behalf of programs or entities that are not yet formally organized as a nonprofit must apply as a nonprofit and adhere to the Fiscal Agent Policy
- 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 proposal as the individual will be legally obligated to the terms of the grant agreement.
- Federally tax exempt 501(c)3 nonprofit organization incorporated and physically located in Iowa
- Physical location of the organization is defined as maintaining a current home office and registered agent address in Iowa defined by Iowa Code 490.501 as well as maintaining a primary staff presence physically located and working in Iowa
- Entities located in a border community may be eligible under the Border State Policy
- Entities not yet formally organized may be eligible under the Fiscal Agent Policy
- An organization whose primary purpose is to channel resources (financial, human, or other) to an affiliated organization may only apply if the affiliated organization does not submit its own application. This prohibition applies even if each organization has its own 501(c)3 status. For example, the "Friends of ABC Museum" may not apply if the ABC Museum applies.
- Public and private schools that serve grades pre-K through 12 and are physically located in Iowa
- Nonprofit or state institution of higher education physically located in Iowa
- Unit of local, county or federally recognized tribal government physically located in Iowa
The Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) is a unique number for doing business with the federal government. All Iowa Arts Council applicants are required to have a UEI, except for individual applicants, and maintain an active SAM.gov registration for the duration of the application process and, if awarded a grant, for the life of the award.
Entities applying to the Iowa Arts Council must be registered with the U.S. Government's System for Award Management (SAM), at www.sam.gov. Entities registering in SAM.gov are automatically assigned a UEI number as a part of the registration process.
Ineligible Applicants
Ineligible applicants include the following types of entities.
- For-profit corporation or business
- Individuals enrolled in any type of undergraduate or graduate degree granting program at the time of application
Folk Arts Learning Grant Requirements
Eligible ProjectsEligible projects must involve a master folk artist or culture bearer and the transfer of knowledge and skills to other practitioners through either a formal apprenticeship program or hands-on, participatory workshops that are accessible to Iowans.
Applicants must have a vested interest in keeping the identified artistic tradition alive. Priority is given to living art forms with fewer remaining practitioners.
All project activities must have a clear beginning and end date within the eligible funding period.
Master Artist
A master artist must be teaching the artistic tradition. They are considered a tradition bearer who is recognized by fellow artists and community members as exceptionally skilled and committed to perpetuating a traditional art form based on their cultural heritage. Master artists selected to lead the program must demonstrate expertise and excellence, teaching ability, and deep cultural knowledge of the art form.
Apprentice or Emerging Artist
Applicants are welcome to engage an apprentice or emerging artists in the project. An apprentice artist already has some experience working within the artistic tradition and is committed to improving their skills within that tradition to teach others in the future. An emerging artist is one that has some prior experience within the artistic tradition but is interested in gaining skill and proficiency to carry on that tradition.
Ineligible Projects
Projects that fall outside of the identified types of eligible projects may not request funding through this grant program. Examples of art forms that are not eligible under this program include the work of classroom teachers or contemporary studio craft workers, historical recreations and copies of antiques, or contemporary interpretations of traditional art forms (for instance, a theatre artist who wants to create a performance based on traditional storytelling or dance).
Ineligible projects also include the following types of activities.
- Acquisition/purchase of artwork
- Capital projects
- Collection maintenance or restoration
- Construction or renovation of a property
- Domestic travel-dominant projects that primarily benefit the applicant
- Projects that involve domestic travel outside of Iowa must clearly demonstrate how the activities benefit Iowans and the arts community in Iowa
- Equipment-dominant projects that primarily benefit the applicant
- Projects that involve equipment purchases must clearly demonstrate how the activities benefit Iowans and the arts community in Iowa
- Fundraiser or benefit costs
- Lobbying activities
- Non-arts projects
- Ongoing projects or programming for which the identified beginning and end dates are arbitrary
- Permanent exhibits
- Project submitted by an individual that is initiated, managed by, or that benefits an entity or organization with which the individual applicant has a formal affiliation such as employment or volunteer service
- Projects that result in an applicant’s course credit, degree or certification
- Projects that occur prior to or after the funding period
- Religious activities
Budget Requirements
Eligible Grant Request Expenses
Folk Arts Learning Grants support one-time, direct eligible project expenses that are essential to the completion of the proposed project. Expenses identified in the grant request should be based on competitive, current market pricing. The grant request expenses must be legitimate parts of the proposed project and must be incurred and expended within the eligible funding period.
These grant funds do not need to be matched by the applicant.
Eligible grant request and match expenses include direct project costs such as:
- Access accommodations (e.g., audio description, sign-language interpretation, closed or open captioning, large-print brochures/labeling)
- Domestic Travel for master artist and apprentice(s) (e.g. mileage, accommodation, per diem)
- Marketing to help with apprentice/emerging artist recruitment or to promote events
- Master artist’s honorarium
- Necessary tools, equipment, and materials for the apprentice or student’s work
- Personnel Time Dedicated to the Project* (e.g. planning, execution, evaluation time)
Indirect Costs
Applicants may also include indirect costs as part of the grant request. The indirect cost rate is either determined by a current and appropriate indirect cost rate negotiated with your Federal Cognizant Agency or a de minimis rate of 10%. The indirect cost rate can only be applied to direct costs included in the grant request and does not include costs included as part of the grant request match.
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
- Budget shortfalls
- Capital expenditures, including the purchase of tangible personal property (including information technology systems) having a useful life of more than one year and a per-unit cost that is equal to or greater than $5,000.
- Collection maintenance or restoration expenses
- Commercial (for-profit) enterprises or activities, including concessions, food, T-shirts, artwork, or other items for resale. This includes online or virtual sales/shops.
- Costs for the creation of new organizations
- Deficit or debt reduction
- Donations or contributions to other organizations
- Expenses incurred prior to or after the funding period
- Food, beverage, and alcohol
- Foreign travel
- Funding cash reserve or endowment accounts or instruments
- Fundraising or benefit activity expenses
- General miscellaneous or contingency costs
- Home studio/office costs or 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. These expenses can be included as part of indirect costs.
- Personnel benefits
- Prizes and awards
- Project costs supported by any other federal funding
- Property maintenance, restoration or renovation expenses
- Purchase and/or use of gift cards and gift certificates to support project costs
- Purchase of a vehicle
- Social activities such as receptions, parties, galas, community dinners, picnics, and potlucks
- 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
- Unrealized ticket or event revenue (providing free tickets or scholarships to attend an event)
Review Process
Eligibility Review
Submitted applications are reviewed by staff for completion, eligibility and adherence to published 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 the Iowa Arts Council, Iowa Economic Development Authority, 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 Panel Review
Eligible applications will be referred to a competitive review by a panel of professionals 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 leadership for consideration and funding approval. All funding decisions are final and may not be appealed due to dissatisfaction. Applicants may review the appeals policy for information on grounds for appeal and the appeal process.
Decision Notification
Applicants are typically notified of funding decisions within four weeks after the application 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 24 points. Application questions are for reference only. Applicants must review and complete application requirements in the SlideRoom portal.
Organization Profile
Is the applicant an organization? (Y/N)
If yes, describe how the applicant fulfills its mission and serves its target population, including:
- description of programming and services
- recent notable achievements
Describe the proposed project for which grant funds are being sought, including:
- overall project structure and the folk art discipline or tradition that will be taught
- the need for training or teaching others in the identified folk art discipline or tradition
Is the project part of regular ongoing programming, like an annual event or exhibit/performing arts series? (Yes/No)
If yes, describe why this particular year or project is unique and worthy of funding.
| PROJECT DESCRIPTION: 3 points possible | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Project description is clear and well thought out. Project clearly meets a need to preserve the identified artistic tradition. | Project description is satisfactory. Project meets a need to preserve the identified artistic tradition. | Project description is unclear. Project does not meet a need to preserve the identified artistic tradition. |
Master Artist
Identify the master artist who will be engaged with the project. Describe their experience working in their folk-art discipline and the role the artistic tradition has played in their cultural heritage. For example, is it part of everyday life or is it reserved for ceremonies, rituals and other special occasions? Include information as to why the artist was selected for the proposed project and their experience passing the artistic tradition onto others.
| MASTER ARTIST: 3 points possible | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Fully confident the master artist has the necessary experience to teach the artistic tradition. | The master artist has the necessary experience to teach the artistic tradition. | Not clear whether the master artist has the necessary experience to teach the artistic tradition. |
Public Value
Describe why proposed project is important to the public, including:
- Who is the intended audience for the project activities and how will they be recruited to participate
- How will the audience directly engage in and have equitable access to project activities
- Where and when will these activities take place
| Public Value: 3 points possible | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Project activities that engage the public are exemplary and clearly defined. Intended audience for the project activities is well-defined. Plans to engage intended audience(s) in and have equitable access to the project activities are exemplary. | Project activities that engage the public are described. Intended audience for the project activities is identified. Plans to engage intended audience(s) in and have equitable access to the project activities are satisfactory. | Project activities that engage the public are not adequately described. Intended audience for the project activities is not clearly identified. Plans to engage the public in and have equitable access to project activities are inadequate. |
Project Timeline
Provide a timeline of when project activities will occur. Be sure to include when key artistic decisions will be made, project phases, and events, as applicable. If you include activities that occur outside of the funding period for context, indicate that by adding an asterisk (*). Project activity dates may be estimated by month, i.e. February 2024, if a specific date is not yet determined.
| Project Timeline: 3 points possible | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Confident project will successfully happen through a clear, detailed timeline of tasks. | Project is achievable through the identified timeline of tasks. |
Multiple concerns about project achievability. Timeline of tasks is insufficient. |
Budget Form
Grant Request Amount
Enter the total amount of grant funding being requested from the department to support the project. This request can be up to $5,000. Round to the nearest dollar. Do not include dollar signs, decimals, or commas.
Grant Request Expenses
Itemize the expenses the grant request will cover including a brief description of the expense and the numeric dollar amount associated with the expense in the budget form below. The sum of these expenses should equal the Total Grant Request listed above.
| Expense Description | Grant Request Amount ($) |
Project Budget Description
Detail the project budget, including a description of:
- how the cost of each expenses listed above was determined
- additional cash project expenses that are not included in the grant request
- in-kind contributions to the project
- how cash and in-kind expenses outside of the grant request will be funded and whether the funding sources have been secured
| BUDGET: 3 points possible | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Project budget and intended use of requested funds are clear and appropriate. | Project budget, intended use of requested funds are identified. | Project budget, intended use of requested funds are unclear or inadequate. |
Artistic Work Samples
Submit 3-5 artistic work samples from the Master Artist that directly relate to the project. Artistic work samples should demonstrate the quality of the artistic work in the proposed project or the quality of the applicant’s past work as it relates to the proposed project. Artistic work samples must represent an artistic work or performance. Artistic work samples do not include bios, testimonials, news articles or marketing material such as brochures, fliers or posters.
- Provide 3-5 items.
- Video and audio files should not exceed 3 minutes each.
- PDF files should not exceed 1 page each.
- Panelists will not be required to view more than 1 page of a document or more than 3 minutes of an audio or video file.
| Artistic Work Samples: 3 points possible | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Artistic work samples are of high quality, relevant to the proposed project, and clearly demonstrate exceptional capabilities in artistic concept and form. | Artistic work samples are of high quality, relevant to the proposed project, and clearly demonstrate exceptional capabilities in artistic concept and form. | Artistic work samples are of high quality, relevant to the proposed project, and clearly demonstrate exceptional capabilities in artistic 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.
| Overall Artistic Vitality: 3 points possible | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Project provides Iowans an arts service or experience that will substantially impact the vitality of the arts in Iowa. | Project provides Iowans an arts service or experience that will reasonably impact the vitality of the arts in Iowa. | Project does not provide Iowans an arts service or experience that will adequately impact the vitality of the arts in Iowa. |
| Case for Support: 3 points possible | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Case for support is exemplary and merits investment from the state. | Case for support is average. | 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.