Application Calendar

APPLICATION POSTMARK EARLIEST ANNOUNCEMENT EARLIEST BEGINNING 

(OR OTHER PROOF OF OF GRANT AWARD DATE FOR ENDOWMENT

MAILING) DEADLINE OR REJECTION PERIOD OF SUPPORT

Artistic Creativity and 

Preservation

(Standard Review Grants)

Creativity March 17, 2003 November 2003 January 1, 2004

Services to Arts Organizations

and Artists March 17, 2003 November 2003 January 1, 2004

Heritage and Preservation August 18, 2003 April 2004 June 1, 2004

Learning in the Arts for 

Children and Youth

(Standard Review Grants) June 16, 2003 April 2004 June 1, 2004

Challenge America: 

Access to the Arts

Standard Review Grants August 18, 2003 April 2004 June 1, 2004

Fast-Track Review Grants June 2, 2003 November 2003 December 1, 2003

See “Application Limits” on pages 10-11 for information about limits on the number of applications than an 

organization may submit.

Applicants for Musical Theater, Opera, or Theater projects: See pages 48 and 50 for deadlines and information

regarding the scheduling of site visits.

Late and ineligible applications will be returned; applications that are determined to be incomplete will 

be rejected. We strongly recommend that you send material “return receipt requested.” Without proof of 

mailing from the delivery service, the Arts Endowment will not accept applications that are delayed or lost

in the mail.

The Arts Endowment will not accept any application material by electronic transmission (e.g., FAX or e-mail) unless

requested by Arts Endowment staff.

Please do not seek information on the status of your application before the announcement date that is 

listed above.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS:

Write:

National Endowment for the Arts

Nancy Hanks Center

1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 

Washington, DC 20506-0001

Visit:

Our Web site at www.arts.gov to download

these guidelines and for further information

about the agency and funding opportunities.

Call:

See “Who to Call” on page 30.

202/682-5496 Voice/T.T. (TextTelephone, a device for individuals who

are deaf or hard-of-hearing)

Individuals who do not use conventional print may access these guidelines

on the Web site or contact the Arts

Endowment's Office for AccessAbility

at 202/682-5532 for help in acquiring

an audio recording of these guidelines.

Applicants should be aware that the delivery 

of First-Class and Priority mail to the Arts

Endowment has been delayed. In addition,

contents are subject to an irradiation process

that may damage material. See page 35 for 

further information.

OMB No. 3135-0112

Expires 02/28/05

January 2003
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

1

A merica is known for its ingenuity, inventiveness, and creativity—

and nothing so vividly illustrates the strength, freedom, and vitality

of our democracy as the creations that spring from the human

spirit—music, drama, literature, dance, and painting. For more than three and

a half decades, the National Endowment for the Arts has encouraged such

creativity through its support of performances, exhibitions, artist residencies,

and festivals in communities throughout the country.

Each year the work of the Arts Endowment touches—and enriches—the

lives of millions of Americans. In FY 2002, we awarded nearly 2,200 grants

and other awards, totaling more than $95 million, to arts organizations and

individuals in all 50 states and the six U.S. jurisdictions. In communities all

across America, these grants—and the arts—boosted local economies,

beautified cities and towns, and contributed in profound ways to educating

our children and bringing joy to our lives.

As we look toward a new year, the Arts Endowment reaffirms its

commitment to enriching our nation’s diverse cultural heritage and to serving

the American public. The funding opportunities described in these guidelines

reflect our support for works of artistic excellence, and our efforts to advance

learning in the arts and to increase access to the arts in communities—large

and small, urban and rural. The Arts Endowment also pledges to provide 

you, our constituents, with accurate, timely, and clear information about our

policies and procedures and to respond to your inquiries in a courteous and

efficient manner.

It is our hope that the excellent programs we support and the responsive

service we provide will move us closer to realizing our vision for the arts in

America—a nation in which the arts are celebrated, supported, and available 

to all.

Dana Gioia

Chairman
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

2

The National Endowment for the Arts provides

national recognition and support to significant

projects of artistic excellence, thus preserving

and enhancing our nation’s diverse cultural heritage.

The Endowment was established by Congress in

1965 as an independent agency of the federal

government. Since then, it has awarded more than

119,000 grants to arts organizations and artists in all

fifty states and the six U.S. jurisdictions. This public

investment in the nation’s cultural life has resulted in

both new and classic works of art reaching every

corner of America.

VISION

A nation in which artistic excellence is celebrated,

supported, and available to all.

MISSION

The National Endowment for the Arts enriches our

nation and its diverse cultural heritage by supporting

works of artistic excellence, advancing learning in the

arts, and strengthening the arts in communities

throughout the country.

GOALS

Through its grants programs and leadership

initiatives, the Arts Endowment will:

■ Encourage and support artistic creativity and

preserve our diverse cultural heritage.

■ Advance learning in the arts.

■ Make the arts more widely available in

communities throughout the country.

■ Develop and maintain partnerships that

advance the mission of the National 

Endowment for the Arts.
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

3

Contents

Introduction................................................................................ 5

We Fund.........................................................................................8

We Do Not Fund ..........................................................................8

Fast-Track Review Grants.............................................................9

Intended Outcomes .......................................................................9

Guiding Principles.........................................................................9

Applicant Eligibility.......................................................................9

Application Limits.......................................................................10

Grant Amounts and Matching Funds........................................11

Period of Support.........................................................................12

Artistic Creativity and Preservation .......................................13

Creativity...................................................................................................................15

Heritage and Preservation.........................................................................................15

Services to Arts Organizations and Artists...............................................................16

Intended Outcomes...................................................................................................16

Review Criteria .........................................................................................................16

How to Apply ...........................................................................................................17

Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth ........................ 19

Projects......................................................................................................................21

Intended Outcomes...................................................................................................22

Review Criteria .........................................................................................................23

How to Apply ...........................................................................................................23

Challenge America: Access to the Arts................................ 25

Standard Review Grants ...........................................................................................27

Fast-Track Review Grants.........................................................................................27

Intended Outcomes...................................................................................................28

Review Criteria .........................................................................................................28

How to Apply ...........................................................................................................28

Important Information for All Applicants ............................. 29

Who to Call..............................................................................................................30

What Happens to Your Application .........................................................................31

Site Visits ..................................................................................................................31

Read this section

before you select a

category under these

guidelines. Several

major changes have

been made since 

last year.
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

4

How to Apply/All Applicants...................................................................................34

How to Apply/Fast-Track Review Grants..............................................................36

How to Apply/Standard Review Grants.................................................................39

Special Requirements for Standard Review Grants ..................................................43

Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth...........................................................43

Artistic Creativity and Preservation and Challenge America: Access to the Arts ....44

45 Dance Projects

45 Design Projects

45 Folk & Traditional Arts

Projects

46 Literature Projects

46 Local Arts Agencies

Projects 

46 Media Arts Projects

47 Multidisciplinary Projects

47 Museum Projects 

48 Music Projects

48 Musical Theater Projects 

49 Opera Projects

50 Presenting Projects

48 Theater Projects

47 Visual Arts Projects

Application Forms................................................................... 51

Basic Information......................................................................................................52

Organizational Background ......................................................................................56

Details of the Project ................................................................................................58

Project Budget...........................................................................................................60

Financial Information ..............................................................................................64

Work Sample Index ..................................................................................................66

Consortium Partner Information..............................................................................68

Organization & Project Profile .................................................................................70

Legal Requirements................................................................ 75

Assurance of Compliance..........................................................................................77

Application Acknowledgment Card ........................inside back cover
Introduction

Grants for Arts Projects
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

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INTRODUCTION

NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

7

This consolidated guideline booklet provides

potential applicants with a comprehensive and

timely overview of the funding possibilities that

are available for Fiscal Year 2004. For most

organizations, these categories represent the full

range of funding options for the entire year.

(Additional funding categories are highly

specialized and limited; see “Other Arts

Endowment Resources” on page 32.) 

The Artistic Creativity and Preservation and

Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth

categories offer Standard Review Grants that use

the agency’s traditional method of application

review. Challenge America: Access to the Arts offers

both Standard Review and expedited Fast-Track

Review Grants. See page 9 for details on FastTrack Grants.

Assistance is available to nonprofit organizations 

of all sizes and for projects in all arts disciplines,

subject to the eligibility requirements and

application limits on pages 9-11.

Applicants should determine the primary goal of

their project, examine the purposes and the

review criteria of the different categories, and

apply to the category that is most relevant to the

project. The Arts Endowment will not transfer

applications between categories.

These guidelines describe the Arts Endowment’s

primary funding opportunities for organizations

for Fiscal Year 2004. They consolidate in one

place grant categories that previously were

presented in several separate guideline booklets.

Opportunities are available under:

Artistic Creativity and 

Preservation

To encourage and support artistic creativity

and preserve our diverse cultural heritage.

(This category encompasses Creativity, Heritage

and Preservation, and Organizational Capacity

from the FY 2003 Grants to Organizations

guidelines.)

Learning in the Arts for 

Children and Youth

To advance learning in the arts for children and

youth.(This category builds on Arts Learning

for Children and Youth that appeared in its own

guideline booklet in FY 2003.)

Challenge America: 

Access to the Arts

To make the arts more widely available in

communities throughout the country.(This

category awards Challenge America funds in

support of Access projects that are similar to

those that were covered by the FY 2003 Grants

to Organizations guidelines and the Community

Arts Development category.)

The National Endowment for the Arts provides national

recognition and support to significant projects of artistic

excellence, thus preserving, enhancing, and making more 

widely available our nation’s diverse cultural heritage. The agency also is

committed to helping children and youth acquire knowledge, skills, and

understanding of the arts as the foundation for a lifetime of arts experience.
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

8

We Fund

Under these guidelines, funding is available for

projects only.

For Standard Review Grants:

• A project may consist of one or more specific

events or activities; it may be a part of an

applicant’s regular season or activities.

Organizations that undertake a single shortterm project in a year – a ten-day jazz festival,

for example – could apply for that event, or

they could identify certain components (such

as the presentation of a key artist and the

associated activities) as their project. Describe

specifically the activities for which

Endowment support is requested, and provide

specific information on the artists,

productions, venues, distribution plans, etc.,

that will be involved.

• Organizations may apply for any or all phases

of a project, from its planning through its

implementation.

• A project does not have to be new. Excellent

existing projects can be just as competitive as

new activities.

• Projects do not need to be large in scope. The

Endowment welcomes small projects that can

make a difference in a community or field.

For Fast-Track Review Grants:

• Projects are limited to the examples that are

provided under Challenge America: Access to 

the Arts Fast-Track Review Grants on pages

27–28.

We Do Not Fund 

Under these guidelines, funding is not available

for:

• General operating or seasonal support.

• Costs for the creation of new organizations.

• Direct grants to individuals. (The Arts

Endowment encourages applicant

organizations to involve individual artists in 

all possible ways.)

• Individual elementary or secondary schools,

including charter schools, directly. (School

districts and state and regional education

agencies are eligible. Schools may participate

as partners in projects for which another

eligible organization applies.)

• Construction, purchase, or renovation of

facilities. (Predevelopment, design fees, and

community planning are eligible. However, no

Arts Endowment or matching funds may be

directed to the costs of physical construction

or renovation or toward the purchase costs of

facilities or land.)

• Commercial (for-profit) enterprises or

activities.

• Cash reserves and endowments.

• Subgranting or regranting, except for state arts

agencies, regional arts organizations, or local

arts agencies that are designated to operate on

behalf of their local governments or are

operating units of city or county government.

• Generally, professional training in degreegranting institutions.

• Work toward academic degrees.

• Activities that are designed to supplant

existing in-school arts instruction.

• Literary publishing that does not focus on

contemporary literature and/or writers.

• Generally, publication of books or exhibition

of works by the applicant organization’s staff,

board members, faculty, or trustees.

• Exhibitions of, and other projects that

primarily involve, single, privately-owned

collections.

• Projects for which the selection of artists or

artworks is based upon criteria other than

artistic excellence and merit. Examples include

festivals, exhibits, or publications for which no

jury/editorial judgment has been applied.

• Project costs that are supported by any other

federal funds or their match.

Additional information on unallowable costs is

included in the instructions for the Project

Budget form on pages 61 and 63.

INTRODUCTION
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

9

Fast-Track Review Grants

The Challenge America: Access to the Arts category

offers Fast-Track as well as Standard Review

Grants. Fast-Track Review Grants:

• Have simplified application requirements.

• Undergo an expedited application review.

Organizations are notified whether they are

receiving a grant approximately five months

after they apply; the period of support starts

shortly thereafter.

• Are limited to specific types of projects as

described on pages 27–28 in the Challenge

America: Access to the Arts category.

• Are for $10,000 each.

• Like Standard Review Grants, must be

matched at least 1 to 1.

Intended Outcomes

In compliance with the Government

Performance and Results Act, the Arts Endowment, along with other federal agencies, is

required to collect information on the projects 

it funds. This information is compiled and

reported to Congress and the public.

The Endowment has adopted an outcomebased approach to its grantmaking. We are

asking all applicants to define what they would

like to achieve, how they will assess the degree to

which it is achieved, and, upon completion of the

project, what they have learned from their

successes and failures. This need not entail largescale or expensive evaluation. Applicants should

do what is feasible and appropriate for their

organization and project. When a grant is

completed, grantees must submit a final report

and answer questions on their achievements and

how they were gauged.

Additional information about outcomes is

included in each of the category descriptions in

these guidelines. Applicants also may want to

visit our Web site – the Apply for a Grant

section at www.arts.gov — for further

information about outcome-based evaluation.

Guiding Principles 

Applicant organizations should be aware that 

the Arts Endowment:

• Urges organizations that apply under these

guidelines to involve artists in their projects

and to provide specific information on the

participating artists in their application.

• Is committed to supporting equitable

opportunities for all applicants and investing

in diversity in the arts including works of all

cultures and periods.

• Is interested in projects, regardless of the size

or type of applicant organization, that are of

national, regional, or field-wide significance;

that tour in several states; or that provide an

unusual or especially valuable contribution

because of geographic location. This includes

local projects that can have a significant effect

within a community or that are likely to serve

as models for a field.

• Recognizes that the significance of a project

can be measured by excellence and

inventiveness, not solely by budget size,

institutional stature, or the numbers of people

or areas that are reached.

• Urges applicants to make accommodations for

individuals with disabilities an integral part of

their projects.

Applicant Eligibility

Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S.

organizations; units of state or local government;

or federally recognized tribal communities or

tribes may apply. Applicants may be arts

organizations, local arts agencies, arts service

organizations, school districts, and other

organizations that can help advance the goals of

the Arts Endowment.

To be eligible, the applicant organization

must:

• Meet the “Legal Requirements,”including

nonprofit, tax-exempt status, on page 77 at the

time of application.

• Have a three-year history of programming prior

to the application deadline.

INTRODUCTION
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

10

• Have professional staff, paid or volunteer, who

can devote the time and effort that are required

to accomplish the project.

• Have submitted acceptable Final Report

packages by the due date(s) for all Arts

Endowment grant(s) previously received.

Some organizations with Musical Theater,

Opera, or Theater projects may require a site visit

to be eligible. See pages 48 and 50 for deadlines

and information regarding the scheduling of site

visits.

The designated fifty state and six

jurisdictional arts agencies (SAAs) and their

regional arts organizations (RAOs) may serve

as fiscal agents or as consortium members and

participants including consortium lead

applicants. However, all grant funds must be

passed on to the sponsored organization or to

other consortium members. Each SAA or RAO

may serve as the lead applicant for only one

consortium project. There is no limit to the

number of applications for which a SAA or

RAO may serve as a fiscal agent. SAAs and

RAOs are eligible to apply on their own behalf

through the Partnership Agreements guidelines.

Application Limits

Under these guidelines, an organization may

apply for both a Standard Review Grant and a

Fast-Track Review Grant as detailed below. Each

application must be for a distinctly different

project.

Standard Review Grants

An organization may submit only one

application for a FY 2004 Standard Review

Grant under these guidelines, with the following

exceptions:

• Parent organizations that have separately

identifiable and independent components

(e.g., a university campus that has an art

museum) may submit an application for each

such component. In addition, a parent

organization also may submit one application

on its own behalf for a distinctly different

project. The parent organization must meet

the eligibility requirements for all applicants.

An independent component must be a 

unit that is both programmatically and

administratively distinct from the parent

organization, have its own staff and budget,

and generally have an independent board or

other advisory group that has significant

responsibility for oversight and management.

Academic departments of colleges and

universities do not qualify as independent

components.

A parent organization should consult with

Endowment staff (see page 30) to verify the

eligibility of its component before preparing

an application.

• Fiscal agents that are willing to assume full

responsibility for the grant may sponsor one

or more organizations that do not have their

own nonprofit status but that otherwise meet

the criteria for eligibility.

In addition to applying on behalf of one or

more sponsored organizations, a fiscal agent

may submit one application on its own behalf

for a distinctly different project. The fiscal

agent must meet the eligibility requirements

for all applicants. Fiscal agents may not apply

on behalf of consortium applications (see

below); individuals; commercial, for-profit

organizations; or organizations that are

eligible to apply on their own.

Fiscal agents must have on file, and be able

to provide if requested, a written contractual

agreement between the fiscal agent and the

sponsored organization that outlines the fiscal

agent’s administrative, programmatic,

financial, and legal responsibility for the

sponsored project. A sample contract is

available in the Grants for Arts Projects

section of Apply for a Grant on the Arts

Endowment’s Web site at www.arts.gov or

from the Office of General Counsel at

ogc@arts.endow.gov or 202/682-5418.

Arts Endowment grantees that are

currently placed by the agency on Alternative

Methods of Funding (Certification, Cost

INTRODUCTION
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

11

Reimbursement, or Working Capital

Advance) are not eligible to serve as fiscal

agents. Organizations that have questions

about their status should contact the Grants

& Contracts Office at grants@arts.endow.gov.

Beginning with grants that were awarded

in FY 1999 (as indicated by a grant letter that

is dated on or after October 1, 1998, and a

grant number that begins with “99 - ”), any

fiscally sponsored organization may receive no

more than three Arts Endowment grants

through a fiscal agent before it must have its

own nonprofit status. For example, if an

organization received grants through a fiscal

agent in FY 1999, 2000, and 2002, it may not

apply again through a fiscal agent under these

FY 2004 Grants for Arts Projects guidelines.

• Consortium applications. The Arts

Endowment encourages collaborative projects

and consortia. However, if your organization is

submitting only one application under these

guidelines – even if it is for a collaborative

project – do not designate your application as

a consortium application. The remaining

information in this “Consortium applications”

section does not pertain to your application.

A consortium is a partnership of

organizations that undertake a shared project

which requires combined resources of capital

and/or human talent. The members jointly

conceive, execute, and expend resources on the

project. For the purposes of these guidelines,

consortium applications should list two

members only: a lead applicant and one

primary partner. Other organizations may

participate in the project.

In addition to submitting an application on

its own behalf, an eligible organization may

serve either as the lead applicant or as the

primary consortium partner in one

consortium application. If an organization

chooses not to submit an application on its

own behalf, it may serve either as the lead

applicant or as the primary consortium

partner in two consortium applications.

Both consortium members (i.e., the lead

applicant and its one listed partner) must

meet the eligibility requirements for all

applicants. A parent organization and its

component(s) may not apply as a consortium.

In addition to meeting all of the eligibility

requirements, the lead applicant must 

submit the application; accept administrative,

programmatic, financial, and legal

responsibility for the grant, including all

reporting and monitoring activities; act as the

payee for the receipt of federal funds; and, as

applicable, distribute the federal funds to

other project participants. Arts Endowment

grantees that are currently placed by the

agency on Alternative Methods of Funding

(Certification, Cost Reimbursement, or

Working Capital Advance) are not eligible to

serve as lead applicants for consortium

applications. Organizations that have

questions about their status should contact

the Grants & Contracts Office at

grants@arts.endow.gov.

Organizations that are considering serving

as the lead applicant of a consortium are

strongly advised to consult with Endowment

staff (see page 30) before preparing an

application.

Fast-Track Review Grants

An organization may submit only one application

for a FY 2004 Fast-Track Review Grant under

these guidelines. Exceptions are made only for

parent organizations that have separately

identifiable and independent components (see 

the bullet on “Parent organizations” under

“Standard Review Grants”on page 10) and not

for fiscal agents or consortia.

Grant Amounts and Matching Funds

Applicants should be aware that federal grants

management entails certain administrative

responsibilities that some small-budget

organizations may find too taxing on their

limited resources. The Arts Endowment

encourages organizations with operating budgets

of less than $50,000 and organizations that have

INTRODUCTION
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

12

not applied for public funds before to consider

applying to local or state sources rather than this

agency.

All grants require a match of at least 1 to 1.

For example, if an organization receives a

$10,000 grant, the total project costs must be at

least $20,000 and the organization must provide

at least $10,000 toward the project from

nonfederal sources.

Standard Review Grants

An organization may request a grant amount

from $5,000 to $150,000. Most grant awards will

range from $10,000 to $100,000. Few grants will

be awarded below $10,000; grants of $100,000 or

more will be made only in rare instances, and

only for projects that the Arts Endowment

determines demonstrate exceptional national or

regional significance and impact.

In developing an application, the Endowment

urges all applicants to consider the level of recent

awards and to request a realistic grant amount.

Applicants should review the lists of grants on

the Endowment’s Web site to see recent grant

award levels and project types. In the past few

years, well over half of the agency’s grants have

been for amounts less than $25,000.

Applicants whose grants are recommended for

less than the amount that is requested may be

asked to revise the project budget. The Arts

Endowment reserves the right to support a

particular portion(s) or cost(s) of the project that

is described in the application.

Fast-Track Review Grants

All Fast-Track Review Grants are for $10,000.

Period of Support

The Endowment’s support of a project may start

no sooner than the “Earliest Beginning Date for

Endowment Period of Support” listed on the

Application Calendar on the inside front cover of

these guidelines. Both Standard Review Grants

and Fast-Track Review Grants awarded under

these guidelines may cover a period of support of

up to two years. The two-year period is

intended to allow applicants sufficient time to

plan, execute, and close out their projects, not

to repeat one-year projects over two years.

Any planning costs that are included as part

of the project must be incurred during this

established period of support. No pre-award costs

are allowable in the Project Budget on page 60.

A grantee may not receive more than one Arts

Endowment grant for the same costs during the

same or an overlapping period of support. In

addition, different grantees may not receive

grants for the same project costs during the same

or an overlapping period of support.

INTRODUCTION
Artistic Creativity and

Preservation

Standard Review Grants

GOAL: To encourage and support artistic

creativity and preserve our diverse cultural

heritage.

Grants for Arts Projects
Artistic Creativity and Preservation Calendar

(Standard Review Grants)

Application Postmark (or Other Proof of Mailing) Deadline

Creativity: March 17, 2003

Services to Arts Organizations and Artists: March 17, 2003

Heritage and Preservation: August 18, 2003

Notification

Creativity: November 2003

Services to Arts Organizations and Artists: November 2003

Heritage and Preservation: April 2004

Earliest Beginning Date for Endowment Support

Creativity: January 1, 2004

Services to Arts Organizations and Artists: January 1, 2004

Heritage and Preservation: June 1, 2004

NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

14

The delivery of First-Class mail to the Arts

Endowment has been delayed since midOctober 2001, and delays are expected to

continue for the foreseeable future. Until

normal mail service resumes, please

consider using alternative delivery services,

particularly if you are sending timesensitive material.

Some or all of the First-Class and Priority

mail we receive may be put through an

irradiation process to protect against

biological contamination. Support material

(e.g., CDs, videos, slides) put through this

process is suffering irreversible damage. If

you are sending this kind of material, we

encourage you to consider using alternate

delivery services.

We apologize for any inconvenience this

may cause. Please contact us if you have

questions.

The Arts Endowment will not accept any

application material by electronic

transmission (e.g., FAX or e-mail) unless

requested by Arts Endowment staff.

Notice concerning delivery of First-Class and Priority mail
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

15

• Provide opportunities for artists to create and

refine work.

• Present artistic works of all cultures and

periods.

• Preserve significant works of art and cultural

traditions.

• Enhance the effectiveness of arts

organizations and artists.

This category encompasses three subcategories:

Creativity, Heritage and Preservation, and Services

to Arts Organizations and Artists. (NOTE:

Organizations proposing projects for radio and

television arts programs that are intended for

national broadcast should apply under the FY

2004 Arts on Radio and Television guidelines;

see page 32.)

Creativity

To support the creation and presentation of

artistically excellent and significant work. Projects

may include but are not limited to:

• Opportunities for artists to create and refine

work, within one or across several art forms or

disciplines. This may include commissions,

residencies, rehearsals, workshops, and

collaborations with artists from other

countries.

• The public presentation, exhibition,

performance, distribution, or publication of

artistically excellent works of all cultures and

periods (literature publishing projects must

focus on contemporary writers). This may

include festivals, touring, premieres and

second or subsequent productions of new

American works, and presentations of classical

repertory.

• Design development and competitions in

areas of design that include architecture, urban

planning, industrial design, and landscape

architecture. (This continues the support that

previously was available under the New Public

Works guidelines.)

• Artistic development programs for artists.

This may include professional training

programs for adults or young people pursuing

professional careers in the arts. (Note:

Training and professional development in arts

administration is supported under Services to

Arts Organizations and Artists on page 16.)

Congress has prohibited the Endowment from

making direct grants to individuals except for

Literature Fellowships, American Jazz Masters

Fellowships, and National Heritage Fellowships

in the Folk & Traditional Arts. Information

about these fellowships is available in other

guidelines; see page 32.

Heritage and Preservation

To preserve those forms of artistic expression and

practice that reflect our nation’s many cultural

traditions. Projects may include but are not

limited to:

• Festivals, exhibits, publications/anthologies,

and other presentations of artists and art

forms that reflect our diverse cultural

traditions.

• Apprenticeships and other forms of

instruction that pass artistic repertoire,

ARTISTIC CREATIVITY AND PRESERVATION

The National Endowment for the Arts supports the creation and

presentation to the American public of artistically excellent and

significant works, and the preservation of those forms of artistic

expression and practice that reflect the many cultural traditions that

characterize our nation. This is achieved largely through the support of

organizations for projects that do one or more of the following:
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

16

techniques, and traditions on to future

generations.

• The documentation, recording, or

conservation of highly significant works of 

art, artifacts, built or designed elements,

collections of art, or of cultural traditions and

practices.

Services to Arts Organizations

and Artists

To help arts organizations and artists become

more effective in realizing their artistic and

public service goals. Support in this area is

available for projects that will serve a broad

constituency of arts organizations or artists; this

area of funding is not intended to help a single

applicant organization improve its own

effectiveness. Therefore, this category is most

relevant to local arts agencies, service

organizations, and others whose primary purpose

is to assist organizations or artists in

administrative, developmental, technical, and

related areas. Projects may include but are not

limited to:

• Workshops, conferences, or publications that

provide professional development, networks,

and other services to arts organizations and

artists.

• Training and professional development in arts

administration. (Note: Artistic development

programs for artists are supported under

Creativity on page 15.)

• Technical assistance to help arts organizations

develop long-range plans, improve skills, or

otherwise develop strategies to enhance their

effectiveness or that of their fields.

• The development of new or adaptation of

existing technology to help improve the

operations of arts organizations, to strengthen

organizations’ impact, or to enhance the

experience of audience members with special

needs. (This continues the support that

previously was available under the Resources

for Change: Technology guidelines.)

NOTE: The creation and mounting of

productions, presentations, or exhibitions are not

eligible under Services to Arts Organizations and

Artists.

Intended Outcomes

The Arts Endowment has identified three

outcomes that it plans to achieve through Artistic

Creativity and Preservation. Each applicant is

asked to determine the one outcome listed below

that is most relevant to its project and to indicate

this in its application:

1. Artists and arts organizations have

opportunities to create, interpret, present, and

perform artistic work.

2. Artistic works and cultural traditions are

preserved.

3. Organizations enhance their ability to realize

their artistic and public service goals.

Review Criteria

Applications will be reviewed on the basis of the

following criteria:

The artistic excellence of the project, which

includes the:

• Quality of the artists, arts organizations, works

of art, or services that the project will involve,

as appropriate.

• Artistic significance of the project.

The artistic merit of the project, which includes

the:

• Potential impact on the artistic and/or cultural

heritage of the nation, region, or field.

• Potential effects on artists (including evidence

of direct payment) and the artistic community.

• Appropriateness of the project to the

organization’s mission, audience, and/or

constituency.

• Plans for documentation, evaluation, and

dissemination, as appropriate to the project.

• Likelihood that the project will achieve the

identified outcome(s) and the feasibility of the

proposed performance measurements.

ARTISTIC CREATIVITY AND PRESERVATION
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

17

• Ability to carry out the project including the

appropriateness of the budget, the quality and

clarity of the project goals and design, the

resources involved, and the qualifications of

the project’s personnel.

• Where relevant, potential to enhance the

educational experiences of the audience or

participants.

• Where appropriate, the potential to reach

underserved populations such as those whose

opportunities to experience the arts are limited

by geography, ethnicity, economics, or

disability.

How to Apply

All Artistic Creativity and Preservation applicants

should follow the application instructions that

begin on page 34.

ARTISTIC CREATIVITY AND PRESERVATION
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

18
Learning in the Arts for

Children and Youth

Standard Review Grants

GOAL: To advance learning in the arts.

Grants for Arts Projects
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

20

Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth Calendar

(Standard Review Grants)

Application Postmark (or Other Proof of Mailing) Deadline

June 16, 2003

Notification

April 2004

Earliest Beginning Date for Endowment Support

June 1, 2004

The delivery of First-Class mail to the Arts

Endowment has been delayed since midOctober 2001, and delays are expected to

continue for the foreseeable future. Until

normal mail service resumes, please

consider using alternative delivery services,

particularly if you are sending timesensitive material.

Some or all of the First-Class and Priority

mail we receive may be put through an

irradiation process to protect against

biological contamination. Support material

(e.g., CDs, videos, slides) put through this

process is suffering irreversible damage. If

you are sending this kind of material, we

encourage you to consider using alternate

delivery services.

We apologize for any inconvenience this

may cause. Please contact us if you have

questions.

The Arts Endowment will not accept any

application material by electronic

transmission (e.g., FAX or e-mail) unless

requested by Arts Endowment staff.

Notice concerning delivery of First-Class and Priority mail
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

21

These guidelines divide Learning in the Arts for

Children and Youth into three areas that build the

foundation for a lifetime of arts experience.

Learning in the Arts grants focus on children and

youth in the general age range of 2 years through

age 18, and support opportunities both in school

and outside the regular school day and year.

Early Childhood

For projects that provide arts learning activities

for young children from age two up to

kindergarten, and for professional development

for teachers, artists, and others who work with

them. Projects may be independent of or linked

to schools. This area provides opportunities to

help children enhance cognitive, social, and other

developmental skills through participation in 

arts activities.

School-Based

For arts learning projects for children and youth

between kindergarten and grade 12 that are

directly connected to the school curriculum and

instructional program. Such activities may take

place in or outside of the school building, at any

time of the day or year. This includes afterschool and summer enrichment programs that

are formally connected to school curricula.

Projects also may address professional

development for teachers and school

administrators. This area advances the arts

learning foundation that is established in 

early childhood.

Community-Based

For arts learning projects outside of the regular

school day and year that occur in a variety of

settings. These activities may be offered by arts

organizations or by other community-based,

non-arts organizations or agencies in partnership

with artists and arts groups. While not formally

linked to schools or their instructional programs,

projects typically are based on a curriculum.

Projects also may include professional

development for teachers, artists, and other youth

program providers. This area provides important

activities and training in the arts that occur

outside of the school system.

With the projects that are funded through these

guidelines, the Endowment hopes to call

attention to the most effective and promising

practices in arts learning.

Projects

Learning in the Arts grants encourage efforts that

enhance the quality of and access to arts learning

for our nation’s children and youth. Priority will

be given to projects that emphasize skills

acquisition and direct participation in and access

to excellent art. Projects that are based at higher

education institutions are eligible if their ultimate

LEARNING IN THE ARTS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth grants from the National

Endowment for the Arts assist projects that help children and youth

to acquire knowledge, skills, and understanding of the arts. This

category supports projects that provide hands-on learning and engagement

of learners with skilled artists, teachers, and excellent art in early childhood,

school-based, and community-based settings. The Endowment also

supports projects that recognize and cultivate best practices and exemplary

research that explores the effect of arts learning on the cognitive and social

development of children and youth. (Note: Adult learning is supported

under Challenge America: Access to the Arts on page 25.)
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

22

impact is on children and youth. Projects may

include but are not limited to:

Early Childhood

• Programs that provide regularly scheduled,

developmentally appropriate arts learning

activities by qualified teachers or artists.

• Projects that stimulate the imagination by

direct participation with artists and the arts.

School-Based

• Programs that engage children and youth over

an extended period to increase their

proficiency in and understanding of an arts

discipline, genre, or form. Such programs

must be consistent with national, state, or local

arts education standards or with curricular

frameworks.

• Collaborations between teachers and artists to

incorporate the arts into lesson planning and

instruction.

• Projects that explore new ways to integrate

arts learning with learning in other subjects.

Community-Based

• Programs in which artists or arts organizations

provide lessons or courses in the arts that have

explicit learning objectives.

• The enhancement of performances,

exhibitions, or demonstrations through the use

of study guides, artist visits, etc.

• Artists’ engagements that provide instruction

in the arts for children and youth during nonschool hours. Such projects may furnish space,

project material, equipment, job training, and

guidance in community venues such as arts

organizations, community centers, schools,

faith-based organizations, public housing,

tribal communities, or juvenile facilities.

Early Childhood, School-Based, or

Community-Based

• Professional development programs that

increase the knowledge and skills of teachers,

artists, youth program providers, and others

who work in arts learning with children and

youth.

• Research on the impact of the arts on the

cognitive and social development of children

and youth.

• Evaluation, documentation, and dissemination

of promising or proven arts learning programs

and practices.

• Development and testing of curricula that

emphasize skills development in arts learning.

• Projects that use the arts to enhance children’s

awareness of their cultural heritage.

• Other types of imaginative projects that

increase the participation of children and

youth in the making of art and its practices

and traditions.

Applicants are encouraged to review descriptions

of recent Arts Learning grants on the agency’s

Web site to see the types of projects funded.

Intended Outcomes

The Arts Endowment has identified three

outcomes that it plans to achieve through

Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth. Each

applicant is asked to determine the one outcome

listed below that is most relevant to its project

and to indicate this in its application:

1. Children and youth demonstrate skills,

knowledge, and/or understanding of the arts.

2. Teachers, artists, and others demonstrate

knowledge and skills necessary to engage

children and youth in arts learning.

3. National, state, and local entities demonstrate

a commitment to arts learning for children

and youth.

LEARNING IN THE ARTS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

23

Review Criteria

Applications will be reviewed on the basis of the

following criteria:

The artistic excellence of the project, which

includes the:

• Quality of the artists, arts educators, or the

works of art that are to be involved, as

appropriate.

• Quality of the arts learning experience. For

School-Based and Community-Based

projects, this includes the potential to increase

or strengthen participants’ knowledge and

skills in the arts.

• Quality of the participating organizations

including their experience in arts learning for

children and youth.

The artistic merit of the project, which includes

the:

• Potential for direct participation in and

experience with the arts.

• Potential to have a positive effect on the

development of arts learning for children and

youth.

• Degree of commitment by the participating

organizations and individuals to common

goals and to working together to plan,

develop, implement, and evaluate the project.

• Plans for documentation, evaluation, and

dissemination, as appropriate to the project.

• Likelihood that the project will achieve the

identified outcome(s) and the feasibility of the

proposed performance measurements.

• Ability to carry out the project including the

appropriateness of the budget, the quality and

clarity of the project goals and design, the

resources involved, and the qualifications of

the project’s personnel.

As applicable:

• For School-Based projects, the potential of the

project to comply with the National Standards

for Arts Education* or the relevant local/state

standards for arts education.

• For professional development projects, the

potential to prepare highly qualified teachers,

artists, or others to work in arts learning with

children and youth.

• Where appropriate, the potential to reach

underserved populations such as those whose

opportunities to experience the arts are limited

by geography, ethnicity, economics, or

disability.

*Additional information on the National

Standards for Arts Education may be found at

http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/

professional_resources/standards/nat_standards_

main.html.

How to Apply

All Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth

applicants should follow the application

instructions that begin on page 34.

LEARNING IN THE ARTS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

24
Challenge America: 

Access to the Arts

Standard Review Grants and

Fast-Track Review Grants

GOAL: To make the arts more widely

available in communities throughout 

the country.

Grants for Arts Projects
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

26

Challenge America: Access to the Arts Calendar

STANDARD REVIEW GRANTS

Application Postmark (or Other Proof of Mailing) Deadline

August 18, 2003

Notification

April 2004

Earliest Beginning Date for Endowment Support

June 1, 2004

FAST-TRACK REVIEW GRANTS

Application Postmark (or Other Proof of Mailing) Deadline

June 2, 2003

Notification

November 2003

Earliest Beginning Date for Endowment Support

December 1, 2003

The delivery of First-Class mail to the Arts

Endowment has been delayed since midOctober 2001, and delays are expected to

continue for the foreseeable future. Until

normal mail service resumes, please

consider using alternative delivery services,

particularly if you are sending timesensitive material.

Some or all of the First-Class and Priority

mail we receive may be put through an

irradiation process to protect against

biological contamination. Support material

(e.g., CDs, videos, slides) put through this

process is suffering irreversible damage. If

you are sending this kind of material, we

encourage you to consider using alternate

delivery services.

We apologize for any inconvenience this

may cause. Please contact us if you have

questions.

The Arts Endowment will not accept any

application material by electronic

transmission (e.g., FAX or e-mail) unless

requested by Arts Endowment staff.

Notice concerning delivery of First-Class and Priority mail
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

27

The Arts Endowment is particularly interested in

projects that extend the arts to underserved

populations — those whose opportunities to

experience the arts are limited by geography,

ethnicity, economics, or disability. (NOTE:

Organizations proposing projects for radio and

television arts programs that are intended for

national broadcast should apply under the FY

2004 Arts on Radio and Television guidelines;

see page 32.) 

This category offers both Standard Review

Grants and Fast-Track Review Grants; see below

for descriptions.

Standard Review Grants 

To support projects that make the arts more

widely available in communities throughout the

country. Projects may include but are not limited

to:

• Exhibitions, performances, distribution of

artistic work, and other activities such as

touring within a state or region that provide

opportunities for public participation in 

the arts.

• Outreach projects that involve diverse

communities or that reach new audiences.

• Innovative uses of technology to enhance

public access to the arts.

• Educational activities in the arts (not for

academic credit) that are offered to adults or

intergenerational groups.

• Projects that focus on the arts as a key

component of community development.

Fast-Track Review Grants

Due to simplified application requirements and

an expedited application review, organizations

will be notified whether they are recipients of a

$10,000 Fast-Track Review Grant approximately

five months after they apply; projects may start

shortly thereafter.

Partnerships, particularly those that involve

both arts organizations and sectors outside of the

arts, are key to the success of Fast-Track Review

projects and must be reflected in every

application. The Endowment encourages

applicants to think as broadly as possible about

potential partners.

Fast-Track Review Grants are available only

for the following types of projects that highlight

the potential of the arts to address key

community concerns:

• Activities that address civic design issues.

Projects should focus on involving quality

design in the planning of public spaces or

buildings, including the design stages of

renovating or restoring cultural facilities and

historic structures. Projects may include, but are

not limited to, charettes (design workshops),

facility design and usage assessments, or the

engagement of professional design services.

Funding is not available for actual renovation

or construction costs.

CHALLENGE AMERICA: ACCESS TO THE ARTS

The National Endowment for the Arts seeks to broaden efforts 

to provide the American people with opportunities to experience

the excellence and diversity of the arts. This category awards

Challenge America grants for projects that do one or more of the following:

• Provide opportunities for people to experience and participate in a wide

range of art forms and activities.

• Enable arts organizations and artists to expand and diversify their

audiences.

• Emphasize the potential of the arts to help strengthen communities.
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

28

• Activities in which the arts serve as a focal

point for cultural tourism or the

development of cultural districts. Projects

may involve marketing, community cultural

public relations initiatives, and local economic

development efforts as well as related arts

programming. Applicants should coordinate

with appropriate governmental and private

resources such as convention and visitor

bureaus, chambers of commerce, and historic

preservation organizations.

• The development of community cultural

plans. Cultural planning involves a series of

facilitated meetings that are designed to

identify community cultural resources and

needs. A written report proposes policies and

actions that respond to assessed needs.

Organizations that are interested in

community cultural planning can refer to lists

of recent Community Arts Development

grants on the Endowment’s Web site to see

examples of project types.

Intended Outcomes

The Arts Endowment has identified three

outcomes that it plans to achieve through

Challenge America: Access to the Arts. Each

applicant is asked to determine the one outcome

listed below that is most relevant to its project

and to indicate this in its application:

1. Audiences throughout the nation have

opportunities to experience a wide range of art

forms and activities.

2. Artists and arts organizations expand and

diversify their audiences.

3. The arts contribute to the strengthening of

communities.

Review Criteria

Applications will be reviewed on the basis of the

following criteria:

The artistic excellence of the project, which

includes the:

• Quality of the artists, arts organizations, works

of art, or services that the project will involve,

as appropriate.

• Potential of the project to advance the quality

and availability of the arts.

The artistic merit of the project, which includes

the:

• Potential of the project to broaden access to,

expand and diversify the audiences for, or

strengthen communities through the arts.

• Potential of the project to benefit its targeted

audience, artists, community, or other

communities.

• Likelihood that the project will achieve the

identified outcome(s) and the feasibility of the

proposed performance measurements.

• Ability to carry out the project including the

appropriateness of the budget, the quality and

clarity of the project goals and design, the

resources involved, and the qualifications of

the project’s personnel.

• For Standard Review Grants, plans for

documentation, evaluation, and dissemination,

as appropriate to the project.

• For Fast-Track Review Grants, quality of the

proposed interaction among the partner

organizations.

• Where relevant, potential to enhance the

educational experiences of the audience or

participants.

• Where appropriate, the potential to reach

underserved populations such as those whose

opportunities to experience the arts are limited

by geography, ethnicity, economics, or

disability.

How to Apply

All Challenge America: Access to the Arts applicants

(for Standard Review and Fast-Track Review

Grants) should follow the application

instructions that begin on page 34.

CHALLENGE AMERICA: ACCESS TO THE ARTS
Important Information

for All Applicants

Who to Call

What Happens to Your Application

How to Apply

Special Requirements for Standard Review Grants

Grants for Arts Projects
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

30

Who to Call 

If you have questions about your application, please use the list below to

determine your appropriate staff contact. We also encourage you to check

the “Frequently Asked Questions” in the Apply for a Grant section on

our Web site for information. The Web site also contains e-mail

addresses for the areas listed below.

For Artistic Creativity and Preservation and Challenge America: Access to the Arts Standard Review

Grants, contact the staff for the field/discipline which is most appropriate for your project:

Dance (including dance presentation)................................................................................................................................202/682-5739

Design (including architecture, urban design, landscape architecture, planning, product design,

graphic design, clothing design, and interior design).........................................................................................................202/682-5796

Folk & Traditional Arts ...................................................................................................................................202/682-5678 or 682-5726

Literature............................................................................................................................................................................202/682-5771

Local Arts Agencies (A local arts agency must regularly involve coordination of services to the 

field and programming in more than one art form; projects may be in any discipline. State-wide assemblies 

of local arts agencies also are eligible.) .............................................................................................................................202/682-5586

Media Arts: Film/Radio/Television.......................................................................................................................................202/682-5742

Multidisciplinary (interdisciplinary collaboration and projects that involve more than one discipline 

including presenting projects with significant non-performing arts components, such as visual arts or 

film/video exhibitions; for multidisciplinary performing arts presenting projects, see Presenting) ...............202/682-5658 or 682-5469

Museums (including projects in any discipline that are submitted by a museum) ............................................................202/682-5576

Music (including music presentation)

Organizations with names that begin A through M ........................................................................................................202/682-5590

Organizations with names that begin N through Z.........................................................................................................202/682-5487

Musical Theater..................................................................................................................................................................202/682-5509

Opera ............................................................................................................................................................202/682-5600 or 682-5438

Presenting (multidisciplinary performing arts presenting only; presenting projects with significant 

non-performing arts components, such as visual arts or film/video exhibitions, see Multidisciplinary) .......202/682-5658 or 682-5469

Theater (including theater presentation)

Organizations with names that begin A through H .........................................................................................................202/682-5509

Organizations with names that begin I through Q ..........................................................................................................202/682-5511

Organizations with names that begin R through Z .........................................................................................................202/682-5020

Visual Arts...........................................................................................................................................................................202/682-5555

For Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth Standard Review Grants, contact the staff for 

your focus area:

For Early Childhood and School-Based projects ................................................................................................................202/682-5536

For Community-Based projects .........................................................................................................................................202/682-5026

For Challenge America: Access to the Arts Fast-Track Review Grants, contact the staff at 202/682-5700.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL APPLICANTS
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

31

What Happens to Your Application

Applications are evaluated according to the

“Review Criteria” for their category.

After processing by Endowment staff,

applications for Standard Review Grants are

reviewed, in closed session, by advisory panelists.

Each panel comprises a diverse group of arts

experts and other individuals, including at least

one knowledgeable layperson, with broad

knowledge in the areas under review. Panel

membership rotates regularly. The panel

recommends the projects to be supported, and

the Endowment staff reconciles panel

recommendations with the funds that are

available. These recommendations are forwarded

to the National Council on the Arts, where they

are reviewed in open session. The Council makes

decisions on which applications to reject. It sends

forward to the Chairman of the National

Endowment for the Arts those applications that

it recommends for funding.

Fast-Track Review Grants undergo an

expedited review. Applications are reviewed by a

diverse group of individuals with expertise and

broad knowledge related to the specific types of

projects in this funding area. Following further

staff review, these recommendations are

forwarded to the Endowment Chairman.

The Chairman reviews the recommendations

for both Standard Review and Fast-Track

Review Grants and makes the final decision on

all grant awards. Applicants are then notified of

funding decisions.

After notification, applicants that have

questions may contact the Arts Endowment

staff. Any applicant whose request has not been

recommended may ask for an explanation of

the basis for denial. In such instances, the

Endowment must be contacted no later than 30

calendar days after the official notification.

Applicants are welcome to attend meetings of

the National Council on the Arts and open

policy sessions of advisory panel meetings.

Site Visits

Applicants may be asked to provide four

complimentary tickets for the purpose of project

and organizational evaluation.

As a part of the review of applications, the

Arts Endowment arranges, at its discretion, for

site visits with some applicants that select Dance,

Folk & Traditional Arts, Musical Theater, Opera,

or Theater as a discipline on the application

form. Generally, a site reporter meets with

organization representatives and sees a

production. The information that is gathered is

one of a number of items considered during the

review of applications.

Applicants for Musical Theater, Opera, or

Theater projects: See pages 48 and 50 for

deadlines and information regarding the

scheduling of site visits.

Changes in Projects

Applicants must notify the Endowment

immediately of any significant changes in their

project (including any change in the primary

consortium partner) that occur after they have

submitted their application. If the project or the

organization’s capacity changes significantly

before an award is made, any funding

recommendation may be revised or withdrawn.

Grantees are expected to carry out a project

that is consistent with the proposal that was

approved for funding by the Arts Endowment. If

changes in the project are believed to be

necessary, the grantee must send a written

request, with justification, to the Endowment’s

Grants & Contracts Office prior to the

expenditure of grant funds. Approval is not

guaranteed.

General Terms & Conditions

Federal and agency requirements that relate to

grants awarded by the National Endowment for

the Arts are highlighted in our General Terms &

Conditions, which is provided to all grantees. It

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL APPLICANTS
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

32

can be found on the Arts Endowment’s Web site

at www.arts.gov. Included is information on U.S.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

requirements, matching funds, reporting

requirements, and lobbying prohibitions.

Civil Rights and Access for

Individuals with Disabilities

The Arts Endowment’s Office for AccessAbility

assists applicants in making access for individuals

with disabilities an integral part of their planning

for both programs and facilities. For more

information, contact the Office for AccessAbility

at 202/682-5532 or 202/682-5496 Voice/T.T.

The Endowment’s Office of Civil Rights at

202/682-5454 or 202/682-5695 Voice/T.T. also

provides technical assistance on how to make

projects fully accessible and is available to

investigate complaints about compliance with

accessibility standards as well as other federal

civil rights statutes. For inquiries about limited

English proficiency, go to http://www.lep.gov or

contact the Office of General Counsel at

ogc@arts.endow.gov or 202/682-5418.

Other Arts Endowment Resources

For general background information on the Arts

Endowment, refer to our Web site at

www.arts.gov or call 202/682-5400. Our Web

site also includes lists of recent grants, which we

encourage applicants to review to get a sense of

recent project types and grant award levels. In

addition to the funding outlined in this guideline

booklet, other resources of possible interest

include:

• The Arts on Radio and Television supports

projects for radio and television arts programs

that are intended for national broadcast.

Grants generally range from $20,000 to

$200,000 and require a match of at least 1 to

1. For guidelines and application information,

contact the Endowment’s Media Arts staff at

202/682-5738.

• Partnership Agreements assist the state and

jurisdictional arts agencies and their regional

organizations. You may want to contact your

state arts agency for information on artists and

other professional resources within your state.

A listing of these agencies can be found on

the Endowment’s Web site.

• Federal Agency Partnerships. The Arts

Endowment develops annual partnership

initiatives with other agencies such as the

Department of Justice and the Department of

Education to address mutual goals. Please

check the Endowment’s Web site for current

opportunities.

The Arts Endowment’s on-line resource

Cultural Funding: Federal Opportunities

provides a research tool for those seeking

funding at the federal level for cultural

programming. Included are those agencies

with which the Endowment has partnerships

and other federal agencies and programs of

possible interest. It can be found at

www.arts.gov/federal.html.

• The Mayors’ Institute on City Design is an

Arts Endowment leadership initiative that

provides an opportunity for mayors and design

professionals to work together to address

design and development issues. For

information, contact the Endowment’s Design

staff at 202/682-5452.

• The Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act of

1975 (20 U.S.C. 971), which is administered

by the Arts Endowment, authorizes federal

indemnification for international exhibitions.

There are two deadlines each year: October 1

and April 1. For guidelines and application

information, contact the Indemnity

Administrator at 202/682-5574.

Congress has prohibited the Endowment from

making direct grants to individuals except for

the following three programs:

• Literature Fellowships are available to

published creative writers and translators of

exceptional talent in the areas of prose and

poetry. For Creative Writing Fellowships, nonmatching grants are for $20,000. For

Translation Projects, non-matching grants are

for $10,000 or $20,000, depending upon the

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL APPLICANTS
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

33

artistic excellence and merit of the project. For

guidelines and application information,

contact the Literature staff at 202/682-5034.

• American Jazz Masters Fellowships

recognize distinguished jazz artists who have

made a significant contribution to the art

form. Up to three non-matching fellowships

of $20,000 each are awarded on the basis of

nominations. For information, contact the

Music staff at 202/682-5438.

• National Heritage Fellowships in the Folk

& Traditional Arts recognize the recipients’

artistic excellence and support their

continuing contributions to our nation’s

traditional arts heritage. Up to thirteen nonmatching fellowships of $10,000 each are

awarded on the basis of nominations. For

information, contact the Folk & Traditional

Arts staff at 202/682-5428.

Standards for Service

The Arts Endowment has set the following

standards for serving applicants. We pledge to:

• Treat you with courtesy and efficiency.

• Respond to inquiries and correspondence

promptly.

• Provide clear and accurate information about

our policies and procedures.

• Provide timely information about funding

opportunities and mail available guidelines

promptly.

• Promptly acknowledge the receipt of your

application.

• Ensure that all eligible applications are

reviewed thoughtfully and fairly.

We welcome your comments on how we are

meeting these standards. Please address them to:

Standards for Service Coordinator; Room 628;

National Endowment for the Arts; Nancy Hanks

Center; 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW;

Washington, DC 20506-0001; phone: 202/682-

5408; e-mail: webmgr@arts.endow.gov, attention:

Standards for Service.

For questions about these guidelines or your

application, see “Who to Call” on page 30.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL APPLICANTS
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

34

This section contains instructions on formatting and

mailing your application package. It is relevant to

applicants under all categories, for both Standard

Review and Fast-Track Review Grants.

Make certain that your application package is

complete and as specific as possible. The Arts

Endowment may request additional information

if needed for review.

Please review the “Frequently Asked Questions”

in the Apply for a Grant section on the agency’s

Web site for more detailed advice on how to

submit a competitive application.

To help us prepare your application for review,

and because reviewers must be able to read a

substantial amount of material easily:

• Type all application material. Use black type

and at least a 12 point font.

• Do not reduce or condense type or line size;

leave space between paragraphs in narrative

material.

• Submit all material (excluding work samples)

on 8-1/2 inch by 11 inch white paper. Do not

use colored paper. Narrative material

(excluding the Application Forms) must have

margins of at least one inch on the top,

bottom, and sides of all pages.

• Do not submit “cut and paste” original

documents. When photocopying material,

copy on one side only. Do not submit twosided copies.

• Use only paper clips and rubber bands to

fasten your material. Do not bind or staple

material.

Application forms that can be filled out on a

computer are available in the Grants for Arts

Projects section of Apply for a Grant on our

Web site at www.arts.gov. Application forms also

may be reproduced on a computer, but they must

be accurate replicas of the actual forms. Do not

add pages. Failure to prepare and format an

application correctly may lead to rejection. All

completed application forms must be mailed to

the Arts Endowment in hard copy format as part

of the application package; the Endowment does

not yet accept applications electronically.

If you are submitting more than one application

(e.g., one on your own behalf and one as a parent

organization for an eligible component), send

each in a separate package.

Label your application package as shown

below. Send your application package to:

Application Processing 

Room 815

Category under which you are applying (Artistic

Creativity and Preservation OR

Learning in the Arts for Children and

Youth OR Challenge America: Access to

the Arts)

Artistic Creativity and Preservation

applicants also should note the

subcategory (Creativity OR Heritage

and Preservation OR Services to Arts

Organizations and Artists) and the Field

or Discipline (see “Project Field/

Discipline” listing on page 53) under

which they are applying.

Challenge America: Access to the Arts

applicants also should indicate whether

they are applying for a Standard Review

or a Fast-Track Review Grant.

National Endowment for the Arts

Nancy Hanks Center

1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20506-0001 

HOW TO APPLY: ALL APPLICANTS

How to Apply

All Applicants
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

35

Be sure to include a complete return address on

your package.

The rest of the application instructions differ,

depending on whether you are applying for a

Standard Review Grant or a Fast-Track

Review Grant. If you are applying for a FastTrack Review Grant, go to page 36. If you are

applying for a Standard Review Grant, go to

page 39.

Notice concerning delivery of First-Class 

and Priority mail

The delivery of First-Class mail to the Arts

Endowment has been delayed since mid-October

2001, and delays are expected to continue for the

foreseeable future. Until normal mail service

resumes, please consider using alternative delivery

services, particularly if you are sending timesensitive material.

Some or all of the First-Class and Priority mail we

receive may be put through an irradiation process

to protect against biological contamination. Support

material (e.g., CDs, videos, slides) put through this

process is suffering irreversible damage. If you are

sending this kind of material, we encourage you to

consider using alternate delivery services.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may

cause. Please contact us if you have questions.

HOW TO APPLY: ALL APPLICANTS

Application Processing

Room 815

Artistic Creativity and Preservation [or other category]

Creativity [or other subcategory]

Folk & Traditional Arts [or other field/discipline]

National Endowment for the Arts

Nancy Hanks Center

1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20506-0001

Applicant Organization

Return Address

City, State, Zip Code

Example How to Address the Envelope
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

36

Follow the instructions in this section only if you are

applying under Challenge America: Access to the Arts

Fast-Track Review Grants.

All Fast-Track Review Grant applicants must

follow the instructions on formatting and mailing

applications that begin on page 34.

All items (including the required number of

copies for Items 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 below) must be

included for your application package to be

considered complete.

Please submit your application material (Items

1-9) in the order and format noted below.Be

sure to make a copy of all application material for

your records.

1. The completed Application Acknowledgment

Card from the inside back cover of these

guidelines.

The guidelines on our Web site do not

include the Application Acknowledgment

Card. If you download guidelines, please

include a self-addressed postcard with your

application. The Endowment will complete

the postcard and return it to you in lieu of an

Application Acknowledgment Card.

2. Two copies of 1) a letter from the Internal

Revenue Service that reflects the applicant’s

current 501(c)(3) status and legal organization

name, or 2) the official document that identifies

the applicant as a unit of state or local

government, or as a federally recognized tribal

community or tribe.

3. Three copies of the Organization & Project

Profile form on pages 70-73. This form is used

by the National Endowment for the Arts to

develop statistical profiles of the projects it

funds. Your responses will not be a factor in

the review of your application, but this form is

a required part of your application package.

4. The original (i.e., a set with original

signatures) of the Application Forms on pages

52-62.

Items 5-9 are described below and must be

arranged in folders as follows. You must submit

six standard two-pocket folders; label the cover

of each folder with the name of your

organization. Each folder must include the

following:

• One copy of Item 5 — the Application

Forms.

• One copy of Item 6 — one-page description

of your organization’s programming.

• One copy of Item 7 — two letters of

commitment.

• One set of Item 8 — biographies of key

project personnel.

• One set of Item 9 — a concise sampling of

recent printed matter about the participating

artists and/or arts organizations.

See the individual items below for further detail.

5. Six copies (one per folder) of the Application

Forms on pages 52-62. (Please note that FastTrack applicants do not have to submit the

Financial Information form, the Work Sample

Index, or the Consortium Partner Information

form.) Instructions for the Details of the

Project form appear below; additional form

instructions are on the appropriate form or on

the page opposite the form in this booklet.

When you photocopy your six copies of the

completed Application Forms, be sure to copy

only the forms and not the instruction pages.

For the Details of the Project form on page

58 include information on the following, as

relevant to your project. Organize your

HOW TO APPLY: FAST-TRACK REVIEW GRANTS

How to Apply

Fast-Track Review Grants
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

37

response a), b), c), etc., and use the boldfaced

language below as headings for each item. For

example,“a) Major project activities. The

ABC Performing Arts Center plans to ...”

a) Major project activities.Be as specific as

possible about the activities that will take

place during the project period. Include

information on the location(s) of the

proposed activity and any special resources

that will be used.

b) Your goals in undertaking the project and

what you hope to achieve. Address the

relevant Endowment outcome and identify

any additional outcomes of your own that

you have established for the project.

c) Partners.List the organizations and

agencies that are working together on your

project. Describe the responsibilities of each

partner and the resources that each will

provide.

d) Schedule of key project dates.

e) Describe the community that the project

will serve, including any major challenges

that it currently faces. How will the target

community be included in the planning for

and implementation of the project? Have

you worked with this community in the

past? What evidence (economic, cultural,

leadership, etc.) suggests that the

community is ready to pursue this project at

this time? 

f) Describe the qualifications of the artists,

arts organizations, or other key professional

personnel who will carry out the project.

(Bios of key project personnel are requested

as a separate item; see item 8.)

• Provide any information that will help

reviewers assess the artistic or technical

expertise that is available to implement

the project.

• Describe the process and criteria for the

selection of artists, organizations, or

personnel.

• If you have not yet identified specialized

resources and project personnel (e.g.,

artists, consultants, resource staff),

describe the procedures that you plan to

follow and the potential recruitment

resources.

6. Six copies (one per folder) of a one-page

description of your organization’s programming

or activities for the following years: 2000-01,

2001-02, 2002-03. For organizations that

schedule activities according to a single

calendar year, use programming for 2000,

2001, and 2002. This description should

demonstrate your eligibility (i.e., three-year

history of programming) and the artistic

excellence and merit of your organization.

Where available, include programming that

has a relationship to the project for which you

are requesting support. Label the page with

the name of your organization.

7. Six copies (one per folder) each of up to two

letters of commitment to the project by two of

your key partners. These letters should include

information on the partners’ roles and

responsibilities. (If you have only one partner,

provide six copies of that one letter.) Label

each page with the name of your organization.

8. Six sets (one per folder) of biographies of key

project personnel including artists and other

specialists. Each set should be no longer than

two pages; group several bios on one page.

Briefly note any awards or recognition that

participating artists may have received (e.g.,

HOW TO APPLY: FAST-TRACK REVIEW GRANTS
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

38

from national, regional, state, or local arts

agencies; service organizations; civic groups;

inclusion on a state arts agency roster). Do not

substitute resumes for the required

biographies. Label each page with the name of

your organization.

9. Six sets (one per folder) of a concise sampling of

recent printed matter that can demonstrate the

artistic excellence of the participating artists,

arts organizations, or other individuals or

organizations that are integral to the project.

This may be in the form of brochures,

published articles, catalogues, color

photocopies, other visual material, etc. Clear,

legible photocopied material is acceptable.

Label each item with the name of your

organization.

Please do not send work samples (e.g., slides,

audio or video cassettes, scripts) with your

application.

HOW TO APPLY: FAST-TRACK REVIEW GRANTS
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

39

Follow the instructions in this section if you are

applying under:

• Artistic Creativity and Preservation Standard

Review Grants

• Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth

Standard Review Grants

• Challenge America: Access to the Arts Standard

Review Grants

All Standard Review Grant applicants must

follow the instructions on formatting and mailing

applications that begin on page 34.

If new information that significantly affects your

application (including changes in artists or

confirmed funding commitments) becomes

available after the deadline, please send that

information immediately to the specialist for the

appropriate field/discipline (not the Application

Processing office). Include your organization’s

name and application number on any such

submissions; your application number will be

provided on the Application Acknowledgment

Card that the Endowment will send you upon

receipt of your application package.

Please submit your application material in the

order and format noted below. Be sure to make

a copy of all application material for your records.

1. The completed Application Acknowledgment

Card from the inside back cover of these

guidelines or a self-addressed postcard.

The guidelines on our Web site do not

include the Application Acknowledgment

Card. If you download guidelines, please

include a self-addressed postcard with your

application. The Endowment will complete

the postcard and return it to you in lieu of an

Application Acknowledgment Card.

2. One copy of 1) a letter from the Internal

Revenue Service that reflects the applicant’s

current 501(c)(3) status and legal organization

name, or 2) the official document that identifies

the applicant as a unit of state or local

government, or as a federally recognized tribal

community or tribe. Local arts agencies

applying for subgranting projects also must

include a copy of the city/county ordinance,

resolution, charter, or contract that assigns

them the authority to operate on their local

government’s behalf.

For a lead applicant that applies on behalf

of a consortium, also submit one copy of this

documentation for your primary consortium

partner.

3. The original (i.e., a set with original

signatures) and two copies of the Application

Forms on pages 52-64 and 70-73 (including

the Organization & Project Profile form).

Instructions for the Details of the Project

form appear below; additional form

instructions are on the appropriate form or on

the page opposite the form in this booklet.

Also see the “Special Requirements” section as

some fields/disciplines have additional

instructions. When you photocopy your two

copies of the completed Application Forms,

be sure to copy only the forms and not the

instruction pages.

For the Details of the Project form on page

58 include information on the following, as

relevant to your project. Organize your

response a), b), c), etc., and use the boldfaced

language below as headings for each item. For

example,“a) Major project activities. The

ABC Performing Arts Center plans to ...”

a) Major project activities. Be as specific as

possible about the activities that will take

place during the project period. Include

HOW TO APPLY: STANDARD REVIEW GRANTS

How to Apply

Standard Review Grants
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

40

information on the location(s) of the

proposed activity and any special resources

that will be used. For projects that will tour,

provide a list of venues with dates and

indicate the degree of commitment. For

projects that involve publication, provide

details on items such as projected sales

figures, print runs, distribution plans,

contributors’ fees, payment policies, etc.

Learning in the Arts applicants also should

convey:

• Details about classes, workshops, or other

sessions (number, frequency, length, ratio

of artists/teachers to children/youth, etc.).

Indicate the knowledge or skills

acquisition that is anticipated for the

participants.

• The artistic process that will be used in

the project. How will the participants

directly engage in or otherwise experience

the arts and artists?

• If the project is to develop, test, evaluate,

or disseminate a program or practice,

what phase will be implemented, and

how?

Artistic Creativity and Preservation and

Challenge America: Access to the Arts

applicants also should provide information

on any educational component or activities

of the project.

b) Your goals in undertaking the project and

what you hope to achieve. Address the

relevant Endowment outcome and identify

any additional outcomes of your own that

you have established for the project.

c) Schedule of key project dates.

d) Key individuals, organizations, and works

of art that will be involved in the project.

(Bios of key project personnel are requested

as a separate item; see item 4 on page 41.)

Indicate whether the artists, other

individuals, and organizations that are cited

are committed to or merely proposed for

the project. Where relevant, describe their

involvement in the development of the

project to date. Describe the process and

criteria for the selection of artists,

organizations, and, where relevant,

artworks. Where key individuals or

organizations remain to be selected,

describe the procedures that you plan to

follow and the qualifications that you seek.

Learning in the Arts applicants should focus

on the individual(s) who will be responsible

for the arts learning aspects of the project.

Such individuals may be teachers,

administrators, parents, and artists, as

appropriate. Describe their experience as it

relates to the project.

e) The target population (i.e., the intended

audience and/or other beneficiaries to

whom the project is directed). Have you

worked with this target population before?

Has the target population been involved in

the planning for and implementation of the

project? If actual figures or reasonable

estimates can be secured, indicate the

number of people the project will serve. In

the case of children and youth, describe the

age range and any special needs that exist.

Describe any underserved groups or areas

that will benefit.

f) Plans for promoting, publicizing, and/or

disseminating the project, as relevant.

g) Plans for monitoring the project and

assessing the degree to which you achieve

your goals. Include your plans for

documentation, evaluation, and

dissemination, as appropriate. Describe how

you will measure your success in achieving

the outcomes identified in b) above. If this

is an ongoing project, state the results to

date and the rationale for continuing the

project. Learning in the Arts applicants

should describe how they plan to determine

if the project is meaningful to its intended

beneficiaries, including children and youth,

as applicable.

HOW TO APPLY: STANDARD REVIEW GRANTS
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

41

h) Plans for making the project accessible to

individuals with disabilities. (For technical

assistance on how to make your project fully

accessible, contact the Endowment’s

AccessAbility Office at 202/682-5532 or

202/682-5496 Voice/T.T. or the Civil

Rights Office at 202/682-5454 or 202/682-

5695 Voice/T.T.)

i) Budget.If this project is being undertaken

over and above your normal operations,

what resources will be applied to cover

these costs? What would you do if you

receive less than 50 percent of your

requested amount?

4. Two copies of brief, current biographies (onehalf page maximum for each bio) of the key

project personnel [e.g., the proposed primary

artist(s), project director, artistic director,

executive director, teachers, curator, editor,

folklorist, conductor]. Send no more than two

pages of bios; group several on one page. Do

not substitute resumes for the required

biographies. However, if your project involves

highly technical professionals (e.g., individuals

who work with new technology, art

conservators), submit two copies of resumes

(not bios) for those individuals.

For a parent organization that applies on

behalf of an eligible component, also submit

two copies of a list of key staff of the

component unit, and describe any overlaps in

staffing with the parent organization.

5. Two copies of a list of current board members

including professional affiliations.

For a parent organization that applies on

behalf of an eligible component, also submit

two copies of a list of board/advisory group

members for the component and for the parent

organization. Note how long each

board/advisory group has been in existence.

For a lead applicant that applies on behalf

of a consortium, also submit two copies of a

list of current board members for your primary

consortium partner.

6. If relevant, two copies of letters of commitment

to the project by up to three organizations or

individuals who are outside of your

organization but integrally involved in your

project. Do not provide general letters of

support for your organization. Letters should

clearly indicate how the project will serve the

beneficiaries. For residency and touring

projects, provide evidence of commitment

from the host and other collaborating

organizations. For Learning in the Arts school

and residency projects, provide evidence of

commitment from the participating schools,

collaborating organizations, and the school

district, as appropriate.

If your application is for a consortium

project, have your one primary partner

complete the Consortium Partner Information

form on page 68 instead of a letter. You may

provide a photocopy of the blank form to the

this partner; the partner may obtain a copy of

this form from the Arts Endowment’s Web

site at www.arts.gov; or the partner may

reproduce this form on its computer. Two

copies of a completed form from the partner,

including all required signatures, must be

included in the application package for the

application to be considered complete. In

addition to this required form, you may

provide up to two letters of commitment to the

project from other organizations or individuals

(two copies each).

7. Two copies of a selective representative list, in

chronological order, of your organization’s

programming or activities for the following

years: 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03. For

festivals, or other organizations that schedule

activities according to a single calendar year,

use programming for 2000, 2001, and 2002.

This list should demonstrate your

eligibility (i.e., three-year history of

programming) and the artistic excellence 

and merit of your organization. Include any

programming that is relevant to the project

for which you are requesting support (e.g.,

show examples of previous festival

HOW TO APPLY: STANDARD REVIEW GRANTS
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

42

programming if your project is for a festival;

provide examples of your previous work with

children or youth if you are applying under

Learning in the Arts). Provide this information

on one page, if possible; however, you may

submit a maximum of three pages total.

For most applicants, this list should show

selected artists/projects/exhibitions/works that

your organization has or will have

presented/produced/exhibited/performed. Use

the bullets below as a guide to possible

column headings for your list; adjust them as

appropriate for your organization. (See

examples below.)

• Titles of the works/productions/exhibitions

or of the program or project.

• Creator(s) or project head(s): choreographer,

composer, playwright, artist, arts specialist,

teacher, etc.

• Other key personnel: director, conductor,

curriculum developer, assessment/evaluation

specialist, youth/community development

specialist, etc.

• Performing company(ies) or primary

performer(s) or artist(s).

• Dates, location(s), and the number of

performances/classes/events/exhibitions.

Include attendance and percent of capacity

figures where available.

• Fees paid to artists/companies and/or to

teachers or other arts learning providers.

(Use average or aggregate fees where

appropriate. Applicants with Musical

Theater or Theater projects also should

include actors’ average weekly salary for

rehearsals and performances for the 2002-03

season.)

In addition, Artistic Creativity and Preservation

and Challenge America: Access to the Arts

applicants only also should submit two copies

each of sample programs, brochures, calendars,

catalogues, or other promotional material for the

previous and current seasons. If you are a

parent organization applying on behalf of an

eligible component, also submit brochures or

HOW TO APPLY: STANDARD REVIEW GRANTS

Example A performing arts group might format its representative list as follows:

TITLE/CREATOR KEY ARTIST(S) LOCATION DATES/# PERFS. ATTENDANCE % CAPACITY FEES

Work A/Creator A John Smith, Civic Theater Jan 27-31, 2001/ 850 71% $$

Jane Doe 6 perfs.

Work B/Creator B Richard Jones, Civic Theater April 17-21, 2001/ 1,050 88% $$

Robert Hall 7 perfs.

Example An after-school visual arts learning program might format its representative list as follows:

PROGRAM/LOCATION PROJECT HEAD PARTICIPATING DATES/# CLASSES ATTENDANCE FEES

ARTISTS

Sweeney Elem. After Jan Smith Lois Jones Sept. 01- May 02; 125 3rd & 4th $$

School Arts Vince Kraft 11/2 hours weekly/28weeks grade students

Teen Studio/Austin Fine Arts Bob Doe Ray Ward 2 hours weekly/year-round 80 students $$

Jill Hale

Kate Hall

If the suggested column headings and examples are not appropriate in your case, provide this information in a format that works for

your organization.
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

43

other printed material that document the

identity of the component as distinct from the

parent organization.

8. If your project is based on copyrighted

material, two copies of a signed statement

that documents the clearance of rights for this

particular project or publication. If your

project is based on copyrighted material, you

must have the rights secured by the

application deadline.

9. If you are submitting work samples (see

Item 10 below), three copies of the Work

Sample Index on page 66. See also “How to

Submit Work Samples/Standard Review

Grant Applicants” on page 67.

10. Special Requirements. Your application

package must include work samples and/or

other required material that can demonstrate

artistic excellence and merit, and enhance the

panel’s understanding of your application and

your organization’s ability to carry out the

project. The specific types of material,

number of copies, etc., depend on the

category under which you apply and the

field/discipline of your project. See “Special

Requirements for Standard Review Grants”

opposite.

Special Requirements for 

Standard Review Grants

If you are applying for a Fast-Track Review 

Grant, do not submit any items under this Special

Requirements section.

If you are applying for a Standard Review Grant,

these instructions outline the work samples

and/or other required material that you should

submit as part of your application package.

Samples and material should be recent, of high

quality, and as relevant to the project as possible.

Prepare a concise presentation that

communicates the quality of your proposal. Keep

in mind that panelists generally spend no more

than three to five minutes on the work sample(s)

for each application.

Submit sample work in the format or formats

that is/are most relevant to your project. Submit

work in more than one format only if that is

appropriate to your project. Do not send original

material. The Endowment welcomes brief

samples.

The Arts Endowment may digitally convert

work samples to facilitate panel review. By

submitting a work sample, you are giving the

Endowment permission for digital reproduction

and dissemination for the purpose of panel

review.

See also the instructions for the Work Sample

Index on page 67. In addition, review the

guidance below for your category.

Learning in the Arts for 

Children and Youth

As relevant, applicants should submit three

copies of samples of:

• Children/youth work. On the Work Sample

Index, identify the age or grade of the children

and youth; whether they are beginning,

intermediate, or advanced students, or a

combination thereof; and the context for the

work including the chronological point in the

project that is represented (e.g., start-of-year

class, mid-session workshop, year-end

program). Wherever possible, work samples

HOW TO APPLY: STANDARD REVIEW GRANTS
NEA GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS APPLICATION GUIDELINES FY 2004

44

should convey the actions or reactions of the

children and youth to the arts learning

engagement.

• Artist/teacher work.Wherever possible, work

samples should demonstrate the experience

and skills of the proposed artists/teachers who

will be working with the children and youth

rather than artists/teachers who are

representative of past participants.

• Curriculum units or lesson plans.Include an

explanation of their relevance to the project

and to the other work samples submitted.

For an existing project, submit work samples that

show the same project in the past. If the project

is new, work samples should demonstrate past

experience with related activities. If work samples

are not available, submit a brief explanation.

Applicants that select Musical Theater or

Theater as a discipline on the application form

should submit work samples that are relevant to

their project and represent work with children or

youth. Refer to the information on page 48

regarding site visits for evaluation of professional

mainstage production work. Site visits are

optional for Learning in the Arts for Children and

Youth applicants.

Accepted formats are:

• Slides (up to 12)

• Audio Cassettes, CDs, or DATs

• VHS or 3/4" Video Cassettes

• DVD-ROMs or CD-ROMs

• Publications

• Other, as appropriate:

– Sample lesson plans, teachers’ guides,

sample curricula, syllabi, or program

evaluation methods (in print or CD-ROM

format)

– Web sites

Artistic Creativity and Preservation 

and 

Challenge America: Access to the Arts

Follow the instructions for the field/discipline

that you select on the application form (see also

page 52).

Submit work samples in the format that is

best suited to your particular project. This

generally means slides for Museum and Visual

Arts projects; CDs or audio cassettes for Music

projects; video cassettes for Opera projects; copies

of publications or periodicals for publication

projects, etc.

Your work sample should relate as directly as

possible to your proposed project. For example, if

you are proposing:

• To create a work,submit an example of work

by the proposed artist(s).

• To complete a work,submit a sample of the

work-in-progress.

• To perform or present a work,submit a

composite of unedited performances that are

typical of your organization’s recent work and

relevant to the project. Do not submit

promotional material.

• To tour a work,submit a sample of touring

activities.

• A group project or collaboration, submit

samples that demonstrate the ability of the

proposed artists or organizations to work

together.

• An artists’ community or production

residency project, submit a sample of selected

artists’ recent work and documentation of the

facilities they will use. If the artists are not yet

selected, submit samples of work by artists

who recently have been in residence.

• Professional development activities,submit

a representative list of the names and current

professional affiliations of participants from

the past two years.

• An educational activity,submit a sample that

demonstrates the experience and skills of the

proposed artists/teachers who will be working

with the participants.

• An exhibition, submit an exhibition plan or a

working checklist with artist, title, date, size,

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45

medium, lender, and lender’s degree of

commitment. Also submit slides that provide

a representative sampling of the works to be

shown.

• To preserve or conserve an object, site, or

structure, submit a condition report and a

treatment proposal (signed by the proposed

conservator, if possible) as well as appropriate

visual documentation.

• A publication, periodical, or catalogue,

submit sample text as well as examples of

similar publications recently issued by your

organization. For catalogues, include slides of

a sampling of the objects to be included.

• An outreach project,submit a sample of

previous outreach activities. If you have

worked with your target population before,

provide a sample of your work with that same

community, if possible.

• A technology project,submit a sample that

conveys the expertise to work in this area.

Dance Projects 

(including dance presentation)

For dance companies only up to two unedited

performances by your company that took place

within the past two years and one excerpt(s) of

each proposed artist(s) or work(s), as appropriate.

Do not send promotional material.

For dance presenters, do not submit work

samples unless requested by Endowment staff

• VHS or 3/4" Video Cassette

One copy; cue to the start of the dance

sample.

• CD-ROM or DVD-ROM

One copy

Design Projects 

(including architecture, urban design, landscape

architecture, planning, product design, graphic

design, clothing design, and interior design)

Visual material is required. Please submit samples

that show the designers’ previous work, proposed

sites, existing conditions, past exhibitions by the

organization, or that otherwise demonstrate the

artistic excellence of the project. Choose one of

the following work sample types to submit.

• Slides

One copy of up to 20 with a slide script

• VHS or 3/4" Video Cassette, or CD-ROM

One copy. The work sample should be a

maximum of two minutes and cued to the

appropriate point.

The material listed below may be submitted in

addition to slides, VHS, video, or CD-ROM.

• For periodicals, four copies of recent issues

• For all other publications, one copy of two

recent publications

• For Web sites, up to five URL listings to be

viewed

• For publications/periodicals/catalogues/

monographs (as appropriate), one copy of

sample text, if available, or short writing

samples (up to two pages); a list of proposed

articles and committed writers 

• For design and planning projects of all kinds 

(as appropriate), one copy of drawings,

renderings, and other visuals no larger than

11" x 14"; do not send original material

Folk & Traditional Arts Projects 

• Slides

One copy of up to 20 that demonstrate quality

of artistic content and/or technical ability, as

appropriate

• Audio Cassette, CD, or DAT

One copy that demonstrates quality of artistic

content and/or technical ability, as appropriate

• VHS or 3/4" Video Cassette, or CD-ROM

One copy that demonstrates quality of artistic

content and/or technical ability, as appropriate

• Publications

One copy that demonstrates quality of artistic

content and/or technical ability, as appropriate

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• Other

One copy of:

For media projects, a proposed treatment of the

subject 

For multi-faceted projects, a separate budget

breakdown detailing the allocation of funds

for each component 

Literature Projects

• Publications

For publishing projects, four copies each of four

publications that were issued by your

organization within the last three years

• Other

For magazines and presses, one copy of a 

one-page list of the projected sales figures,

print runs, and your current payment to

writers policy

For presses, four copies of five pages of

manuscript from each proposed work

• Slides

If applicable, one copy of up to 12

• Audio Cassette, CD, or DAT

If applicable, one copy

• VHS or 3/4" Video Cassette, or CD-ROM

If applicable, one copy

Local Arts Agencies Projects 

(including state-wide assemblies)

Applicants may find it helpful to refer to the

Special Requirements for the discipline(s) that is

most relevant to the project for guidance in

selecting their work sample.

• Slides

One copy of up to 12

• Audio Cassette, CD, or DAT

One copy

• VHS or 3/4" Video Cassette, or CD-ROM

One copy

Media Arts Projects 

Include in the Details of the Project narrative, as

appropriate:

• For film/tape preservation, a description of 

each work that is to be preserved, its artistic

significance, its physical condition, the

methods of preservation, and plans for 

access to the material

• For distribution, a description of the criteria 

for film/tape selection, and rights and

revenues agreement with artists

• For production facilities and residencies, a

description of the facility, how artists are 

made aware of it, and highlights of some

recently produced projects

• As appropriate

Three copies of:

For narrative projects, the screenplay and a

one-page plot synopsis

For exhibition projects, a two-page detailed list

of your proposed exhibition program

For workshops/residencies/conferences/seminars, a

list of the proposed activities and the names

of the participants

For publications/periodicals/catalogues (as

appropriate), sample text; a list of proposed

articles and committed writers 

• Web sites

• Audio Cassette, CD, or DAT

One copy of:

For production projects, if you submit a workin-progress, also submit a completed work by

the person(s) with primary artistic

responsibility

For production facilities, submit two samples of

work recently completed at your organization

• VHS or 3/4" Video Cassette, or CD-ROM

One copy of:

For production projects, if you submit a workin-progress, also submit a completed work by

the person(s) with primary artistic

responsibility

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For production facilities, submit two samples of

work recently completed at your organization

• Publications

Four copies of the two most recent issues

Multidisciplinary Projects 

(interdisciplinary collaboration and projects that

involve more than one discipline including

presenting projects with significant nonperforming arts components, such as visual arts

or film/video exhibitions; for multidisciplinary

performing arts presenting projects, see

Presenting Projects on page 50)

Multidisciplinary applicants must submit samples

in at least two art forms.

• Slides

One copy of up to 12

Digital still images on CD-ROM or computer

disc may not be substituted for slides

• Audio Cassette, CD, or DAT

Two copies

• VHS 

Two copies

3/4" Video Cassette format is not accepted

• CD-ROM or DVD-ROM

Two copies

• Web sites

• Print material

Three copies of:

Literary samples, up to 15 pages

Publications/periodicals/catalogues

• Other

(OPTIONAL) For presenting/exhibition

projects, two copies of a statement of not more

than one page that discusses the curatorial

vision of the presenter and how the project

advances that vision

Museum Projects & Visual Arts Projects

Slides are preferred as work samples; however,

submit other types of work samples as

appropriate to your project.

Include in the Details of the Project narrative, as

appropriate:

• For planning projects in all areas, a work plan

and schedule

• For residency or commissioning projects, a

description of the proposed working process

• For conservation projects, a description of how

the project fits within the overall exhibition

schedule and collection maintenance plans

• Provenance research is an eligible project expense,

as is the purchase of works of art by living

American artists.

• Slides

One copy of up to 20 for a single applicant/up

to 30 for a consortium project

For reinstallations, include slides of the existing

galleries

For catalogues, include slides of the objects to

be included

For public art projects, include slides of the site

and the project, if available

• Audio Cassette, CD, or DAT

One copy

• VHS or 3/4" Video Cassette, or CD-ROM

One copy

• Publications

For periodicals, four copies of recent issues

For all other publications, one copy of two

recent publications

• Other

One copy of:

For reinstallations, a proposed floor plan of the

new configuration and bios of outside

consultants

For public art projects, evidence of permission

to use the site

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For publications/periodicals/catalogues (as

appropriate), sample text; a list of proposed

articles and committed writers 

For digital material, one PC formatted disc

that contains jpeg images

• Web sites

Music Projects 

(including music presentation)

CDs are preferred as work samples; however,

submit other types of work samples as

appropriate to your project.

• CD or Audio Cassette 

Three copies of a 15-25 minute composite

recording of unedited performances of at least

two contrasting works that are typical of the

repertoire performed or presented by your

organization within the past two years. Also

include, as appropriate, excerpt(s) of proposed

artist(s) or work(s) to be performed or

presented. If not already included, any

additional works that are relevant to your

proposed project.

DAT format is not accepted.

For recording projects, include samples of the

work(s) to be recorded or, if not available,

representative work(s) by the proposed

composer(s)

If you are applying for a consortium project,

also provide three copies of a composite CD

or audio cassette from your primary

consortium partner.

• VHS or 3/4" Video Cassette, or CD-ROM

As appropriate, three copies

• Other

Two copies of:

For recording projects, distribution plans and a

commitment letter from the proposed

recording company

Musical Theater Projects & 

Theater Projects

(including theater presentation)

Do not submit work samples (e.g., video or audio

cassettes, slides, scripts). Work samples will not

be reviewed and cannot be returned.

Site Visits

The Arts Endowment schedules site visits for 

its Musical Theater and Theater applicants

throughout the year, on a cycle that runs from

May 1 to April 30. Site visits for the FY 2004

application cycle will be completed by April 30,

2003.

Artistic Creativity and Preservation and Challenge

America: Access to the Arts Applicants

For these two categories, applicants to Musical

Theater or Theater that produce or present work

must have received at least one site visit between

April 30, 2000, and April 30, 2003, to be eligible

to apply. Prospective first-time applicants and

those who did not apply for FY 2003 funding (in

March or August of 2002) must submit a brief

Letter of Intent to apply in accordance with the

“Letter of Intent” instructions below.

Organizations that applied to Musical Theater or

Theater in FY 2003 should not send a Letter of

Intent and will be contacted automatically

regarding a site visit.

Learning in the Arts for Children and 

Youth Applicants 

Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth

applicants that select Musical Theater or Theater

as a discipline on the application form are

required to submit work samples. In addition,

they have the option of supporting their

applications with a site report. A site visit is not

mandatory for application to Learning in the

Arts for Children and Youth.

Letter of Intent

Organizations that plan to apply with a Musical

Theater or Theater project this year, under these

FY 2004 guidelines, may request consideration

for a site visit by sending a Letter of Intent

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49

postmarked no later than March 15, 2003, to the

Director of Theater and Musical Theater.

Applicants that are required to submit a Letter of

Intent should do so as soon as possible after

receiving these guidelines. The early submission

of a Letter of Intent will increase the likelihood

that a site visit can be scheduled and completed

by April 30, 2003. A site visit of a production

that meets discipline requirements will be

arranged following receipt of the letter.

Limit your Letter of Intent to one page.

Include 1) the category and, if appropriate, the

subcategory under which you will be applying

(e.g., Artistic Creativity and Preservation/

Creativity); 2) a summary of your organization’s

three-year history of programming for 2000-01,

2001-02, 2002-03; 3) a schedule of professional

mainstage productions that could be seen by

April 30, 2003, including dates, times, and places

of performance; and 4) the name, telephone

number, and e-mail address of a contact person.

Indicate if your organization presents rather 

than produces work. Include with your Letter 

of Intent a copy of the letter from the 

Internal Revenue Service that confirms your

organization’s current 501(c)(3) status or the

official document that identifies your

organization as a unit of state or local

government, or as a federally recognized 

tribal community or tribe.

If you have questions about a site visit for

Musical Theater or Theater, contact a Theater

specialist at 202/682-5428.

Any organization that applies this year for FY

2004 funding will be contacted automatically

about a site visit during the May 1, 2003, to

April 30, 2004, cycle. These site visits will

support applications made for FY 2005 Arts

Endowment funding.

• Other

Two copies of:

For all projects, a one-page signed statement

from the Artistic Director that discusses the

reasons for the project’s selection and its

relationship to the artistic vision of the

organization 

For projects that involve the creation of work, a

one-page statement written by the primary

creative artists with responsibility for the

project 

For touring, a tentative touring itinerary and

roster of companies/works/activities for which

support is requested 

For publications/periodicals/catalogues (as

appropriate), two works published by your

organization that are similar to the project;

sample text; a list of proposed articles and

committed writers 

Opera Projects

Video cassettes are preferred as work samples;

however, submit other types of work samples as

appropriate to your project.

• VHS or 3/4" Video Cassette, or CD-ROM

Three copies of:

For all projects, a 20 minute composite

recording of performances that took place

within the past two years which have

relevance to the project

• Audio Cassette or CD

If a video cassette is not available, three copies

of a 20 minute composite recording of

performances that took place within the past

two years which have relevance to the project

For recording projects, include samples of the

work(s) to be recorded or, if not available,

representative work(s) by the proposed

composer(s)

DAT format is not accepted

• Slides

One copy of up to 12

• Other

Two copies of:

For all projects, a one-page signed statement

from the Artistic Director that discusses the

reasons for the project’s selection and its

relationship to the artistic vision of the

organization 

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For projects that involve the creation of work, a

one-page statement written by the primary

creative artists with responsibility for the

project, and samples from the score and

libretto

For recording projects, distribution plans and a

commitment letter from the proposed

recording company

Site Visits

The Arts Endowment schedules site visits for its

Opera applicants for the Artistic Creativity and

Preservation and Challenge America: Access to the

Arts categories. Site visits are not used for the

Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth

category.

To schedule a site visit, applicants that did not

apply for an Opera project for FY 2003 funding

(in March or August 2002) must submit a Letter

of Intent to the Opera staff as soon as possible

after receiving these guidelines, but postmarked

no later than February 12, 2003. The

Endowment will make every effort to see that a

site visit is made to your organization.

Limit your Letter of Intent to one page.

Include 1) the category and, if appropriate, the

subcategory under which you will be applying

(e.g., Artistic Creativity and Preservation/

Creativity); 2) a summary of your organization’s

three-year history of programming for 2000-01,

2001-02, 2002-03; 3) a performance schedule

through August 31, 2003, including dates, times,

and places of performance; and 4) the name,

telephone number, and e-mail address of a

contact person. Include with your Letter of

Intent a copy of the letter from the Internal

Revenue Service that confirms your

organization’s current 501(c)(3) status or the

official document that identifies your

organization as a unit of state or local

government, or as a federally recognized tribal

community or tribe.

If you have questions about a site visit 

for Opera, contact an Opera specialist at

202/682-5600 or 5438.

Presenting Projects 

(multidisciplinary performing arts presenting

only; presenting projects with significant nonperforming arts components, such as visual arts

or film/video exhibitions, see Multidisciplinary

Projects on page 47)

• Audio Cassette, CD, or DAT

Two copies

• VHS 

Two copies

3/4" Video Cassette format is not accepted

• CD-ROM or DVD-ROM

Two copies

• Slides

One copy of up to 12

Digital still images on CD-ROM or computer

disc may not be substituted for slides

• Web sites

• Print material

Three copies of:

Publications/periodicals/catalogues

• Other

(OPTIONAL) Two copies of a statement of

not more than one page that discusses the

curatorial vision of the presenter and how the

project advances that vision

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