[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 8, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30499-30501]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11901]


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NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES

National Endowment for the Arts


Subject 30-Day Notice for the ``CARES Act Funding Survey''

AGENCY: National Endowment for the Arts, National Foundation on the 
Arts and the Humanities.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a 
preclearance consultation program to provide the general public and 
Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or 
continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995. This program helps to ensure that requested data 
can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and 
financial

[[Page 30500]]

resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, 
and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be 
properly assessed. Currently, the NEA is soliciting comments concerning 
the proposed information collection for the CARES Act Funding Survey 
for state arts agencies. Copies of this ICR, with applicable supporting 
documentation, may be obtained by visiting www.Reginfo.gov

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
address section below within 30 days from the date of this publication 
in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for proposed 
information collection requests should be sent within 30 days of 
publication of this Notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find 
this particular information collection request by selecting ``National 
Endowment for the Arts'' under ``Currently Under Review;'' then check 
``Only Show ICR for Public Comment'' checkbox. Once you have found this 
information collection request, select ``Comment,'' and enter or upload 
your comment and information. Alternatively, comments can be sent to 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk 
Officer for the National Endowment for the Arts, Office of Management 
and Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, or call (202) 395-7316, 
within 30 days from the date of this publication in the Federal 
Register.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NEA is particularly interested in 
comments which:
    <bullet> Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    <bullet> Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information including the validity 
of the methodology and assumptions used;
    <bullet> Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    <bullet> Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submissions of responses.
    Agency: National Endowment for the Arts.
    Title: CARES Act Funding Survey.
    OMB Number: New.
    Frequency: One-time web survey.
    Affected Public: State art agency staff members.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 62.
    Total Burden Hours: 279 hours (62 responses, average of 4.5 hours).
    Total annualized capital/startup costs: 0.
    Total annual costs (operating/maintaining systems or purchasing 
services): $45,000 (one-time costs).
    The planned data collection is a new information collection 
request, and the data to be collected are not available elsewhere 
unless obtained through this information collection. A web-based survey 
of state arts agencies and regional arts organizations is planned to be 
administered once during summer 2021, contingent upon OMB approval. 
Knowledge gained through this information collection will enable the 
Arts Endowment to collect information on emergency relief funding 
provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act 
(CARES Act) to state-level and regional subgrantees from the Arts 
Endowment. Currently, the Arts Endowment does not collect any 
information from state arts agencies or regional arts organizations 
related to the benefits of the CARES Act funding awarded to states and 
regions.
    The National Endowment for the Arts is compelled by Congress to 
obligate 40 percent of its program budget to state arts agencies and 
regional arts organizations through Partnership Agreements (20 U.S.C. 
954(g)). In turn, state arts agencies and regional arts organizations 
use these funds to support state and regional grantmaking and other 
programming, ``developing projects and productions in the arts in such 
a manner as will furnish adequate programs, facilities, and services in 
the arts to all the people and communities in each of the several 
States.'' (20 U.S.C. 954. (g)(1)). For regular Partnership Agreements, 
states, jurisdictions and regions are required to report subgrantee 
data to the National Endowment for the Arts.
    As part of the stimulus package passed by Congress in April 2020, 
the CARES Act appropriated $75 million to the Arts Endowment for 
emergency relief. 40 percent of these funds were directed to state arts 
agencies and regional arts organizations to be distributed for 
emergency grantmaking. After the National Assembly of State Arts 
Agencies (NASAA) conducted a listening session on June 24, 2020 with 
executive directors of state arts agencies, based on OMB guidance to 
federal agencies in administering and implementing relief funding, the 
administration emphasized minimal burden to expedite implementing 
funding decisions, which gave agencies leeway in determining 
appropriate transparency and accountability mechanisms.
    With this guidance, the National Endowment for the Arts determined 
that there would be no additional reporting requirements associated 
with these emergency funds in order to minimize burdens of during the 
pandemic. CARES funds were administered to state arts agencies and 
regional art organizations via amendments to FY 2019 partnership 
agreements, which are reported to the Arts Endowment annually in Final 
Descriptive Reports (OMB Control Number 3135-0140). However, Final 
Descriptive Reports do not contain data describing jobs and facility or 
infrastructure investments, which were the primary purpose of CARES Act 
dollars to state arts agencies. In an effort to understand the benefits 
and outcomes of emergency relief funds going to the 56 states and 
jurisdictions, and six regions, the Arts Endowment partnered with NASAA 
to survey state arts agencies and regional arts organizations to 
collect data on the how subgrantees used CARES Act funding.
    The NEA intends to examine the outcomes of CARES Act funding on 
subgrantees of state arts agencies and regional arts organizations to 
understand how these funds were used to support arts organizations and 
benefit the public.
    The Arts Endowment's Office of Research & Analysis decided to 
survey state arts agencies and regional arts organizations because it 
would fill a gap in knowledge of the 40 percent of CARES Act funding 
allocated to states and regions. The questions in the survey will 
capture the jobs subgrantees were able to maintain or create, and the 
amount invested in infrastructure, as a result of CARES Act emergency 
relief. The survey will also provide an opportunity to share any 
additional qualitative or quantitative subgrantee data related to CARES 
Act funding that state arts agencies have collected.
    NASAA will report the survey data to the public in the aggregate 
and the Arts Endowment will include an analysis of subgrantee data 
along with direct grantee data to understand and track outcomes on 
CARES Act funding. The primary indicators will be the number of jobs 
created or maintained by grantees and subgrantees (full time and part 
time), and the facilities/infrastructure supported with CARES Act 
dollars.

[[Page 30501]]

    This request is for a full clearance to conduct a web survey.

    Dated: June 2, 2021.
Meghan Jugder,
Support Services Specialist, Office of Administrative Services & 
Contracts National Endowment for the Arts.
[FR Doc. 2021-11901 Filed 6-7-21; 8:45 am]
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