Grant Guidelines

1. To elevate the level of support to small nonprofit organizations and individual artists dedicated to fostering creativity and providing arts and culture experiences within and for the Napa County community;
2. To grow the use of and/or deepen the relationship with arts and culture within the Napa County community, especially through public agencies, community-serving organizations and/or public spaces;
3. To support a diversity of programs in representation of disciplines, heritages, subcultures, gender-representation, race/ethnicity, creative processes, and ages;
4. To support projects that serve community members whose ability to engage with and/or relevant access to arts and culture opportunities may be limited by geography, language, economic, or disability.

• Be the program “owner/presenter” directly responsible for managing, overseeing and implementing ALL administrative aspects of the proposed program, including but not limited to program design, reporting, data collection, scheduling, presentation, etc.
• For Organization Applicants:
  • Be a 501c3 nonprofit located in Napa County, CA
  • Have an annual operating budget of $100,000 or less
  • Offer arts/creativity programming as the primary focus of the organization’s activities
• For Artist Applicants:
  • Show proof of residence in Napa County, CA
  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Be a working artist with at least 2 years of experience

• All final programs/projects must have a live aspect that takes place in a publicly accessible space within Napa County, CA
• If applying in partnership with another group, individual or agency, applicant must provide written letter of support from program partner(s)

• Artistic Merit as evidenced by: quality and scope of the program; expertise and experience of key artistic personnel as related to the implementation of the program; reputation and history of the organization/individual, its programs and services; track record of providing high quality programs.  
• Impact as evidenced by: high quality, active participation and enriching experiences in arts and culture; effectiveness in utilizing arts and/or culture to create a stimulating and impactful experience; clear description of intended outcomes of the project on the target audience; well-articulated and thoughtful approach to measuring and monitoring the impact on participants (i.e., post event surveys, observation, etc.); number of audience members anticipated to be served directly and effectively by the project.  
• Capacity to Administer and Implement the Program as evidenced by: expertise and experience of key administrative personnel; capacity to attract additional outside support – financial, in-kind, volunteer, etc.; financial stability of the organization and/or previous project(s); ability to document/provide evidence of participation and outcomes; ability to document/provide evidence of committed partners or collaborators; board and/or volunteer support of the organization.  
• Community Outreach and Engagement as evidenced by, demonstrated efforts collaborate on the project with key stakeholders; clear and effective marketing plan and/or engagement strategy; a well-defined core purpose of serving a public benefit (vs. economic benefit); demonstrated efforts to reach and engage underserved populations who may be limited by factors such as geography, economics, age, language, and/or disability.
• Completeness and Clarity of Application as evidenced by a easily understood and fully realized vision for the project, its audience and intended impact.

• Financial Need
• Personal Preference or Relationship
• Information not provided in the grant application or by ACNV staff

• Submit a final report at the completion of the grant period
• Retain financial records for the funded project in the event that they are required for an audit
• Recognize Arts Council Napa Valley in printed and promotional materials
• Document the project through photos, video, stories and testimonials for inclusion in the final report

1. STEP 1: Attend a grant information session (Schedule of workshops available at www.artscouncilnapavalley.org)
2. STEP 2: Prepare your Required Attachments (see below based on the specifications listed)
3. STEP 3: Go to www.artscouncilnapavalley.org to review and download the application. Complete all questions and requirements, return COMPLETED applications via email to: grants@artscouncilnv.org

• Narrative of proposed project
• Organizational Bylaws
• Most recent completed fiscal year budget
• IRS Tax Exempt Determination Letter

• Narrative of proposed project
• Resume of Lead Artist (Project Director)
• 3-5 Work Samples (Portfolio of Relevant Past Projects)