The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) values and emphasizes excellence in all grant programs within all disciplines. This section contains detailed information on CAH’s requirements and suggestions regarding content.
Section 1 - Work Samples
Work samples are critical for each application and are carefully considered during application review. Work samples must be no more than three (3) years old from the date of submission. Submitting older work samples may render the application ineligible for funding consideration.
Any discipline that uses digital images as work samples: applicants must create an image identification list of the JPEG images uploaded and should arrange the list in the order of viewing preference; Title the page with the words “Image Identification List” and the applicant’s name. For each JPEG image submitted, include the artist’s name, artwork title, medium, size and the year the work was completed. JPEG digital images must be numbered to correspond with the image identification list.
Section 2 - Support Materials
Support materials are documents that strengthen the application and provide additional information that directly relates to the grant request. Support materials do not take the place of a work sample. They do, however, reinforce the quality of the applicant’s arts and humanities disciplines(s).
Some examples of supporting materials include:
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Theater/exhibition reviews
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Letters of recommendation
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Certificates of achievement or recognition
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Sample lesson plans
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Awards
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Recordings of artistic process, creation or experience
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Assessments and evaluations
Assessment and Evaluations
Purpose
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To determine the efficacy of a program, as articulated in the program goals and as required for grant reporting; and
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To provide evidence to support changes to improve the program and its delivery.
Types
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Qualitative assessment is often subjective in approach and narrative in nature.
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Quantitative assessment provides empirical data that demonstrates growth in the knowledge, skills, and understandings of the participants.
Assessment and Evaluation Design
There are many ways to assess and evaluate programming including: needs assessments; pre-and post-testing; and formative, observational, and summative assessments that utilize mixed-method approaches such as portfolio/process-folio assessments.
Section 3 - Résumés of Key Personnel
Another way for the advisory review panelists to determine the artistic content of each application is to review the résumés of the key artists, administrators and facilitators involved in the grant activities. Those professionals involved in the organization determine the capacity of the organization and ability for the applicant to effectively create an excellent arts and humanities product and/or experience. Their backgrounds as artists and administrators should be relevant to the organization and clearly demonstrated through their professional résumés.