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FY 2022 FAB-R Grants FAQ Sheet

Eligibility & Eligible Expenses 

Q: I applied for this program (or another CAH program) in the past year. Can I apply again?
A: Yes. Past years’ applications hold no consideration on current opportunities. Please apply!

Q: If I apply for FAB-R, can I also apply for GOS?
A: Yes. Many organizations receive both.

Q: I’m an artist with a studio and a for-profit business. Can I be eligible for this program?
A: The FAB-R program isn’t available for individuals or for-profit entities. 

Q: My organization doesn’t have a traditional lease or mortgage, but we rent performance/rehearsal/exhibition spaces. Are we eligible?
A: If your organization and the rented facilities meet the other eligibility criteria, yes.

Q: Must we be in a lease for a particular length of time in order to apply? What if we have a partial lease (or more than one lease) during the eligible period?
A: Partial leases are eligible. So is more than one lease so long as they meet the other eligibility criteria. Please refer to the guidelines for specifics. Generally, if leases are for eligible spaces during the eligible period, they are eligible.

Q: Are short-term space rentals eligible?
A: Yes, if they meet all other eligibility parameters. If the space is one your organization has already rented, include the rental paperwork and proof of payment/expense. If the space rental is for an upcoming event (occurring before September 30, 2022), include the ratified space rental agreement to substantiate the expense.

Q: We are embarking on a new lease, becoming active after the grant application closes. Are we eligible for this award?
A: If you can secure the signed lease in time to submit your application, that document would suffice to prove a binding committed expense. You would be eligible for the total rent due between the start date of that lease and the end of the DC fiscal year on September 30, 2022

Q: Can we apply for rent payments already made -- as long as they are after October 1?
A: Yes, the project window is from October 1, 2021 thru September 30, 2022. Eligible expenses within that window are valid.

Q: Are co-working spaces eligible?
A: For all CAH grantees, a grantee’s primary office must be eligible for a site visit. Co-working spaces are generally eligible according to this policy. Virtual offices and PO boxes are not.

Q: What are “lease mandated facility improvements?” Do I have any that are eligible?
A: Some organizations’ terms of occupancy include required facility improvements, often in lieu of a formal recurring rent. These expenses are often equivalent (or greater) to a commiserate rental rate. If the terms of your organization's lease explicitly require regular capital projects, facility improvements, or other required ancillary services from the landlord, and if your organization has been billed for this work during the eligible window, please forward them to CAH staff for consideration.

Q: Are utilities expenses eligible for this program?
A: No

Q: What other expenses are eligible? Custodial services, security, parking, etc?
A: These expenses are only eligible if they are required as an obligation included in the rental agreement/terms of occupancy, and only if they have a specified and quantifiable fee also dictated within that agreement.

Q: Can we apply for more than one space? Can we combine office rental and venue rentals in the application?
A: Yes. If your organization occupies more than one eligible space, you can combine them in the application. Please provide all the necessary supporting documentation for EACH space.

Q: Do the guidelines say I can include expenses as far back as January 1, 2021? How?
A: No, you cannot. The guidelines stipulate that only costs incurred in the current fiscal year (October 1, 2021 thru September 30, 2022) are eligible.
If your organization is in a typical rent/mortgage arrangement, refer to the recurring payments for the present fiscal year.
If your organization does not have a consistent rent/mortgage arrangement (for instance, if you operate a summer festival), you can provide documentation from 2021 to substantiate anticipated expenses that may occur in the remainder of the current fiscal year.

Q: We have a pending venue rental for an event after the application deadline. Is that eligible?
A: If the venue rental is in DC and you have a co-signed agreement with clear financial terms, yes. If you have a pending agreement, that too may be eligible if you can provide a proof of expense from a similar event in 2021.

Q: We rent to another organization and need to do maintenance on that property. Is that an eligible expense?
A: No, FAB-R is intended for organizations paying rent to help them stay in place. It is not intended for landlords seeking to improve their facilities.

Q: I’ve been paying for my organization’s expenses from my personal funds, are these expenses eligible?
A: Eligible project expenses are only from payments made directly by the organization. If bills are paid by an individual, unfortunately, those expenses are not eligible.

Q: What is a “home office?” Is it an eligible expense?
A: A home office is most commonly a portion of one’s home wholly dedicated to business purposes. 
It is sometimes an office, a corner of a room, or even a desk. In some circumstances, a person can seek a tax deduction from the IRS for use of a home office. However, this deduction does not apply to 501c3 non-profits, nor are they eligible for consideration as a FAB-R expense.

Application & Documentation:

Q: Is there a sample format for the summary/incremental expenses?
No. Each organization will have very different expenses. Some may be straightforward. For more complex situations, CAH requests including a summary to help a third-party understand the terms of the expense. This helps expedite the application review and award process.

Q: What are the “supporting documents” I need to submit?
A: It can vary according to your organization. For example, if your organization has a standard lease agreement through the entire program year, that co-signed lease is going to be a very important supporting document. If your space usage is focused on renting storage facilities or a number of venues, your supporting documents would include signed copies of those agreements featuring terms of service and recurring bill amounts due. If you have questions about your specific case, feel free to reach out to CAH directly.

Q: For a mortgage payee, how many months of proof of payment on the mortgage are required?
A: Please include the mortgage agreement (highlighting the terms and amounts of payment). Please  also include some proof of mortgage payment (no more than a year’s worth is necessary).

Q: Arts is a major program for our organization, but not the only one. Should we include a budget for our arts programming or our total organization budget?
A: Please include both as they both may help in the evaluation. Please also include some guidance on how to interpret and understand the submitted budgets.

Q: To prove our rental payments, can we provide a copy of the ledger?
A: If the ledger is an internal document, there's no way for CAH staff to verify the information. 
Usually, applicants provide copies of the checks, email receipts proving payments received, or (for commercial landlords) there are sometimes commercial portals which one can use to print records of payment.

General:

Q: Will applicants either get the whole amount requested or none, or might applicants get some of the funds requested?
A: All scenarios are possible. If the budget can accommodate, CAH will strive to fund all eligible requests. Some applicants may be determined ineligible and may not receive any funding. Some organizations may receive a partial request due to partial ineligibility of expenses.

Q: Is DCCAH planning on offering FAB in FY23? We want to make sure our contracts are sustainable (understanding we're not guaranteed anything in FY22 or FY23).
A: The FAB-R program is funded through a legislative adjustment signed by the DC Council. 
Funding priorities in FY23 are still being determined. Subscribe to the CAH mailing list for future program updates and announcements.