For the purposes of this grant, organizations dedicated to providing technical assistance and support services to DC arts and humanities practitioners, as outlined in the definition below, are deemed “service organizations.”
GOS: Service Organization applications are reviewed in a cohort with other arts & humanities service organizations. Award amounts are subject to CAH’s availability of funds and are based upon the organization’s advisory review panel score. The maximum award will not exceed thirty percent (30%) of an applicant’s Form 990 organizational expenses.
DEFINITION
Service organizations are those whose primary mission is to provide specialized support to people or institutions within the arts and humanities through functions like networking, professional development, communication, convening, and various technical or managerial support. Service organizations are not typically arts producers or presenters, although some organizations supporting historically disenfranchised communities may be actively engaged in the creation and delivery of such work. While some social service organizations may use the arts and humanities as a vehicle for service delivery, GOS funds are intended for organizations whose primary mission is the support of the arts and/or humanities.
Dimensions of support provided by service organizations may include:
- Validation: Building a compelling “value proposition” for the arts and humanities through education for understanding, and in turn, support for the work.
- Demand/markets: Fostering society’s appetite for artists and humanities practitioners and building demand for their work.
- Material supports: Providing access to the financial and physical resources artists and humanities practitioners need for their work including: space; employment; health insurance; awards and grants; and equipment.
- Training and professional development: Offering opportunities to artists and humanities practitioners to develop themselves professionally through a range of opportunities.
- Communities and networks: Building internal and external communities of practice through convenings and networking.
- Information: Providing research about, and for, arts and humanities practitioners and organizations.
Award amounts are determined by an organization’s total cash expenses for its DC-based arts and humanities programming in the most recently completed fiscal year, as supported by the organization’s IRS Form 990. Award amounts are also subject to CAH’s availability of funds and are based upon the organization’s advisory review panel score. Due to the nature of CAH’s budget being sourced from dedicated tax revenue, any award determined at the beginning of FY 2024 may be further enhanced, by no more than 50% of the original award, later during that same fiscal year.
Organizations with current or recent unusual budgetary circumstances, which may cause a marked increase/decrease to a fiscal year budget should contact a GOS grant program manager to discuss their circumstances.
CAH grant funds must be spent within CAH’s Fiscal Year 2024 (FY 2024) (October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024).
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