Section III.A: Eligible Applicants
The list below details the minimum eligibility requirements for EA. Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements upon submission of their application.
Organizations must:
- Be a nonprofit with a tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the US tax code. They need an IRS determination letter. It must be from at least one year before the application deadline.
- Be current on all taxes and liabilities owed to the District. Or, you must have an approved plan to resolve them. You can show this with a "Citywide Clean Hands" (CCH) certification. This is a certificate from the District of Columbia Office of Tax and Revenue.
- Be in good standing with CAH.
- Be registered with and authorized to do business in the District. You can be a "Domestic" entity. This means you are incorporated in the District. Or you can be a "Foreign" entity. This means you are incorporated in another state.
- Have an active Board of Directors.
- Propose planning and implementation fully carried out in the District of Columbia.
- Register with government agencies and follow their rules. These include (but are not limited to): DC's Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), Department of Employment Services (DOES); and the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
- Have an address for a principal business office in the District of Columbia. It must be available for on-site visits. CAH does not allow post office boxes. We also don't allow the addresses of board members or volunteers. These cannot serve as evidence for the principal business address.
- Have a principal business office address that is located in the NE or SE quadrant of District of Columbia, subject to an on-site visit. (Note: CAH will not allow post office boxes or the addresses of board members or volunteers as evidence of the principal business address).
- Have an operating budget (Total Cash Expenses) as demonstrated on the organization’s most recently submitted IRS Form 990.
- Identify as a BIPOC-centered organization and described below. This distinction includes at least one of the following criteria:
- At least 66% of staff identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC).
- At least 51% of the board, steering committee, or other leadership body and volunteers in leadership positions identify as BIPOC.
- The executive director, highest paid staff, or equivalent, identify as a BIPOC individual.
Section III.B: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (I.D.E.A.)
CAH embraces a commitment to the philosophy of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (I.D.E.A.) and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (42 U.S.C. §§ 12101 et seq.) in its work. CAH encourages applicants and grantees to be as inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible in their work throughout the District of Columbia, beyond participants with disabilities. Successful applications will consider a broad definition of “accessibility” by addressing financial, geographic, demographic, cultural, and developmental access in their programming/projects. Please review Addressing Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (I.D.E.A.) in Grant Applications in the Guide to Grants for full details.
Section III.C: Financial Misconduct or Fraud Disclosure
Applicants must disclose in a sworn, written statement whether the applicant has been indicted or convicted of any crime or offense involving financial misconduct or fraud within the last three (3) years of the date of submitting the application. If the response is in the affirmative, the applicant will be required to describe the circumstances.
Section III.D: Cost Sharing or Match
There is no matching requirement or cost sharing for EA grants.
Section III.E: Other
Applicants may submit one (1) EAST ARTS Grant application per fiscal year cycle.
Those ineligible for EA include:
- Arts and humanities organizations with a majority of their constituents who reside outside of the District of Columbia.
- Tax-Exempt organizations other than 501(c)(3) designated entities.
- Private clubs and organizations that prohibit membership based upon race, gender, color, religion, or any other classes identified in the District of Columbia Human Rights Act.
- Organizations that require “fiscal agents”; for-profit organizations; private foundations, political organizations; colleges; universities; foreign governments; federal government entities; and other District of Columbia government agencies, including DC Public Schools.
- Organizations submitting an application whose content is combined with the application of another organization. Proposed projects must be “stand-alone” projects.
- Prospective applicants debarred from procurements by the federal government, the Government of the District of Columbia or any governmental entity.
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