About the Program
The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners recently earmarked $4.5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to be managed by Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County. These funds will be used to provide aid to the local arts and the cultural sector, including arts and cultural organizations and artist small businesses through new revitalization and expansion of community-based arts programming, arts workforce development programs, and technical assistance. Projects must be sustainable and show diverse community impact.
Timeline
Application Deadline: Rolling Basis, until all funds are awarded.
Please Note: All applications and supporting, required documents must be submitted via the Submittable grants portal.
Review of Application: Applications will be reviewed by Arts Council Public Support and Community Engagement Committee on the 3rd Wednesday of every month. To be considered at the monthly review meeting, applications must be submitted by the 5th of the month.
Award Notification: By the end of each month the application was submitted.
Project Period: All projects must be completed by December 31, 2024
Reporting: Monthly reporting will be required as outlined in the Eligibility Documents below.
Eligibility Criteria
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Organizations must be a 501c3 that produce arts and cultural programs in Forsyth County, North Carolina
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If not a 501c3, must have a local organization serve as their fiscal agent
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Organizations and fiscal agencies must acknowledge the receipt of eligibility documents for the ARPA Fund Application, and agree to comply to all guidelines, procedure and policies of this grant/award process.
Evaluation Criteria
Arts Council staff will review all applications to ensure their eligibility. All eligible applications are evaluated by Arts Council Public Support and Community Engagement Committee the 3rd Wednesday of every month.
Below are the guidelines upon which your ARPA Application will be reviewed and evaluated:
1. Is it clear as to the constituency being served in this program?
2. Does this program/initiative serve disproportionately impacted communities and provide programming and initiatives in areas that are at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty level? Although this is a not necessarily a requirement, this is a metric used by the County to ensure at least 50% of funds are allocated in Federal Poverty levels. More resources can be found below.
3. Is the sustainability plan for this program clear and feasible?
4. Does the program budget align with the project narrative? Is the budget clear with detailed expenses?
5. Based on the organizational budget submitted, is the organization financially sound to carry out the project on a reimbursement basis?
6. If a consultant or vendor is needed for a project, does this proposal state that the organization will be in compliance in requesting bids for proposals? (if applicable)
7. Are the appropriate board approved policies in place for the application?
8. Is further information needed?
Federal Poverty Level Resources:
https://www.cityofws.org/406/Maps: This page a list of different pdf maps associated with WS/FC. At the bottom of the page, you can find a map for each ward within City limits.
https://mapf.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=81eeb33669f8450eac5c48484c0d30a7: This is an interactive census map that provides demographic data when you click on different tracts.
Required Eligibility Documents for ARPA Fund Application
Please review all eligibility documents prior to submitting application.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17bmSh3eOiLeygl6gKGC1fftxTQLzwWXE?usp=share_link
Forms for ARPA Fund Application
Required forms to upload in ARPA Application.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kX9P5MHoJebvK8APCmDnqmVCMUxStRYa?usp=share_link
Arts Council Sample Policies and Procedures
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HNIOXGAQvrfIXtgGQt8j7pyRAEpScirT?usp=sharing
Contact
General Questions:
Shannon Stokes
Director of Community Impact and Programs
(336) 747-1416
To Schedule a Call with Grants Team:
Cécile Boynton
Community Grants and Services Manager
(336) 747-1431
