General Information Sheet
Introduction:
The Cultural Facilities Capital Resources Grant program offers grant funding opportunities for WV arts organizations and history organizations to expand and improve services by expanding the range of arts and history programming activities available. The program offers funding to make capital purchases to assist in providing better programming and to make physical facility improvements to provide more accessible services. This program supports both physical and programmatic accessibility. Specific guidelines have been set by the WV Commission on the Arts and the Division of Culture and History to insure that each project, if funded, will result in more and better arts experiences for WV citizens. Funding for this project comes from the WV Legislature and the WV Lottery. This is a competitive grant program and grant funds available will fluctuate from year to year. A panel of experts in architecture, construction, contracting, planning and programming fields as well as various arts disciplines will review the applications. Panel recommendations are presented to the full WV Commission on the Arts for review and award decisions. The official procedures and requirements for this program are filed at the office of the WV Secretary of State as Emergency Legislative Rule Title 82, Series 7.
Applicants may apply for funding at five levels:
· $2,500 to
$24,999
· $25,000 to $49,000
· $50,000 to $99.000
· $100,000 to $299,000
· $300,000 to $500,000
· Multi-phase projects may apply for funding for three consecutive years not to exceed $750,000 during this three year period
· Organizations receiving funding of $300,000 or above are not eligible to re-apply for three years
· Reapplication may only be made for a new project which demonstrates significant public arts benefits beyond the achievements of the earlier project
Grants will be awarded for:
· Acquisition of real property, renovation or construction including alteration needed in order to comply with Section 504 of the 1974 Rehabilitation Act and the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act
· Equipment such as assistive listening devices, dance floors, sound equipment, lighting equipment and projection systems that will expand accessibility and availability of programming
Priority given to projects that:
· Increase or
assure public access to the arts
· Involve collaborations and partnerships that leverage
additional public and private investment
· Are supported by and serve more than one county
Additional weight will be given to projects that:
· Contribute to
economic development
· Include requests from organizations that further cultural
development in rural, under-served or minority communities
· Address known health and safety deficiencies
· Create or improve access to facilities/programming for
individuals with disabilities
· Improve, expand or rehabilitate existing buildings to
provide for physical accessibility
Applicants must be:
· An agency of
municipal or county government including county school boards
or
· A not-for-profit, tax-exempt West Virginia corporation as
defined in 501(c) (3) and 501 (c) (4) of the Federal Internal
Revenue Code of 1954 and as designated as in compliance with s. 170
of that code at the time of application and prior to release of
funds
· A previous grantee from the WV Commission on the Arts for
three years prior to application and met the administrative
requirements of previous grants received from the WV Commission on
the Arts. (Receipt of funding through ORBI, Mini Grants or Peer
Assistance Network Advisory does not qualify towards this
requirement.) An organization may apply for a waiver to the
Director of Arts. The director must receive the letter no later
than 30 days prior to the July 1 grant deadline. The applicant will
be notified of acceptance/refusal within 10 days of receipt of the
letter.
Grants will not be awarded for/to:
· Operating
Costs
· Office equipment such as a typewriter, computer, etc
· Bad debts
· Project expenses which occur before the grant period
(Beginning with FY02)
· Projects which are restricted to private or exclusive
participation, which shall include restricting access on the basis
of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age or
marital status
· Projects that take place outside of West Virginia
· Public or private colleges or universities
· Capital projects that have received greater than
$1,000,000 from any other WV public funds source
· Private for profit organizations
Applicants will be evaluated on:
· The strength
and quality of the organization's arts programs and
administration
· The need for the proposed project
· The ability of the organization to raise the required
matching funds as well as to see the project to completion
· A feasibility study for construction/renovation projects
that addresses the artistic, technical and financial aspects of the
project
· The appropriateness of the project consultants
(architects, engineers, etc.)
· The ability of the organization to operate and maintain
the facility after the proposed improvements are made
· The completion of an ADA site audit/survey
Eligible Applicants Must:
· Have received
funding from the WV Commission on the Arts in each of the previous
three years (Re-granting, ORBI, Mini-Grants, and Peer Assistance
funding does not meet the requirement.) *Applicants may apply for a
waiver from the Director of Arts*
· Submit a completed and signed Cultural Facilities Capital
Resources Grant application with all the required attachments
· For the purpose of purchasing or renovating property,
submit with the application either proof of ownership, option to
purchase or a long-term lease with an un-expired period of at least
five years. (For purposes of meeting this requirement, the period
of a renewal option contained in the current lease will be
considered, provided such renewal does not require landlord
approval. )
· a not-for-profit, tax-exempt West Virginia Corporation
must submit copies of the applicant organization's independent,
certified audit or review for the last completed fiscal year
· Complete a feasibility study for construction/renovation
projects
· Construction/renovation plans must comply with Section 504
of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990(ADA) regulations concerning access for individuals with
disabilities (Guidelines are available upon request)
· Construction/renovation plans for facilities currently on
the National Register of Historic Places must comply with those
regulations-contact with the WV Historic Preservation office is
required
· Provide an 8 ½" x 11" reduction of current
architectural plans
· Include a list of local officials (public and non-profit)
lending support to this project
Matching Funds:
· Applicants
must demonstrate ability to match the grant $1 for $1
· Funding may be represented local, corporate, private and
government contributions
· No portion of the match may be represented from any WV
public funds source
· All matching funds must be in cash-in kind donations do
not count toward the match
· The requested amount may not exceed 50% of the total
project cost
Appeals:
· In order to
appeal, a letter must be sent to the Director of Arts requesting
the application to be reconsidered
· The letter of appeal must be received no later than 60
days after notice of denial
· Appeals will only be considered if the applicant can
document specific examples that demonstrate that the application
was misrepresented or improperly reviewed
· The Director of Arts will review the letter and submit
along with the original application to the Commission for
consideration at the next meeting
· Appeals will be reviewed and acted upon during the next
meeting of the Commission
· The Director of Arts will notify the applicant within 10
days of the Commission decision
Letter of Intent
Deadline:
· April 1
Application Post
Mark Deadline:
· July 1