Special Opportunities – Arts Engage

General Information and to determine eligibility to apply, Ann Brown, Associate Director of Grants, 615-532-5939

Access to the Arts for Underserved Communities, Kim Johnson, Director of Arts Access, 615-532-9797

Community Arts, Shannon Ford, Director of Community Arts Development, 615-532-9796

Arts Education, Chris Sweatt, Director of Arts Education, 615-253-8914

Folk and Traditional Arts, Bradley Hanson, Director of Folklife, 615-532-9795

Literary Arts, Lee Baird, Director of Literary Arts, 615-532-0493

Performing Arts, Jared Morrison, Director of Performing Arts, 615-532-9801

Visual, Craft, Media and Design Arts, Krishna Adams, Director of Visual Arts, Craft, Media, and Design, 615-532-9798

The Tennessee Arts Commission encourages applications from any eligible organization from across the state. Those located in Fiscal Year 2024 distressed (Bledsoe, Clay, Cocke, Hancock, Hardeman, Lake, Perry, and Scott), at-risk, and rural counties are especially encouraged to apply.

Current grantees, including organizations receiving operating support, are eligible to apply for a Special Opportunities: Arts Engage Grant as long as the proposed project is a separate and distinct project not currently funded under other Commission grant programs during FY24. Eligible organizations may be awarded a maximum of one Special Opportunities: Arts Engage Grant per fiscal year.

All Organizations

Organizations:
Unique Entity ID (UEI): All applicants are required to have a Unique Entity ID. Information and application instructions can be found here.

An organization is eligible to apply for funding support if the organization meets one of the following qualifications:

• The applicant is a nonprofit organization legally chartered in Tennessee and has its headquarters and home season, or activities equivalent to a home season for non-producing organizations, in Tennessee and in possession of a determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service declaring the organization exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
• The organization is an entity of government.

Arts organizations that receive revenue directly from a “New Specialty Earmarked Plate” under T.C.A 55-4-301 (a)(1) are ineligible for Commission grant funding.

Proposed applications must involve one or more Commission recognized art forms, including: visual arts, craft, media, design, music, theater, dance, folk and ethnic, or literary arts. Please see Legal Requirements for further details.

Debarment and Suspension. Grantees are required to sign contracts certifying to the best of their knowledge and belief, that it, its current and future principals, its current and future subcontractors and their principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any federal or state department or agency.

Any grantee shall promptly notify the State in writing of any significant changes in the organization’s structure, leadership or financial circumstances that could affect services provided under the grant contract resulting from this application.

A completed FY24 Title VI training and certification must be completed before any grant funds will be dispersed.  Title VI training information can be found at this link.

All Commission sponsored programs, services and facilities are fully accessible to all Tennessee artists and citizens. Organizations are urged to consider contracting with diverse artists, artists living with disabilities, and/or artists representing Tennessee’s diverse artistic and cultural heritage. No person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, religion or sex shall be excluded from participation in, or be denied benefits of, or otherwise be subject to discrimination of services, programs and employment provided by the Commission and its contracting agencies. If an individual believes they have been subjected to discrimination, they should contact the Commission’s Director of Arts Access, Kim Johnson (615) 532-9797.

The Tennessee Arts Commission reserves the right to deny any application, if the proposed activity is outside of the scope or spirit of the agency’s mission, purpose, or this grant program.

1. The application should be well planned and presented.
2. The appropriate documentation is attached to the application. 
3. The narrative clearly explains the goals of the project and how the applicant will monitor progress.
4. The narrative clearly describes how the project aligns with one or more of the objectives highlighted in the guidelines.
5. The funding request clearly outlines what the applicant intends to do and how, when, where, and for whom.
6. The narrative includes how this project will engage and benefit the organization’s local artistic community and/or the community at large.

Funding is based on the narrative case for the grant, the accuracy of the application, reasonableness of the budget, and the availability of funds, which are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

This grant does not require a cash match.

Applications are reviewed in-house by Commission members and staff. Funding notification will take place via email.

Grant funds will be paid as reimbursements after the event. Grantees must submit all required close-out paperwork no later than 30 days after the ending date of the activity. Failure to do so may jeopardize future funding.

1. Register to use the Online Grants System. You are strongly advised to register well in advance to the application deadline. Anyone registering close to the deadline date can expect delays in the processing of their grant application.
2. Once you’ve been emailed a username and password, log in to the Online Grants System to complete your profile and begin an application.
3. Use the “Organizations” tab on the left-hand menu to ensure that the profile is complete and accurate. This information is as important as the application itself. Incomplete or erroneous data will impact your chances for funding. To edit the profile, click the “Edit” button at the top of the Organization screen.
4. Use the “People” link to ensure your profile is complete and accurate. This information will also be used in the review of the application. To open the record for editing, click the edit button at the top of the screen.
5. When your “Organization” and “People” profiles are complete and accurate, select the “Apply for Grants” tab again and click the “Apply for a ROLLING Grant” link listed on the page. Then select Grant Category “Special Opportunities” and Sub Category “Arts Engage.”
6. Complete all of the application fields.
7. Create and upload required attachments.
8. Submit by at least thirty (30) days prior to the beginning date of the project activity.

NOTE: The forms in this portal do not auto-save. Always click the “Save” button before navigating away from the page.

Beware that clicking the back navigation button on your web browser will exit you from the system and you will lose your work.

Association or Connection to Multiple Organizations: If you are associated with more than one organization, the organization that you were originally associated with will prepopulate in the organization name field on any newly opened application. To change to another associated organization, simply delete the prepopulated name and type in the correct organization.

What to Submit

Applicants must complete and successfully submit all sections, including required uploaded documents, of the FY2024 Rolling Grant Application electronically at minimum of 30 days in advance of the project start date.

Required Documents

• Organization representatives and individual applicants applying to attend the Creative Placemaking Summit must upload proof of Tennessee residency such as a copy of TN Driver’s License or Voter Registration Card in the Documents section of the application.
• Organizations must upload the most recent copy of the bylaws of the organization

A copy of the organization’s current by-laws must be on file in the Documents section of the Organization profile in the online grants account. All applicants must provide a valid IRS Employer Identification Number that is issued in the name of the applicant organization. Note that organizations may be asked to provide determination letter from the IRS if the Tennessee Arts Commission cannot verify nonprofit status within the “select charity check” process within the online grants system.

All applicants must also provide at the time of their application:

• A copy of the applicant’s Corporation Annual Report from the TN Secretary of State’s office. Use this link to request a “Printer Friendly Version” and upload that PDF to the Organization Card.
• List of Board of Directors. Only nonprofit organizations with 501(c)3 status will be prompted to upload this document. The board list (at the time of application) must include the following:
  • • Full Name
    • Email address
    • Number of years on the board
    • Length of term(s)

  NOTE: Other biographical information about individual board members should NOT be included on this list. Legal requirements state that Commission funds granted to an organization may not be used as a payment of any kind, for any purpose, to members of an organization’s board.

  Failure to provide all  documentation will result in the application being disqualified. For further eligibility information, please refer to the Commission’s Legal Requirements.